Timeshare Information

San Francisco is a fascinating city, and a time share rental here will give you the home base and the time to explore this grand old lady. In Part 2 of our 6-Part series on cities with great walking tours, we'll take at look at what San Francisco has to offer.

1. San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour. One of the things that makes San Francisco such a charming city is its unique architecture. It's because the architecture is so iconic - and so picturesque - that many television shows and movies have been filmed on location here.
   
   On this tour Rick Evans gives you not only an introduction to some of San Francisco's most famous downtown buildings in the financial district, including the TransAmerica Pyramid, but you'll also learn about such hidden treasures as rooftop gardens and unique open spaces. This is a fascinating way to learn about San Francisco's history through its buildings.


2. Barbary Coast Trail. San Francisco had an exciting past that began with the California Gold Rush of 1848. On this tour you'll see such historical sites as a saloon where sailors were once "shanghaied," a national landmark building that survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, and an amazing "graveyard" of Gold Rush ships buried beneath the streets.
   
   The Barbary Coast was a red-light district in old San Francisco that arose from the massive infusion of treasure-seekers. The area quickly gained a reputation for rowdy behavior, gambling, prostitution, thievery, and murder. The Barbary Coast Trail walking tour has a lot to offer!


3. Victorian Home Walk (see photo). Offered by San Francisco Historical Walking Tours, you might want to consider this tour if you don't want to climb San Francisco's famous hills. On this tour you'll explore hill-free Pacific Heights, where you'll see beautiful Victorian row houses, famous mansions, and lovely gardens. You'll even get the chance to peek inside a period "Queen Anne" Victorian home. This is your opportunity to really get up close to some of San Francisco's most charming and alluring homes.


4. All About Chinatown Walking Tours. No exploration of San Francisco would be complete without a look at the city's most famous neighborhood. The largest and most culturally significant "chinatown" outside of mainland China, this city within a city is exciting and lively. You'll see buildings of historical and architectural interest, including an authentic Buddhist Temple; you'll visit a fortune cookie factory; and you could even join a hosted 10 course dim sum luncheon.

Many San Francisco timeshare rentals are available, including Nob Hill Inn, and The Suites at Fisherman's Wharf. Give yourself the opportunity to really get to know this fascinating city through its walking tours.

Walking Tours – Part 1: New York City
Walking Tours – Part 3: San Diego
Walking Tours – Part 4: Miami
Walking Tours - Part 5: New Orleans
Walking Tours - Part 6: Hawaii

(Photo credit victorianwalk.com)

Part 2 of our 4-part series on renting a timeshare in the most haunted cities in America, takes us to San Francisco. This beautiful City by the Bay has lovely scenery of a rippling blue ocean, craggy cliffs, vintage downtown architecture, and cable cars - the most fun public transportation around.

This city also has a hidden secret - it's haunted. What a perfect place to have a vacation destination in the Halloween month of October.

The haunted hot spot in San Francisco is Alcatraz Prison (see photo). This maximum-security prison was run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 30 years. It was known as The Rock, and was considered escape-proof as it sat out in the middle of the Bay surrounded by freezing waters and strong currents. Thirty-six prisoners were involved in 14 escape attempts - 23 were caught, six were shot and killed during their escape, and three were lost at sea and never found.

In 1972 the island was designated an historic site and today is operated by the National Park Service and is open to tours. People who go on the tours say they have heard the sounds of the tortured souls of the prisoners as ghostly footsteps echo down the hallways, and abandoned cell doors clang shut. Several visitors have reported hearing moans, agonized cries and chains rattling in cell blocks A, B, and particularly C, and ghostly banjo music emanating from the cell that had been occupied by Al Capone.

Famous Russian Hill is another of San Francisco's haunted places. This area was once a cemetery before the gravestones were removed to make way for the building of new homes and fancy office buildings. The displaced spirits are angry and have been heard moaning and whaling, and ghostly apparitions have even been seen slipping in and out of the houses and buildings built over their graves.

The tower of the San Francisco Art Institute seems to have attracted a number of spirits. Night watchmen have reported hearing the locked front doors open and footsteps climb heavily up the stairways. Eerie lights are said to flicker in the tower at night.

In the 1800s, the clipper ship Tennessee disappeared into the dense fog of Golden Gate Strait and went down with a full crew. The phantom ship is still sighted by many, often seen passing below the Golden Gate Bridge. The Bridge itself has been the site of over 1000 suicides, and many ghostly forms have been seen along the bridge.

