San Francisco Yes/No
 

I'm thinking of taking my wife (40th birthday) along with two daughters (8 and 11) to San Francisco for a week in April. Good idea for a 40th. Is it a kid friendly place? Enough fun things to do for all? Know any good hotels (I'm interested in hotels of the three star variety). Any info would be of help. I'm creatively challenged..

It's a kid friendly bordering on worship kind of place. Folks have made recommendations for various kind of hotels. Let us know what you want. I personally think it's a great place for a 40th..and there are places in the immediate area easily reached by car that make it both all the more kid friendly and a perfect place for a 40th. Let us know what you want.

I grew up in the East Bay and when I was a kid I LOVED going to SF. Things I thought were the most fun; cable cars, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, the Zoo, the Aquarium..... Now I live there and there's so much to do I can't imagine ever getting bored.<BR><BR>Read some of the SF threads for lots of great tips.

I really do not think of SF as a place that has a lot for kids to do. Also, the weather here can be cold and rainy during April. I think that in terms of weather and things to do for the kids, that Los Angeles or San Diego would be better. In the LA area you have Disneyland, California Adventure, and Universal Studios. In San Diego the zoo is one of the best and Seaworld is also a lot of fun.

We visited SF often when I was a kid and I always loved it. My parents found lots for us to do, from Chinatown to the Exploratorium (I think that's the name) to the wine country. Yes, my folks took me to Napa as a kid and I learned wine appreciation at an early age, even if I couldn't sample. (Drats!)<BR><BR>It's also very interesting to click on screen names of some SF posters and view their past posts. I notice a lot of the screen names that warn against SF or Union Square ONLY do such! Not a single positive post in the bunch.

I live just outside of SF and go there on a regular basis, however there is not a lot to do that would interest the kids. SF is more of a city for adults to enjoy. It will be too chilly to enjoy the beaches in April. San Diego would be my top choice for a kid friendly city and wonderful weather.

My family visited San Francisco when I was 10. I liked it so much that as soon as I was of age, I moved here.<BR><BR>I really liked seeing the ocean, kids from land locked states are awed by this. The Golden Gate bridge was like a dream, as was walking down near the marina, looking at all the boats.<BR><BR>I can also remember standing in line at at the Chocolate Shop at Ghiradelli Sq. to get a chocolate sundae, and seeing my sister's 5th Grade Teacher there! I also remember walking around in Sausalito, and Chinatown.<BR><BR>point being, there are Tons of things to do with kids in SF.

More kid things: The ferries, Pier 39, Alcatraz, the Japanese Tea Garden....<BR><BR>I don't get you people who think there's nothing for kids to do in SF.

Definitely take your kids! I am another one who went there as a 12-year-old (I am now 34) and it was such a wonderful trip. Alcatraz, the Art Museum, Chinatown, GG Bridge, Redwoods...you could even hop in a car and drive to Monterrey or Santa Cruz for the day where they can see tidepools on the beach and the aquarium in Monterrey which is fantastic. I don't understand the negative posters, either. I think it's a wonderful opportunity for your family. May I be so lucky to be part of a trip like this on my 40th!!!!

When I was a kid we would go to SF fairly frequently when visiting family in the Bay Area. I always had a great time - boat tours out on the bay, Angel Island, Alcatraz, the bridge, Golden Gate Park, riding the Cable Cars, wandering around Chinatown, the wharf area... I think SF is a great place to take kids.

I have lived in SF for many years and I too wondered how &quot;kid friendly&quot; it would be for my visiting 11 year old god daughter. What I realized was I was thinking only of commercial kid attractions i.e. amusement parks, and I was underestimating that children can enjoy many things that are not prepackaged for them. Watching my god daughter's joy at seeing the ocean, her glee on the cable cars, her wide eyed amazement at the shops in Chinatown, or fun we had watching the windsurfers at Chrissy Field changed my thinking. Kids appreciate a lot more than we/I expect.

