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Inside: Lots of issues to do in San Francisco with teenagers, plus our full Spring Break itinerary (together with a visit to Monterey).
We just lately took a Spring Break journey to San Francisco with our 14-year-old son, and it was incredible! We made probably the most of our time and packed lots into just some days, experiencing each the vitality of town and the marvel of the shoreline. If you’re planning a visit to San Francisco with teenagers, I hope our itinerary and journey ideas will assist.
San Francisco With Teens Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco
We arrived in San Francisco at midnight. I don’t advocate this when you’re coming from the Eastern time zone–we have been exhausted! We took an costly taxi trip to our lodge (about $75). If we’d arrived earlier within the day, we undoubtedly would’ve taken public transportation.
We checked into Hotel Caza. It’s situated in Fisherman’s Wharf, however across the block from the busiest vacationer space, so it was fairly quiet. They don’t provide free breakfast however do present espresso and tea service within the mornings till 10am, plus gadgets you should buy for mild meals and snacks like yogurt parfaits, salads, and packaged snacks.
This lodge was stuffed with households. It has a heated out of doors pool, and the foyer options an space with pool desk, arcade video games (the entrance desk provides the quarters for gratis!), foosball, and board video games. Our room was snug, but it surely didn’t have a fridge–FYI, in case that’s essential to you.
Day 2: Chinatown Walking Tour & Marrakech Magic Theater
We ate breakfast throughout the road from the lodge at a tiny place referred to as 8 A.M. Cafe that has a pleasant breakfast menu. We had the crepes, frittatas, and the “Napa Bagel” with brie, prosciutto, arugula, and fig glaze. There gave the impression to be a line out the door after about 9:30am, so go early. It opens at, in fact, 8am!
A visit to San Francisco with teenagers wouldn’t be full with a cable automotive trip. So we walked a couple of blocks to catch the cable automotive on the Powell/Hyde line. Buy day passes on the Muni Mobile app, which saves you a couple of dollars versus paying every manner.
We have been amazed by the crazy-steep streets of town, and experiencing them through cable automotive was a (literal!) journey. We rode to the Bush Street cease then walked a pair blocks to the doorway of Chinatown, referred to as Dragon Gate.
We opted to do a self-guided strolling tour of Chinatown through Free Tours By Foot, stopping in memento retailers, the Fortune Cookie Factory for a pattern, and the Tin How Temple. This was a shock hit of the journey. Knowing the historical past and significance of the assorted stops made an enormous distinction.
Then we caught the Powell/Mason line again and hopped off at Lombard Street to gawk on the well-known zig-zag street and snap some pictures. We have been in a position to stroll again to the lodge from there.
IF YOU GO: Download the Chinatown strolling tour PDF or learn it in your cellphone, it added a lot to our stroll. Also, analysis a spot to eat in Chinatown—we have been too full from breakfast, however a pal advisable R & G Lounge.
After a pair hours of downtime on the lodge (we have been nonetheless recovering from our journey the evening earlier than), we took an Uber to Marrakech Magic Theater in Union Square. It’s key to reach an hour earlier than to see the magician do further methods and to order meals and drinks. We had the hummus plate and rooster kebabs, each of which have been yummy.
To my preliminary disappointment, the standard magician, Jay Alexander, was out for the evening. But his substitute (Brad Barton, “Reality Thief”) was terrific. This is a tiny theater, and there’s a lot of viewers participation. We’re STILL speaking in regards to the methods and might’t determine them out!
We took an Uber again to the lodge and went to mattress early.
Day 3: Driving Tour & Alcatraz
We purchased a yogurt within the foyer for our son, then have been picked up in entrance of our lodge by Armando from Painted Ladies Tour in a enjoyable, painted VW bus. Armando was pleasant and full of data and tales in regards to the metropolis. He drove us across the metropolis, and we hopped out for pictures on the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies, and Palace of Fine Arts. This tour lasted two hours, which felt like simply the correct quantity of time to get a lay of the land.
Afterward, we walked to lunch at San Francisco Brewing Company in Ghirardelli Square as a result of my husband is an enormous fan of craft beers. We had an excellent lunch of burgers and fish tacos.
Then we walked over to Musee Mecanique on the water. Admission is free however convey a lot of payments to get quarters for the outdated time mechanical machines. We have been there on a Saturday, so it was fairly packed. In normal, I’d advocate avoiding the Fisherman’s Wharf space on the weekend when you don’t like crowds.
We walked again over to Ghirardelli Square for his or her well-known scorching fudge sundaes and waited in a protracted line. If I might do it over once more, I’d purchase only one sundae and all have a pair bites–they’re very costly and really giant.
After a pit cease on the lodge, we walked to Pier 33 to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. It’s essential to purchase these tickets upfront as a result of it often sells outs. The ferry trip is about quarter-hour every manner.
