San Francisco, California, United States
Attractions in San Francisco

 

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San Francisco

View of San Francisco skyline

Pier 39 Fisherman's Wharf

Photo at right is of our twins watching the sea lions from platforms on the pier overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Pier 39 has lots of restaurants of varying price ranges, retail stores with chocolates, souvenires, sports team items, and jewelry, lots of snack shops selling pretzels or ice cream in giant waffle cones, and so much more. In the center between the rows of shops, are chairs set in front of a small stage with music, magic, and comedy performers. There is also a carousel. To one side of the pier are the platforms for watching about 100 very noisy sea lions, and on the other side, a 'ride' where you can be fastened to two bungee cords and jump very high! Our kids liked the arcade, and quickly spent $6 on racing video games.

Photo at left is of our twins playing a video game in the Pier 39 arcade.

Cable Car Museum

Photo is of our twins in front of a cable car display.

This museum is much larger and thorough than I expected. It has HUGE inner workings exhibits showing the cable pull system, the cable car breaking system, historical equipment and tools, and the layout of early cable car lines. Multiple large display panels explain the mechanisms. There is an exhibit of San Francisco's major earthquake events with a wall of photos. And visitors can sit in an old carriage and watch video clips telling about a cable car anniversary celebration.

Exploratorium

Photo is of our 3 boys trying some hands-on science.

There are over 100 interactive exhibits here! The atmosphere is very noisy, full of school groups, and yet big enough so we still didn't need to wait long to try the science experiences. (Yet the middle school aged kids weren't watched closely and our son's carry pack was quickly stolen when left unattended for a moment.) The museum is located in a residential area, so there is no other option but to eat in the museum cafe. The food was a bit expensive, but not alarmingly so, and offered quality entrees like chicken and rice, as well as kid-friendly hot-dog type items. Annoyingly, the cafe accepts cash only. Also, the restrooms were not kept clean and were very unpleasant. Overall, the sheer number of exhibits was amazing, and even with lunch there, the kids ran out of energy before they ran out of new science stations to try.

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

As we've all seen, there is a 'Ripley's' in every big city. We have managed to avoid them in the past, but since our Fisherman's Wharf vicinity hotel was nearby, we passed by frequently, and the kids really wanted to go in. I was very surprised that it proved to be very entertaining - providing the heartiest laughs of our whole trip! It was not much in the way of education or culture, but the kids will tell you it was their favorite San Francisco experience!

Duck Tour

Our family members all enjoy the duck tours, and we've taken them in Seattle, and Boston, too. The tourists on board are receptive to silliness, which enhances the experience. For instance, when the guides ask us to shout 'quack-quack' to people on the street as we drive by, everyone on board complies! The guides impart historical facts along the route with plenty of humor. When the vehicle is in the water, kids sometimes get the chance to steer for a moment.

Ferry Building

It was a very fun ride on a trolley to get to the Ferry Building. We were meeting family members for dinner nearby. I walked through the building with the kids, and I thought it was beautiful, with all the shops to look into, and the crowds buying wonderful foods to eat at the waterside. Yet, the kids couldn't wait to get out of there.

The kids did enjoy watching the skateboarders and stunt bicyclists who were practicing their skills on the open areas surrounded by palm trees near the trolley station right outside the Ferry Building.

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