Folks have given you some great ideas for things to do with kids in SF. Here are a few more or seconding of others:<BR>the Mechanical Museum, The Exploratorium,Chinatown(there are restuarants that still have little booths),Chrissy Field-the wave organ,Fort Point, The Metreon(games galore and movies too),The Steinhart Aquarium, The Academy of Sciences, cable cars,Ghiradellie Chocolate Factory. If you will have a car check out Point Reyes National Seashore. There are great walks, beautiful vistas etc. Of particular interest to kids might be the Miwok Indian Village,the Lighthouse or Tomales Bluff walk where you can see Tule Elk. You might also check out Abbott's Lagoon which is a migratory waterfowl sanctuary(lots of pelicans) and a very east walk through pastures to the beach. Many folks bring kids on this walk and I have only ever seen a few kids refusing to walk the distance.(about 1.8 miles to the ocean beach).In the East Bay I would recommend the Cahbot Science and Space Center(Oakland).

One of my favorite things to do in SF is take a day trip by ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon. Fun for all. There are also lots of other ferry trips. Here's a website that describes them http://www.baycrossings.com/Archives/2002/04_May/a_guide_to_san_francisco_bay_ferrys.htm<BR>I do think SF is kid friendly but am I the only one wondering if it's a 40th b'day celebration for your wife, what would SHE like to do? Maybe a long weekend trip sans kids would be her choice? Have you asked her or is this a surprise?

Oh yes the ferry...take it to Tiburon and eat at Sam's. Something for everyone ...full bar(I think), good burgers and other assorted foods. Besides which you can eat on the deck with a view of the Bay. The ferry to Angel Island is another possibility.

Absolutely bring the family, SF is fun for all. The Exploratorium is great, Golden Gate Park (aquarium, Japanese Tea Garden, planetarium, run around and play frisbee in the park, fly a kite, etc...), boat trip on the bay, Pier 39 (shopping, fun street performers, sea lions lolling about on the piers), cable cars, Chinatown, Ghiradelli Square, Cliff House.<BR><BR>IMO, Santa Cruz beach and boardwalk would be an awesome sidetrip. It should be warm enough to play on the beach and wear a swimsuit (water will be cold though) plus you can ride the amusement park rides, play skeetball and miniature golf, eat corn dogs, all kinds of fun stuff.

Kids will have fun in about any city but I would skip SF and try LA. You could take the Amtrack to San Diego for a day and go to the Zoo or Sea World. The weather will also be MUCH nicer!

I'm not sure what you consider kid friendly or why you think that SF wouldn't be. I quess it is going to rely on what your daughters enjoy doing. You have the Fisherman's Wharf area, Chinatown, the zoo, the cablecars, the ocean and the ferries (maybe to Sausilito?). I think you can find plenty there to enntertain your daughters as well as your wife. As far as hotels go, you best bet might be to stay in the Wharf area where there is a lot of things for the kids to enjoy. Most of the hotels in that area are chains that would be of the three star variety. Though I have never stayed there, I have heard that the Tuscan Inn is very nice, if you want to find someplace that is maybe a little more special for your wife's birthday. I am staying later this year at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, which I got a great rate from priceline. I have heard that it is a pretty nice hotel and a great location, close to Chinatown and the wharf area and convenient to public transportation and the ferries, and a good alternative to staying in the wharf area

The best kid friendly cities would be either LA or San Diego. SF really has does not have a lot for kids to do. <BR><BR>For one thing, it will most likely be raining most of the time in April which means that you will be stuck indoors most of the time.<BR><BR>In the LA area there's Disneyland, Universal Studios, California Adventure, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood, etc.<BR><BR>Down in San Diego the zoo there will put the SF zoo to shame. Seaworld, Coronado Island, and La Jolla are also very nice. Taking the trolleys in San Diego is always a treat for the kids.<BR><BR>The best thing about Southern California is the great weather. During April it will probably be in the mid 70's during the day.

I feel that calnative is being very misleading by saying that it rains most of the time during April. The last time that I was in San Francisco was during March and the rainy season (the winter months) had already ended and we had really good weather the whole time we were there. As far as child friendly, I know that the southern California probably have more things to entertain a child, but I think that you can find plenty that they will enjoy in San Francisco. Not to mention the fact that you are going for your wife birthday, and as an adult, I don't think the other cities even compare.

Can anyone explain why when someone asks about SF some feel compelled to suggest that they go to LA or San Diego? If the poster had asked for kid friendly California cities suggestions I could understand this, but he specifically asked about SF. If I ask about NYC I don't expect to be told don't go there, go to Washington instead. Just puzzled.