This jail as soon as housed inmates like Al Capone, and the audio tour, which incorporates narration and interviews from former guards and inmates, was terrific. If you’re going to San Francisco with teenagers, they’ll love this! Ask if the rangers are giving excursions as properly. Ours was not, however I’ve heard that’s fascinating as properly.
IF YOU GO: Give your self at the least 1.5 hours on the island. You can decide which ferry you catch again, so test the occasions to plan your journey. I’d heard blended issues in regards to the day tour versus the evening tour. We opted to do a late-afternoon tour and agreed that we loved seeing it within the daylight. There’s one thing very haunting about Alcatraz, so I feel a nighttime tour could be tremendous spooky.
We walked again to our lodge alongside the assorted piers and grabbed dinner at In-N-Out Burger. It was our first time having it–and don’t come at me, however we have been underwhelmed. In truth, I ended up shopping for some cheese and crackers within the foyer and calling it dinner for me! I’m not large on quick meals, however was glad that my teenager received to lastly strive the well-known burger chain.
Day 4: Drive To Big Basin Redwoods State Park & Monterey
This was Easter Sunday and issues have been closed right here and there, so we received breakfast once more at 8 A.M. Cafe and took an Uber to Thrifty automotive rental (there have been different automotive rental locations inside strolling distance to the lodge which I didn’t notice once I booked it).
We did the 1.5 hour drive to Big Basin Redwoods State Park (we had to purchase a parking cross upfront). It’s a fairly difficult, windy drive at occasions, which made me and my son a bit carsick.
Unfortunately, I made the error of not fastidiously studying the park’s web site. When we arrived, we realized that nearly the entire park is closed proper now as a result of fires and rainstorms. Only one small path was open, which we walked twice. We have been nonetheless in a position to see redwoods, however I’d’ve most well-liked a extra in depth expertise.
IF YOU GO: Until the park is reopened absolutely (which they stated will take a couple of years), take a day journey from San Francisco to Muir Woods as a substitute.
From Big Basin, we received on Highway 1 for our drive to Monterey. We stopped in Santa Cruz and parked in a storage downtown so we might poke across the cute, funky downtown (there’s a boardwalk in Santa Cruz too however we didn’t go). We additionally additionally stopped for roadside strawberries and shaved ice alongside the way in which.
Then we checked in to Victorian Inn. The foyer appears to be like like a Victorian home, however the remainder is only a common lodge. It’s not fancy, however our room was completely wonderful. My favourite function was the gasoline fire, which made our room really feel cozy.
I additionally like that they’d a free breakfast plus a free “wine and cheese” hour at 5pm with fruit, cheese, crackers, wine, and lemonade.
The draw back to the lodge: It was on a busy avenue and was a bit loud. But we preferred that we might park our automotive within the lodge storage and stroll to every thing.
Tired and hungry, we walked all the way down to Cannery Row for dinner. The place we supposed to go (Lalla Grill) was closed for Easter, so we ended up at an overpriced Italian restaurant which was simply okay.
Day 5: Kayak Tour & Monterey Bay Aquarium
After a (free!) breakfast on the lodge, we walked all the way down to Adventures By The Sea on Cannery Row for a guided, two-hour kayak tour. Because it was breezy that morning, the water was uneven, and it was strenuous at occasions. We noticed otters, sea lions, and harbor seals, which was an enormous spotlight. My husband and I actually loved this tour, however my son was so-so on it (and he received a blister–pack bandages when you go!).
IF YOU GO: You’ll get moist! Change into their rain pants and coats and go barefoot. Wear sunscreen and a hat.
We walked again to the lodge for showers then headed about 10 minutes away on foot to Happy Girl Kitchen Co., the place I ordered the quinoa and millet salad, a lemon vitality ball, and house-made Chai. (I discovered this place by studying an article about “Big Little Lies” areas in Monterey.)
My guys needed one thing meatier, so walked a couple of block away to Cafe Guarani, for empanadas and Yuca fries and sat of their cute little “secret garden” out again.
Then we walked to Monterey Bay Aquarium (it’s a must to purchase tickets on-line earlier than getting into). It was fairly crowded however properly price it. The aquarium solely homes species you could find within the Bay, which is lots! We have been in a position to see the entire museum in about two hours.
IF YOU GO: Buy tickets for the aquarium on-line earlier than getting into. I learn that it’s much less crowded within the late afternoon, but it surely was nonetheless fairly packed. You can depart and are available again when you get a hand stamp.
Next we headed again to the lodge to get the automotive and take a drive alongside Highway 1 to Big Sur. My teen was drained and didn’t need to do that, but it surely ended up being considered one of his favourite components of the journey.
