[http://www.carnaval.com/sf/newsf00.html]
Travel Tips || Non USA Citizens || Airports || Train || Cars || Transit || Road Reports || Weather || Money || Safety || Getting On-line || Day Trips || Elsewhere in the Bay Area || Elsewhere in California || Media || Relocation || Business || High Tech || Romance & Sex || Bizarre || Government || Lots of Links || Trade
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Getting There: Cars
It pays to use the internet when shopping for a car rental. Prove it to yourself sometime. You can also get different rate quotes from the same company using different search engines. Expedia is always a reliable choice. You get further faster using airline codes.
To skip the haggle hassle, Enterprise always seems to exceed expectations -- but does not do airports.
 Northern California is one of the world's best places to tour in a car

CAR Wizard l l Maps
Get rates quoted from the big 12 rental companies.  
SpeedTraps
Learn how old pro Chip's will drive with radar units ON just to slow down those with radar detectors. But for big fish tickets, off it goes.

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Getting There: Airports
There are three major airports, but only SFO can lay claim to world class facilities -- with the exception of a missing runway. Currently there is a hot debate between expanding Oakland Airport and filling 2 square miles of the Bay to add a much needed runway to SFO where flight delays are common. At present, the plan is on hold. More information about the proposal can be found here.

homeSFOairport.com || To & From SFO by transitinfo.org
One of the world's busiest and most delayed airports. Southwest flights are operated by ATA Airlines. Door-to-door van service is fast and a good deal (about $12/person to downtown SF). There is a free shuttle that runs frequently to BART as well. At this time, water transit in the Bay Area is still limited in scope, and does not serve SFO.

 San Jose International Airport ||  To & From SJC || To & From SJC by transitinfo.org

Oakland International Airport ||  Airlines Serving || Getting To & From || To & From OAK by transitinfo.org.
"The Bay Area's Value Airport"

Airlines: Major North American Carriers by flyAOW.com || Smaller Carriers (>150) || Global Index

 

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Getting There By Train
Amtrak.com || Caltrain.com/ (650) 817-1717
Remember to get live confirmation to avoid unpleasant inconvenience. Rail investments are now on track with realistic plans for California in the works.

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Travel Tips

NON-USA CITIZENS & CUSTOMS INFORMATION
U.S. State Department Consular Affairs Home Page
Look for your information first on the Visa FAQ page.
U.S. Customs || Traveler Info
Know Before You Go  || Visiting the US|| Traveler Alert!! || FAQ's  ||  Merchandise || Clearing Goods Through Customs || Pets/Animals || Medication || Arriving by via Pleasure Boats and Private Flyers

Getting Around There

header.gif (3794 bytes)TransitInfo.org/  || Map || by county || Transit to  Popular Destinations || Transit to Regional Parks || Transit to Sporting Events/Concerts || TransLink.org: a regional transit pass
Thank goodness for these guys, who do about as good a job as possible making sense of the complex web of competing transit agencies in the Bay Area and staying on top of changes.

WebGuide Link List for California by smart-traveler.com
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit District)
The rapid transit rail system. The SFO extension opened in early 2002, with a line to the South Bay in development. The main drawback is that the last trains run around midnight.

San Francisco: Travelers find the MUNI (673-6864) system easily negotiable and reasonable. Maps are at most stops. Multi-day passes can be a great investment and a one-month pass includes BART within San Francisco.

CalTrain
San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara [San Jose]. The baby bullet is a proposed project that would connect such geographically diverse areas as San Jose, San Francisco, Monterey and Sacramento. Travelling at 90mph, it would a ride from San Francisco to a mere 45 minutes.

Travel & Transportation for City of San Franciscoby yahoo.com

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Road Reports

Live, real-time traffic information
KPIX traffic report
Updated reports by area. Includes Live Cams.
The U.S. Geographical Survey provided Microsoft with this digitized aerial photograph of San Francisco.

SFGate.com Traffic Report updated every 10 minutes.

511.org Traffic Guide: obtain information about current traffic conditions, traffic incidents, construction projects, and special events that might affect your trip.

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Weather
The city of San Francisco's climate is one of the world's most stable, rarely leaving the 55 to 65 Farenheit range. The only gap in the coast mountain range is at the Golden Gate,where you can find fogs sweeping in to cool the rest of the much Click for Zpub's 7 San Francisco,CA Forecasts warmer Bay Area. Our Mission neighborhood is also the warmest part of the City since it is protected from the fog by Twin Peaks. The nicest times to visit are May and June before the tourist crowds arrive and spring is at its peak. The warmest weather occurs in October and September, which is also a special time of year for San Francisco.

