World Series: Kansas City vs. San Francisco
Your travel guide for the 2014 World Series.
By:
Matt Dewhurst
So if you plan on making the trip to catch a game, here is what you will need to know for both San Fran and KC.
Where to Stay
In Kansas City, you’ll want to check out the Raphael Hotel (on the left). This award-winning venue will transport you around the world with its Italian architecture and posh settings, all while being surrounded by the small-town charm of the Midwest. Closer to Kauffman Stadium — and by closer, we mean across the street — is the Four Points by Sheraton, which is extremely convenient for your game-day commute and features its own sports bar for your pre- and postgame fun.
San Francisco offers plenty of niche neighborhoods that will help make your stay that much better. Grab a room at the Chancellor Hotel in Union Square, a popular SF destination surrounded by quaint boutiques and department stores, or Stanyan Park Hotel in Haight-Ashbury, the flower-power center of the ’60s. While these neighborhoods are at different ends of the spectrum, they both are vital to a unique San Franciscan experience. Or, if water front views are more your speed, check out the Hotel Vitale (on the right). This luxury hotel features a penthouse-level spa, a circular cocktail lounge, and breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay.
Where to Eat
When the series shifts to San Francisco on Oct. 24, your taste buds should shift to the sea. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? So when you’re in the City by the Bay, it’s time to chow down on some seafood. With water surrounding this hilly peninsula, there are plenty of amazing places to get your fix. Routinely voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area, Anchor Oyster Bar is the place to satisfy your deepest craving for that raw goodness on a half shell. From oyster shooters to award-winning clam chowder, the simple menu will have you coming back for more. A short walk around the corner from Anchor will land you at Catch, a slightly upscale restaurant that features amazing seafood with an Italian flair. But if you’re headed to AT&T Park for the game, there are plenty of sports bars surrounding the stadium, including Pete’s Tavern (on the right) and Public House, that serve up great beers and classic American bar food to get you fired up for the big game.
What to Do
And since this is a baseball trip (World Series, remember?), you can’t leave Kansas City without visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. There, you can see amazing exhibits on some of the most talented ballplayers who never saw the majors, such as Rube Foster and Josh Gibson.
Like KC, San Francisco offers tons of things to do when you are killing time between games. Fisherman’s Wharf is just a hop, skip and a jump away from downtown and AT&T Park. Catch a ride on one of the city’s famous streetcars to get from place to place, or just hunker down and enjoy one of the many festivals and fireworks shows that happen each month. Just south of the wharf is Telegraph Hill, where you can get a bird’s-eye view of the Bay Area while enjoying the shopping and dining of the North Beach community.
But a trip to San Francisco would not be complete without simply traveling across perhaps the most famous bridge in the world. The stunning sight of the Golden Gate Bridge will impress even the most experienced traveler. One trip across it will make your time and effort worthwhile.
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