San Francisco and Los Angeles with Kids
 

We have 1 week in San Francisco beginning on the 30th of Oct and then 1 week in Los Angeles.We have 2 kids aged 6 and 4 and are looking for any suggestions of what to do, see and eat. We will of course go to Disneyland but are looking for any local suggestions. Hopefully i have posted this to the California tag rather than a general comment.

In SF, take them down to the piers to look at the seals, go on a ferry ride, walk around the Cannery district...

In LA its all about the beach....Santa Monica Pier, Venice beach plus the amusement parks...

>>walk around the Cannery district...<<

Where is that??

Here are some of my San Francisco recommendations.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35129049

Stu Dudley

In SF, take them down to the piers to look at the seals, go on a ferry ride, walk around the Cannery district...

Where is that??


Gary, there is no "Cannery district" in San Francisco, but there is a building (formerly a cannery and called "The Cannery") in the Fisherman's Wharf area. I happened to walk through just a couple of days ago. It is, as I'm sure you know, all tourists. It's not very appealing given that one side of the street along the bay is FILLED with shlocky merchandise for sale. If you know anything about NY, I would call it "Canal Street on the Bay". But it is where you go to get the ferry to Alcatraz and I assume Angel Island, harbor cruises, Pier 39, etc. Stu absolutely abhors Fisherman's Wharf because it isn't the "real" San Francisco, which is absolutely true, but still, people who come here from elsewhere seem to want to visit FW over many other areas, so don't let him deter you LOL!!

There isn't any reason to slog an hour or more north from Disneyland just to take a 4 and 6 year old to the beach in Santa Monica (and especially Venice). If you want beach time, you can do it closer to Disneyland. Newport Beach, Seal Beach, or Aliso are options. If you go to Newport Beach, add in the Balboa Island ferry and fun zone.

If you want to go farther south, there's Legoland and nearby beaches in North San Diego County.

I agree with mlbg on the beach recommendation while in So. Cal.
Also, if you are driving the coastal route, kids love the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park on the beach, and Dennis the Menace park in Monterey. Kids also love the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the tide pools in Pacific Grove, and the family surreys that you pedal along the beach trail in Pacific Grove. KIds also love the paddle boats in Lake El Estero in Monterey.

mlgb's recommendation of Legoland is a great idea, depending where in LA you are staying. From Anaheim, it's about an hours drive down to Carlsbad. When our son was 6 we drove down for the day and he really loved it there, more than Disneyland if I remember since legos were a favorite of his at that time.

Dont be petty... Cannery Schmannery... get in a cab and say cannery and they will take you there... kids love it and theres lots of toys and candy...

The real SF is not that kid friendly.... but junk stores are!

get over yourself STU!

gary

I honestly had no idea what "district" you were referring to. My first though was Cannery Row in Monterey, but you specifically stated SF. Only when sf clarified things, did I do the "oh duh" and realize that you were referring to the Cannery at the Wharf. Great place for kids.

No need for name calling or whatever the "get over yourself" was.

Stu Dudley

SF: the Zoo, cable cars, Alcatraz, Exploratorium, Academy of Sciences, Japanese garden, playground and carousel in GG park, maybe Zeum - not sure for what age this place is, another carousel in Yerba Buena, 3-D movie.

Thanks everyone for your great ideas! This palce is amazing...It has really helped