Weather Underground
Find the Weather for any City, State or Zip code, or Country
City of San Francisco Average temperatures (Farenheit) and Rainfall Weather

Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Max - F 55 59 61 62 63 66 65 65 69 68 63 57
Min - F 45 47 48 49 51 52 53 53 55 54 51 47
Rainfall 4.7 3.8 3.1 1.5 0.7 0.1 0 0 0.3 1.0 2.5 4.4

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Money
Universal Currency Converter (tm)
Currency Conversion
Credit Card:  Still providing the best exchange rate, particularly for purchases. However now you should audit your preferred card (especially Visa & MasterCard) since many banks have begun adding an additional 3-5% on top of their actual cost of 1%. Your credit union's card may be the most reliable for not adding this extra unjustified gouge. [F] more in Aforum Required for car rentals and generally accepted everywhere with no surcharge .
ATM: Cash-dispensing cards linked to international networks such as Cirrus and Plus, should work in most all Californian machines. The transaction charges of the now ubiquitous machine vary greatly and you should know your own additional bank charge (as much as 3% &/or $5). Much more convenient than traveler's check and with common sense precautions quite safe. Plus System is 1-800/THE-PLUS and Cirrus is 1-800/4CIRRUS
Sales tax of 8.5 percent is added to everything except groceries and medicine. If the item is shipped out of California this charge is avoidable, but there is no refund program for travelers. 
Tipping Restaurants expect a gratuity for servers of 15-20 percent of the total. Taxi drivers like to get at least 10 percent. Varies much more for porters, parking valets, maids and other service staff.
Emergency Cash: is most convenient. Have money instantaneously wired to you for 10% (call 1-800/325-6000 for the nearest location). American Express Moneygram offers a similar service.
Banks & Exchange Offices: Few banks exchange foreign currency and even fewer hotels. some banks charge for cashing traveler's checks. Ask at your hotel for advice. USA Banks are open longer hours these days and often on Saturday. To find the nearest bank that sells a particular brand of traveler's check, or to buy checks by phone, call the following numbers: American Express (1-800/673-3782), Citicorp (1-800/645-6556), MasterCard International/ Thomas Cook (1-800/223-7373), Visa (1-800/227-6811).Local Offices: American Express, 560 California St SF (Mon-Sat 10am?5pm) 536-2600 Thomas Cook, 75 Geary St SF (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; 362-3452).

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Safety Fast Facts 

Fast facts by travelocity.com

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Getting On-Line
Nowadays your likely to find online access in a large percentage of the thousands of cafes  throughout the City and Bay Area
Best of San Francisco Free Internet

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Day Trips

The Bay Area is the Capital of the great West Coast, with more unspoiled natural wonders within a day or two drive than anywhere in the world. 
Bay Area Ridge Trail
Council that's planning and building a 500-mile ridgeline multi-use trail around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Above the Gate
Carnaval.com has given the Northern Counties of Marin, Sonoma, Medocino and Napa and gave their own section with home links to wider area web resources. 
Yosemite.com || Yosemite by NPS.gov
Excellent website tells you everything and more about one of the planet's most spectacular wonderlands.
San Francisco Day Trips by About.com

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Elsewhere in the SF Bay Area
Counties and Regions in San Francisco Bay Area ||
Cities in San Francisco Bay Area

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Elsewhere in California
CA Metros by Yahoo.com || CA Counties and Regions || CA Cities || California by Yahoo.com

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Media

[F] MEDIA GUIDES 
Radio & TV station links plus guide to Ethnic publications for Northern California
Web Guides || The Rest || Foreign Language || Silicon Valley/San Jose in our City section
Index of Local Media by zpub.com
Including on-the-mark, insightful analysis.

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Relocation
In 2000 the SF Bay Area had 70% of all $1 million home sales in the USA. This most liberal of regions has been unable to find the political will to allow moderate or high density housing leading to sprawl and traffic jams as well as the most most expensive housing West of Manhattan. We promote a tribunal solution here
Web guide to Rental & Moving Resources for SF-Bay Area by sfmission.com || [F] Forum
A comprehensive guide you may wish to bookmark
Link Resources by SanFrancisco.com . Job Hunting . Real Estate . Dining . Hotels . Attractions . Visiting . Nightlife

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History

California Historical SocietyCalHist.org || Events || California History Links
 California Historical Society is a great web resource
San Francisco County Genealogy: With birth records, marriage records, history, maps and much more. Loads of info revealed by a Google search.
sfMuseum.org || '89 quake Report || Getting there
At Fisherman's Wharf, but visit the new City Hall history display first.
Enter with a flower in your hair. A fond tour.
San Francisco History by zpub.com

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Romance & Sex
Why not get started on enhancing your chances for romance on your next trip by sending some e-mail to interested parties. Carnaval.com, in association with Hot Alternative, brings you the web's largest collection of personal ads sorted by City and featuring photos and FREE listings...