From your San Francisco timeshare rental we suggest you take the Haunted Haight Walking Tour. Led by a paranormal investigator, this tour will show you the ghostly haunts of the infamous Haight-Ashbury district - up close and personal.

Previous Posts:
Travel to the Most Haunted Cities in America – Part 1 New Orleans

(Photo credit visitingdc.com)

Across the country from New York City's famed Central Park, is a park just as exciting for family outings - San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Rent a San Francisco timeshare in the City by the Bay, and check out Golden Gate Park - at over a thousand acres, and three miles long, it's actually larger than Central Park. Just a drive through, following the scenic drive signs, takes an hour.

Golden Gate Park is home to two premier museums, the deYoung Art Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences. Gardening enthusiasts will enjoy the Japanese Tea Garden (see photo), the outdoor botanical garden, and the Conservatory of Flowers.

Other fun things to see include Queen Wilhelmina's Windmill, an honest-to-goodness Dutch windmill that stands near the west end of the park. In spring, tulips bloom around its base. Spreckels Lake is a fun weekend stop where you can watch small-scale radio-controlled boats sail, paddle, or jet across the water.

Or take your own rowboat, or fun paddle boat, out on Stow Lake, a fun family-friendly activity (life vests are available for the kids). You'll all enjoy this stunningly beautiful lake with its waterfall and pagoda-like gazebo. Pack a picnic from your timeshare kitchen and head to a popular picnic spot, Strawberry Island, in the middle of the lake.

Adults will enjoy "Lindy in the Park," a Swing dancing fest held every Sunday. The totally free afternoon starts off with a beginner's lesson, and then breaks into a huge dance party with a mix of jazz, blues, and swing music. Whether you're totally green or a real pro, you'll feel at home with this diverse crowd. Or you can simply sit back and tap your toe as a spectator.

For the kids, America's oldest public playground, the Children's Playground, now officially called Koret Children's Quarter after a recent $3.8 million renovation, is the place to go. There's lots to do, from spinning cups to a 50-foot climbing tower, from slides to ziplines. The classic carousel, built in 1912, has organ music and ornate animals to ride.

And what other park in the country has its very own bison herd for the kids to enjoy?! Get up close and personal at Buffalo Paddock.

Note: There is now a shuttle bus from the free Ocean Beach parking lot to various locations inside the park; it's just $2 for an all-day round trip. So rent a timeshare in San Francisco and enjoy this west coast big brother of NYC's Central Park - it might become your family's favorite.

(Photo provided by parks.sfgov.org)

Surf's Up! No matter what season of the year it is, great surfing can be found somewhere in America. Surfing has grown to be an iconic cultural phenomenon all its own, immortalized in song, film and fashion - and the search for the perfect wave. If you've been planning a timeshare surfing vacation, here are a few surfing beaches considered by the surfing world to be some of the "Most Fantastic Surf Spots in America."

1. North Shore, Oahu
   Rent an Oahu timeshare anywhere on the island, and you'll find your way to the North Shore. Famous as one of the top surfing areas in the world, there are some pretty hefty waves crashing on this shore all year round (see photo above). But winter is when the surfing here charges up to a whole new level. The giant storm-generated swells in the northern Pacific travel thousands of miles to break along Oahu's North Shore with some of the most imposing and massive waves on the planet.


2. New Smyrna Beach, Florida
   Rent a Daytona Beach timeshare and this phenomenal surfing area is a quick drive down the coast. Considered one of the most consistent surf spots in Florida, fantastic waves offer surfers fantastic rides at this surf beach. The subtropical climate here is perfect for summer surfing, and for growing special treats of coconuts and bananas!


3. Mavericks, California
   On the list of best American surf spots is not southern California, but this surf beach at Half Moon Bay. A timeshare rental in San Francisco will put you in good shape to experience one of the most popular spots in the sport of surfing. The water is chilly, so wet suits are recommended, but here the waves are gigantic. The annual Mavericks Surf Contest is held here pitting athlete against nature with the 50-foot waves that come roaring out of the Gulf of Alaska during the winter.


4. Manasquan, New Jersey
   Drive just an hour from your Atlantic City timeshare rental and you're in a spot considered to be one of the best surfing beaches on the east coast. Prime surf season in New Jersey occurs during the Fall months. The beach crowds are gone, and although the air temperature is cooler than summer, the Atlantic Ocean here generally remains warm through October. And the waves are at their peak, often generated by hurricanes miles away.


