San Francisco
I have always been both fascinated and intimidated by San Francisco. Here is a place where cultures converge, where the history is fascinating, where neighborhoods are given their own name and status. It is also a place where I have gotten lost countless times, have sat in traffic for what seemed like days, and where I swore I would never return without my own personal navigator. I have often wondered how could I explore all SF has to offer with kids in tow? Well now I have a GPS system in my car (and loving how they automatically recalculate when you miss your turn), a bag full of toys for the car, and plenty of snacks. I hope to offer you some very specific ideas of things to visit and how to find them. I really look forward to growing this page, as there is so much a city like San Francisco can offer.
Full Day Trips
Discover and Explore, San Francisco
Although each of these museums can merit a full day on their own, I am putting together two of San Francisco’s finest hands-on museums in a full-day trip category for two reasons: 1) they are within ten miles of each other, so you don’t have to drive clear across the city to go from one to the other, and 2) if you only have one or two days to spend in San Francisco, I would put both of these museums...
Half Day Trips
Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
Yerba Buena Gardens is a great kid spot in the middle of downtown San Francisco. There is a playground equipment with killer slides, water features, and room to run around. There is Zeum, a museum aimed at school aged kids where you can create your own movie, play with video equipment, make your own clay-mation production or lay down a kareoke track. Also within walking distance (read: don’t need a stroller...
Mini Trips
Koret Children’s Playground, San Francisco
Bowling Green Drive, SF
Fantastic playground for all ages. In addition to that various aged climbing structures you may typically see at playgrounds, there are nice additional features. One includes a water feature where by stomping on a button on the ground, you can get a very mild stream of water that runs down a ramp area and into a sandpit. It was difficult to pull either boy from their moat creation,...
Randall Museum, San Francisco
199 Museum way San Francisco, CA
Perched on a hill in central San Francisco, this museum is made for the younger crowd, and its FREE! A puppet theatre welcomes you as you enter. A large room full of interesting animals, some you can pet if they aren’t hiding, is on the right side as you enter. There is an area to build leggo structures, then see if they can withstand a mini earthquake. Downstairs...
Bay Area Discovery Museum, San Francisco
The Bay Area Discovery Museum is incredible in many ways. First I want to mention the real estate alone. It is 7.5 acres near the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. This makes the views from outside quite stunning and the smell of the sea surrounds you everywhere. Also as a 1905 former Army post (Fort Baker), the spaces used for the different themed rooms are decommissioned bunkers. All this space makes the museum...
Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
There are a lot of things I really WANT to love about the Academy of Sciences. They offer great exhibits, interesting things to experience (walking through a rainforest full of butterflies was a first for us!) and well-made movies. However, the crowds make the whole experience very tiring. First, it is wise to park in the designated parking lot, which is pricey and also crowded. Then there is the walk across...
Travel Blog
A Stone’s Throw From The Rock
“C’mon, let’s go fight bad guys!”
These words are spoken practically daily by my boys. We are deep in a phase (after over a year can I still call this a phase?) where everything gets labeled as “good guy” or “bad guy”. By everything I include cars that we pass along the road, certain lego pieces, you name it. This moment of play inspired an impromptu trip...
Bakers Beach – a photo progression
I recently wrote about our trip to Bakers Beach in San Francisco. As part of Photo Friday, I thought I would also document the trip using photos of the progression of that day. Check out Delicious Baby for more Friday travel photos.
The first hour the kids were excited to share the beach with the dog. They threw the ball for him, chased each other threw the waves, energy galore.
About an hour...
Bakers Beach, SF
On the sixth and final day of a recent trip, I found myself scavenging through google maps looking for a beach, which I had promised my five-year-old would be included in our trip itinerary. The nearest beach was an hour south in Santa Cruz. Our house was at least two and a half hours north. We had a week’s worth of stuff in the car and a dog who easily gets car sick. Surely there’s a northerly...
Yerba Buena Gardens
I wanted to take the kids to San Francisco for some fun and adventuring. I really needed to find a place that would entertain them long enough to make the drive worthwhile, and something that could be done with one adult, preferably in one place. I think I struck gold at Yerba Buena Gardens. Here was a museum, a playground, a carousel, and other things (ice-skating rink and bowling alley) that we didn’t...
