One place we’ve always talked about going is San Francisco. I’ve traveled around this country extensively, but I’ve always stopped shy of seeing the Pacific Ocean. And there’s a ton there that we’d love to check out. Like all of this:
Watch a Pirates game at AT&T Park. Because, seriously, how awesome is this stadium?
Definitely ride on a cable car.
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Have to see the Golden Gate Bridge.
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The California Academy of Sciences. Quite possibly the coolest museum/science center I’ve never seen. An aquarium, planetarium, dinosaur and human bones, all hiding under an undulating grass-top roof.
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See the sea lions on Pier 39. And just all of Fisherman’s Wharf. And the Bay.
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The Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Have a heart attack as the fiance drives our family down the crookedest street in the world. San Fran’s hills have nothing on the Beechview neighborhood in Pittsburgh, though. Steepest hill in the world is right here at home.
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Check out the painted ladies. It must be really creepy to live there. All these tourists coming to look at your house.
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Get our fine art on at the Legion of Honor.
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We have been wanting to go for a while now. Since before we had kids, really. But we’re not going to take our honeymoon there. Now that we have children, there’s just too many fun things for them to experience in San Fran. (Though we did get the duck first!) So we’ll be waiting and saving.
And in the meantime I’m planning. I’ve been pinning stuff both publicly and privately forever (I love secret boards!,) and I think we’re going to get a CityPass when we go. It’s $86 for adults and $64 for kids, and the only things on my list it doesn’t include is the crookedest road, possibly the painted ladies, and the baseball game. The only one we would have to pay for in addition then would be the baseball game. And we’d check out the Giant’s MLB kids club to see if we could save even more on that.
You can check out the new Tampa Bay option, too. And all the other cities they have like San Francisco, NYC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, and so many others. You can check it out and see if it’s a good deal for your family here.
Is there someplace on your travel wishlist that you just can’t seem to get crossed off?
They won’t let you in if you call it San Fran!
Haha I’ll have to cut that out. I also misspelled it several times in the post…had to go back and edit. Tourist much?
There are so many great places to visit in CA! The Monterey Bay aquarium is amazing! We have family about 2 hours south of SF. We visit often. Hawaii is on our travel bucket list.
I hope you make it to Hawaii!
The Bay Area is awesome — I hope you guys get to go soon! I’ve always wanted to see Paris, but haven’t gone yet. In fact, we’re planning a trip to Europe next year and somehow we’re visiting 4 countries, but not France! I’m a bad planner. 🙂
Thanks! I hope you guys make it to Paris someday! And enjoy the rest of your European trip this time around!
If you’re going to go to San Fran with kids, plan ahead of time. We went there a few years back and had made reservations at one of the “top” b n b’s. OMG – what a disaster that turned out to be. While I was checking us in, my wife and children were being accosted by some druggie on the street. We took a trolley ride to some “happening” spot in the city only to come upon a dead (yes DEAD) guy laying in front of a store front. Talk to people who have been there so you know which areas are safe/good for kids ’cause the “price” of the area may have very little to do with how enjoyable it is.
Oh, geez! Thanks for the heads up! I have a sibling who has been there and has friends there, so I will be sure to use them to research before we make any plans.
I haven’t been to SF in years, and I’d love to go back. I keep planning (in my head) a roadtrip down the Oregon cost, through California (stopping of course in the beautiful San Francisco) and then through Arizona, and then back up through Utah, Nevada, etc. It’s not going to happen for awhile though because we’re focusing mainly on international travel for the next few years.
My sibling did the first part of that trip a couple of years ago…apparently it’s an amazing idea! I hope you get to make your road trip someday!
I’d love to visit San Francisco someday! I still have yet to decide where I want to go. I’ll do some calculations and see if the pass is worth it!
From what I can tell, if you want to go everywhere it allows you access it’s an amazing deal. I hope you make it there, too!
you must come to SF! you will love it. the weather can be finicky though. best time to come is for our indian summers (late september / october). also check out the new exploratorium which is right on the embarcadero.
Great tips! Thanks so much!!!
SF – and all of California really – is AMAZING. Love love love.
Good to know! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
San Francisco is definitely an awesome place to visit, especially if you love Asian food. For me, I would really love to get to Ireland. It always seems like other things in life get in the way when I have wanted to go, but it’s okay because it gives me something to look forward to. 🙂
The city is extra packed these days! Try something different like a hike at mount sutro open space reserve, a trip to the beach, sutro baths is fun. Corona heights has great views. Also Delores park is fun for all ages! And a walk on valencia street offers some great local shopping & food. There is no place like it. Hope this gives everyone some different options!