Hotel at a Glance: Hotel Zoe

Hotel Zoe brings a fresh vibe to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood. After a recent $16 million renovation, guest rooms featuring a contemporary design are furnished with yacht-inspired linen upholstery and textured wallpaper in tones of the sand and sun, which provide a sleek backdrop for abstract art evocative of blue ocean waves. The 221-guestroom hotel is very close to popular area attractions including Pier 39, Coit Tower, and Ghirardelli Square, as well as many of San Francisco’s most revered dining and retail venues. The contemporary design extends from the lobby bar, Bar Zoe, to the cafe-style cane chairs in Café Pescatore, as well as to restoration of the hotel’s event and meeting space, all boasting an interior of modern décor and sleek fixtures. Hotel Zoe features an inviting, artisan-styled outdoor courtyard with fireplaces and communal seating for guests to relax and unwind after an adventurous day of exploring the sights of San Francisco. Hotel Zoe is located steps from a famous cable car turnaround.

• In-room amenities include 50” HDTVs, mini fridges, Cubie radios, and Lather bath products.
• Pedal around town on one of the hotel’s rentable bicycles.
• Maintain your workout routine: Stays include access to the 24-hour fitness center across the street.
• Lombard Street, heralded as one of America’s most winding roads, is a 10-minute walk away. Stop at the bottom of the hill and watch cars navigate its eight hairpin turns.
• Distance from Ghiradelli Square: 0.5 mi.

San Francisco’s North Beach: Bakeries, Scenic Vistas, and Beatnik History in City’s Little Italy

From its cafés serving especially strong espresso to its bakeries selling cannoli and focaccia, North Beach has held to its Italian heritage since fishers from Genoa immigrated to the area more than a century ago. Sandwiched between Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach centers on Washington Square park, which abuts the Saints Peter and Paul Church. To find the epicenter of the neighborhood’s noticeable beatnik influence, walk about three blocks south to City Lights Bookstore. The independent bookstore and publisher has remained a symbol of San Francisco’s literary scene and progressive politics since the 1950s, when it was a hangout of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.

To the east is Telegraph Hill, a primarily residential enclave with one of the city’s most popular vistas. From Washington Square, head east and keep climbing up. At the top, you’ll reach Coit Tower, a 210-foot monument that many have described as resembling a giant fire-hose nozzle (though that was not the designer’s intent). Take the elevator to the tower’s observation deck to be rewarded with panoramic views including the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Alcatraz Island to the north, and the San Francisco skyline to the south.