The best way to tackle the city of 46 hills by foot in a week… with a one-year-old: Split the trip between two apartments in two different neighborhoods.

Sprawling, wide-open studio in the Mission
Owned and operated by The Blackwell Files (a “real people” casting agency that scouts regular folks for commercial purposes), the studio is steps away from the Mission’s cafes and restaurants–more than you can comfortably sample in four days. The hand-drawn kid’s menu at Foreign Cinema and the thoughtful service at Delfina (“Would you like mashed potatoes for your daughter?” as soon as we sat down), not to mention getting Tartine bread without waiting in a line that stretches down the block,  make them fast neighborhood favorites for anyone traveling with a little one. The coffee and farm eggs from Stable–the little, way more accessible sister of the much ballyhoo-ed, tasting menu-driven Saison–were a morning staple.

Cozy-eclectic in Lower Haight
Leaving the post-grit, vibrant Mission for the more quintessential, postcard-y San Francisco vibe of the Duboce Triangle/Lower Haight gave us the opportunity to walk to and explore nearby Alamo Square, Buena Vista Park, Hayes Valley, the Castro and Dolores park. It was so nice to return to the art-filled apartment, tucked into the second floor of an Edwardian home, which doubles as a gallery when no one’s renting it. Our favorite seat in the house: a custom-built, pillow-covered window bench with a perfect view of the quiet, tree-lined street below.

The Details:
The Mission studio sleeps 4 and rents for $150 per night. Rent it at airbnb.com. The Duboce Triangle/Lower Haight apartment sleeps 4 and rents for $130 per night. Rent it at vrbo.com.