Help w/ San Frn/Mendocino W/Kids!
 

I need some info on seeing San Francisco with two boys, Ages 10 & 15. We will be spending 3 full days in San Francisco, then on up to Mendocino to see our Uncle. Will be staying @ Fisherman's Wharf. Can we ride the cable cars from there? How far from FW to Ghiradelli Square and Pier 39? Any suggestions on an intinerary would be great! Also, which wineries are good to stop @ with kids? Just want a taste and for our boys to see a winery, on the way. Thanks!

Ghiradelli Square is 3-4 blocks from the Wharf and Pier 39 is the next pier from the wharf, maybe 100-150 yards.

There is a cable car terminus at the wharf and from there, you can connect with the entire cable car system. Weekends, especially ones with nice weather, tend to get crowded and it can be hard to find space on the cars.

If they have never been on light rail, I'd also take them for a ride on BART, especially on weekends when it is less crowded. (keeping in mind that I'm a railroad buff and not everyone is).

Be sure to get to the west edge of the pier at the end of Pier 39. the boys will probably love the sea lion colony that basks on floats there.

I can't help you with the wineries - sorry.

Have a great trip.

You and your kids might like Lori's Diner in Ghiradelli Square. From there it is just a short walk over to the Hyde Street cable car turnaround. Have a look at the ships at the pier below it.
http://www.techprose.com/Samples/SFMaritime/index.html

The cable car ride up the hill there is thrilling. A few people are allowed to stand on the back platform where you can get the full effect of the steepness of the hill. The cable car goes past the cable car museum, which is well worth a stop to see how the cable cars operate.

Lori's diner is a good one near ghiradelli Sq. also your boys might like the WWII batteries over at Fort Scott on the Marin side and Fort Point on the SF side, and Presidio Wineries...Why take kids. Leave them in the hotel room and enjoy a few hours by yourselves. The wharf also has a good pier to walk out on and visit an old sailing ship. If you are so inclined (but would involve some travel) the USS HOrnet which is docked in Alameda has a great tour of the old navy ship. I would also take in Muir woods as a day a trip. Your 10 year old I think might enjoy the Fire Engine Tour. You buy tickets right at the cannery and you board an old fire engine, put on real fire jackets and hats (ride over bridge gets windy and cold) and take a ride across the Golden Gate into Saulsalito, down to Fort Scott, back to the city with a short drive thru the Marina area of SF and back to the Cannery. My 11 year old grand daughter and I took it last year and we love it.

Definitely take a boat ride out on the bay - there are several to choose from. With kids that age, Alcatraz would probably be a huge hit. You could also choose a ferry that goes out to Angel Island or a cruise that goes around the bay and under the GG Bridge.

Chinatown would be fun - you could have dim sum for lunch.

In addition to the cable cars, there is a line of vintage streetcars from all over the world called the F Line which runs along the Embarcadero (where all the piers are) and then up Market street. Those are fun and very convinient for getting from the FW area to downtown.

If your kids like military stuff and/or history, you might check out Fort Point, which is an old military fort located right under the GG Bridge. Even if you aren't that interested in the military, there are some great views from that area. The Precidio is also there.

Just returned from (another) trip to S.F. with our 9 yo and 5 yo. They love the city!

There are 3 cable car lines. The Powell-Hyde line is the most popular, with the best views, but the Powell-Mason terminus is closer to the Wharf and has a bit fewer riders. During the week there are fewer riders, and of course, the earlier the better. My son and I were out for a walk at 7 am, and the cable cars were almost empty!

I second the fire engine ride, even for your older son. The comentary is great (though sometimes a bit corny), and the route is wonderful - through the Presidio, past Crissy Field, to Fort Point (if anyone's an Alfred Hitchcock buff, that's where Kim Novak jumps in the water in Vertigo), then over the bridge and through Sausalito.

The cable car museum (free) would be more interesting for your older kids than it was for mine.

There are a bunch of old ships (boats?) at Pier 45, including a sailing ship and a former ferry; both my kids enjoyed those. There's also a submarine at Pier 43, another hit with a good audio tour.

Some other things we did: the Exploratorium (I loved it too), where we spent almost an entire day; walked up and down Lombard street (the kids loved this, I'm not sure why); walked up the Filbert St. steps (saw the wild parrots) to Coit Tower; visited Chinatown a bunch of times; dim sum lunches; and of course a tour to Alcatraz. The one thing we weren't able to fit in was renting bikes and biking along the oceanfront to Baker Beach. Guess we'll have to go back!

I'm going to add 2 cents on Mendocino! There is a great place to bike and cayak along Big River. You can rent those at Stanford Inn.Also, consider a horseback ride at Ricochet Ranch. They can handle all levels. We especially loved the ride high up in the redwood forest- spectacular!