sunflower2

Hi--We're going to SF March 9-13 with our 2 daughters, ages 9 & 13. We're very disappoionted that the cool science museum & planatarium are closed for renovation.

What do you think our girls would enjoy in the city for 4 days?

They would love riding the cable cars, seeing & doing interesting things...

We'll have spent 2 days on the Monterey Penisular & have done the Monterey Aquarium.

They wouldn't be interested in ships,touring older houses, art museums, & Alcatraz.

They will LOVE the cable cars, & i think they would enjoy:

1. the Exploratorium (if that's open & age appropriate)
2. would have loved the science museum if it had been open...is there another substitute?
3. is Zeum age appropriate & fun for 9 & 13 year old girls?
4. is the fire museum worth going to--it appears to be out here the Presidio (we're staying on Russian Hill)
5. My younger child likes flowers---so i wondered about the ARboretum
6. How about the Japanese TEa Garden?
7. Is the Wells Fargo Museum worthwhile?
8. We're not big touristy, shopping people
9. Ghairadelli Chocolate worth going to? (Kids love chocolate, of course)

We realy appreciate any help you can give us!

Thanks!

Grasshopper

I'm not sure why you don't think they wouldn't like Alcatraz. It's a fun tour. Be sure to get them out on the water in some manner. A ferry to Sausalito would be a good day trip. You could have lunch and shop. Bring sweaters or jackets... it gets cold out there!

Of course China town is an interesting place to visit, and lunch or dinner in North Beach. One of the things my kids enjoyed on special trips was going up to the Equinox Bar at the Embarcadero Hyatt for a "drink". It's a revolving restaurant and the views are great.

For a substitute science museum you might want to head over to Berkeley and go to the Lawrence Hall of Science. There are also some great views back to the City from there.

vegaslover73

I'm sure your girls would enjoy all of the great shopping around Union Sq. The Museum of Modern Art is GREAT, as is the Palace of the Legion of Honor. If you're not interested in any of these activities I suggest that you shorten your stay to one or two days.

kgn

We were there over Christmas with our two kids 6 & 9.

We spent one day at Alcatraz and the pier (the sea lions were very cool). We went to Girhadelli and had a big ice cream for lunch (one of the highlights for my kids) and then walked around the pier to see the street vendors and entertainers and we had thier names done by the asian artists and then road the cable car back to the hotel. It was a complete day.

Another day we went to Muir Woods and hiked around and then went to the Jelly Belly factory which was about 45 minutes away. the girls loved that.

Another day we did Coit Tower, walked the golden gate bridge and drove Lombard street.

There was defienetly plenty to do. We also took the girls to Tetra Zeni one night for the dinner show and to Japan town for sushi delivered on the little boats. It was great.

Hope this helps!

Grasshopper

I think that the last poster was referring to Teatro Zinzanni. www.teatrozinzanni.com Very (pricey) fun! I've been twice. You can buy tickets online.

kgn

You are correct thank you spelling is not my best subject and I guess my memory might be going as well

FainaAgain

There is a fire engine company, I don't have their phone #, but they advertise in all tourist booklets, they let you dress in firefighters jackets and take you to the Golden Gate bridge on a real fire track. Leaving from the Cannery (Fisherman's Wharf) area. All children love this! Don't forget your camera! I'm not sure if they take you over the bridge to Sausalito, take a short boat ride back to the city for the view.

Here, I found the website!
http://www.fireenginetours.com/

Musee Mechanique moved to the same area, they have old and new arcades.

The Oakland museum may be an alternative to the closed Science museum. Take BART to 12th st station.

Arboretum and tea garden are worth visiting. Haven't been to the new Conservatory of Flowers.

What about the Zoo?

J_Correa

I'm not a big shopper either, so I understand where you are coming from. There is SO much to do in SF.

Even if you don't go to Alcatraz, definitely go out on the water. The Red and White fleet leaves from one of the piers on Fisherman's Wharf and there is a great cruise under the GG Bridge. This is really cool.

Cable cars are a definite must-do. There is also a line of historic streetcars which runs along Market and the Embarcadero in front of the piers. It's a lot of fun because there are restored streetcars from defunct lines all over the world and it's a convinient way to get from downtown to the piers.

Take the kids to the crooked part of Lombard Street. It was one of my favorite things when I was a kid. Coit Tower is another great place.

Golden Gate park is definitely something to consider, even without the Academy of Sciences. Visiting the Japanese Tea garden is one of my most vivid memories of a trip to SF when I was 9. Plus around the park there are lakes and a bunch of other things.

The Exploratorium is very cool. I had more appreciation for the place after taking a couple physics classes, but it was defininitely fun as a kid too.

Chinatown is fun too. Your kids would probably get a kick out of having dim sum if they've never had it. Make sure you go to a place where you sit down and the people with the carts of food come to you.

At Pier 39 there are a couple cool things. The aquarium is nothing compared to the one in Monterey, BUT it has this cool section where you go through a tunnel under a couple big tanks so you can see the fish from the bottom. There is also an earthquake similator that I have heard is fun. I have not done it myself since I have been in my share of real onee, but other people seem to like it. And the carosel on Pier 39 is cool.

FainaAgain

Going to arboretum bring nuts and bread to feed squarrels and ducks.

For events check sfgate.com, entertainment, events

Dinner at Tonga room, Fairmont hotel - Polinesian village setting, rain and thunder, live thinging. I don't remember if the rain (for real!) starts at 7 or 8.

If I remember something else I'll post more.

FainaAgain

There is an aquarium on Pier 39, can't recommend this one, but on the 2nd floor there is a special movie theater - a short movie about history of SF, well narrated, and you really feel the earthquake, the lights go out, and your seats shake for the length of the quake.

