Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [256]
Note: Many banks impose a fee every time you use a card at another bank’s ATM, and that fee is often higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones (where they’re rarely more than $2). In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. To compare banks’ ATM fees within the U.S., use www.bankrate.com. Visitors from outside the U.S. should also find out whether their bank assesses a 1% to 3% fee on charges incurred abroad.
Tip: One way around these fees is to ask for cash back at grocery, drug, and convenience stores that accept ATM cards and don’t charge usage fees (be sure to ask). Of course, you’ll have to purchase something first.
Business Hours Most banks are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm as well as Saturday mornings. Many banks also have ATMs for 24-hour banking. (See “ATMs,” above.) Most stores are open Monday through Saturday from 10 or 11am to at least 6pm, with shorter hours on Sunday. But there are exceptions: Stores in Chinatown, Ghirardelli Square, and Pier 39 stay open much later during the tourist season, and large department stores, including Macy’s and Nordstrom, keep late hours. Most restaurants serve lunch from about 11:30am to 2:30pm and dinner from about 5:30 to 10pm. They sometimes serve later on weekends. Nightclubs and bars are usually open daily until 2am, when they are legally bound to stop serving alcohol.
Car Rental See “By Car,” under “Getting Around,” above.
Cellphones See “Mobile Phones,” later in this section.
Crime See “Safety,” later in this section.
Disabled Travelers Most disabilities shouldn’t stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and resources out there than ever before.
Most of San Francisco’s major museums and tourist attractions have wheelchair ramps. Many hotels offer special accommodations and services for wheelchair users and other visitors with disabilities. As well as the ramps, they include extra-large bathrooms and telecommunication devices for hearing-impaired travelers. The San Francisco Visitor Information Center should have the most up-to-date information.
Travelers in wheelchairs can request special ramped taxis by calling Yellow Cab ( 415/626-2345), which charges regular rates for the service. Travelers with disabilities can also get a free copy of the Muni Access Guide, published by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Accessible Services Program, One South Van Ness, third floor ( 415/923-6142), which is staffed weekdays from 8am to 5pm. Many of the major car-rental companies offer hand-controlled cars for drivers with disabilities. Alamo ( 800/651-1223), Avis ( 800/331-1212, ext. 7305), and Budget ( 800/314-3932) have special hotlines that help provide such a vehicle at any of their U.S. locations with 48 hours’ advance notice; Hertz ( 800/654-3131) requires between 24 and 72 hours’ advance notice at most locations.
Organizations that offer a vast range of resources and assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab ( 800/CALL-MOSS [2255-6677]; www.mossresourcenet.org), the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), and SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality; 212/447-7284; www.sath.org). AirAmbulanceCard.com is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in case of an emergency.
Access-Able Travel Source ( 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) offers a comprehensive database on travel agents from around the world with experience in accessible travel, destination-specific access information, and links to such resources as service animals, equipment rentals, and access guides.
Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Among them are Flying Wheels Travel ( 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) and Accessible Journeys ( 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com).
Flying with Disability (www.flying-with-disability.org) is a comprehensive information source on airplane travel. Avis Rent A Car ( 888/879-4273) has an “Avis Access