Will be in San Francisco over the 4th of July. any ideas for a 15 yr old & 12 yr old
both girls.

P.S. The grand parents also tagging along

Thanks

Took our 13-year-old granddaughter to SF and stayed near Fisherman's Wharf. She was taken with the seals at Pier 39, walking up to Coit Tower, walking the crookedest street, and the walk out to the Golden Gate Bridge. We didn't have time to walk across the bridge. Of course, there are the harbor boat tours and Alcatraz. Also shopping the souvenir shops in Fisherman's Wharf. For other suggestions, see ... http://www.geocities.com/judcomp/sfx.htm ... that's 8 walking tours. San Francisco is a great city to visit!

I have taken exchange students to SF for many years. Been there myself ooover twenty times. I would recommend walking the bridge, at least half way from Vista Point. My "good weather" favorite thing is to buy a picnic lunch and head for the Marin Headlands for a fantastic view of the bridge, bay and city. Anyone tour guide bus driver or policeman can tell you how to get there from Vista Point...just the other side of the highway returning to SF across the GG bridge. Also, walking the Pacific Ocean is really nice especially near sunset. There are whole sand dollars everywhere. If you are there on Sunday, go to the Glide Methodist Church near Union Square. All races Gospel choir of almost 75. A great way to start off a Sunday. Services at 9 and 11. My opinion is to go to the 9 and be there by 8:30AM. www.glide.org
Have fun!

Kathi:

I consulted with the "PRO.", our teenage son. He says take them to The Meteron and Nike Town. My suggestions exactly as I regularly am asked to take he and his friends to those exact places. The Pier 39 got and gets "laughs" from most teens, but maybe that is beacuse they have seen it 99 times, being so close and all. Marin Headlands, Alcatraz etc. gets the same "laughs" from the teens in the Bay Area... it is "laughable" because they have been to those places on field trips since day 1...I drove.

The other totally obvious thing for teens both boys and girls to do is to let them SHOP at Union Square. This is within walking distance of the two teen "hot spots" mentioned above.
4th of July is a real busy time here and I am sure you have ALL of your RSVP's nailed down. It your teens are into sports like many teen girls then it would be a shame to not take them to see the Giants or "superior" Oakland A's play ball! BTW, before night falls, if you are not at one of the above mentioned baseball stadiums, go up to the Bay Area hills so you can see at least 3 fireworks shows when night falls. Bring warm blankets. Our nights get chilly!

Hope this helps!
Happy Travels

Oaktown

Street vendors across from Ghirardelli Square have nice silver jewelry and t-shirts. Also a small shop just across the street has a museum of "old jewelry" reproductions. Union and Fillmore Streets for shopping. Pt. Reyes Natl. Seashore over in Marin would be good. Don't count on fireworks--they are often fogged out!

FIREWORKS:

Again, Go to a BAY AREA city so that you can see the FIREWORKS. We have done this for YEARS and from the hills of Berkeley/Oakland and OTHER BAY AREA cities, you CAN SEE a minimum of 3 FIREWORKS SHOWS...I would not lie about this.
GEEEEEESSSSSSHHHHH!!!

Oaktown

Oaktown, no need to shout. You're hurting my ears. What would you call a "bay area city?" That's pretty vague advice.

Frank:

So sorry for all that yelling, my bad.
A Bay Area city would be Berkley, Oakland, Albany or El Cerrito. El Cerrito can get fog but the others are near sure shots. Enjoy the FIREWORKS!!!
(he-he)

Oaktown

So what Oaktown means by "Bay Area" is actually East Bay. She's right, though--East Bay locations are the best bet for fireworks.

So, Oaktown, you are recommending that Kathi go to somewhere in the East Bay?? Just to clarify it for her. I thought she was going to spend the holiday in SF and so the fireworks are not usually terrific on the west side of the bay. What city's fireworks do you see from Berkeley/Oakland etc.?