The Bay Area's sports scene includes several major professional franchises. Check the local newspapers' sports sections for daily listings of local events.

Major league Baseball--The San Francisco Giants play at the new and absolutely stunning Pacific Bell Park, Third and King streets (tel. 415/972-2000; www.sfgiants.com), in the China Basin section of SoMa. From April to October, 40,800 fans root for the National League Giants. The unobstructed bay vistas take in bobbing boats beyond the outfield at the recently completed $319 million "Pac Bell Park." Tickets are hard to come by; you can try to track them down through Tickets.com (tel. 510/762-2277; www.tickets.com). Special express bus service is available from Market Street on game days; call Muni (tel. 415/673-6864) for pickup points and schedule information.

The American League's Oakland Athletics play across the bay at the Networks Associates Coliseum, at the Hegenberger Road exit from I-880, Oakland (tel. 510/430-8020). The stadium holds close to 50,000 spectators and is accessible through BART's Coliseum station. Tickets are available from the Coliseum Box Office or by phone through Tickets.com (tel. 510/762-2277).

Pro Basketball--The Golden State Warriors of the NBA play at the Networks Associates Coliseum, at the Hegenberger Road exit from I-880, Oakland (tel. 510/986-2200). The Warriors play in the 15,025-seat The Arena at Oakland. The season runs November through April, and most games start at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at the arena and by phone through Tickets.com (tel. 510/762-2277).

Pro Football--The San Francisco 49ers (www.49ers.com) play at 3Com/Candlestick Park, Giants Drive and Gilman Avenue (tel. 415/468-2249), on Sundays August through December; kickoff is usually at 1pm. Tickets sell out early in the season but are available at higher prices through ticket agents beforehand and from "scalpers" (illegal ticket-sellers who are usually at the gates). Ask your hotel concierge for the best way to track down tickets. Special express bus service is available from Market Street on game days; call Muni (tel. 415/673-6864) for pickup points and schedule information.

The 49ers' archenemies, the Oakland Raiders (www.ofma.com), play at the Network Associates Stadium, off the 880 freeway (Nimitz). Call tel. 800/949-2626 for ticket information.

College Football--The University of California Golden Bears play at Memorial Stadium, 61 Harmon Gym, University of California, Berkeley (tel. 800/GO-BEARS or 510/642-3277), on the university campus across the bay. Tickets usually are available at game time. Phone for schedules and information.

Horse Racing--Ten miles northeast of San Francisco is scenic Golden Gate Fields, Gilman Street off I-80, Albany (tel. 510/559-7300; www.ggfields.com). It schedules thoroughbred racing from November 15 through March. The track is on the seashore. Call for admission prices and post times.

Bay Meadows, 2600 S. Delaware St., off U.S. 101, San Mateo (tel. 650/574-7223; www.baymeadows.com), is a thoroughbred track on the peninsula about 20 miles south of downtown San Francisco. Call for admission prices and post times.