San Fran Vacay rec's?

[definitelyO]

we took DS when he was 8. we stayed at the Marriott at Fisherman's Wharf. we were walking distance to the Pier, etc... we took the duck boat tour - totally cheesy, but fun and they let DS "drive" when it was on the water. we rented a car one day and went to Muir woods and then drove along the coast on the opposite side of the bay (Marin Headlands) - great exploring. We also took a ferry ride around the bay - we did not do Alcatraz - not sure if it would have held DS's interest.

[meowmaps]

Alcatraz! I loved it and I could see a kid loving it.

[So_Fetch]

Pier 39 - aquarium.

[starlily]

In addition to the other recs, my DD1 loved the Ferry Building in our last visit. Grab a snack, eat on the pier looking out at the bridge, and check out the playground across the street (Sue Bierman Park).

[tigress]

Ohhh following this, H and I are going at the end of April!

[thebreakfastclub]

Muir Woods is relatively close and a lot of fun. We took a bus company charter.

[Alyssa]

If you like chocolate, hit up Ghirardelli Square. Best hot fudge sundaes there.  There is the SF Zoo and plenty of fun museums.  I like the California Academy of Science.  The Legion of Honor is another favorite of mine.

[christy082]

If you do decide to do Alcatraz, book in advance, especially for the night tour. They sell out.

I second California Academy of Sciences. Pier 39 sea lions. Ride a cable car.

Check out the City Pass. www.citypass.com/san-francisco

[christy082]

Oh and I stayed at Hotel Monaco a few years back when I went. We had great service and it's been renovated since I've stayed. It was convenient for the Muni lines we needed. Avoid the Tenderloin area.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Feb 11, 2016 15:00:39 GMT -5 christy082 said:

Oh and I stayed at Hotel Monaco a few years back when I went. We had great service and it's been renovated since I've stayed. It was convenient for the Muni lines we needed. Avoid the Tenderloin area.

FYI - Monaco has been renamed when IHG/Kimpton sold it (labor/union issues of some sort). No idea what the service/product is like these days.

We recently stayed at the Argonaut and really enjoyed it. It's also no longer a Kimpton property, but the new management is doing it justice. The rooms are large and the amenities are nice. It's also pretty ideally located, right by the cable car turntable/Ghirardelli square/Aquatic park.

As for things to do, check out the musee mechanique, which is in the fisherman's wharf area. It was really neat.

[christy082]

Feb 11, 2016 15:54:52 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

Feb 11, 2016 15:00:39 GMT -5 christy082 said:

Oh and I stayed at Hotel Monaco a few years back when I went. We had great service and it's been renovated since I've stayed. It was convenient for the Muni lines we needed. Avoid the Tenderloin area.

FYI - Monaco has been renamed when IHG/Kimpton sold it (labor/union issues of some sort). No idea what the service/product is like these days.

We recently stayed at the Argonaut and really enjoyed it. It's also no longer a Kimpton property, but the new management is doing it justice. The rooms are large and the amenities are nice. It's also pretty ideally located, right by the cable car turntable/Ghirardelli square/Aquatic park.

As for things to do, check out the musee mechanique, which is in the fisherman's wharf area. It was really neat.

Oh wow I had no idea. I love Kimpton.

[mrsd2006]

we stayed in Union Square a couple of nights, then Fisherman's Wharf for a night before driving to Napa. We stopped on Muir Woods on the way. Chinatown is not too far from Union Square. 

This was a neat place to visit, and it's free, unless you want to go on the boats (you could walk down the dock and look at them for no charge). It's in the Fisherman's Wharf area. It's pretty close to the Giardelli place also, from what I recall.

www.nps.gov/safr/index.htm

Also, check out the visitor's center at the foot of the GG bridge and also walk across it, or as far as your 7 year old feels like walking.

ETA: this is the fort under the bridge. Looks like it's free also. 


www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm

[majesty318]

Lurker following. Just booked SF and Sonoma for next month!

[wannabe]

Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio!

[liverandonions]

Besides the aquarium the Exploratorium is on the embarcadero now in one of the piers. The sea lions at pier 39.
Take him down Lombard. golden gate park. We're going there on Saturday to the zoo and then maybe to the beach since it's so close to the zoo.

[RoxMonster]

DH and I went alone as adults, so I did not research all the stuff that kids might like to do, but agree with the recs so far. Places like Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Alcatraz (we did a day tour and loved it, but I also hear the night tour is sufficiently creepy. I agree with booking far in advance. And if you want to try and avoid crowds as much as possible, we did the early bird tour--the very first one out at like 8 AM or something, and it was awesome being the first people to disembark on the island before crowds got there).

Riding the cable car around is fun too. We stayed at Westin St. Francis in Union Square and really liked it. Cable car pick up right out front. Walking distance to many restaurants, shops, etc.

At only 7, I don't know how much he bikes, but we also had fun renting bikes and biking the bridge to Sausalito. That is probably too much for a 7-year-old, but you could bike around Crissy Field, which is a wide open, flat path. You wouldn't have to go across the bridge. We did see other kids renting the bikes.

I'm jealous! I want to go back!