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Old 03-12-2018, 05:41 PM
 
43 posts, read 56,528 times
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We are planning a family vacation to the San Francisco area - we will be staying in the San Mateo, Redwood City, Belmont area. We are wondering if anyone can suggest some must-do activities for a family with kids as young as 7 and as old as 15. We have Muir Woods, Pier 39, and Alcatraz on our list from personal recommendations. Any other things to add? We are not opposed to a day trip for something really cool.

Many thanks for any ideas!
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Old 03-12-2018, 06:21 PM
 
Location: I is where I is
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Muir Woods is a really neat place to visit. Beautiful redwoods and family friendly hikes. It can get very crowded, so arrive early for parking

Also, viewing the Gg Bridge from the Old Battery area is really scenic & cool too.
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Old 03-13-2018, 10:21 AM
 
Location: Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hope923 View Post
We are planning a family vacation to the San Francisco area - we will be staying in the San Mateo, Redwood City, Belmont area. We are wondering if anyone can suggest some must-do activities for a family with kids as young as 7 and as old as 15. We have Muir Woods, Pier 39, and Alcatraz on our list from personal recommendations. Any other things to add? We are not opposed to a day trip for something really cool.

Many thanks for any ideas!
The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park and Stow Lake is also great for kids.

I'm pretty sure you have to reserve your visit to Muir Woods now so be aware of this. Also, Alcatraz gets booked far in advance also, so purchase your tix early.

If your in San Mateo, CuriOdyssey (Coyote Point Museum) is really cool, also.
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Old 03-13-2018, 12:35 PM
 
Location: Pleasanton, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clongirl View Post
The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park and Stow Lake is also great for kids.

I'm pretty sure you have to reserve your visit to Muir Woods now so be aware of this. Also, Alcatraz gets booked far in advance also, so purchase your tix early.

If your in San Mateo, CuriOdyssey (Coyote Point Museum) is really cool, also.
I was also about to recommend this! I went here with my son for the first time this past Sunday. The place is pretty cool for kids and it wouldn't take up too much time. The views at Coyote Point are great too.
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Old 03-13-2018, 01:21 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
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Since you'll be staying south of SF, you should consider driving down to Big Basin state park, in the north end of the Santa Cruz mountains. It's the largest redwood park in the area, and has a variety of hiking trails, including one that's very easy and only 1 hr. long, and passes by the 2 oldest redwoods in the park (well marked). There are two 3-hr. trails, as well. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=540

You don't mention how long you'll be in the area for your vacation. I might recommend you spend a night in Santa Cruz, or nearby, and take the redwood train through the forest a little south of Big Basin, in Felton. You need to make reservations in advance, and it's a little pricey, but great fun for kids, and a beautiful tour of the forest, with historical info on the old logging operations. The kids could also enjoy the beach, in Santa Cruz. This could conceivably be done as a long day trip, if you opt for the 1-hr. walk in Big Basin, and if your youngest (and you parents, doing the driving) can handle a long day. https://www.roaringcamp.com/

You could visit the Presidio of San Francisco, the old Mexican fort, and from there, walk partway across the GG Bridge, for the views. You could spend time in Golden Gate Park--lots to see there. There's the Academy of Sciences, which has an aquarium, and a planetarium that offers schedules astronomy shows. It's a unique experience for kids. There's also the Japanese Tea Garden, and the plant Conservatory. There's a lake to go rowing in, and a buffalo herd to try to spot, but they mostly hide out, and aren't visible to visitors. GG Park could easily take up an entire afternoon. On Sundays, the park is closed to car traffic, and skates are available to rent, so you can skate through the park. http://sfrecpark.org/parks-open-spac...te-park-guide/

Those are the highlights, I guess. What season or month are you planning this vacation for?

Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 03-13-2018 at 01:29 PM..
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Old 03-13-2018, 02:21 PM
 
Location: Northern California
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I would skip Muir Woods. Reservations are required to get in and park. http://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/news/m...servations.htm I would go with Big Basin or Henry Cowell Redwood parks in northern Santa Cruz county. The redwoods are much more impressive there and a lot less crowded than Muir Woods. Next to Henry Cowell park is the Roaring Camp Railroad with train rides in the redwoods www.roaringcamp.com (not cheap!)

While in Santa Cruz, visit the beach and boardwalk https://beachboardwalk.com It doesn't fully open until Memorial Day weekend. May be open during spring break or on weekends at this time. The kids might like this.
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Old 03-16-2018, 01:09 AM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
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I agree that going to the Santa Cruz mountains would be better than dealing with the crowds and trying to find parking at Muir Woods. Plus, you could go to the beach in Santa Cruz and watch the surfers.
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Old 03-16-2018, 09:56 AM
 
Location: Bay Area
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Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
I agree that going to the Santa Cruz mountains would be better than dealing with the crowds and trying to find parking at Muir Woods. Plus, you could go to the beach in Santa Cruz and watch the surfers.
Which got me to thinking...The Mystery Spot in the Santa Cruz mountains is a REALLY fun couple of hours also, OP, if in the area!!
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Old 03-16-2018, 10:04 AM
 
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Thank you! Great tips & I really appreciate it! We are planning this vacation for this coming fall, so hopefully that is plenty of time to plan ahead. If not, we’ll probably push it back to next year for spring break. We hope to be there for a week, so I will definitely start looking into these suggestions!
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Old 03-16-2018, 09:19 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,386,974 times
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Originally Posted by clongirl View Post
Which got me to thinking...The Mystery Spot in the Santa Cruz mountains is a REALLY fun couple of hours also, OP, if in the area!!
OH, so true! The Mystery Spot is a blast. Yes, it's a rip off scam for anyone smart enough to see that it's all fake. But, it's still really fun. Especially for kids who don't recognize the "magic" for what it is.
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