5. Tanker Surfing, Galveston, Texas
   For advanced surfers only! Rent a Galveston timeshare and check out this variation on the sport where surfers lie in wait in the Galveston ship channel to catch an impressively long ride on the wake of a giant ship. Just make sure you know what you're doing!

(Photo of the North Shore, Hawaii provided by aloha-hawaii.com)

Urban Kayaking makes a great timeshare vacation idea, and if you plan it right, you can combine this fun sport with celebrating the Fourth of July. Most of the cities mentioned below have July 4th fireworks over their bays and harbors - giving the kayaker the perfect view from out on the water.

The National Geographic Adventure magazine puts it this way: If you live in a waterfront city or are visiting one this weekend for Independence Day festivities, chances are you’ve seen at least one stranger navigating your metropolis in a kayak and wondered, Could that actually be . . . fun? “People ask me that all the time,” says Ted Choi, owner of San Francisco’s City Kayak (see photo above provided by citykayak.com). “They basically assume that kayaking in a natural setting is the best thing—but urban kayaking is amazingly beautiful.”

Many waterfront cities in the U.S. have kayak outfitters that offer equipment rentals, and either guided or Do It Yourself tours. Following is a list of some of the top urban kayaking cities in America, where you can rent a timeshare and spend the week seeing the sights as you never have before!

• San Francisco
  Rent a San Francisco timeshare and head to City Kayak (see photo above provided citykayak.com), which offers rentals and a guided 3.5 mile Alcatraz tour. You can even head out under the Golden Gate Bridge to the open ocean - if you're up to it, and are an advanced kayaker. On the 4th of July this city will be giving two firework displays over the bay - double the fun for your money!


• Washington, D.C.
  Rent a Washington D.C.area timeshare and get in touch with Jack's Boathouse where you can get an affordable kayak rental and directions for paddling on the Potomac. You can go upstream into the "wilds of Virginia," or, on the 4th of July, choose to ride the current down to the Washington Monument to watch the spectacular "Capitol Fourth" fireworks.


• Boston
  A Boston timeshare rental will allow you to kayak around this historic city even in the cold New England winter. Hook up with Charles River Canoe & Kayak for equipment rentals and touring instructions. On the 4th of July watch Boston's magnificent fireworks reflected in the water as they're synchronized with the Boston Pops orchestra.


• New York City
  Rent a NYC timeshare and explore this metropolis via kayak from the Hudson River. The New York Kayak Company has all of the equipment rentals you'll need. And on the 4th of July you'll have a front-row seat for the Macy's Fireworks Spectacular released from six barges in the Hudson River.

Calling all Military Families! The latest news from Washington is that the National Endowment of the Arts is partnering with over 600 museums across the country to offer free admission to military families throughout this summer. There are many budget timeshares available for rent in almost every state, and coupled with free museum admission, you can have an affordable, fun, and amazing summer family vacation.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said he was very pleased by how many museums joined the effort, despite the poor economy, from the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum to the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Nebraska. "I think it is good karma for the museums," he said. "Long-term, it promotes museum-going and engagement with the arts." The Defense Department is helping to promote this "Operation Appreciation" offer.
The program, called the Blue Star Museums Initiative, is for active duty military personnel and their families, and runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 2010.

All you have to do is think of the museums that you've dreamed of visiting, but could never afford the admission prices. Go ahead - choose just about any one of them - and the doors are opening wide just for you. For example, a San Diego timeshare rental will give you an inexpensive hub from which to not only enjoy great beaches, but also explore 14 participating museums in the area, including the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park which houses the Putnam Foundation Collection of European Masters.

Rent a budget San Francisco timeshare downtown, and take the cable car over to the newly-opened Walt Disney Family Museum. Featuring the life and legacy of Walt Disney, as presented by his family, this fun museum exhibits, among other things, film clips that range from experiments with trick shots - such as "unspilling" a glass of milk - to reels that documented Disney's life at home with his family.

You can rent a New York City timeshare and visit the pricey New York Museum of Modern Art. Other great NYC museums participating in this program include the Staten Island Children's Museum, (and remember, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is always free!) Also, over Memorial Day weekend in New York City, NY Sen. Kristen Gillibrand has announced more than 50 museums and historic sites will offer free admission to military personnel and veterans.

