Here's a guide to an enjoyable flying visit to San Francisco: The inexpensive BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) system includes a stop in the airport, taking you into downtown San Francisco in 25 minutes.

A favorite for more than a century is the classic InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco (999 California Street). Built after the 1906 earthquake, the neighborhood, then and now, is one of the city's most exclusive, as is the hotel. For dinner, a visit to the Four Seasons San Francisco's rustically delicious MKT Restaurant (757 Market Street), offering quality farm-to-table cuisine. The chefs personally work with local ranchers and farmers to choose fresh items, fincluding meats, cheeses and vegetables.

A visit to the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums. Next is the de Young Museum. Both museums are in Golden Gate Park, offering seaside walks in the expansive nature preserve alongside the ocean.

A Sunday Champagne Brunch at the Top of The Mark, the penthouse restaurant of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins. Follow with upscale shopping at Union Square. Luxury brands are represented with Chanel (156 Geary Street) and Tiffany and Co. (350 Post Street). End the day with a drive up to the Marin Headlands, which offers postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the Bay and the city’s magnificent skyline.