If you think it looks funny, wait until you hear it coming down the street.
We’ve often spotted this amphibious adventure vehicle around San Francisco, usually leading to an explanation for the kids of how it can travel over roads and also into water, leading – in our case – always to the inevitable question from the kids, “Can we go on it??!!” Leading, in our case, always to the inevitble answer from their parents: “No, that’s for tourists.”
Until recently that is, when our “San Fran Staycation” led us straight to the heart of all things touristic in San Francisco: Fisherman’s Wharf. With a friendly invitation to Ride the Ducks for review, the kids couldn’t believe their luck as THEY were handed the “golden quackers” and led up the ramp into the too-tall vessel boarding directly across the street from the Fisherman’s Wharf sign.
Happily boarding the San Francisco Ride the Ducks vessel at Fisherman’s Wharf
With a lot of humor and a necessary tip of the hat to safety considerations – including the life jackets stored above us (with some sized for children and infants), our Ride the Ducks tour was off and rolling along the Wharf, everyone quacking merrily to an Overture in Quack Major.
Enjoying the views as a passenger for once on a drive around San Francisco.
The kids were overjoyed, and as we made way through the most touristed parts of the city: China Town, North Beach, Union Square, I had to admit is was nice for once to be the lazy observer rather than the defensive driver sharing these sights with visitors. The elevation of the Duckmobile also allowed for some nice perspective for photos I’d have gladly taken en route, but for the need of hanging onto my enthusiastic toddler who took a firm position that, “He who quacks leaning out of the open side of the Duck quacks loudest.”
My little duckling, cruising the Bay on San Francisco’s Ride the Ducks.
Fortunately, by the time we were ready to make the transition from land vessel to Bay Cruiser, the seriousness of what we were about to do set in with a loud clanging and a lurch as the motor raged into aqua gear and we drove, yes, straight into San Francisco Bay. For the first couple of minutes, it felt as if we continued to sink down into the water, and I realized the surface of the bay was the same level as my feet resting on the floor. For a moment, I thought that perhaps it wouldn’t be too much to ask the riders to actually wear the life jackets that were strapped farther from our heads than the water was beside us.
Two “sitting ducks” from WWII, as viewed from the San Francisco Ride the Ducks vessel.
Too late. The duck lurched and motored on and I was glad for a day without whitecaps. In fact, we couldn’t have picked a better day to Ride the Ducks than this uncharacteristically sunny, windless summer day in San Francisco (Hint: you will most likely want a warm jacket before heading out on the Bay – or to San Francisco in summer, when we’re usually socked in with fog). We cruised right up close to and around these two WWII ships and, to the delight of the Giants fans onboard, right along the back side of AT&T park where you can actually see into the park.
Older children were allowed and encouraged to take turns driving the Duck in its water mode, though mine were too shy. Back on land, we made way back to our point of departure as our driver-guide pointed out yet more interesting facts and stories, including some I’d never heard before, about San Francisco and its famous residents. This is when we started to feel the 90 minutes of the 90-minute tour. The toddler was done. His quacker was not.
While the tour is a bit long for the average active toddler (for which there are no restraints), everyone else onboard seemed to enjoy every moment of the adventure. It’s definitely a novel way to see the city, and one you’ll never forget – especially when your kids break out their souvenir quackers on a rainy day. I remain very glad we went, and it was a definite highlight of our San Fran Staycation.
Ducks in the front, restrooms in the rear.
TIPS: If you do Ride the Duck(s) in San Francisco, plan to board your tour before noon and you’ll save $5 per adult ticket and $3 per child (4 to 12). Children 3 years and younger ride free. Also, make sure you know ahead of time where you can get additional discounts during the day when you present your Ride the Ducks ticket (includes the nearby Rainforest Cafe and its gift shop) - click here for the list. With young kids, you’ll want to be sure to use the restroom prior to boarding for the 90-minute journey, and you’ll find well-maintained public restrooms across the street in the parking area behind the famous Fisherman’s Wharf sign.
For more information about Ride the Ducks San Francisco, and to purchase your tickets online, click here to visit their site. For more ideas of fun things to do with your family in San Francisco, check out some of these related posts:
- San Francisco – Driving loop for north central SF – Golden Gate Bridge, Park, Beaches & More
- San Francisco – Picnic at the Palace of Fine Arts
- San Francisco – Exploring the Exploratorium with kids
- San Francisco – Most beautiful beach to visit – Crissy Field beach and picnic area
- San Francisco – Go Dutch in Golden Gate Park (at the Wilhelmina Windmill)
- San Francisco – To the Lighthouse: Point Bonita (north end of Golden Gate Bridge)
- San Francisco – Fun at Fort Funston – Dog and hang glider paradise
- San Francisco – Tips for visiting the San Francisco Zoo with little kids
Safe journeys,
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
Mandrills never cease to impress at the San Francisco Zoo.
Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Crookedest Street, and clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf aside, there’s much to do on a San Francisco family vacation that’s off the main tourist track. If you’re planning a San Francisco vacation with your kids, I hope you’ll consider paying a call to its lovely zoo out by Ocean Beach. A trip to the San Francisco Zoo can also be a springboard to other nearby sights that are also fun to visit with children (included below).
Here are my SF Zoo tips if you plan to go:
1. Arrive early, but not too early. The San Francisco Zoo is open 365 days a year (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. most of the year, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during summer), so you can cross the city after peak morning traffic and still arrive in time for a good parking space.
2. Do not trust GPS to get you to the right gate for the San Francisco Zoo. There is an unfortunate guard who spends each day redirecting GPS-guided tourists arriving at the staff parking entrance to the front visitor’s entrance. Stay on Sloat Avenue until you see the sign to turn off for the zoo. 
You can click here to see it on the map.
“The coldest winter I ever spent was July at San Francisco Zoo.”
3. Bring warm layers – even if the morning seems warm. The San Francisco Zoo entrance is actually right across the street from the Pacific Ocean–and not the Pacific Ocean they have in San Diego. While this makes it nice and easy to work in some sand castles and a beach picnic after your zoo visit, keep in mind that on a cooler day (which we get many of in San Francisco, particularly in July) there will be a coastal breeze blowing through the zoo. Make sure everyone in your family will be warm enough to enjoy their time outdoors.
4. Plan a strategic play break at the sandy playground. If your toddler begins resisting the stroller, or refuses to stay near you as you walk, just make a pit stop at the massive playground area for some free play time. The playground has suitable areas for toddlers as well as big kids, not to mention family restrooms that include diaper changing tables beneath heat lamps (yes, believe me on point 3!).
5. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, head to the “South American Tropical Forest,” where a warm and balmy indoor world awaits many a chilly traveler. Just watch out for the enormous yellow anaconda – I can’t imagine what they’re feeding it.
View the enormous yellow anaconda from above and below the water.
6. Rent a wagon or a stroller for your visit. Wagon and stroller rentals are available at $10 / day, available on a first-come first-served basis.
7. Check the daily schedule if you’d like to attend the penguing, pelican, or giraffe feedings, or see snack time for the grizzlies. In addition, the San Francisco Zoo is offering these summer events, from June through September:
Summer Programming in the Children’s Zoo
10:30 a.m. Barnyard Stampede – Family Farm
11:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Nature Trail is DAILY starting June 9, then weekends only through Labor Day – Children’s Zoo
11:15 a.m. Hatchery Tour – Family Farm
2:30 p.m. Incredible Insects in Action – Insect Zoo
3:30 p.m. Pond Feeding – Family Farm
4:00 p.m. Keeper Talk: Raptors! – Hawk Hill
Wildlife Theatre (June – September)
2:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday
This enormous one-horn rhino (who prefers to sand down his one horn) will stop you in your tracks.
8. Combine your visit to the San Francisco Zoo with a stop at these other favorites in the same vicinity:
- Fort Funston – Dog and hang glider paradise, just south of the zoo.
- The Wilhelmina Windmill at the west end of Golden Gate Park – next to the kid-friendly Beach Chalet/Park chalet restaurant (more info in linked post).
See also:
- Driving loop for north central SF – Golden Gate Bridge, Park, Beaches & More
- More San Francisco recommendations from Travels with Baby
For more information about the San Francisco Zoo, visit their website at: http://www.sfzoo.org/.
Safe journeys,
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.
San Francisco’s famed Caffe Trieste in North Beach – on a “school night.”
I’d originally planned to post a photo fave from my Chinese New Years in Taiwan to follow up with the great guest post on Chinese New Year in Taipei, Taiwan, but the album seems to have gone AWOL this week. So instead I took it as a sign that I should share one of the other big events of the week – my 15th wedding anniversary. (Whoah! How did that happen?!)
Yep, Mr. TravelswithBaby and I managed to sneak out on a school night this week and revisit some of our old stomping grounds in the land where the question was popped. I realized it’s been a long time since I walked around San Francisco holding the hand of a grown up (or not pushing a stroller)! We closed out the night with some of the world’s best espresso brewed at the legendary Caffe Trieste in North Beach, where we used to enjoy listening to Italian Arias sung live as we sipped mochas on a Sunday afternoon.