Visit the Blue Star Museum Initiative online for a complete list of all participating museums.

(Photo of Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" from moma.org)

Easter Parades! You know spring has arrived when you munch chocolate bunny ears and watch parades of people decked out in their bright and colorful finest. There are so many wonderful Easter parades across the country, that it'll be easy to find the perfect budget timeshare to rent where you can enjoy this welcoming of spring. We've listed a few Easter parades here to help you plan your family Easter vacation.

New York City
The most famous Easter Parade in the country marches down 5th Avenue in New York City (see photo). Rent a New York City timeshare and watch the parade that actually had a movie named after it ("Easter Parade" starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire). The quintessential Easter parade song "In My Easter Bonnet (With all the Frills Upon It)" came from this movie. This parade has been an annual NYC tradition since Civil War days, and features marchers in some of the most extravagant Easter hats you'll ever see.

Atlantic City, New Jersey
The Easter parade in Atlantic City is actually the oldest one in the country. Rent a timeshare in Atlantic City and watch this Easter parade "From the Beach to the Bay." Part of the route will take the parade right along the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

New Orleans
As usual, the Crescent City pulls out all the stops, having more than one Easter parade, and they're all "interactive." Rent a New Orleans timeshare and enjoy not one, but two French Quarter Easter parades. The Historic French Quarter Parade marches down Bourbon Street Easter morning, after which you can join the participants as they attend Easter mass at St. Louis Cathedral. The Chris Owens Easter Parade winds its way through the French Quarter in the afternoon, but only after you've enjoyed a continental breakfast with the parade's participants at the Astor Crowne Hotel Ballroom.

And New Orleans isn't done yet - The St. Charles Easter Parade begins an entire day of Easter fun and frolic along beautiful St. Charles Avenue. Instead of just watching this parade, you're invited to ride in a carriage. Your fun will start with a continental breakfast and Champaign reception complete with musical entertainment. After the parade, as a participant you'll be invited to a seated Easter dinner buffet.

San Francisco
In the City by the Bay it's The Union Street Spring Celebration and Easter Parade, which has been an eagerly anticipated annual event for almost 20 years. This Easter celebration lasts all day and includes a street fair, special performances, outdoor dining, children's activities, and, of course - Easter bonnets. Rent a San Francisco timeshare and enjoy this wonderful Easter celebration for the entire family.

(Photo provided by About.com)

San Francisco is a sparkling City by the Bay at Christmas time. Rent a San Francisco timeshare (you can get a timeshare right downtown if you want), and check out why San Francisco is known for its many ways of giving the entire family a great Christmas vacation experience.

As usual in San Francisco there is a holiday boat-load of things to do. The Zoolights and Reindeer Romp at the Zoo will delight the kids with dazzling holiday lights and real reindeer. The Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink is set up at the Embarcadero just during Christmas and is the largest outdoor rink in Northern California

And there are three distinct Holiday activities to celebrate Christmas that are as unique as San Francisco itself.

• San Francisco’s Exploratorium, the world's first interactive children's museum, has holiday fun in store for the entire family. "Folk Play from Around the World at the Holidays" spotlights Christmas folk arts and crafts from different cultures. Your family can participate in workshops teaching everything Mexican tin art to Turkish rug making. Or take time out to enjoy "A Holiday Animation Festival" a fun holiday film series to help you get in the Christmas mood.


• The Annual Gingerbread Architecture Extravaganza, the "sweetest event of the holiday season," is held across the bay in artsy Sausalito. An easy drive or a fun ferry ride will get you to the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Here members of your family can create the most extravagant gingerbread houses their imaginations can conjure up.


• The Dickens Christmas Fair is housed in the Cow Palace and has been a tradition for 31 years. This huge exhibition hall is transformed into the streets of London, complete with winding lanes that take you past Victorian homes, shoppes and even ale houses. You'll wander amidst carolers, chimney sweeps and characters from Dickens novels, including Fezziweg and Oliver Twist. On six different stages you'll be invited to join mini stage plays depicting scenes from the books, including Fezziweg's happy holiday celebration.

The Fair is a special place for children as they see Father Christmas, taste roasted chestnuts, roll handmade beeswax candles, ride a hand-powered carousel, and watch a real Punch and Judy puppet show. Through December 20th.

Whatever activities you and your family choose to do on your Christmas vacation to San Francisco, it will be a Christmas celebration the entire family will long remember. Relax in your timeshare rental and enjoy this special time together.