donnapg

We will be spending 7 nighs in the San Francisco area the end of August. We are 2 adults and 2 boys 15 & 12.

Definites are: Dad and one son have Giants tickets while mom and other son do park and museums one afternoon. Both kids are dying to see Alcatraz.

Then I know the trolleys, Fishermans Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, Ghiradelli Square.

What else do we need to see/do in and around SF? My hubby and I were there many years ago without the kids.

We also want to spend one or 2 nights in the Napa Valley - are any place a bit more kid friendly than others?

How many nights would you say we need to spend in SF? I am thinking 3 or 4?

Advice on anything will be appreciated.

Thanks

Donna

acwsf

A great activity in SF for kids (and adults alike) is the Exploratorium (www.exploratorium.edu). It is an interactive science museum at the Palace of Fine Arts. When there you can stroll the Marina Green and walk to Fort Point (old civil war fort under the GG Bridge) and have lunch on Chestnut or Union Street.

If your 15 year old is into music, Amoeba Music (www.amoebamusic.com) on Haight Street is a mammoth CD store that is worth a visit if you happen to go to Haight Ashbury.

Are you interested in Museums? Highlights are the Museum of Modern Art, the Asian Art Museum, and the Legion of Honor.

More ideas off the top of my head: Stroll around North Beach, go to Coit Tower, go to GG park and see the buffalos or go row-boating in Stow Lake.

I imagine 3 or 4 nights is all you need in SF (don't know b/c I grew up here and never had to pack in all the sights on one trip!)

The Napa Valley tends to be packed in the summer with tourists. If you want a more leisurely experience, it may be worth doing some research on Sonoma and visiting wineries in the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys (these valleys are one valley over from Napa towrads the coast). Healdsburg is a good jumping off spot for that kind of trip.

Happy Planning!

Mollie

Don't miss the Exploratorium behind the Palace of Fine Arts. It's a wonderful hands on science museum that our kids loved when we lived in the area. There have been many articles on the SF area posted in the past weeks. Do a search. Oh, by the way, don't call the cable cars 'trolleys'. That's a no-no. ;-)

BayArea

Japanese Tea garden and the peddle boats in Golden Gate park.

SAB

1. Visit Crissy Field and see windsurfers and wonderful views of GGB
2. Have coffee in North Beach
3. Walk up Coit Tower and see WPA murals
4. Drive up Twin Peaks and take in the view
5. See the restored Conservatory in Golden Gate Park.
6. See Mission Dolores
7. Walk across Golden Gate Bridge
8. Walk up Nob Hill just to say you did it and visit Grace Cathedral.
9. Have Sunday afternoon tea at the Palace
10. Visit Pac Bell Park
11. Walk along the Embarcadero
12. Visit the Ferry Building Farmer's Market
13. Walk down the Vulcan staircase in the Castro neighborhood
14. See the Victorians and views in Pacific Heights.
15. Visit a neighborhood (Castro, Cole Valley, Noe Valley, the Marina, the Mission, the Inner Sunset) .

donnapg

Thank you Thak you Thank you!!

My little guy and I are looking forward to the Exploratorium.

My teen is at the point where he thinks he is too cool for all that - so we decided to do that while he is at the ball game.

I can hardly wait to go!

Donna

Any restaurant or hotel (preferably suite type) suggestions?

Michael

Sonoma may be more interesting than Napa for kids. The town itself has historical sights, and farther up the valley there is the Jack London State Park with the ruins of the Wolf House and Charmain's house with their South pacific memorabilia. Glen Ellen has an olive press where you can taste local olive oils and Benziger would be a good stopping place for adult wine tasting.

Mollie

Actually, I think your 15 year old would enjoy the Exploratorium as well.

deniseredeker

The one thing I didn't see mentioned is The Sony Metreon. It is on Mission between 4th and 5th and easily accessible either by car or Bart. My 11 year old boy has long outgrown the Exploratorium, but loves the Metreon. It has an IMAX theatre a huge video game area and virtual bowling alleys. Great food park style restaurants too. If you love seafood - try the Swan Oyster Depot, it has great seafood salads! I live in Sonoma County, so I am biased and favor Sonoma County to Napa. There are quite a lot of kid friendly things to do and the Armstrong Woods are fairly close and you can hike through the redwoods. Enjoy your trip!

razzledazzle

Like the previous poster I am a Sonoma
County resident and feel it to be more kid friendly than Napa. That said
I'll let you in on a fabulous Kid-including the kid in you-friendly experience: A wildlife tour at Safari West animal preserve just northeast of Santa Rosa.
How does a 21/2 hour tour in an open jeep with real animals sound ?
You'll drive slowly with an experienced guide (don't worry the cheetahs etc. are in an enclosure) around the 400 acre preserve near herds of zebra and such. You can even stay the night in one of their tent cabins. I can't do the place justice so do check out their website- www.safariwest.com-more fun than a barrel of monkeys (they have those, too!)
Have Fun!
R5

dwoodliff

I took 3 of my kids (ages 16-24) last summer, and we took a hot-air balloon ride over the wine country north of SF. There are numerous balloon companies in both Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The one we chose picked us up in SF and drove us to the launch site. My kids liked Haight-Ashbury and the Alcatraz tour, too. Also, don't forget to take a cable-car ride. The cable cars are extremely crowded in the daytime. Unless you want to get jammed into the inside, ride one early in the morning or at night (when they can hang off the outside, if you will let them).

dwoodliff

I asked my kids what they liked best about SF, and they said "the bushman at Fisherman's Wharf". You can read about this guy in travel books and on the internet. He is a supposedly homeless guy who crouches on the sidewalk at the Wharf, holding a bunch of tree-limbs. When people walk by, he jumps out and scares them. There was a huge crowd of people across the street watching and laughing, and people would walk right up to the guy and not see him until he jumped up. It is hilarious and all in good fun. I've heard that he has been there for years.

razzledazzle

well, I think you could have seen that at home!
R5