San Francisco
When I take a trip, I need to experience every little part of the place I am going, and I was not intending to do anything less in San Francisco.
When we arrived at San Francisco, our first stop was Hotel Zephyr. This artsy, stylish hotel is great for kids- or kids at heart! The location is wonderful. It is a short walk to the water, and some rooms offer a view of the bay. The décor is something to see! There is lovely furniture and interesting art wherever you look. Our room even had a magnetic dartboard in it! For families, there is a game room filled with 
games like pool and ping-pong. Outside, there is a big courtyard, filled with even more games (like a giant wall-sized connect four!), a snack bar, and several fire pits to sit around.
Our first adventure, after getting settled into the hotel, was walking to the wharf and checking it out. We saw the sea lions sunbathing, a view of Alcatraz in the distance and a view of Angel Island. This crowded area is a two-minute walk from the hotel. We decided to walk to Ghirardelli Square, which took about 10 minutes. We ate at a great restaurant, McCormick & Kuletos. There, you can order wonderful seafood. We had a table right at the window looking out on the bay. My Mom loved the wasabi mashed potatoes and my brother scarfed down the fillet mignon and gave it a big thumbs up! After dinner, we wandered around Ghirardelli Square, where you can get some great chocolates. At the door to one of the Ghirardelli shops, you will be greeted by an employee handing you a free chocolate sample. Don’t miss out on that — it was free and it was just the right size for a small after dinner dessert. After that, we headed back to the hotel and called it a night!
The next day was full of adventures. We visited the iconic Golden Gate Bridge! From the hotel, we walked all the way there. It was a long, tiring walk. As New Yorkers, we are used to a lot of walking, but if that’s not your thing, you can take a car or public transportation, but you might miss out on a few perks of walking. We walked along the water for a great view. We went past Chrissy Fields, where the marshlands have created a bird sanctuary. Once we got closer to the bridge, we ate at The Warming Hut, a place to get delicious sandwiches and warm drinks. The name The Warming Hut may be deceptive- I thought it would be one small room with a fireplace, but it was a gift shop and restaurant with picnic tables outside to enjoy the view- the food is great, and I got a new baseball hat! We walked up to the bridge, and it was a clear day, so we could see that the Golden Gate Bridge is not golden, but not red either. The bridge is painted international orange! We walked about halfway across the bridge, and we knew the halfway point by looking at the ropes. When the ropes come closest to you, you have gone halfway. We looked down to see porpoises, sea lions, and pelicans. We walked back from the Golden Gate Bridge, but this time, stumbled upon the Palace Of Fine Arts. This impression of a roman ruin is the perfect place to take pictures. Not only 
that, but it has some amazing history. Rebuilt in 1959, after being destroyed by the
fire and earthquake, the Palace of Fine Arts is a theater where you can see plays and performances. On our way back to the hotel, we got a horrible dinner. We had some hungry people with us, so we walked into the first place we saw. Boy, was that a mistake! My fish seemed to be swimming in sauce, even though they were deep fried! After a bad excuse for dinner, we went on to Lombard Street, widely known as the crookedest street in San Fransisco. The climb up the street was hard and long after all of our walking, but there was an amazing reward at the top… Swenson’s! Swenson’s is the oldest ice cream shop in San Fransisco. We got their special ice cream dipped in chocolate. It was so creamy and sweet! We finally went back to the hotel to plop down on our beds and pass out.
The next day, we took a trip to Alcatraz. The tickets often sell out fast, so we got our tickets three months in advance. It is usually less crowded to go on the earliest ferry, so that is what we did. Once at Alcatraz, there are many tours to take. We were sure to bring snacks. They don’t sell food at Alcatraz, but there is a spot with picnic tables. We took the audio tour of the prison and explored the island. We got Junior Ranger Badges which is a lot more fun than it sounds. The Rangers gave us packets to fill out, and we got these nifty little badges that I collect from every national park I visit. After, we went back to the city and enjoyed the best lunch at Boudin. They have the most amazing sourdough bread bowl with clam chowder. 
My bowl was shaped like a turtle! After that, we trekked to China Town. Walking under the brightly red colored lanterns, we found the Fortune Cookie Factory. You can buy naughty fortune cookies (my mom says that’s something for adults), chocolate fortune cookies, matcha fortune cookies and you can even write your own fortune! Not to mention, we saw them making the cookies right in front of us. After that, we stopped for a delicious 
dinner at Hunan Home, where I perfected the art of using chop-sticks and turning a lazy susan! They had a variety of Chinese dishes. The restaurant was entirely family friendly. We walked back to the hotel from there to get the night’s rest.
