Jennifer's San Francisco Travel Blog

Rarely staged today, Pericles is this year's selection for S.F.'s Free Shakespeare in the Park program. (2008 also happens to be the play's 400th anniversary.) While not among Shakespeare's more well-known plays, Pericles nonetheless offers a familiar story: of good triumphing over evil, of faith and virtue being rewarded.

It's an adventure. A tale of trials and tribulations, love, loss, and reunion, as Pericles, Prince of Tyre, embarks on a journey of escape and survival -- one that proves a test to his faith even after he becomes king. (Fortunately, there's a happy ending.)

San Francisco's Free Shakespeare in the Park is now in its 26th season, and as always, will stage its city production at the Presidio's Parade Grounds. Performances are held over the weekend, starting August 30 through September 21. For Labor Day only, the company will also perform Pericles on Monday (at 2:30 p.m.).

As for Labor Day, for more ideas on what to see and do over the long weekend, see our quick guide. In addition to Shakespeare, the city is also having concerts, cruises, and nearby in Sausalito, a popular open-air arts festival.

Related: The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival | Free Things to Do in San Francisco

^{* Michael C. Storm as Pericles, the Prince of Tyre. Photo © John Western.}

Holding a Master of Science in glassblowing as well as a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture, Dale Chihuly revolutionized the studio-glass movement with not only his artworks, but his ideas on collaboration and the creative process. Through September 28, 2008, his first major exhibition in San Francisco is being shown at the de Young Museum.

Chihuly at the de Young explores the groundbreaking work of the artist, in particular Chihuly's masterpiece assemblages. In addition to the main exhibition pieces, there are also sculptures that have been on display at the de Young Museum (and sister museum Legion of Honor) since April: namely the neon Saffron Tower, the 15-foot Sun orb, and the Aquamarine Three-Tiered Chandelier.

In all, the exhibition features 11 galleries of new and archival works, together representing four decades of innovation and mastery. Chihuly at the de Young aims to convey the creative vision, breadth, and scope of the artist's contributions. To the studio-glass movement and contemporary art in general.

The show covers every creative period of Chihuly's career thus far, from drawings to single vessels to his famed architectural installations. During your visit, be sure to check out:

• Glass Forest #3, a recreation of one of Dale Chihuly's earliest installations, first exhibited in New York and not viewed in the U.S. since 1972.
• Five Chandeliers, transforming one gallery all to itself.
• Mille Fiori, (pictured in detail) a 56-foot glass garden.
• Tabac Baskets, a source of inspiration.

Given the popularity of the exhibition, timed tickets are being issued to reduce crowds and increase viewing enjoyment. The museum recommends that if possible, visit during the week or right when the de Young opens at 9:30 a.m. -- a great way to start your day off in the city. Tickets are $15 for adults, with discounts for seniors, youth, and students. Children 12 and under can visit for free.

Also, remember that the museum is open later on Fridays, until 8:45 p.m. Should your visit to San Francisco permit it, consider going in the evening to also see the Saffron Tower lit (5-11 p.m. daily).

Related: Photo Gallery: Exhibition Images | Official Exhibition Site

^{* Mille Fiori, (detail) Dale Chihuly. Photo © Terry Rishel.}

These days, when connectivity is weak and access to the Internet impossible, it can be quite unsettling. Whether it's your home computer, laptop, workstation, or phone, it seems we're all connected in some way: 24 hours a day. And when that connection leaves us, for many of us, things can seem a little "off" until power is restored.

For travelers, air travel has historically cut us off from the online world, but perhaps not for long. JetBlue Airways for instance, already offers limited Wi-Fi service on certain flights and Continental Airlines plans to follow a similar route.

With American Airlines' new service however, full Internet access is offered, from surfing the Web to email (with attachments) to accessing corporate VPNs. The "in-flight" test expanded on Wednesday to include non-stop flights from New York City to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami.¹

For now, the service is being tested on American's 15 Boeing 767-200 planes. Partnering with provider Aircell Gogo on a trial basis, American is still working out the specifics and addressing concerns, such as filtering racy material and securing confidential business emails, etc.

User feedback will help the airline determine its next step, whether to start over or to expand the service to other flights. To try the service yourself, the price is $12.95 per flight for full Internet access. The only limitation is that no VoIP calls can be placed (so as to ensure maximum quiet for surrounding passengers).

• Service: In-flight Internet access courtesy of American Airlines and Aircell Gogo
• Routes: Boeing 767-200 from JFK/LGA to SFO, LAX, and MIA
• Trial Period: Three to six months
• Cost: $12.95 per flight

^{* American Airlines, San Francisco International Airport. Photo © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images. | 1 Press release, "American Airlines Launches..." August 20, 2008.}

Taking over Golden Gate Park this weekend is the inaugural Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, a three-day concert event that will bring together some 60+ acts to rock the day and night in San Francisco.