Citibank Cinemax
Pier 39, The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco
(415)956-3456
"The Great San Francisco Adventure"

ellenbw

The Exploratorium would be great, very hands on science and physics focussed museum for children - your 13 yr old will like it, too. Since you seem to really like the science museums and you will spend time in Monterey, think about checking out the San Jose Tech Museum on your drive up to SF from Monterey. It is quite unique and also has an IMAX theatre. I think that they will love getting ice cream and chocolates at Ghiradelli square, dim sum in Chinatown is a great idea(although I really like Yank Sing which is not in Chinatown). And riding cable cars --of course! They may also like Beach Blanket Babylon - they have a Sunday matinee show for under 21 yr olds - if you want to do this and will be there on a Sunday, be sure to get advance tickets. The Japanese tea garden will also be a hit - my son's 5 gr class just went there - they loved it. How about a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge?

sunflower2

Hello Everybody,

Thanks for all of your suggestions re SF w/ our 9 & 13 year old girls.

You all have excellent suggestions, and now i just need to sort out which activities to do which day.

So, thanks so much! We'll let you know how our trip goes & what all we love!

julesvern

We took our girls to San Fran when they were close to the same ages as yours. They enjoyed:
1. The Japanese Tea garden-beautiful place for pictures. There are other parks withing walking distance that are great
2. China Town-especially the dim sum restaurant, (it was a culture shock being served Real chinese food like... turtles!..but they did find something they good to eat. They still talk about this one!
3. Sausilito- cool place to travel by water or drive
4. The crookest street- drove down and parked & they ran up and down again
5. The Bear Factory- this was a small store not the big chain thats everywhere
6. The Ghir. Chocolate- loved this
7. Muir Woods- Breathtaking redwoods and so peaceful
Have Fun!

wtpmyu

We go to SF every other year and have done the think the below are all great.

1. Muir woods
2. Golden Gate Bridge
3. Cable cars
4. Chinatown
5. Angel Island
6. Alcatraz (fascinating tour called "Escaped from Alcatraz")
7. Sony Metreon
8. Lombard Street
9. Japanese Tea Garden

Mostly we just drive around and explore different parts of the city. We tend to stay away from the Fisherman Wharf area though.

sunflower2

THanks everybody for all your help.

We'll have spent 2 days on the Monterey Penisula & at the San Jose Winchester House & Tech Museum before coming to SF Monday night.

We'll turn in our rental car Monday night & pick one back up again on Thursday. We're staying on Russian Hill where the parking is a problem, but it's close to the Hyde/Powell Cable Car line, and frequent rides on the cable cars is important to the kids.

In fact, as you look at this schedule, do you think it's worth it to buy a one-day pass or three-day muni pass?

We don't fly back home until Sat. a.m., so we have 4 full days in SF. What do you think of the following plan for SF:

Tuesday:
? Hyde/Powell Cable Car to end of line & bus or walk to Exploratorium (is it walking distance from that point...like 1/2 mile or a mile?)
? Exploratorium, opens 10 a.m., 3601 Lyon, near Baker & Marina, 561-0360/563-7337, dome 561-0362, www.exploratorium.edu, off Jefferson & near GG Bridge in Palace of Fine Arts, Buses 22, 28 41, 43, or 45, Allow 2 hours for museum & 1 hour for Tactile Dome
? Lunch: Picnic, Exploratorium Café, Café Marimba (2317 Chestnut, 776-15060), or Mel?s Drive-In (2165 Lombard, 921-2867)
? Crissy Field (see windsurfers & picnic)
Question: Is Crissy Field walking distance from the Exploratorium? Do we take a bus there? My husband is a windsurfer & he'd like to see people windsurfing there, if it's convenient to somewhere we're going.
? Golden Gate Park-----Japanese Tea Garden & Arboretum
? Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory (can take Hyde/Powell Cable Car back home)
? Stop at Lombard Crooked Street if want to or drive on it when we have rental car

Wednesday:

? Alcatraz Island, Blue/White Ferries (546-2805/705-5555) start running at 9:30, Pier 41, 546-2700, Park 705-1042, Tickets 800/426-8687, Boat 773-1188
? Pier 39, Aquarium & Earthquake Simulator on 2nd floor, Embarcadero and Beach Street, (415)956-3456, "The Great San Francisco Adventure"
? Wells Fargo museum downtown ?
? North Beach (gelato)
? Chinatown (din sum)

Thursday:
? Pick up Rental Car afternoon?
? Berkeley---Lawrence Hall of Science?
? Bart to 12th st. to Oakland Museum?
? Chabot Observatory & Science Center in Oakland?

Friday:
? Spend day in San Jose if we didn't get to museum & mystery house at beginning of the week

Meals:

? Yank Sing for Dim Sum
? Dinner at Tonga Room at Fairmont Hotel w/ Polynesian Theme

Anything we've missed or haven't thought of that almost 9 and 13 year old girls would enjoy?

Any other times we'll be near cable cars so we can travel that way? if not, we can just ride them in the morning before beginning activities or ride them to a point and then walk to, for example, the ferries for alcatraz.

do i have the right places clumped together for what is near each other & possible to do in a day?

THANKS again so much for your help!

sunflower2

p.s. We were in Sf for 2 days 2 years ago, and walked across the GG Bridge, enjoyed Muir Woods, walked around Union Square & Fisherman's Wharf.

So, the kids prefer to do different things than the limited things they did the other SF trip. And, Grasshopper, you were right, they are interested in Alcatraz.

Thanks again!