San Francisco Family Attractions
January 4th, 2008 by susan j
Tropical Fish at San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium
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This weekend, San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium is having a blow-out celebration before they close. But don’t worry… they’ll be back and better than ever when they open next fall in a new eco-friendly building in Golden Gate Park. Click to read about the festivities and exhibits on Sunday, January 6 to commemorate the last day to visit the aquarium in their current location.
Of course, if you plan to visit the Bay Area after January 6, there are plenty of other things to do in the meantime. Why not check out Exploratorium, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, or the Cartoon Art Museum on your next trip to San Francisco?
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December 17th, 2007 by jamie a
If you’re visiting family or vacationing in San Francisco for the holidays, here’s a list of activities that will be open on both Christmas and New Year’s Day to keep you busy.
Take advantage of the great weather and rent yourself a bike from . Ride across the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito and then take the ferry back for an exciting day.
Experience one of the world’s great collections of wax figures at the . From the Chamber of Horrors to the Chamber of Religions, you’re sure to find many of your favorite icons.
From penguins to coral reefs, there’s tons of natural wonders to explore at the . Get some hands-on experience with anemones and hermit crabs at the tide pools and be sure to check out the daily penguin feedings!
Located in the stunningly beautiful Golden Gate Park, the is a must see for any horticultural nut.
For even more wonders of nature, the immerses you in 7,500 plant varieties from all over the world.
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November 29th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 29- December 23
at the Curan Theater: Don’t miss this Broadway hit that chronicles the story of how blue-collar boys became one of the biggest pop music sensations. Playing at the Curan for a special holiday encore engagement, get your tickets
Friday, November 30-Sunday, December 2
: Take a look at more than 800 vehicles in the bay area’s number one international auto show.
Friday, November 30
: Rock out to Soul, Funk, Electro this Friday at 80’s night.
Weekends through December 23
: The Cow Palace is transformed into 90,000 square feet of the Charles Dickens’ London town complete with pubs, winding lanes of entertainment, dance parties, artisans, and familiar Dickens characters. Theatrical lighting, decorations, food, and actors representing characters from literature and history will have you stepping into a Victorian Christmas in this elaborate fair.
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November 27th, 2007 by jamie a
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Attention chocoholics! From old-fashioned Ghirardelli to the modern Scharffen Berger, San Francisco can fulfill your wildest chocolate dreams.
Founded in 1852 by Italian immigrant , Ghirardelli Chocolate Company went on to become America’s longest continually operating chocolate manufacturer. Starting with the finest in carefully selected cocoa beans, they roast the beans in-house in order to ensure their signature flavor. To savor their luxurious intense dark chocolate or their smooth and creamy hot chocolate blends, visit their main location in , which was declared a San Francisco landmark in 1965.
For the more modern palate, , another great chocolate establishment, was founded in 1996. Using only a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, an electric mixer, and a hair dryer, John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg made their first batch of chocolate. Specializing in the finest blends of dark chocolate, Scharffen Berger even offers free public !
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November 26th, 2007 by jamie a
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Start your holiday season off with a bang by enjoying the ice rink, which is now open for the season. From November 7 through January 15, you can don your skates and round the rink to your heart’s content.
While you’re at the Embarcadero Center, you can also visit over 100 shops and restaurants as well as the five-screen cinema, which shows the best in independent and foreign language films.
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November 20th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 22
: If you’re visiting San Francisco over Thanksgiving there is no better, stress-free way to enjoy the holiday than on a sunset cruise around the bay. Board the famous s for a delicious spread of traditional Thanksgiving fixings in a picturesque setting.
Thursday, November 22
: Get some exercise before indulging in a feast at the Ocean Beach Turkey Trot underneath the famous Cliff House.
Friday, November 23
: Enjoy live free entertainment all day before the culminating 35-foot Christmas tree lighting in the evening. For more lighting ceremonies, head over to Macy’s at Union Square for another festive display of charity and holiday decorations.
Saturday, November 24,
Gingerbread building: Take your kids to the to make their own gingerbread house creation.