Stayed at the Hyatt by the airport for $37 a night (got it through priceline). Many other 3 star hotels in the city can be found for just slightly higher prices through priceline. I might try for the Embarcadero area as it is more centrally located. <BR>There have been a lot of great ideas posted for kid friendly things to do. You, your wife and kids should have a fabulous time in SF in April.<BR><BR>&quot;One day if I do go to heaven...<BR>I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco. &quot;<BR>Herb Caen<BR>

don512,<BR><BR>I am sorry if you feel that I was misleading about Sf weather, but it turns out that the average rainfall during April in Sf is about 1.5 inches. The link below gives average rainfall for each month in SF. This year we have actually had a significant amount of rain, so the odds are that we will have more than the average amount of rainfall this April.<BR><BR>SAB,<BR><BR>If you read gtrwreck's post he asks whether it is a good idea to go to SF. Given the fact that there are not many activities for the kis in SF and that the weather will probably be rather wet, I think that either LA or San Diego would be much better. In addition to the fact that they are more kid friendly, there is also plenty to do for the adults as well.<BR><BR>gtrwreck,<BR><BR>You will have to excuse some of the posters on this board (SAB/don512) as they get very upset if anyone says something about SF that they do not agree with. I would take their advice with a grain of salt. After living in SF for about 10 yrs., in my experience April is usually quite a rainy month. There is some truth to the proverb &quot;April showers bring May flowers.&quot;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>http://www.backinsf.com/citysf.html

Calnative: WHATEVER!<BR><BR>I always look forward to April, as for the last 15+ years of living here, that's the month where the weather starts getting really nice!<BR><BR>I believe the question of whether or not there are adequate childrens' activites has been thoroughly covered. But I'll plug the carousel and duck-feeding areas in Golden Gate Park.

I live in SF and Calnative's assessment of the weather here is correct. Traditionally April tends to be fairly wet, and this year we have received quite amount of precipitation so far, so I suspect that the trend will continue.<BR><BR>As far as being &quot;kid friendly&quot;, that is one thing that SF is really not. There may be a few things of interest to kids but by and large San Diego and LA would offer much more to do that both kids and adults would like.<BR><BR>One more thing, Bay Area is a relentless SF promoter on this board and this person posts with different screen names to have the last word in when there is a posting about SF that he/she does not like but in fact is true. I have seen this person post udner the name &quot;nomopromos&quot; and &quot;Patrick&quot; among others. This particular individual will bash ohter California cities just to get people to come to SF. Don't get me wrong, SF is not a bad place, but there is so much more in California to see that SF.

How strange. I posted earlier to &quot;defend myself&quot; and my post was deleted already?<BR><BR>Just for the record if there has been any California city bashing by a Patrick, it was before registration by someone else. The closest think I've done to &quot;bashing&quot; any place in California was my comment on the Fresno post, but you've got to admit, that is a whole separate issue.<BR><BR>And the only &quot;promotion&quot; I've done of SF is to say that I've never been bothered by the &quot;problems&quot; of Union Square, and I've often given suggestions for restaurants and hotels there -- but only as a fellow tourist who likes San Francisco.<BR><BR>

We first took our kids to SF when they were 8 and 10. They were blown away by the bay, the bridges, the Sequoias (go to Muir Woods), the cable cars, the dim sum and wonderment of Chinatown. They did love Disneyworld but they chose when grown to go to the city that had most impressed them growing up. My daughter lives in Sausalito and my son in San Rafael. They both understand and appreciate a sense of place, something lacking in many areas of the country. <BR><BR>Why people think children have to be bombarded by artificial entertainment is beyond me. I can't begin to think of anything as memorable about LA.

calnative, or whatever you alias of the moment is, I think it's readily apparent to everyone here that you yourself are the only person who is guilty of everything you accuse others of. Your words and actions speak for themselves. You may want to consider some professional help.

An empahtic YES! MY family went last year and the kids (10 &amp; 15) loved it! I agree LilMsFOODIEs San Francisco is GREAT for kids. They loved everything, Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, Lombard, Chinatown, Muir Woods, Pacifica, Wharf, Giradelli, the list is endless! and we were there 7 days and want to go back ASAP for all we missed. Upon return to Atlanta my 10 year old remarked to Mon, &quot;I think I left my heart in San Francisco Mom&quot;.

