Is Driving in San Francisco a Different Experience?

By Donovan Baldwin

Okay, short answer is, "Yep!"

Unlike many other cities, which are primarily North, South, East and West, San Francisco has an extra two dimensions: up and down!

To the visitor, it seems that there is nothing flat in San Francisco. They have some very steep hills there, and have elected to simply build up and down them at will. Getting to a particular place is your problem.

Now, you might not think this is very problematical, and, to tell the truth, it doesn't affect most people, unless they are afraid of heights or have a phobia about rolling down hills. However, there are occasionally genuine problems which might afflict the visitor to the city by the bay.

For example, in the 80's after driving my family down Lombard St....

Let's stop there for a moment.

Are you familiar with Lombard St. in San Francisco.

It is not a short street. Running generally east and west, it passes through several sections of San Francisco. However, one block of Lombard street is famous the world over and probably captures some ot the driving experience that most associate with driving in San Francisco.

This one block, in the Russian Hill area, is one way (downhill, thank God) and consists of several tight turns. The hill has a 27% grade, and was designed with several tight turns. In the old days, wagons could not even make it up the hill, and that is one reason this small piece of Lombard Street is as it is today.

However, in keeping with the San Francisco experience, that one block of Lombard street is a beautiful little drive, at 5 miles per hour, and should be a part of any visit to the town.

Anyway, as I was saying, in the 80's after driving my family down Lombard St. we drove around town a little bit in my 1983 Reliant Station wagon. It had rear wheel drive and we had two adults in the front and three small children in the back. As we turned into a street that would take us to the next sight we wanted to see, we saw rising before us what had to be one of the steepest streets in San Francisco.

Being a normal male, I assured my wife that we could "make it with no problem!"

I was wrong.

After three tries and a moment when I actually thought the car might flip over backwards, we gave up and found another street.

Forget the hippies, and the 60's, and Chinatown, and the topless clubs in North Beach, and the cable cars, and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"...driving in San Francisco IS a unique experience quite different from most other places.

Best Historic Bed and Breakfasts in the U.S.

By Terence Zweni

A typical bed and breakfast, or B & B, usually offers lodging accommodations and breakfast. The beauty of staying at bed and breakfasts is the personalized, homey touch that is like having a home away from home. For a more private and quieter stay, some travelers prefer bed and breakfast places where on the average, there are only around six to twelve rooms.

There are many excellent B & B places in America, and some of the best are restored manors and private homes that have historical ties in the area. These restored homes are products of two legislations: the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Tax Reform Act of 1976. These legislations made it possible to get tax discounts for the restoration and repurposing of historic homes.

We have gathered a list of the best historic bed and breakfasts in America, where visitors can appreciate great architecture and experience interesting stories.

1. The Twelve Oaks

Located in Covington, Georgia, The Twelve Oaks evokes the legendary mansion of Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind. It has been chosen as one of the top ten B & B's in the U.S. The mansion was built in 1836, and it has eight luxurious guest rooms with modern amenities and en-suite bathrooms. It is located near the historic Covington Square and the town is filled with antebellum mansions. It is also conveniently located just 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta.

2. Aaron Burr House

This B & B stands on the very spot of the house where the third US Vice President hid after his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton, which ended Hamilton's life. Located in New Hope, Pennsylvania, the original stone foundation is the only thing of Aaron Burr's house that remains now. All the accommodations are decorated with unique stencils and have beautiful, shiny hardwood floors. With the interest in Hamilton and Burr because of the hit Broadway musical, this will surely generate a lot of interest.

3. Chateau Tivoli

One of the best historic bread and breakfasts in the west coast, Chateau Tivoli is located in San Francisco, California. The structure itself is very familiar because it is one of the famous "Painted Ladies" of Steiner Street, which features prominently in postcards of San Francisco. Built in 1892, the structure was used for different purposes all throughout the years. The bed and breakfast opened in 1989, and it has nine lavishly-appointed accommodations.

4. Battlefield Bed and Breakfast

This is located in Pennsylvania, right on the battleground of Gettysburg. This is one of the most unique bed and breakfasts in the country because it gives visitors the unique experience of living during the Civil War era. Originally built as a farmhouse in 1809, it has the original beamed ceiling, chestnut wood floors, and stone walls. Each room has a theme that honours the South Cavalry Battlefield troops. There's a history lesson available from costumed Civil War characters.

5. Sugar Hill Harlem Inn

Located right in the center of New York, the area where the inn is located is right smack in the middle of the early 20th century Harlem Renaissance. This is the area where black families moved into. Jazz legend Duke Ellington, poet Langston Hughes, and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall all lived in this area. The inn has 5 themed rooms all named after a prominent African-American.

Terence Zweni is an expert when it comes to Bed and Breakfasts. To find out everything about Best Historic Bed and Breakfasts, visit his website at http://www.booksouthafrica.travel.

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