The bands selected by Berkeley-based firm Another Planet Entertainment are great live bands, ones that bring with them credibility among critics and fans alike. Of the nearly 70 acts, a quarter of them hail from the Bay Area. The three headliners however are true global artists, including Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (Saturday), Jack Johnson (Sunday), and the band many considered to be the best in the world: Radiohead (Friday). They'll be the first ever to play under the stars in Golden Gate Park.

For visitors to the city, it's very possible that you're here now because of Outside Lands. However, if you're just hearing about it and haven't purchased your ticket, there's still time. Acts will be playing across six stages and there should be room for everyone. An estimated 60,000 fans will make the trek to Golden Gate Park Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Tickets are $85 for single-day General Admission and $225 for a three-day pass. For more information on the lineup, schedule, and attractions, check out our quick guide here.

Also: The Official Site | MySpace | Facebook

^{* Poster © the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival.}

As summer winds down, a lot of us are attempting one last getaway. Perhaps an attractions pass, like CityPass, can help you in saving both money and time.

What can such a pass afford? It can mean bypassing ticket lines, free transportation, and discounts on some of a city's most popular attractions. For San Francisco, these would be the Exploratorium (or Asian Art Museum), the de Young Museum, S.F. Museum of Modern Art, Legion of Honor, and Aquarium of the Bay. Also, with an S.F. CityPass, you get a pocket-sized guidebook, handy directions, and recommendations (always helpful for the first-time visitor). You also get a bay cruise, plus a Muni passport for an entire week, enabling you to ride San Francisco's buses, metro cars, and cable cars free of charge.

This being said, keep in mind that "ome sights really are free."¹ Indeed, sightseeing is one of the best ways to experience a new city. For San Francisco, its waterfronts and hills may be famed, but also, seek out its panoramic views and interesting compositions.

To see all this, simply step outside your hotel, hop a cable car, or walk down the street. To do so with CityPass, it's only $54, while the value of the pass itself is nearly double that: at $98.

Related: CityPass Overview | Free Things to Do
Coming Up: Labor Day Weekend

^{* Ferry Building and Cupid's Span. Photo © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images. | 1 Press release, August 15, 2008.}

We all travel for different reasons and also, choose our destinations accordingly. History, heritage, romance, adventure, family, the list goes on. Whatever our interest(s), there's a travel answer.

For instance, the literary culture of a city can be a draw. For some travelers, visiting the birthplace, home, or hangout of a favorite author is like getting that much closer to artistic inspiration.

Tripadvisor recently announced its own Top 10 literary destinations¹ and not surprisingly, Europe dominated with London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Edinburgh taking spots 1-3. Also making the list however were three American cities; San Francisco was No. 8.

The city takes pride in its literary past, too. In fact, there's a walking tour you can take that explores the Beat Generation, the Gold Rush era, and trivia about favorite authors who lived here or passed through like John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, Dylan Thomas, and Jack Kerouac. I was looking for San Francisco to be on Tripadvisor's list and was glad to see that it made it. The city's literary heritage is definitely one of its coolest features for me. As for the Top 10, it breaks down like this:

1. London, England (Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton)
2. Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare)
3. Edinburgh, Scotland (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, J.K. Rowling)
4. Dublin, Ireland (James Joyce)
5. New York City (Arthur Miller, John Ashbery, Langston Hughes)
6. Massachusetts (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne)
7. Paris, France (Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Alexander Dumas)
8. San Francisco (Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac)
9. Rome, Italy (Virgil)
10. St. Petersberg, Russia (Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov)

And if you're so inspired to explore San Francisco's literary scene yourself, here are a few did-you-knows to ponder:

• Dashiell Hammett, the founder of "hard-boiled" detective fiction and Sam Spade wrote of San Francisco as if a character. The most famous of his stories being The Maltese Falcon.
• Jack Kerouac used to regularly visit Vesuvio, across from City Lights Bookstore, during his trips to the city.
• Howl, the famous Allen Ginsberg poem, was first read at San Francisco's Six Gallery, a converted auto-repair shop at the intersection of Union Street and Fillmore.

^{* City Lights Bookstore. Photo © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images. | 1 "Where the Pen is Mightier Than the Sword," August 14, 2008.}

As is often the case when there's a terrific tournament on TV, golf's thrilling PGA Championship (August 7-10) is likely to inspire golfers of all skill levels to visit their local course. It may also inspire them to plan a golf vacation, a true travel treat that's exploded onto the leisure scene. With hundreds of gorgeous courses in the U.S. and the world-over (including of course Scotland), there's a seemingly endless wish list of where to go next.

And, contrary to what you may think, not all golf destinations are of the exclusive types. San Francisco's Harding Park (est. 1925) for example is one of the country's great muni courses and since 2002, has been renovating and reinventing itself to compete on a national stage. In 2005, it successfully hosted the World Golf Championship (to rave reviews) and next year, it welcomes the bi-annual President's Cup. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be there, as well as international stars like Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, and Retief Goosen.

