Things to Do in San Francisco

Ideas for a Day Out in San Francisco

Cable Car Museum: The big machinery that runs the cars is fascinating, and downstairs you can see the cables in action.

• This trip on two of the three lines can be done in a day and will take you to three very different neighborhoods: posh Nob Hill, peaceful Pacific Heights and Polk Street, a neighborhood in transition.
• At Lombard Street, peace is broken. The one-block section called the "crookedest" street, draws flocks of tourists.
• San Francisco's Real Crookedest StreetIf you want to find the street that's really San Francisco's most crooked, try Vermont Avenue at 20th Street.

Exploratorium: The grand-daddy of hands-on science museums is still one of the best, with lots of interesting exhibits to play with.

• The museum is located in the Palace of Fine Arts, near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Museums: You've got dozens to choose from.
Rainy Day San Francisco: Try a few of these ideas if it's rainy outside.

* Bay Area Discovery Museum
For children ages 6 months to 8 years and their families. Exhibits include Lookout Cove, Art Studios, Wave Workshop, Tot Spot and Bay Hall. Near Sausalito.
* Scharffen Berger Factory Tour Registration
Factory tours are located at: 914 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707
Children must be eight years or older to participate. I have a two years old.
*Jelly Belly Factory Tour
One Jelly Belly Lane
Fairfield, CA
(800) 953-5592
Website

Day Trips Out of Town

Jelly Belly Factory Tour: Everyone loves to see how these sweet confections are made.
Monterey Bay Aquarium: It's dry inside but wet in the tanks, and here are plenty of them to keep you entertained for hours.
Winchester Mystery House, San Jose: Sarah Winchester may have been a haphazard architect, but her house is plenty big.
*525 South Winchester Blvd
San Jose, CA
Hours: Open for tours daily, except Christmas day
Reservations: Not required, except for special tours
Location: San Jose, just off I-280
How Long: Allow a couple of hours

This page is mostly for out-of-towners. The places listed below are some of the most popular for a side trip during a San Francisco vacation.
Sacramento: The state capitol has an interesting Old Town and some great museums.
Big Sur: Many of your iconic ideas of California probably came from pictures taken in Big Sur, with sweeping coastlines and towering trees.
Monterey and Carmel: The peninsula's bookend towns couldn't be more different: a former cannery town and an upscale artists' enclave.
Napa Valley: The Wine Country you've read about.
Santa Cruz: There's the old-fashioned seaside amusement park and some great beaches in this little place.
Sausalito: Just across the bay, with pleasant views and some nice art galleries. A ferry ride away from Fisherman's Wharf.
Sonoma County: Less pretentious than Napa, with great scenery and friendly tasting rooms.


Ideas for a Day Out in San Francisco
Annual Events in San Francisco
Christmas in San Francisco
Golden Gate Fields Horse Racing

Day Trips Out of Town
Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo
Fresno Blossom Trail
Monarch Butterfly Migration
Whale Watching

Ideas for a Day Out in San Francisco
City Guides Walking Tours: They offer a wide range of walking tour topics.
Frank Lloyd Wright Sites: Perfect for architecture lovers.
Vertigo Movie Tour of San Francisco: A self-guided tour of some of the most famous sights from Alfred Hitchcock's classic film.

Day Trips Out of Town
Charles Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa: There's too much reading here to interest the kids, but adults who love the comic strip will have a great time.
Computer History Museum, Mountain View: If you remember punched cards or know what an Amdahl is, you may enjoy a trip down memory lane here.
Eugene O'Neill's Tao House, Danville: The Nobel Prize-winning playwright wrote his most personal works here.
John Muir House, Martinez: Home of the famous naturalist.
Kelley Park, San Jose: A collection of buildings from San Jose's past.
Lick Observatory, San Jose: It was the largest refractory telescope in the world when built and they still do some great science on the mountain.
National Steinbeck Center, Salinas: Devoted to the famous author and the history of the Salinas Valley.
Stanford Linear Accelerator, Palo Alto: Graduate students will take you on a tour of the "atom smasher."
USS Hornet, Alameda: This retired ship has a singular history.
Ca'Toga, Calistoga: Artist Carlo Marchiori's Palladian villa near Calistoga is filled with his whimsical art.
Cantor Museum, Palo Alto: Home to one of the finest collections of Rodin sculptures in the western U.S. They also have some great special exhibits.

Day Trips Out of Town
Angel Island State Park, San Francisco Bay: Panoramic views, a rich history and a super-fun Segway tour are just a few of Angel Island's attractions.
Big Basin State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains: Some say it's just as nice as Muir Woods but a lot less crowded.
Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing: Birds and sea otters abound at Elkhorn. Kayak on your own or take a guided tour in a pontoon boat.
Mount Diablo, Danville: You can see more from here than almost anywhere else on the planet.
Mount Tamalpais, Marin County: You can see all the way to San Francisco from here on a clear day.
Muir Woods, Marin County: One of the easiest places to get to for a short walk in the redwoods.
Point Lobos State Park, Carmel: Rocky coastline, windblown trees and abundant wildlife help make Point Lobos one of the state's most beautiful coastal parks.
Point Reyes National Park, Marin County: Views are extraordinary, it's home to a herd of tule elk and a dramatically-situated lighthouse.

in San Francisco
The Labyrinths, Grace Cathedral: A meditative walk through the labyrinths is a great way to focus and shed stress.

Day Trips Out of Town
Calistoga Mud Baths: There's nothing more relaxing to this harried travel writer than a soak in the Calistoga mud.
Hot Springs in Big Sur: It's a hike to one and the other two have unusual schedules, but they're worth the trouble.
Mercey Hot Springs, Hollister: A small, no-frills place with relaxing hot waters.
Osmosis Spa, Sonoma County: A massage in one of their outdoor pavilions is about as relaxing as it gets.
Spa at Carneros Inn, Napa: We love the Inn, and their spa is top-notch, too
[source: http://gocalifornia.about.com]