Family Spring Break in San Francisco

[JavaBrewer]

Next Monday we are taking a road trip to SF. Our itinerary includes staying the night to visit parents in Santa Barbara on the way up and visiting my good friend in Santa Ynez on the way back.

My kids are 13 and 10 and have never been to SF. Must do items include riding a street car, Alcatraz island, walking on the GG bridge, picnic in GG park, China town at night, lunch and exploring at Fishermans warf. Nice to do would include a breakfast/lunch in Sausalito and Muir Woods redwood forest.

I plan on 3 full days in SF area and want to avoid using our car as much as possible. I'd also like to stay somewhere outside the city where hotels are a bit more reasonable (hopefully) and my Hilton rewards points go farther. Ideally we stay in a place convenient to city transportation (Bart?) that would take us from hotel area to downtown SF. Does something like that exist?

Any recommendations of hotel and eats are very much welcomed. Thanks everyone!

[ckissick]

I don't know about local hotels, since I never need to use them. But if you don't want to drive much, BART would be a good way to go. Maybe try something on the Peninsula, since it's closer and driving into the city when you want to would be easier.

When taking BART, if you get off at the Ferry Building, it's a good starting point for Fisherman's Wharf and other places. You would take an old, vintage rail car along the waterfront to Fisherman's Wharf. If you do, get off about halfway for a walk up the Filbert Street Steps to Coit Tower.

You should also take the car one day, for your Marin excursion. Don't forget Golden Gate Park and the Aquarium/Japanese Tea Garden area. Also, when in the car, keep in mind that the most popular attraction for kids is always Lombard Street (the curvy part). Another part of Filbert Street just a couple blocks south of Lombard is worth driving. When you get to the bottom of Lombard, take an immediate right. Go 3 blocks, take a right on Union Street, then a right on Hyde Street, then a right on Filbert. You will come to a precipice where you can't see beyond the hood. All you can see is Coit Tower in the distance. This is the steepest street in SF. Make sure your brakes are in good working order.

[911Freak]

dont miss the Exploratorium your kids will love it!

Exploratorium: the museum of science, art and human perception

exploratorium san fransisco - Google Search

[mjohnson]

I'm in the Bay Area every few months. Without fail some of my new-to-the-gig peers want to go to Fishermans Wharf. Now and then I'll tag along. I've found the following works for me:

The Musee Mechanique on Pier 39 is a good place to spend some time.

Don't get sucked into Scomas or one of the other seafood places nearby - get crabs to go and sit on a park bench.

The Rogue Taphouse is at Washington Square is a quality establishment that I heartily recommend. Kids are welcome.

Yes it's overpriced, but just buy the cablecar pass - likely if you're doing lots of Bart-ing you might get a package that includes it.

Take the Nike Missile Site tour if they're open. Look online for dates. A really cool part of cold war history less than 10 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. Bart goes there, a bus from downtown/financial district.

Bart might even go to Muir Woods.

[carreraken]

I second the exploratorium for the kids.

[ros74911]

go here: save money.

CityPass: San Francisco 7 Day Muni Cable Car Passes & Trolley Pass

[onlycafe]

irish coffee or a ramos gin fizz at the buena vista, one cable car stop above ghirardelli square.

eat an it's it at the zoo.

take the car to muir woods.

[javadog]

Try to drive up to Twin Peaks. The view's incredible.

JR

[Moses]

Originally Posted by onlycafe

eat an it's it at the zoo.

Damn. It's been FOREVER.

[Rick Lee]

I stayed at that Suites something hotel next to the Oracle towers in Belmont/Redwood City a few weeks ago. Super place for the money.

If you and the kids are into computers, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View is AWESOME and it's free too. Your kids might be too old for this, but the SF Children's Museum aka Zeum is pretty cool too. They're a client and gave me a behind the scenes tour a few weeks ago. Very interactive and great for kids.

The best Chinese food is outside the city, some in Oakland, some in Richmond and a super dim sum place in Millbrae.

Great German place too called Die Kleine Suppenkueche in the city. Always crowded though.

[Tobra]

Exploratorium is free admission first Wednesday of the month, get there when they open if you are going to try for the freebie. Right near Palace of Fine Arts. The zoo is pretty good, just don't get drunk and tease the tigers.