Along Highway 1, we made stops at totally different vistas to marvel on the magnificence. We additionally stopped on the Bixby Bridge, one other location from “Big Little Lies” and a preferred vista cease. We drove to Big Sur, then rotated and drove again.
IF YOU GO: Highway 1 is a twisty-turny drive in locations. Fog abruptly moved in as we have been driving again, which made visibility iffy. So ensure you’re ready for that. I used to be glad we did a lot of the drive in daylight.
We couldn’t discover a dinner choice alongside Highway 1 in Big Sur (we put our names in at one place with a tremendous view however hopped again within the automotive after seeing the costs!).
We ended up in downtown Monterey at Medici for wood-fired-oven pizzas, wings, and salads. I want we had found this cute downtown space earlier. It’s lined with cafes, eating places, and retailers and strung with white lights.
Day 6: Breakfast & Depart to San Jose airport
We wakened, ate the lodge’s free breakfast, then hopped within the automotive for the drive to San Jose Airport (it was nearer to Monterey than driving again to San Francisco and our flights price the identical). Along the way in which, we did a cease to see UC Santa Cruz only for enjoyable. Parts of the drive alongside CA-17 have been additionally twisty-turny, FYI.
Summary: Fun Things We Did in San Francisco With Our Teen
10 More Things To Do in San Francisco With Teens
- Rent bikes: Hotel Caza truly had free bikes to make use of, however we didn’t have time. A pal rented from Unlimited Biking and rode from their location over the Golden Gate Bridge and again. I used to be fearful my concern of heights would make that trek disagreeable.
- Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum: Yeah, kinda tacky. But I’m guessing my teen would’ve gotten an enormous kick out of this place, which is correct there on Fisherman’s Wharf.
- Cartoon Art Museum: This was across the nook from our lodge and could be good for teenagers serious about artwork or who like to learn comics and graphic novels.
- Big Bus Tour: Our buddies did this tour, and you may hop on and off alongside the route. Keep in thoughts that the highest deck can get chilly, relying on the climate.
- Boudin Bakery: This is correct alongside the water at Fisherman’s Wharf, however we ran out of time to pop in for some well-known sourdough bread.
- Umbrella Alley: This can also be across the nook from Hotel Caza and options interactive murals and avenue artwork. There’s a charge for getting into.
- The Exploratorium: Located at Pier 15, this science museum gives a reduction for youths 17 and underneath.
- Angel Island State Park: If we’d had an additional day, we might’ve taken the ferry to this island for my history-buff child. Over the years, this island has served as an immigration station, detention facility for German POWs, and missile base. It now gives climbing trails and self-guided excursions.
- Day journey to Muir Woods: You can e-book a day journey from town to see the majestic redwoods.
- Ghost Tour: I want we’d had time to do considered one of these ghost excursions. Haunted San Francisco is properly rated (not appropriate for kids underneath 13).
Questions About San Francisco With Teens
Did we really feel secure?
Yes. The information is crammed proper now with unhealthy information about cities basically, however we’re metropolis folks–having lived in and visited cities our whole grownup lives. So we have been snug in San Francisco, particularly within the tourist-populated space of Fisherman’s Wharf.
We have been suggested towards parking a rental automotive within the metropolis, since “smash-and-grabs” are widespread. So we walked, took the cable automobiles, or received an Uber to get round.
Is it costly?
Yes. Meals and lodging have been each expensive. We tried to economize by consuming simply two large meals a day. We have been additionally ready to make use of Southwest frequent flier miles to get a serious low cost on our airfare. Bu with our itinerary, it undoubtedly wasn’t a price range trip.
Are any faculties close by for excursions?
Yes. If you’re visiting San Francisco with teenagers who’re serious about faculty, locations like San Francisco State University, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University are inside driving distance.
Items to Pack for San Francisco
- Packable rain coat: I’ve this packable raincoat from LLBean that is available in common, petite, and plus sizes. One morning throughout our journey, there was a gradual moist mist within the air, which I don’t assume is uncommon for San Francisco. We additionally used our raincoats for our kayak tour in Monterey.
- Warm coats: We’d been advised by a number of folks to pack a lot hotter garments than we predict we’d want, and that was nice recommendation. San Francisco will be chilly, even in the summertime. I wore a pullover fleece (this Columbia fleece, that is available in petite!) and splurged on this packable down coat from LLBean.
- Comfortable footwear: We walked a ton, at the least 15,000 steps a day. I alternated between trainers and Dansko clogs.
- Cash: For tipping tour guides and getting quarters at Musee Mecanique.
- Snacks: Food is likely one of the most costly components of any household journey. I packed a small bag with some protein bars, clementines, and path combine (and since it was Easter. Cadbury Mini Eggs too!).
- Sunscreen: You’ll particularly want this when you do the kayak tour.
- Sunglasses and hat
- Chargers for telephones, iPads, and laptops.
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