Can I have a trip to San Francisco for Christmas?

xmassf At this time of year, when everyone’s making holiday wish lists, it’s easy for travelers to get carried away. For most of us, asking for someone else to foot the bill for our round the world travel dreams isn’t reasonable – but with the travel deals that are still out there (thanks to the still-not-spectacular economy), it’s not out of the question to put some other travel-related goodies on your wish list.

If you’re lucky enough to have someone in your family who accrues more frequent flyer miles than they could ever spend, then it might be the perfect opportunity to ask them to “spend” some of those miles on you! Even if it means you’ll need to do some extra kissing up (can I wash your car, Uncle Frank?), it’s worth it. Heck, if it’s a relative you’re close to, why not suggest you take a trip together on their miles?

And, since we’re talking about this on a guide dedicated to San Francisco, then it’s only fitting we advocate you suggest that trip is to the city by the bay. With your flights to San Francisco taken care of (hey, Uncle Frank, you need a refill on your drink?), the next thing to look at is accommodation. Again, with the abundance of travel deals available right now, you should be able to find several options for cheap hotels in San Francisco even without asking for anyone to use extra frequent flyer miles. You shouldn’t have to look in weird parts of town, either, as even hotels in popular parts of the city don’t tend to be booked solid at the moment.

Of course, if you’re unable to convince your miles-rich relative to share the wealth (you sure you don’t need a foot massage, Uncle Frank?) but you still want something travel-related under the tree this year, then here are some lists of gift ideas travelers might love:

photo by ingridtaylar