Hi Boom,
LA is a lot closer and if youd like to spend some time there and is only 200 miles compared to 570 miles to SF-Southwest Airlines has 25 daily nonstop flights from LA to Oakland(Southwest's Hub-15 miles from DT SF) for only $59. You have to book online though and it is a special offer.
The only reason I mention this is because the drive from Vegas to SF is really boring IMO-whilst the drive to LA from Vegas is less then half the time and the flight to SF is only an hour from LA. Southwest also has 15 daily nonstop flights from Vegas to Oakland for about 100 dollars each way.
Just a tip.
Also,
San Francisco is cool pretty much all year round-even in the summertime, its best to pack a light sweater, cause even though its sunny most of the time-there's a breeze that comes in from the ocean-day and night.
While your in The City,
there are lots of things to do in downtown-on foot. You can do Chinatown, Union Square and North Beach by foot because they are all close to each other. Fisherman's Wharf is farther so you can take the F(street car that goes from The Castro(Gay Mecca) to Fishermans Wharf(Tourist Mecca)) to the Wharf and check out the touristy areas there(us locals despise the place, but no matter how much we hate it, visitors really like it-LOL)..and The Financial District is there also, in case you want to take pictures of skyscrapers(only on this forum would that be included in a thead on travel..LOL)
Union Square is the region's premier shopping and entertainment area and is the location of many hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, theater and the arts. Like I said, its also right next to Chinatown, which is right next to North Beach(an Italian neighborhood), which is right next to Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower-LOL..everything is walkable-but I wouldnt walk up to Coit Tower..a car or bus would be better
There are lots of neighborhoods to see. Haight Ashbury and The Mission to me are very interesting.
You can also check out Golden Gate Park which has its own things to see and do, The Beaches(the water is very cold here) are more for pictures then for swimming.
At the wharf,
you can take ferries on the bay that go out to the Golden Gate Bridge as well as to Alcatraz. You can also sample the seafood there which is varied and very good-but pricey.
A rental car is better if you actually want to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, or if you want to explore areas outside the City such as Marin or The Napa Valley.
You can also catch BART(subway that runs along Market Streeet) into the East Bay...Id get off at the Downtown Berkeley Station, which is the same stop as UC Berkeley and check out the sights there as well the shops on Telegraph Avenue...but I would do that only in non commute times(say 11-4) cause BART is pretty packed during commute times.
Or you could cross the Bay Bridge by car(which is also fun) and take The 80 Freeway, get off on University Av(which is also the exit for The Berkeley Marina(the views of the city, bay and bridges is great) and drive east to dt berkeley.
Its a shame that I'll be in Utah the first 2 weeks of April otherwise, Id like to take you and your family to dinner or something. Anyway, some other time.
In the meantime, have a good trip and post pics!
Tchauzinho.