Ask Andrea Anything 
Good Vibrations || sex-positive links
Women run sex toy store,a SF Mission institution & much admired model
Prostitute's Rights Web Ring List || Hundreds at Meeting On Prostitution in S.F. Disagree
Despite being a center of sex worker rights the local police are not interested in any liberal experiments.
 
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Bizarre

bizarremag.com/

The bondage File by sfgate
Each week the Bondage File scours the globe for weird news.

A Bizarre Dog Attack Shakes San Francisco || Meet the lawyer couple || Follow this 2001 story at sfgate.com
The blood bath in the hallway was so horrific that police officers at the scene had to receive trauma counseling. The Canary Island Mastiff terrorized New World natives 500 years ago.
The abduction of Heiress Patricia Hearst ||  Berkeley Statue proposed
This SF Chronicle update looks back 25 years later
Martyrdom of Mayor George Moscone
and gay Civil rights hero Harvey Milk. Fascinating  true story of explosive culture clash was written by Mike Weiss

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Government
commhd.gif (11894 bytes)ABAG Online Bay Area Commerce || Data Center inc. Population & Ethnic Association of Bay Area Governments for lots of links and data

2000 Census Data (with 2002 estimates)

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Lots of Links

San-Francisco-Travel-Services.com
Explore vacation packages in San Francisco.
About.com San Francisco Travel Guide
Various articles and resources to help you plan your trip.
Search Vacation Options on Travel.yahoo.com

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Business in the Bay Area
The Bay Area is the world's 21st largest economy. California is the world's 6th largest economy. Silicon Valley is the engine around which the global economy spins. Now if we could just add a little bit of enchantment...
Business by sfgate.com || Chronicle Business ||  The  Chronicle 200 (2005)

Business by Mercury News

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High Tech
Forum by Slashdot.org
News for Nerds. Stuff That Matters
MP3 in the Music Section of Carnaval.com's .aForum.com
We use these resources to track web music for you, with a special emphasis on Brazilian, Caribbean, Latin and New Orleans notes.
 Technology by SFgate.com

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Trade & Business

World Affairs Council of Northern California
Leading sponsor of dialogue concerning current foreign policy issues. NPR's Global Affairs is USA's oldest radio program
SPUR.org  San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
A volunteer-based "good government" citizen group with much talent and a growing reputation for influencing the debate in the right direction.

BayAreaFirst.org || 9-county Map
By combining the unique strengths of the nine counties, the three major cities, and regional organizations of the Bay Area into one coordinated, regional marketing entity, the Partnership is in a powerful position for aggressively promoting the Bay Area in national and international arenas.

Bay Area Council HomeBay Area Council || BayEconFor.Org|
For over 50 years, has been the leading representative of the 280 largest non high-tech employers in the Bay Area. By default has often been the only staff supported voice on regional planning issues. CEO Sunne Wright McPeak has been key in spear-heading the call for a world-class high speed water transit system. 
banner_jv_logo.gif (1233 bytes)JointVenture.org
Silicon Valley's JointVenture.org has shown the most leadership in the mostly failed attempts to realistically address the inability of Bay Area  Cities to build apartment buildings and other higher density developments necessary to address the dire housing & transit crisis.

 

"By helping to broaden prosperity, Joint Venture's work can benefit businesses and working, low- and middle-income families. Companies will have the local talent they need. People will have opportunities to get ahead.

By helping to create livable communities, those who need affordable housing and want relief from traffic congestion can benefit. Smart-growth can protect our natural environment.

By encouraging broad grass-roots involvement, every citizen can benefit by having a voice, taking action, and, as stewards of the region, sharing responsibility for a better community."
Travel Tips || Non USA Citizens || Travel Agents || Airports || Train || Cars || Transit || Road Reports || Weather || Money || Safety || Getting On-line || Day Trips || Elsewhere in the Bay Area || Elsewhere in California || Media || Relocation || Business || High Tech || Romance & Sex || Bizarre || Government || Lots of Links || Trade
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Last Update June 2005
Last Link Check June 2005