Hidden San Francisco and Northern California [Paperback]

Ray Riegert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1996 | Series: Hidden San Francisco and Northern California

Its many world-class sights, hotels, restaurants, museums, and shopping venues convinced the readers of Conde Nast Traveler to recently vote San Francisco the world's best travel destination. But Northern California offers much more than cable cars and sourdough. Bay area author Ray Riegert leads travelers on a tour of fabled wine country, coastal redwood groves, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and more, in this fabulous adventurer's guide. 18 illustrations. 17 maps.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Hidden San Francisco and Northern California returns to print redesigned throughout in a new, distinctive travel format. Use Hidden San Francisco and Northern California to provide complete travel details on Northern California, from restaurant and hotel reviews of unique establishments to strong cultural insights. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 468 pages
• Publisher: Ulysses Pr; 7 edition (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569750548
• ISBN-13: 978-1569750544
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,634,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In comparision testing, this book was paramount, January 4, 2001

By 

R. Richmond (Canton, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hidden San Francisco and Northern California (Hidden San Francisco and Northern California, 9th ed) (Paperback)

This guide scored an A+! Every place it suggested was great, and the information was always helpful. We had this book, Lets Go, Zagat San Fran (which didn't even have many of the recommended restaurants listed), and Fodors. This one was by far the best. By then end of our 2 week trip, we had stopped using all the other books. I ended up giving all but this one away. The only thing I would change is the maps. They were not very detailed. I would recommend getting this book and then a detailed San Fran and surrounding area map from a gas station when you get there.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very dependable guide book!, May 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hidden San Francisco and Northern California (Hidden San Francisco and Northern California, 8th ed) (Paperback)

On my first visit to Northern California, I depended on this guide for help in choosing lodging, restaurants and places to visit. As a result, my vacation was very enjoyable! Recommendations were very solid, and arranged in a logical order. The focus on out-of-the-way spots was very valuable and helped us spend time on the most unique and rewarding activities. I can't wait to spend more time in Northern California, and will definitely take my well-worn copy of "Hidden...." along.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good resource, but not for first-time visitors, April 14, 2003

By 

"kmattrick" (San Francisco Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hidden San Francisco and Northern California 10 Ed: Including Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe (Paperback)

This guidebook has some positive features, but ones that would probably best serve someone already familiar with the layout of San Francisco. First, the book divides its sections according to neighborhood without much integration between them or of the city as a whole. This is acceptable if one is already familiar with San Francisco's geography, but would frustrate someone trying to get a sense of how the different parts of San Francisco fit together. Indeed, the only attempt to present what one should consider covering in a trip to San Francisco seems to be a scanty two-page afterthought.

Second, the book does not offer much help as a resource when actually touring the city. The walking tours lack interesting detail about history or architecture and instead quickly note interesting sites. The maps are lousy, as one has to already know where the neighborhoods are to make sense of the maps within each section. The maps also lack detail, as few of the sites listed in the text are actually marked on the maps. The information regarding dining and lodging is frustratingly coded from budget to ultra-deluxe-instead of just listing prices in the text, the guidebook requires readers to decipher code by flipping back to the introduction where the terms are explained or to memorize them.

That being said, the guide offers much for other users. The walking tours cover interesting ground, the guide highlights less frequented sites, and useful information such as websites for attractions of interest are included. Thus, I would recommend using this guidebook at home and sketching out where you want to go, but leave it at home when you go (as its bulk is more useful at home to decide where you want to go, but of limited value once you are actually there). In particular, the book is a great resource for Bay Area residents to consult regarding parts of the city they may wish to brush up on or to lead guests to less obvious sites in San Francisco that often slip one's mind.