Vrins

Hi,
My family with our children are planning a trip to Frisco in May for 3 days.Can anyone pls tell me what are the interesting sights there which will interest the children aged 15,11 and 7.
Also are there any day trips which I can make from Frisco.Thanks.

beachbum

Our kids got a kick out of the normal touristy stuff: riding cable cars, poking around Chinatown, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. They spent what seemed like hours watching street performers.

BTW, only tourists call the City "Frisco."

emd1

beachbum; What do people who live there call it-- San Fran?
My kids (11 and 13) liked the seals on the dock, Ghiradelli Chocolate place, Alcatraz tour (but don't know if it would be too much for the young one, The museum at the foot of the Golden Gate bridge on the SF side (it's an old Fort, and has alot of interesting exhibits on the building of the bridge, etc.)

BelTib

If you need to use a short hand San Fran is fine. Herb Caen used to say "Baghdad-by-Bay", but that's probably too political right now and a mouthful

As to day trips I personally would not want any visitor to miss out on the Big Sur/Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove area. It's one of my favorite places in the world. The 17-mile drive through Pebble Beach is spectacular, the aquarium in Monterey is top notch, and HW 1 near Big Sur sublime. Sure Carmel is touristy, but it is also unique...a nice place to stroll.

Alcatraz should definately not be missed.

E

I agree with BelTib's suggestions--Alcatraz is interesting to almost all ages, and the boat ride out there is fun, too. And the Monterey Bay area has all kinds of attractions for families--most notably, the Aquarium and Point Lobos.
Btw, I've always heard locals call it "SF", or The City...

gualalalisa

As a fourth-generation San Franciscan, may I please set the record straight?

No matter where we live now, it is always referred to as "The City."

BelTib

Gualalalisa beats me by 3-generations and is absolutely correct...the City wins.

The question is, how far away from the City does this term work i.e. you can't say you are from "the City" when traveling abroad, or in New York for that matter.

gualalalisa

BelTib: Gee, I wonder where you are? Sounds like my old stomping grounds in Marin County.

But you pose a very good question, one that was endlessly debated when I was growing up by S.F. Chronicle columnist Herb Caen. I think the prevailing view was that a lot of San Franciscans would still refer to it as "The City" even if in New York, Paris or Rome!

Mel

The Exploratorium is fun too - lots of hands-on science exhibits.

bluesky9ny

I agree with Alcatraz, the Exploratorium, and a trip to Monterey/Carmel. Don't miss the aquarium! We were there last week, and the Jellies as Art exhibit was awesome. I'd also say a drive across the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito, and then on to Muir Woods. Santa Cruz would probably be more lively in May than it was last week. Also, there is so much to see and do right in Golden Gate park. Have fun!

SAB

Anywhere in the Bay Area most people who live in SF refer to SF as the City, when I travel I say I'm from San Francisco.

BayArea

3 days is not very much time, you may never get out of San Francisco.

Other things your kids will enjoy are:

- The Museum Mechanique at Fishermans Wharf. Old Timey arcarde games, some from the 1930's.

- The cable car museum (Chinatown-ish) FREE! You get to see how the cable cars work, and the running cables.

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. There is also a GORGEOUS Carousel in the park that the 7 year old will love, but might be too "kiddy" for the two older ones. They also have a herd of bison there which is interesting for about 5 minutes, but unique to see!

A shorter day trip might be to Muir Woods in Marin County.

I have to vehemently disagree with the Not Warm in May comment. May is one of the nicest months of the year, one of the most likely to be sunny. That said, you're not headed for the set of BayWatch. It is often foggy and breezy here. Windbreakers and long pants are a tourist's best friends.

Franklinn

As a former long time San Franciscan, only the OLD timers refer to SF as the City. That goes back to a time when SF was the largest city in northern California. Now than San Jose has overshadowed SF in terms of population and as a center for employment in the Bay Area, the City would now be San Jose. In fact, the US census bureau has renamed the Bay Area as the San Jose/SF/Oakland Bay Area basically affirming San Jose as the pricipal City in the Bay Area.

Vrins, you have received some great advice so far. As far as day trips are concerned Santa Cruz (beach boardwalk) and San Jose would be great daytrips from SF. In addition to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, the Tech and Rosicrucian Egytptian Museums would also be quite interesting.

Have a great trip to the San Jose Bay Area.

soquel

Hello. My oldest daughter lives in San Francisco, The City, and all the things people have mentioned are great. Teens seem to enjoy the Metron downtown with movies, games, etc. Children enjoy the Exploratorium in SF, and all the assorted things down by the water. We live in Santa Cruz. If you plan on bringing your children to our Boardwalk, call first to see if it is open. By son works there (to get through college) and it is closed often in the winter if it rains. Monterey and Carmel are fun, but more for adults. But children and adults will both enjoy the Montery Bay Aquarium, it is AMAZING, don't miss it! Most of all, the coast is just beautiful.

soquel

And if you happen to make it to Carmel, drive down to the end of Ocean, walk out to the beach.........you won't believe it.........one of the most beautiful views outside of Hawaii. And Point Lobos and the 17 mile drive are amazing......but again, more of an adult beauty thing.

soquel

In San Francisco, ouf kids seem to get a kick of Alcatraz, the cable cars, the Exploratorium, the happenings at the wharf, and then the Aquarium in Monterey and the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.

Dan

I just looked at the US Census website and they list "San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont" as one metropolitan statistical area and "San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara" as another. SF-Oak-Fremont ranks 12th nationally (4.1 million residents) while SJ-Sunny-SC ranks 28th (1.7 million). I couldn't find a consolidated metro "Bay Area" ranking in the metropolitan statistical area charts but I'm sure there is one.

http://www.census.gov/population/cen...t29/tab01a.xls

Budman

Why is it when someone comes on this board and requests information on San Francisco, the San Jose Mafia comes on board to trash the thread?

I'm sure if someone wanted San Jose info, that would be the subject of their thread.

I'm to the point now where I "hate" San Jose.