What's cool about Harding Park is that it's a public course, open to everyone. From local enthusiasts to the guest visiting the City by the Bay. Greens fees are a reasonable $135 Monday through Thursday and $155 Friday through Sunday. To put this into perspective, a single round of golf at the famed Pebble Beach in Monterey is a hefty $495(!). For the same price, you can pay towards your S.F. airfare and hotel stay.

Harding Park's signature hole is the 18th, which is now being converted into the 15th for President's Cup TV coverage. Tee times are (usually) a mere nine minutes apart. Located at 99 Harding Park, this marvelous urban muni is found less than one mile from the Pacific Ocean.

^{* Harding Park. Image © Harding Park.}

As you may know, walking in San Francisco is a terrific way to experience the city and its many historical landmarks, interesting sights, and unique S.F. vibe. While there are free guided tours, such as the all-volunteer San Francisco City Guides, you can also easily explore a neighborhood or district on your own. With a trusted map, an itinerary and comfortable shoes, a walking-tour could be just beyond the hill (or the hill itself).

Poll: Which of these walking tours interest you most?

• Alamo Square (Victorians)
• Chinatown
• Embarcadero / Ferry Building
• Financial District
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Haight-Ashbury
• Mission Dolores Neighborhood
• North Beach
• Pacific Heights
• The Theatre District

Did You Know: On May 27, 1937 -- one day prior to its official opening to motor vehicles -- the Golden Gate Bridge opened exclusively to pedestrians. On that day, 200,000 people walked across the bridge's span to welcome it to San Francisco. Fifty years later on May 24, 1987, an incredible 300,000 people from around the world walked the famed suspension bridge again in a reenactment of "Pedestrian Day '37."

Related: Free Things to Do in S.F. | Getting Around San Francisco | San Francisco Discount Card(s)

Earlier this year, the Travel Industry Association (TIA) released survey results that indicated nearly $10 billion of the 2008 federal tax rebates would be spent on travel. Solo, family, group, student: it's all about taking a break. This was in keeping with other trends TIA had concluded over the past few decades: people find real benefits from the travel experience. Among the findings¹:

• People feel more restful (and ready) after a vacation.
• Anticipation of a vacation raises positive feelings.
• Vacations can prevent job burnout and/or improve personal job performance/creativity.

Indeed, sometimes, you just need to get away, and destinations like San Francisco are always at the ready to accommodate. To assist, we here at San Francisco Travel will try and keep you up to date on the latest travel deals and promotions, from hotels to flights, discounts to vouchers.

First up is a tip from fellow Guide Kayte Deioma of L.A. Travel. Personality Hotels is offering a "Hot Chicks Package" now until October 31. This fun-filled getaway is designed specifically for women: girlfriends who want to catch up, gal pals who plan everything together. Good through the fall, it might just be the holiday you're looking for to get you through the rest of the busy year. Check it out!

Speaking of Personality Hotels, this group of boutique hotels has been expanding in San Francisco since 1982 and coming in fall 2008, it'll reinvent itself once again as the Hotel Vertigo at 940 Sutter Street (presently the York Hotel) makes its debut. In addition, the Maxwell Hotel at 386 Geary Street will undergo its own transformation, emerging as the Hotel Frank. Each of these hotels is designed to suit one's personality. Hotel Vertigo is a "modern classic," while Hotel Frank, a "bold" addition.

Related: Union Square Shopping | Theatre Choices

^{* The Hotel Diva. Photo © Personality Hotels. | 1 "Take a trip," press release, TIA.}

One of the city's most visited attractions, Pier 39 offers specialty shopping, memorable views, and daily live entertainment (from magicians to comics to songsters). A visit here is typically part of a Fisherman's Wharf experience, with crowds to be expected, but lots of opportunity to people-watch and take photos.

If you go, consider going in the early morning or evening if you wish to have a quieter time. The attraction offers 110 shops, plus 14 restaurants and a complement of S.F. Bay scenery: Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and city skyline.

The two-level complex is located two blocks east of Fisherman's Wharf (where Beach Street meets the Embarcadero). To reach it by public transportation, take BART, the "F" line trolley, or Muni. Buses #47, 15 and 10 all visit Pier 39.

One of its more popular draws is the atmospheric Aquarium of the Bay, which puts visitors "inside" an aquarium. Pass through a 300-foot acrylic tunnel and marvel at the indigenous marine life (some 20,000 animals) that surrounds you. At the "petting pool," visitors can get even closer: touch sea stars, bat rays, and leopard sharks. Open daily during the summer, the Aquarium of the Bay begins tours at 9 a.m. (through 8 p.m.). Price of admission is $14.95 for adults, $8 for children (3-11) and seniors (65+).

Note: Next Tuesday, August 5th, visitors to the aquarium can also enjoy a free screening of "Nim's Island." Showings are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Included in the price of admission.

Related: Pier 39 Quick Guide | Pier 39 Photo Gallery

^{* Photo © Jeremy Brooks. Some rights reserved under the Creative Commons License.}