As you can see, even on a week night, it’s no snooze. This post is part of the Photo Friday fun over at DeliciousBaby.com. Here’s wishing you all a great weekend, and if you’re looking for more fun things to do with the kids (or without!) in San Francisco, don’t miss my many San Francisco recommendations here:
- San Francisco – Driving loop for north central SF – Golden Gate Bridge, Park, Beaches & More
- San Francisco – The Palace of Fine Arts
- San Francisco – Exploring the Exploratorium with kids
- San Francisco – Most beautiful beach to visit – Crissy Field beach and picnic area
- San Francisco – Go Dutch in Golden Gate Park (at the Wilhelmina Windmill)
- San Francisco – To the Lighthouse: Point Bonita (north end of Golden Gate Bridge)
- San Francisco – Fun at Fort Funston – Dog and hang glider paradise
- San Francisco – Bay Area on the Cheap for budget travel to SF
Safe journeys,
Want to venture beyond Fisherman’s Wharf and the cable cars on your family’s vacation to San Francisco?
Here is a map I put together of a driving tour “loop” you can do with your family if you’d like to see the beautiful beach at Crissy Field I posted about over the weekend, and some other scenic and fun sights in north-central San Francisco, including two favorite parts of Golden Gate Park.
You can start at whichever of these points is most convenient and travel counter-clockwise, though my directions begin at the Palace of Fine Arts and Exploratorium (the picnic table and yellow building icons at 1 o’clock) and end at the original Mel’s Drive-In restaurant for dinner (where Katherine Hepburn orders the Oregon Blackberry shake in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” and the set inspiration for American Graffiti).
View Travels with Baby: North San Francisco Loop in a larger map
On this self-drive tour:
1. Palace of Fine Arts
2. Exploratorium
3. Crissy Field Picnic Area and Beach – Bayside
4. Golden Gate Bridge Overlook (camera)
5. Baker Beach – Pacific side
6. Stowe Lake with Boat and Bike Rentals – Golden Gate Park
7. Conservatory of Flowers and lawn
8. Mel’s Original Drive-In diner (hamburger and shake, of course)
Click here to get the larger map with driving directions between points.
Click here for more tips and recommendations for your San Francisco family vacation.
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011
 |
| The sand beach and picnic area at Crissy Field, San Francisco. |
By the time we walked onto this beach at the Crissy Field picnic area (shown above), with the Golden Gate Bridge looming to our left, the lovely view of San Francisco with the Palace of Fine Arts dome and Marina District to our right, and stream of sailboats racing before us, I realized this is one place I simply have to bring everyone who comes to visit–including those of you reading this blog.
Crissy Field is near the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium (until it’s relocated later next year), the San Francisco overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge, and is bordered by the historic Presidio. There is a great walking and biking trail along the area, and you can stroll out onto that “Dock of the Bay” shown in the background if you like. Parking is free here but very competitive on the weekends, so visit on a weekday if possible during your vacation, or arrive early.
Also nearby is another of my favorite San Francisco beaches: Baker Beach, which is located just on the Pacific side of the Golden Gate Bridge (opposite of here). Both beaches can be windy and cold (note: this is not San Diego!), so be sure to bring jackets and hats unless you find yourself here on an unusually warm and gorgeous day such as we had.
Related posts and pages:
Exploring San Francisco’s Exploratorium with kids
To the Lighthouse: A visit to Point Bonita
Picnic at the Palace of Fine Arts
Go Dutch in Golden Gate Park at the Queen Wilhelmina Windmill
See all San Francisco tips and posts
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
When I recently discovered www.bayareaonthecheap.com, I knew this site could have as much value to those of you planning family travel to San Francisco and the Bay Area as it could for those of us calling it home.
This comprehensive site is a great first stop to find coupons and special deals on everything from your tickets and sightseeing passes (including California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco Zoo, or Red and White Fleet cruises on the SF Bay) to where to buy the cheapest gas for your rental car and find FREE WiFi spots throughout San Francisco and the greater Bay Area — which can be especially helpful when you want to check in online for that return flight or share some of your travel photos with friends on the fly.
Bay Area restaurant coupons, farmers markets, and flea markets can be found at the site as well, plus listings of upcoming cheap and free festivals and fairs.
For more budget travel tips for your family’s visit to San Francisco, see my “Cheap and Free San Francisco” recommendations in the related posts and pages below.
Related posts and pages:
Safe journeys,
Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook
All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli
We’re back! Our poor, worn suitcases are spilling out all over the entryway, but before I get to the laundry or any of the details of our amazing overseas escape, I wanted to follow-up regarding the new Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) debate and share our recent experiences traveling with the little ones–and I’d love to hear back from any of you who recently cleared security with kids.
Our first surprise was at San Francisco International, where we were very happily directed into the much shorter line at the green Family Lane. The enormous AIT booth loomed large in front of the security lines, and as we approached, I asked the TSO if it was backscatter or millimeter wave imaging. He grinned, happy to hear from a traveler who knew there was a difference between the two, and assured me it was the millimeter wave model. Knowing that this is the case at SFO—and not at Oakland or San Jose—makes SFO my preferred Bay Area airport, how about you?