The next day, we saw Angel Island. Angel Island is a not-to touristy Island with great views, hiking trails, and some cool history. It served as a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians, as a cattle ranch, a post in the civil war, and an immigration station. Definitely bring food, because there is only one café, and the selection was not great. We got sandwiches from Boudin to picnic with later in the day. After breakfast, we headed to the pier for a boat ride to Angel Island. Tickets for the boat are required, but it was actually quite easy to get tickets from the Blue and Gold Fleet, despite my Mom’s worries. It may have been the most delightful boat ride I have ever taken. The view was AMAZING. I might have passed out from how great it was, but I decided that it was too excessive- if I was enjoying the boat ride so much, why pass out? Once we got to Angel Island, we purchased tickets for the tram tour. Our tour guide was great and had 
fun stories to share, like the one about the escapee from Alcatraz who went to Angel Island (maybe my tour guide?- He seemed to know exactly where the prisoner left his raft). He also showed us the beach where whale bodies are brought for study when they die in the bay. Once the tour was over, we ate lunch at some picnic tables while my brother ran around the grassy field. We arrived on the Island on the earliest boat, so it was just about lunch time. Choosing highlights from the tram tour, we took a long, hot hike and explored more of the Island. The views were picturesque, as it was a clear day and not a wisp of fog blocked our sight. Walking back, we had to make sure we did not miss the last boat, but it is possible to have 
other ways to get back and you can camp overnight on the Island. While we waited for the ferry, we got ice cream at the café, as a reward for our long journey. It was a day like no other. I absolutely could never replicate that day- it was perfect. Back in San Fransisco, we found an ice cream shop, the Baked Bear. I honestly don’t think I have ever seen an ice cream sandwich that big. They had a variety of flavors and cookies. Yum! At the hotel, I relaxed and decided that I spent a pretty good last full day in San Francisco.
Our last bit of time in San Francisco- better spend it well! Our breakfast was the best in the city. We ate at 8AM-not literally, but the restaurant is called 8AM, a wonderful breakfast place. The waffles were fluffy, the crepes like magic, and the parfait- don’t even ask! After maybe the best breakfast ever, we started the long climb to Coit tower. Once at the tower, we got tickets and got on line. We went earlier in the day. We were warned that the lines would get longer, and they did. As to the history of Coit tower, Lillie Coit funded the project. From the meticulous painting to the wonderful view, Lillie Coit funded it all. The paintings are done in realistic socialist style. This 
style features workers. Once outside of the stuffed elevator, we headed up the small, winding staircase. WOW! Once up the top, we had to catch our breath. The view was amazing. The detailed arches above were like icing on the cake. A nice woman working there asked if we wanted a picture. We were told to stand in her ‘sun spot’ as she snapped a photo. The picture was great! Heading down Coit tower, I was melancholy- it was the last attraction I would see in San Fransisco. Finally on the plane, I waved my hand at the city I was leaving behind- the great San Fransisco.
Parents Corner
San Francisco makes for a great family trip! We were especially lucky to have a close friend (round of virtual applause for Cate!) who grew up there. She used her insider knowledge to put together a really great itinerary for us that involved a ton of walking and sightseeing that everyone enjoyed.
Dora is not exaggerating when she says that tickets to Alcatraz sell out. We have friends who visited San Francisco and by the time they tried to purchase tickets to Alcatraz there were none left. They had to settle for seeing the Rock in the distance which is a real pity because you don’t want t miss the chance to visit Alcatraz Island and explore its fascinating history. Check their official website (https://www.alcatrazcruises.com) to keep an eye on ticket availability for your vacation dates and try to plan as far in advance as you can.
On the other end of the spectrum is the beautiful Angel Island. I worried about buying those tickets the day of our adventure there, but as it turned out it couldn’t have been easier. We bought our tickets minutes before the first departing ferry and there were no lines, no crowds, almost no people. When we got to the island we felt like we had the place to ourselves. Make sure you keep in mind the return ferry schedule. If you miss the last boat off the island there were a bunch of signs warning you’d be in big trouble, which in this case seemed to mean you’d have to call a water taxi and be at the mercy of whatever they would charge a tourist desperate to get off Angel Island. Obviously we didn’t risk that! We did notice a few brave people disembark from the ferry with camping gear in tow. This seemed like a fun option to keep in mind for a future trip if we’re ever feeling brave enough to give up the comforts of a hotel. : )
One thing we have to warn you about a trip to San Francisco is to prepare for all types of weather! We were there in mid-April and the temperature went from freezing to sweltering and then back to freezing again all in the course of a ten minute walk. We were all glad to have layers to put on, then peel off, and then put on again.
