Getting a good jump on the first day, Lydie and her family hit the California Academy of Sciences, the neighboring de Young Museum, the Haas-Lilienthal House, the S.S. Jeremiah O’ Brien and the Wax Museum at Fisherman’s wharf.

On day two they took in the Museum of Modern Art, the Cartoon Art Museum, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and the Zeum Carousel.

Based on the photos, its looks like they had a lot of fun, and Lydie said in summing up, ”I would definitely recommend the Go Card for San Francisco.”

You can read the full story HERE on the Travel is More Fun with Kids website or find it on SFGate.com (the web site of the San Francisco Chronicle).

“People build custom clothing, custom computers, and so on. All to get more control and flexibility from the goods and services they buy,” says Cecilia Dahl, President of Smart Destinations. “Building a custom admission ticket is no different. It puts you in control of your trip.”

She went on to add that while most providers of custom products charge a premium for the privilege, “our customers actually save money by building their own ticket. So you get to see what you want for less than if you went around waiting in a bunch of separate ticket lines at each museum and tour.”

The process to build your own ticket to San Francisco is straightforward. First, a customer visits the online configurator where they choose which museums, sights, and tours they wish to visit. Each selection gets added to the custom ticket and a running total shows their savings. When done, they check-out and instantly receive a custom guidebook matching their choices and their Custom Explorer Pass is shipped to them. The Custom Explorer Pass works as an admission ticket at each of the sights they selected with nothing further to pay or do except to present it for admission at each museum, sight, and tour on their Custom Explorer Pass.

The growing number of attractions available for the Custom San Francisco Explorer Pass includes 22 of the must see attractions in San Francisco, including the Exploratorium, the Asian Art Museum, the Aquarium of the Bay, a Bay Cruise, the California Academy of Sciences, even a Gray Line Wine Country tour.

“We feel like this option is overdue,” says Dahl. “If you look at how people typically deal with the things they do on their vacation it’s almost as if the Internet never happened. You stand in line at each place, you pay whatever you pay, and you accept this as a good use of time and money. It shouldn’t have to be that way.” She smiled and added, “And now it doesn’t!”

To get full details and to start to build your own ticket visit: CustomSFexplorerPass or to learn about the other destinations where this option is available, go to www.BuildYourOwnTicket.com

Our friends at “Only in San Francisco” are offering $15 off all Peter Pan tickets July 1-4, 2010. With this offer, you can celebrate the Fourth of July weekend with an all inclusive “Neverland” experience – deemed “the theatrical event of the summer” for a discounted rate. 

The show comes to the Bay Area straight from London and provides a spectacular new stage production of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. This classic story is being performed on the Embarcadero acorss from the Ferry Building (no pun intended) in a state-of-the-art, 1,350-seat theatre pavilion. In addition to live actors, the show uses a first of its kind 360 degree projector to give the audience the sensation of flying with Pan and the Children above Victorian London.

The special offer (a $95 value) includes a Price Level 1 ticket for $55 each (a $15 savings) as well as a complimentary souvenir program and drink voucher.  Picnics may also be purchased prior to each performance. This exclusive offer is available at the following performances: Thursday, July 1 at 7 p.m.; Friday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 3 for both the  2:00 and 7:30 p.m. performances; and Sunday, July 4 for both the 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. shows. Please be sure to use coupon code ONLYINSF when purchasing tickets by dialing 888-PPAN-TIX or online at the Only In San Francisco site.

And if you are visiting the Bay Area over the 4th of July weekend, you might also consider adding a Go San Francisco Card to the mix. Its got admission to all the best sights and things to do included FREE for the price of the card, including such kid-friendly favorites as Aquarium of the Bay, the Exploratorium, and the truly amazing California Academy of Sciences.

So don’t miss Peter Pan and don’t miss the great deals on the show and the Go San Francisco Card that will make for a wonderful and affordable 4th of July in the City of San Francisco!

There is an official web site for “40 and Fabulous” which you can find here. It has got information on all the events, the parade, volunteer opportunities, and much more. You will find it a great resource to plot out your participation for the June 26 to 27, 2010 celebration.

And if you can come to San Francisco early or stay later, be sure not to miss all the many cultural, historical, and just plain fun activities and sights the Bay Area has to offer. Grab a Smart Destinations Go San Francisco Card which rolls 50 of the best things to do in and around San Francisco on to one ticket. The Go Card gets you free admission to all the city’s best sights and museums, wine tastings, tours, cruises, and so on. The full list of the participating locations that offer free admission to Go Card holders can be found here.

Or if headed north, think about grabbing the Wine Country Explorer Pass which includes free admission to 16 tastings in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys as well as a free “Taste of Napa Downtown” card. This pass is a great way to unwind after a weekend long celebration.

Why count sheep when you could count geckos, butterflies, sharks, and penguins? Starting this summer, kids can camp out for a night at the California Academy of Sciences and see the museum in a whole new light (so to speak). The “Penguins and Pajamas” sleepover program, for children ages 6 and over and their adult chaperons, will launch with three summer events on Friday, June 18, July 16, and August 13. Tickets will be available beginning on May 1. 