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November 16th, 2007 by susan j
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With many of Broadway’s stagehands on strike, travelers are starting to look elsewhere to get their theater fix. Though the city is over 3,000 miles away from the Great White Way, San Francisco offers Broadway-caliber theater and enough variety for even the pickiest arts patron. Here’s a roundup of performances in the Bay Area this winter:
October 9-December 9
San Francisco’s Best of Broadway series presents , a musical based on the popular Alice Walker novel.
October 19-December 8
brings Tennesssee Williams’ Camino Real to the stage.
November 8-December 2
journeys to Whoville with .
November 23-December 16
introduces audiences to Jerome Kern and P.G. Wodehouse’s little known musical
December 5-23
presents the classic holiday spectacle .
December 1-January 12
takes a quirky look at Christmas with the Sna Francisco premiere of Christopher Durang’s
For more on theater in San Francisco and half-price tickets, check .
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November 15th, 2007 by amy c
Friday, November 16
: The Embarcadero, shopping central and Winter Wonderland, begins its famous celebration of the holiday season this Friday. Complimentary appetizers and holiday cheer abounds in this famous celebration.
Saturday, November 17
: Real live reindeer return to the San Francisco Zoo to celebrate the holiday season.
Sunday, November 18
Free day at the museum: is offering a free day from 10- 5!
Sunday, November 18
: Enjoy Bay Area performances at Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pier 39 of traditions from Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. The majestic Christmas tree will also be lit and adorned with hundreds of multi-cultural bows.
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October 26th, 2007 by amy c
Blue Heron on a Marin Headland hiking trail
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Not only is the San Francisco area home to extraordinary natural beauty, but business owners have grown more environmentally friendly. Visitors and locals can choose from over 1,000 certified “Green Businesses,” which hold themselves to higher standards of environmental regulations.
By choosing restaurants, shops, and hotels that are considered a green, you can help make sure that the air stays fresh, the ocean clean, and the animal and plant life diverse…And what better way to exude San Francisco style than to match the Green craze sweeping the Bay Area?
Choosing Green Businesses can even enhance your vacation. Here are my picks for the restaurants, hotels, and attractions that don’t compromise taste, fun, comfort, or the environment:
- Elixir may be San Francisco’s oldest running saloon, but this award-winning watering hole’s thinking, innovation, and scene is anything but dated. The Victorian style saloon offers a dog friendly happy hour (your pup should probably stick with water) and transforms into a swanky cocktail lounge as the sun goes down, satiating your thirst for a look into history with saloon memorabilia on the walls and a trendy, but eco-friendly nightlife.
- Aquarium of the Bay will give you an inside look to the bay’s unique life and possibly new enthusiasm for staying Green to help preserve it.
- Bay City Bike Rentals: There is no better way to see all the sights, beat traffic, and assuage any possible guilt about your personal carbon emission than renting bikes to explore the city. Plus, you’ll get some major quad-burning exercise on those San Francisco hills.
- Marin Headlands Hostel: Affordable accommodations in a beautiful, convenient setting and environmentally conscious, you can stay in historical homes in the scenic rolling hills of the Marin Headlands, located just a ferry ride away from the city or a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Nearby attractions also include Muir Woods, numerous hiking trails, and the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
Whether you’re a visitor or local, check the Green Business Listings to choose from a variety of businesses in every service.
It is now easier than ever to be environmentally friendly when you travel with the Terrapass, which is an affordable way to balance your environmental impact of carbon emission when you fly or drive. Check back for hiking trails and more ways to enjoy nature in and around San Francisco!
Planning a trip to
San Francisco?
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October 15th, 2007 by susan j
Each weekend in October, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom transforms itself into a Halloween-themed adventure area complete with haunted mazes, a coffin of fear, and a wheel of fright!
During the day, Six Flags will feature fun activities for the kids, including a Twick or Tweet Trail featuring Bugs Bunny and Friends, a Dracula Magic Show, and a daily costume parade. At night, the scare factor intensifies with a twilight funeral procession, Halloween-themed live shows, and more. Check out photos from Six Flags’ Fright Fest. For more information, click here.
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San Francisco?
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