| San
Francisco, California Family Vacation
Think of California family
vacations and the thought of San Francisco often is the next thought. There
is a reason why Frank Sinatra left his heart in San Francisco. Leaving
the beauty of the mix of modern and Victorian houses, the cable cars, the
fresh cool breeze, the museums (and the list would just go on) is so hard
to do that you just leave the city a part of you.
Touring San Francisco comes
in different ways: cruises, tours like cable car tours, and the GoCar tours.
The most popular of all the water tours is the Alcatraz Island Tour. Explore
the once-highest security prison in the land. Expect long lines when getting
on board the ferry to the island for Alcatraz (or the Rock) is one of the
hottest tourist attraction in San Francisco. The seals and seagulls around
will keep you entertained while you wait.
For a family of San Francisco
Giants or Major League Baseball fanatics, the AT & T Tours gives you
the chance to walk on the very grounds where the baseball games are played.
One of the best things in San Francisco is the GoCar Tours. Ride a GPS-navigated
story-telling car that brings you to the city's corners no tour bus is
ever allowed to go. The car "speaks" 5 languages and allows you to stop
when you have to and picks up where you left off. This half-hour ride is
going to be a sure hit for the whole family! If you want to have a day
on your own pace, however, you can always go to the Golden Gate Park. The
park is so big, you will have to give one whole day to explore everything
in it.
Family vacations mean all
sorts of active experiences. Rent bicycles and bike the bay! Whether you
are a pro or just learning, there is a bike and a trail for you. Or you
can go to Exploratorium for a different kind of active fun. Exploratorium
has interactive exhibits that makes learning fun for the kids and the parents
alike. Crawl, slide and climb a maze in the dark in their Tactile Dome.
The highlight of your California family vacation in San Francisco would
be the Aquarium of the Bay in Pier 39. Catch your children in awe as they
learn and see thousands of underwater species through a walkway tunnel
surrounded by hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. The Aquarium of
the Bay offers a special one-of-a-kind sleepover for kids that includes
a tour around the Aquarium, fun-filled activities, a chance to touch the
animals and sleeping in the tunnel while sharks, eels and other nautical
animals swim above.
There are a lot of museums
in and around San Francisco. Two of the most popular for family vacations
are the Cartoon Art Museum and the Wax Museum in Fisherman's Wharf. Become
a kid again as you find yourself standing in front of a collection of your
favorite cartoon characters from your childhood. The Cartoon Art Museum
is focused on preserving and documenting cartoons of all forms such as
comic books, editorials, magazines and animation. Take pictures with the
waxed version of your favorite actors and public figures at the Wax Museum
and find out how many people back home will fall for it!
The key to enjoying your
family vacation in San Francisco is public transportation. It the best
way to get around and get to know San Francisco. The transportation system
is also very convenient - you can choose from the Muni (San Francisco Municipal
Railway) or the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). The Muni operates trolley
buses, historic cars and the very popular and tourist-attracting Cable
Cars. Do not worry about walking the hilly streets of San Francisco. It
may be quite a challenge for adults, but it is definitely a fun trek for
the kids. Besides, the steep streets add to the city's character and beauty.
A bonus for family vacations
to San Francisco is that it has neighboring cities with great family attractions,
too, like Chris' Whale Watching in Monterey, Chabot Space Center and Planetarium
in Oakland and more. On your last day, you will realize how hard it really
is to leave a city so beautiful. As your California family vacation ends,
you realize that, as Frank Sinatra's, your heart is also left behind. |