Yellow Submarine is a good sandwich shop, just South of GG park, around 4th or 5th and Judah, maybe Irving. Keep in mind that on Sundays, they shut down a lot of the roads through GG park, which makes driving a bit of a drag. If you want to do the Alcatraz thing, look into making reservations now. If you are going to get on the street car, it is easier if you are not at the roundabout, or whatever they call the thing where it turns around at end of line. Get your ticket and walk up a few blocks. The Presidio is pretty cool, Fort Point is pretty nifty. Ghirardelli Square is sort of touristy, but the chocolate is good.

[A930Rocket]

Look into tickets for Alcatrez before you get there. Both times I was there they were sold out.

[Tidybuoy]

I grew up in San Francisco.

Whenever I visit, I stay at the Seal Rock Inn. It's out in the Richmond District, just up the block from the Cliff House & about a mile North of Golden Gate Park. Not in the busy downtown area so parking is not a problem - ever. Yet, it's close enough that you can get to all the places you want (about a 10-15 minute drive to Fisherman's Wharf). Seal Rock Inn, San Francisco For, San Francisco, the prices are fairly inexpensive but this is a basic hotel and not fancy. It's steps from the ocean.

Since you are from Southern CA, DONT FORGET jackets. It's supposed to be raining next week and SF gets cold.

My reccomended stops:
Golden Gate Bridge Walk - it's fantastic and you won't believe how high it is.
Sausalito - just across the bridge, but too far for walking. Drive there later
Exploratorium - Great for kids. In the marina near the Persedio
San Francisco Zoo - just off the beach on the South end of the Sunset District
Pier 39 & Fisherman's Wharf
Golden Gate Park & the Steinhart Aquarium
Telegraph Hill - Many people dont know but telegraph hill is home to thousands of parrots that are tame and people come to feed them - see the video below
Climb the 16th Avenue Mosaic Steps - In the Sunset District & a great view at the top - fun for kids too - see video below
Ride the glass elevators at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square - best free ride in town (same elevators used in the Towering Inferno)

[vash]

perfect timing!!! i think all the city's museums, exploratoriums, etc are FREE the first WEDs. maybe bad timing actually. the junk gets SLAMMED crowded.

no help on hotels..but if you stay in alameda, you can take either the bart or ferry into the city.

[Nine17]

I grew up in the East Bay in the sixties and seventies and I think that BART is lousy for tourism/hotels. +1 on the Seal Rock Inn. Never stayed there, but I always drive into the Marina/Fisherman's Wharf the back way from the Great Highway through Sea Cliff and the Presidio. Hunter S. Thompson holed-up there to finish Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and it looks pretty cool. Look on the Interweb for the City-owned and operated lots; they're a good deal and convenient. Drive in, park somewhere central like Fifth and Mission or North Beach; then trolly/cab/cable car.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Yellow Submarine is a good sandwich shop, just South of GG park, around 4th or 5th and Judah, maybe Irving.

wow, there's a blast from the past. I used to eat lunch there around once a week when I worked at UCSF. There also is an amazing Eritrean restaurant around 11th and Irving (or Judah) called New Eritrea.

[stevepaa]

with your Hilton points consider the Hilton in the financial district, then you can walk to China town and North Beach, and take a taxi to fisherman's wharf area and Union square. Park your car across the street in the underground garage.

If you go to Buena Vista, if you enter at the far end away from the corner, you can get away from the bar and go into the little eating area around the wall from the bar. Perfect for the kids. Irish coffees are not made any better anywhere else.

[vash]

Originally Posted by stevepaa

with your Hilton points consider the Hilton in the financial district, then you can walk to China town and North Beach, and take a taxi to fisherman's wharf area and Union square. Park your car across the street in the underground garage.

If you go to Buena Vista, if you enter at the far end away from the corner, you can get away from the bar and go into the little eating area around the wall from the bar. Perfect for the kids. Irish coffees are not made any better anywhere else.

parking fees would be brutal!

i dont get the Buena Vista irish coffee. made better than anywhere else? it's coffee, irish booze, sugar..some whipped creme. how complicated is that? like a place boasting it makes the best run and coke. i had two of them there..it was anticlimatic..but had to be done.

OP, hope you and the family have a great visit..PM me if you need anything.

[stevepaa]

or park around the corner for less than $20 a day.


as for Irish coffee, you'd be surprised how many places make it poorly.

[Rick Lee]

I really find SF one of the most difficult inner cities in the US for driving. I was there on my bike a while back and was so spoiled by that. In a rental car it SUCKED. And parking was outrageously expensive. I ended up walking several miles between meetings a few weeks ago, which was much more pleasant than driving and parking again.