Day 2 - BART to Union Square -> Check in to Hotel Hebert (Review)

After a long 16hrs flight time, we finally touched down at San Francisco Airport at 1030am. Immigration was quick and smooth as there were not many tourists. After immigration, We took the economical BART to Union Square. A one-way ticket from SFO to downtown is US$8.65. The train journey was smooth and fast and the train was practically empty. We arrived at Union Square after half an hour and it was a very short walk to Hebert Hotel.

Hotel Hebert was a last minute booking and was glad that there was a big room to accommodate 5 ersons. Email responses to queries were fast. Room was big with two queen beds and so was the price. The room could accommodate a rollaway . I paid 331 USD plus 60 USD for the rollaway. The room only has 1 bathroom and shower with no breakfast included. Since it was a last minute choice, I cannot complain. Shower Pressure was strong and water was hot!
The hotel is very near the BART station and the Union Square. The trolley stop is right in front. The hotel is in a very good location but no breakfast was included in the price. But there is a Burger King few steps away. Walgreen is just beside the Burger King. There were many shops and restaurants around the hotel. Hotel was clean and beds were comfortable. The floor was sticky, not sure why. There was no aircon in the room but there are ceiling fans. Water pressure was strong and water was hot. Overall, a pleasant hotel. If the price could be lower considering not including breakfast, it will be perfect! The hotel was very nice to let us check in early around 11 plus.

Hotel Front


Small Lobby

Corridor/Hallway


Our room

2 queen beds with ceiling fans.



Bed was comfortable


TV between the wardrobe on the left and bathroom on the right.

Entrance to the room. Another wardrobe on the way in.

Very basic bathroom & toilet. It was big though.


Stairways in Hotel. The lift was quite fast.

Powell Street outside the hotel

Hotel Front at night

Day 1 - Breakfast at Golden Lounge, Terminal 3 -> Flight to San Francisco

Our flight was at 925am, Breakfast was at KrisFlyer Gold Lounge before boarding. Yummy. Flight was uneventful.

Meals on board
Lunch


Dinner

USA West Coast Road Trip Dec 16-29, 2015 Summary/Itinerary

TRIP SUMMARY:

This trip was well paced since it was free and easy and we control our own itinerary and accomodation. I enjoyed this trip very much.

As the sun set early, I tried to plan the driving in daylight. The longest and worst route was from Elephant Seal Rookery to Barstow, worsened by the rain! But thank God for safe journey! We arrived safely in Barstow motel in the rain though!

Big Sur and Grand Canyon were beautiful and it was our first to Hoover Dam and towns along the highway 1. Besides nature, we visited 2 theme parks and spent substantial time shopping at the factory outlets for a few times!

The weather was a little colder for us though we wore 4 layers or more, especially in the open Universal Studio! There was literally no place to hide! The attractions and food outlets were open and not heated!! Would not travel in December anymore! It was too cold for us!

Overall, a good trip with delicious meals and comfortable accomodations. Breakfast was the same everyday so it got a little bored. But better than nothing! No complaints!

Itinerary:

Day 1 - Breakfast at KrisFlyer Gold Lounge , Terminal 3 -> Flight to San Francisco

Day 2 - BART to Union Square -> Check in to Hotel Hebert Hotel (Review) -> Lombard Street -> Fisherman Wharf -> Pier 39 -> Golden Gate Bridge -> Dinner at Chinatown -> Macy's, Union Square -> Powell Street -> Market Street

Day 3 - Burger King breakfast -> Check out -> Golden Gate Bridge enroute to Muir Woods -> Muir Woods -> Sausalito -> Lunch at Fish & Chips, Sausalito -> Another view of Golden Gate Bridge -> Haight Ashbury -> Alamo Square -> Twin Peaks -> Drive to Gilroy -> Shopping at Gilroy Factory Outlet -> Dinner at Famous Dave -> Check in to Best Western PLUS Forest Park Inn Gilroy (Review)

Day 4 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Drive to Monterey - > Point Lobos State Natural Reserve -> Lunch at California Pizza -> Check in Comfort Inn, Monterey -> Lover's Point, Pacific Cove -> Fisherman's Wharf - > Dinner at Chopstix, Vietmamese Restaurant

Day 5 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Big Sur -> Bixy Bridge -> Pfeiffer Purple Beach -> Sandwich Lunch at Ragged Point -> Elephant Seal Rookery -> Drive to Barstow -> Check in Best Western, Barstow (Review) -> Dinner at Italian Resaurant, Dinapolis Firehouse

Day 6 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Williams Downtown -> Outlet Shopping at Barstow -> Drive to Williams, Arizona -> Check in Best Western, Williams (Review) -> Dinner at Western View Steak House

Day 7 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Grand Canyon -> Lunch -> Desert View -> Steak Dinner at Red Raven's.

Day 8 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Hoover Dam -> Lake Mead -> Las Vegas North Outlet Shopping -> Check in Luxor (Review)-> Dinner at Chinatown. Las Vegas -> Fremont Street Experience

Day 9 - Mcdonald's Breakfast at Hotel Excalibur -> New York New York -> Bellagio - > Venetian -> Lunch at Panda Express - > Rest at Hotel -> Bellagio Fountians after dark -> Steak Dinner at Hollywood Dailies

Day 10 - McDonald's Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Lunch at Carl Junior, Barstow -> Check in SpringHills by Mariott Burbank (Review) -> Griffith Observatory Hollywoos Sign -> Santa Montica Beach -> Dinner at Buppa Gump, Santa Monica Beach - > Lights at Museum of Art, La County -> Star Avenue > Hollywood Boulevard

Day 11 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Universal Studio -> Dinner at Korean Restaurant, Park Buena -> Check in Fairfield Inn, Park Buena

Day 12 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Disneyland

Day 13 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Solvang -> Pismo Beach -> Morro Bay -> Check in Quality Inn, Solvang -> Dinner at Andersen's Pea Restaurant

Day 14 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Check in Super 8 , San Bruno -> Wendy's Lunch -> San Bruno downtown -> Dinner at K Grill and Tofu House Korean Restaurant

Day 15 - Breakfast at Hotel -> Check out -> Flight back to Singapore