My kids were in the 7th and 10th grade when I took them to SanFrancisco. They loved it. We road the ferry, the cable cars and the bus to Golden Gate Park. They had heard of Haight Ashbury in their history class(!) and explored that. SF was skateboard heaven for my son who got to skate in places he had seen on skate videos. The city was like a giant playground. I should mention that we're not wild about prepackaged commercial fun. ie amusement parks

I just wanted to thrown my 2 cents in about the pre-packaged, kid friendly destinations. I think Disneyland, Universal Studios, and places like that are great. I also think that it is important for parents to take their kids to other destinations which have interesting things, but not attractions that are specifically geared towards children. It's important to expose kids to history, culture, and other activities so they can experience the world that they live in and not just the pre-packaged, commercial stuff.

Another YES vote here. My kids loved SF. Everything from Alcatraz to just driving around on those hilly streets entertained them. It's a great family destination where both the kids and the parents can enjoy. A drive down to Carmel/Monterey (acquarium, 17 mi. scenic drive, etc.), either for the day or an overnight would be a nice side trip.

San Francisco is not what I would think of as a kid friendly city. Its okay for the adults but children woulkd find it quite boring. They would much rather go to Disneyland, Great America, or the San Digo Zoo than SF. In April it will most likely rain most of the time, especially given the the amount of rainy days we have had thus far.

I just want to add to my previous post, my kids were 7 and 10 at the time of our trip, and as I already wrote, thoroughly enjoyed SF (part of a trip down the coast to Santa Monica). <BR><BR>In response to what Kam and some others have said, we did spend a short day at Disneyland at the end of our trip. They have also been to most of the Orlando theme parks once when they were younger. My kids enjoyed themselves at these places but have never even suggested going back. My kids are by no means super sophisticated but do enjoy the sites and sounds of new and different cities and places. They don't need an amusement park or a zoo to have a good time.

I'm kinda confused here folks. Over 25 posts here are saying their kids love San Francisco and yet you have a few posts that say San Francisco is not kid friendly? Am I missing something here? I read the majority of these posts and boring? Maybe the experts on San Francisco know something us tourists don't? I really don't understand. My kids can go to theme parks all over the U.S. but a few of you recommend theme parks over the city? Give me a break! Or please explain.

well, i'm not gay, but i AM a freak!<BR>san francisco, here i come - for two whole weeks!

seriously, (well, I was serious!), as a parent, i have always felt any culture/habitat/etc. was educational as well as entertaining. the kids will see and hear and do things they would not in the world they live in. i'm not sure where you're from, but west texas is about as far from SF as you can get- not neccessarily geographically, but lifestyle... some parents want to shield their kids from uncomforatble sites and lifestyles, and some want to educate. ages 8 &amp; 11 might be a little young, BUT with mom and dad explaining and discussing what they see and hear, GO FOR IT!

I have always though of SF as a place that the parents would enjoy much more than the kids. We went with our two children (6 and 10) last summer. For one thing fogged in most of the time. But weather aside, the little ones lost interest before the end of the first day. I feel that children prefer &quot;pre-packaged&quot; destinations, most of which are found in Southern California (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Seaworld, etc.) The weather in LA and Sa Diego in spring and summer is much nicer that what it will be in SF. SoCal gets my vote!

San Francisco is nothing but an overrated tourist trap living on its past laurels. There are many cities with a more reputable cultural and culinary scene than that so called city by the bay. In addition, the crime rate has steadily been on the rise, to the point where cab drivers are afraid to work. Add to that the downright frigid weather in the summer, overpriced restaurants, homeless, hookers, and trash in the streets, and what you get is the armpit or better yet, crotch of Northern California. Hardly a place for people to take their young children. San Francisco should take a look at a real city such as New York, with over 10 times the population and virtually no homeless people to be seen, as well as clean streets and the best culture and culinary establishments. Obviously there are some ignorant people who have an agenda to turn this travel forum into some San Francisco love fest and misleadingly promote San Francisco. Those who are so in love with such a trashy town should start by takingm their blinders off. Even then, it may be too difficult to see through the fog.<BR>

ouch!<BR>...hey, guys - i think we scared gtrwreck off! we haven't heard from him since original post 02/11/03<BR><BR>GTRWRECK! just what did you decide to do?!

gypsy - I agree with you that culture, habitat, and history can be very entertaining. One thing my parents instilled in my was a curiousity and an interest in the world we live in. <BR><BR>West Texas is definitely different from SF, but that doesn't mean a person from one place can't appreciate what the other has to offer. Isn't that what travel is all about?