He also explained that no, the children did NOT have to walk through it, nor did they have to be physically “frisked” by anyone—and guess what? As their parent-escorts neither did we! We presented our liquids and gels, removed the shoes, and walked through the metal detector as usual. On the other side, a TSO even grabbed our travel stroller without prompting and had it unfolded for me in a flash.
Neither of the airports we passed through in Europe had AIT booths, including Heathrow—which came as a surprise to me. However, as I passed through security at Terminal 3, surprised that I not only got to wear my baby and my shoes through the metal detector, a cheerful little beeping ensued. Guess what? We were the randomly selected travelers—baby and me—who got to be pulled aside and physically searched!
No kidding. Thankfully, it was a very sweet woman who was so friendly and kind that my daughters felt compelled to hang out at my feet as I held out the baby for his diaper-patting and squeezes (which he thought were just more friendly greetings) and got a less-invasive frisking than I’d feared. It was fine. We all laughed and were quickly on our way.
On our way back through Heathrow, at Terminal 5, we were cordially invited to go ahead and preboard when we were ready. So as we stepped up to do so and gave the family surname, we got another surprise. Our government had randomly selected us to receive pre-flight massages—by British airport security. Again, the officers were all very cordial and we had some good laughs, even as they directed us to go downstairs to a more private area…(What?!) Fortunately, this applied only to the adults in our party, and not the kids who were able to sit to the side and look on as we smiled. So we chuckled as they searched through our toy- and snack-stuffed carry-ons. But when the lead officer began to put on the rubber gloves, I admit my stomach rose into my throat.
The rubber gloves, thank goodness, were just a formality. The frisking was once again much less invasive than I’d feared it would be.
How about you?
Have you encountered AIT at the airport recently? How did the TSO’s handle your family’s passage through airport security? And would you choose a different airport based on AIT practices or equipment?
Safe journey,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning guide Travels with Baby
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ facebook
It can be tricky finding fun, safe places where children can play when traveling, and even trickier finding fun, safe places where children can play with high voltage electricity. Fortunately San Francisco’s got you covered on both counts.
Founded in 1969 by famed physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium is a truly unique hands-on science museum which aims to educate kids of all ages, including those in retirement. Science hounds and families visiting San Francisco in foul weather—along with anyone with a natural curiosity about the world around them, should consider a stop at the Exploratorium during their stays.
The museum is housed in the back of the spectacular Palace of Fine Arts, which was built for the 1915 International Exposition and remains one of San Francisco’s most romantic sites. However, the Exploratorium itself is more like a large warehouse. Be sure to bring a sweater if you’ll be visiting in cool weather. Here are some general quick tips to help you plan your family’s visit.
Visiting with toddlers and preschoolers
Visiting with older children
The other upstairs exhibits can be a lot of fun with big kids (and big people) as you pedal-power a light bulb and test out various experiments with high-powered magnets, electricity and more. If your child is interested in joining a flower or cow’s eye dissection, check the schedule on arrival. Don’t miss the microscopes and sound booths—and more musical experiments on the lower level as well.Eating at the Exploratorium
Getting there by car, bus, BART…Tips for after your visit
Hop onto the highway (101 N) and cross the Golden Gate Bridge (don’t forget your toll for crossing) for lovely views of the Bay and great pictures from the scenic turnout at the north end. If you still have time, drop down into Sausalito just beyond and stroll along the waterfront with an ice cream cone. Click here for directions to Sausalito
Or alternatively, when there isn’t much wind, head to Baker Beach for a sandy stroll with a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Click here for directions to Baker Beach.
Exploratorium hours:
Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holidays may differ, so check the events calendar http://calendar.exploratorium.edu/index.html
Admission:
Children 3 years and younger, FREE
Kids 4 to 12 years, $10
Youth 13 to 17 years, disabled, students with ID, and seniors 65+, $12
Adults, $15
Tip: The San Francisco CityPass will get you into the Exploratorium plus several other popular attractions, and includes a 7-day Muni / Cable Car Passport—which allows you to skip the line to purchase tickets for the cable car (but not to board). More info here.
Safe journey,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning guide Travels with Baby
The Ultimate Guide for Planning Trips with Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children
http://www.travelswithbaby.com/ twitter facebook
Bronze Award Winner in Travel Blogs from the North American Travel Journalists Association
"99 of the Best Travel Blogs" from TravelBlogs.com "10 Best Family Travel Blogs" from Blogs.com "Top 10 Family Travel Blogs" from TripBase.com "Top 25 Travel Blogs for Families" and "#2 for Insider Tips and Tricks" from Babble.com
