world war 2 memorial in washington dc THAI Serving the best Thai in S an Francisco, Osha s first location was a funky, loud-music joint in

The TSA has phased out gate check-in at all U.S. airports. Passengers with e-tickets can still beat the ticket-counter lines by using airport electronic kiosks or online check-in from your home computer. Ask your airline which alternativ es ar e av ail- able, and if you re using a kiosk, bring the credit card you used to book the ticket or your frequent-flier card. If you re checking bags or looking to snag an exit-r ow seat, you will be able to do so using most airlines kiosks; again, call y our airline for up-to-date information. Curbside check- in is also a good way to av oid lines, although a fe w airlines still ban curbside check-in; call before you go.

Best for B aby: Call the Four Seasons (757 M arket S t.; & 415/633-3000) and tell them y ou re arriving with a baby. They ll set y ou up with a fully outfitted crib , a diaper storage unit, diapers, wipes, bab y shampoo, bab y lotion, and so on. See p. 86. The Laurel Inn (444 P residio A ve.; & 800/5528735 or 415/567-8467) is another top pick for trav elers with babies or toddlers, not just for the kitchenettes but also for the neighborhood, which is teeming with families. See p. 100. Best for Toddlers: When you ve got a 2- or 3-year-old in tow, nothing comes in handier than a nearb y par k. You ll find a small one acr oss the str eet from The Huntington Hotel (1075 California St.; &800/227-4683 or 415/4745400). world war 2 memorial in washington dc Also, if y ou snag one of the Huntington s rooms with a full kitchen, you ll be all set when the little tyke playgrounds: M oscone and Co w H ollow. Even if you can t snag a unit with a kitchen, all r ooms hav e r efrigerators. See p. 98. I f y ou ll be racing back to the hotel for y our toddler s nap ev ery afternoon, the Serrano H otel (405 Taylor S t.; & 866/289-6561 or 415/ 885-2500), conv eniently located world war 2 memorial in washington dc near Union Square, is a good choice. I t also keeps complimentar y cribs, str ollers, and booster seats on hand. See p. 76.

THAI Serving the best Thai in S an Francisco, Osha s first location was a funky, loud-music joint in the Tenderloin, with waitresses in pigtails and hip T-shirts serving up the best Thai food in town to post-partying crowds of 20-somethings. That meant we generally had to resort to getting takeout so we could order some great pad see ew for the kids (a tasty, wide-noodle version of pad Thai with no peanuts, a plus for some kids) and luscious curries for us. While the original Tenderloin location world war 2 memorial in washington dc is still ar ound, and still open until 3am on w eekends, Osha s tasty Thai cuisine was too good to be r elegated to post-party munchers. Today there are five Osha locations around town, and the quality remains top-notch.

58 Chocolate Shop (p. 244). I nstead, take in the view of the bay and Alcatraz Island and walk do wn thr ough Victoria P ark to the water s edge. A t any time of day , y ou re likely to find har dy (or perhaps just crazy) souls swimming in the frigid 50-something degree waters, often without wetsuits. Many are part of the D olphin Club, founded by German immigrants in 1877, whose clubhouse now sits on the Hyde Street Pier.