Travel Tips-USA Tipping guide

A few tips on who to tip and how much.


For example:-

Hotel chambermaid

$5 a night minimum. More if long stays (over a week) Consider $7 to $9 a night.

Accommodation

Vancouver
BestWestern Plus Downtown
718 Drake Street

Seattle
 

HotelFive
2200 5^thAvenue

San Francisco

OaklandMarriott City Centre
1001 Broadway
Oakland

San Francisco,Walking Tour

Some tips from a fellow traveller:-

Here is the walking tour link in San Francisco and some images I took that might give you some ideas. The city tourism office is on market street near Union Square. It is below the road and has loads of information and you can by your Muni pass here.

 

Also don’t forget to go see the painted ladies in Steiner Street, in Alamo Square. Take Muni line #21 westbound trolley from downtown to the corner of Hayes and Steiner streets.

 

 

Coit tower. Well worth the visit and take the lift to the viewing gallery at the top.

 

Designer Shoe Warehouse

 

6 floors of shoes at discount process- including 51/2 floors of women’s shoes. 400 Post Street – right in Union Square

 

· See Lombard Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Book for Alcatraz

· Get a street car to the Castro – great architecture and quirky shops, great cafes and restaurants-    good value for money

· Go to Haight Ashbury – flower power (where the 1960’s hippie started)

· Go to the Cable Car Museum – has the wheel house and see the cables pulling the cars

· Go to the de Young Museum and Museum of Modern Art

· Go to Gumps Department Store – quite unique  

· Westfield mall (on market Street) has loads of shops and Bloomingdales is the anchor. The main Levis shop (6 floors) is in Union Square along with a big Macy’s and Sak of 5th Avenue.

· Buy some Ghirardelli Chocolate – it is yum

· Go to Fishersmens Wharf - but it is quite touristy –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can walk back to the city from there via Coit Tower- go up to the top for stunning views of the whole city

· See HaasLillenthal House

 

 

 

 

 

• Walk to China Town

• Cycle the bridge to Sausalito

• Get a Muni pass to ride the cablecars. You can get a 3 day pass for 23.00 includes all travels of trolleys, trams and cables cars. (each trip on a cable car is 6.00). Don’t get the cable car from the main getting on point at Union and market go up one or 2 stops and you will always get on. At the main stop the que is huge and snakes for about a block.

• Don’t be put off by the people living on the street – the locals call them the crazies. I’d avoid the Tenderloin especially at night but SOMA is a fun part of town for cafes and restaurants as is the MIssion and Castro for food. Around Union Square and Fishermens Wharf food is expensive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Francisco - Alcatraz Landing

Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing
Alcatraz and history go hand in hand. Once home to some of America's most notorious criminals, the federal penitentiary that operated here from 1934 to 1963 brought a dark mystique to the Rock. The presence of infamous inmates like Al "Scarface" Capone, and the "Birdman" Robert Stroud helped to establish the island's notoriety. To this day, Alcatraz is best known as one of the world's most legendary prisons.

Many people, though, are unaware of the wealth of other stories to be learned on the island. Alcatraz is now home to rare flowers and plants, marine wildlife, and thousands of roosting and nesting sea birds. Civil War-era buildings dotting the island give insight into the 19th century when the island served as both a harbor defense fort and a military prison. You can also see visible reminders of the American Indian Occupation that started in 1969 after the prison closed, highlighting an important milestone in the American Indian rights movement.

Come experience the beauty, history and infamy of Alcatraz on the San Francisco Bay. You'll be astounded by what you learn and see.

Vancouver - Hop on hop off big bus tour

Hop-on Hop-off BigBus Tour

With this pass, you get access to unlimited hop-on hop-off bus service within our selectively chosen route around the most happening areas in Vancouver. Take a bus, stop at a location, browse around for as long as you want and then hop back onto the next coming bus to move on to the next attraction!

With two days and twenty stops you will have the freedom to discover Vancouver with all the time you want at any location you want!

Cost: $48

 

You can also combine your Vancouver Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Tour with tickets for other attractions eg:

-       the Vancouver Lookout - enjoy panoramic views over Vancouver. Your ticket is valid for a full day so you can return in the evening to see the city illuminated at night.
$60.00 total per person

-       Capilano Suspension Bridge
$81.00 total per person

-       Grouse Mountain
$88.00 total per person

 

Vancouver- City Attractons Trolley Tour

Hop On and Hop Off at your own pace, for a Fun and Informative City Attractions Trolley Tour!

 

See the best of Vancouver in a classic turn-of-the-century Vancouver Trolley. Your Trolley Ticket is your passport to fun and excitement while you're in Vancouver, and can be used over two consecutive days. Take the entire tour in one afternoon or hop-off the trolley at any of the stops or 3 flag stops, to visit Vancouver's major downtown attractions, go shopping, or dine out. The tours include live commentary.

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The trolleytour offers two loops. The Red Loop will take you through Stanley Park, Robson and Denman, the English Bay and Canada Place. The Blue Loop tours around Yaletown, Chinatown, Gastown, Granville Island and Library Square. To complete both loops in one afternoon board the Red Loop Trolley before 2:40pm and 2:50pm on the Blue Loop.
$41.00 per person