Lonely Planet City Guides growing up

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Lonely Planet has long been synonymous with adventurous, no-frills young travelers, but the guidebook company's City Guides are growing up.

The revised series of books about places like San Francisco, Vancouver and Chicago is geared to Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers ages 30-60 who are interested in longer stays in cities, "affordable luxury" and cultural immersion, according to Lonely Planet spokesman Frank Ruiz. The guidebooks also offer more emphasis on shopping, entertainment and moderate to high-end restaurants and hotels than previous editions, with fewer listings for college hangouts, hostels and taco joints.

The first batch of new City Guides will cover Amsterdam, Havana, Hong Kong, London, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Sydney and Venice. In April, look for Chicago, Dublin, Istanbul, St. Petersburg and Vancouver. The books are priced $18-$19.

The new San Francisco guide includes sections on "Wine Country," ''Enhanced Excursions" with more on Santa Cruz, Marin and the East Bay, and chapters on the city's gay scene and on "New Neighborhoods," including lesser-known areas like Bernal Heights and Potrero Hill. A chapter of walking tours includes a guide to the Haight and North Beach, Pacific Heights and Japantown, and The Castro, plus tips for a bike ride across the Golden Gate bridge. And a new "Getting Started" chapter offers tips on avoiding the fog, catching the city's best festivals, typical hotel rates and even ways to make your visit sustainable by renting a bike, shopping for vintage clothing and eating food that's locally farmed.