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Today my friend Susan shares a bit about one of her annual family vacation destinations. You can tell she sure LOVES San Francisco!
City or town name:
San Francisco, CA
Is there an airport there?
SFO (San Francisco International) is about 25 min South of downtown and is easily accessible by CalTrain or hotel shuttle
Is this a place you have visited more than once? If so, what keeps you coming back?
I lived there for 5 years before I was married, and we try to visit at least once a year. It is simply the most beautiful city in the world! ; )
What were the ages of your children when you visited?
I went with Finnegan by myself for the first time when he was 7 mos old, and we have been back as a family every year since.
What makes this place great for families to visit?
The actual city of SF measures only 7×7 miles. It is easy to get around on foot, cable car, bus, Muni, streetcar, etc. There are A LOT of activities for children and the whole family.
How long should a family plan to stay to hit the highlights?
3-5 days would be good
What are some of the fun things to do? What were your favorites? Why? What ages would these spots appeal to?
Aside from the fairly obvious (cable car ride, Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39, Alcatraz, a drive over Golden Gate Bridge and one down Lombard Street), we always enjoy
- Golden Gate Park for picnics
- museums & the Japanese Tea Garden
- Baker Beach for a day a the beach (however, it is too cold to swim)
- Bay Area Discovery Museum across the Golden Gate Bridge (you take the ferry there: a treat in itself!),
- Yerba Buena Gardens (live outdoor music, street artists, etc.)
- the (always open) Farmer’s Market in and around the Ferry Building
- Crissy Field for flying kites with the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop!
What family-friendly places to eat would you recommend? Anything special about them?
San Francisco is a family-friendly town! You can take your children anywhere, but some of our favorite places are Boudin’s on Fisherman’s Wharf (clam chowder or chili in a sourdough bread bowl!), In ‘n Out Burgers on Fisherman’s Wharf, Gordon Biersch on Embarcadero, Cheesecake Factory on Union Square
What hotels or other places to stay can you recommend? We stay right downtown at the Marriott and always like it.
If adults can fit in a date night without the kids while there, what would you suggest? San Francisco has some of the best restaurants in the nation, so you cannot really go wrong.
My all-time favorite is Chez Panisse in Berkeley (you’ll need a car), best sushi is Godzilla on Divisadero at Bush, best seafood (fancy!) is Farallon, best steak is Ruth’s Chris on Van Ness, best Italian anywhere in North Beach around Columbus Avenue
Sounds like a lot of fun for families to me! I’ve enjoyed San Francisco in the past as an adult, but now I think it might be time return and bring the kids.
What about you? Have you left your heart in San Francisco?
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