For the sleepover, doors will open at 6:30 pm, when sleepover guests are invited to come in and explore the Academy after it’s closed to the public. Participants can take in the evening songs of the rainforest’s birds, sing “twinkle twinkle” to a sea star at the Discovery Tidepool, and watch the fish cruise under the moonlight in the Philippine Coral Reef tank. Then, guests can catch a special penguin talk, and become stargazing gurus during an after-hours planetarium show. 

Before bedtime, sleepover guests can grab a snack of cookies and milk and settle in for story time, featuring “Pierre the Penguin,” the true story of the Academy’s famous wetsuit-wearing penguin. When the lights go out, participants can unroll their sleeping bags in African Hall, next to the swaying kelp of the California Coast tank, or even at the Swamp window, face-to-face with Claude, the albino alligator. In the morning, it’s time to rise and shine, then head over to the Academy Café for breakfast before the sleepover event ends at 8:30 am. 

The “Penguins and Pajamas” Academy sleepover package includes overnight parking in the Music Concourse parking garage as well as next-day museum admission, breakfast, snacks, and a special commemorative gift. Dinner is available for purchase at the Academy Café or the Moss Room.

The California Academy of Sciences is an amazing complex, encompassing the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Kimball Natural History Museum, and world-class research and education program under one living roof (literally living). If you want to visit it during the day, be sure to grab a Go San Francisco Card which will provide you with free admission to the California Academy of Sciences, along with 50 other sights in the Bay Area – from the Asian Art Museum and the Exploratorium, to Six Flags and a wine country tour.

Use your Go San Francisco Card to take the Alcatraz Island Tour for an additional $13* for an adult ticket (regularly $26) and an additional $8* for a child (regularly $16). To get these rates, present your valid Go San Francisco Card at the Alcatraz Landing Ticket Booth to redeem this offer (subject to availability).

The Alcatraz Island Tour includes round-trip ferry to Alcatraz Island and a 45 minute self guided cell house audio tour. No one can tell the Alcatraz tale like the men and women who actually lived it and the award-winning Alcatraz Cellhouse Audio Tour brings history alive through the actual voices of the correctional officers and inmates who served time and worked on the island.

The tour is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, and Mandarin. Allow approximately 2 1/2 hours for the full tour experience and dress appropriately.

In addition to getting you the above rate on the Alcatraz ferry and tour, the Go San Francisco card gets you into 50 San Francisco area attractions for FREE as the full cost of those admissions are covered by the price of the card.  That’s something no coupon or travel deal can top. See the full list of all the museums, tours, and attractions that accept the Go San Francisco Card.

Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., romantics will enjoy the “Sweet Valentine Cruise” featuring a lavish appetizer buffet by Boudin and Champagne toast as the cruise sails under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge.  Priced at only $58 per person, Valentines will enjoy spectacular bay and landmark views as Red and White sets the “stage” for a truly romantic respite in a relaxed atmosphere. For more information and reservations click here.

Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9, a two-hour cruise of the San Francisco Bay, families will enjoy appetizers and a complimentary beverage, as they sail under the majestic Golden Gate, past the lush hillsides of the Marin Headlands and Angel Island State Park and around Alcatraz.  The cruise will depart at 2:00 p.m. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults. For more information and reservations click here.

Kaboom, KFOG Radio’s concert and fireworks event features headline entertainment as well as a spectacular pyrotechnic show over the bay.  Red And White Fleet will offer special cruises for those that want to view the explosive show from the bay. Guests will enjoy feel-good music from the 70’s to today, a hearty appetizer buffet by Boudin and one complimentary beverage (beer, wine or soda) during this fun evening cruise for all ages. This cruise will last for about two hours. Scheduled for Saturday, May 22*, cruises will depart at 7:45 and 8:15 p.m. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults.  *date is tentative at the present time. For more information and reservations click here.

Independence Day on Sunday, July 4th once again brings back a bayside fireworks display and Red And White Fleet is at the helm with a brief sail along San Francisco’s stunning evening skyline, before the cruise stops for viewing of the fireworks show from amidst the bay. While onboard, guests will share a complimentary beverage with friends and family while they watch the city lights glimmer in the distance. Additional snacks and beverages will be available on-board for purchase. Cost is $65 per person. For more information and reservations click here.

Fleet Week takes over San Francisco with a series of Navy-inspired events, entertainment and the legendary Blue Angels air show.  From Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10, Fisherman’s Wharf will be center stage and Red And White Fleet will be offering the best views of the festivities.  Cruise price includes appetizers and one complimentary beverage. Additional snacks and beverages will be available on-board for purchase. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults. For more information and reservations click here.

Canopic Stopper of Tutankhamun, Dynasty 18, Reign of Tutankhamun, 1332–1322 BCE

June 27, 2009 — March 28, 2010 at the de Young Museum.

More than 3,000 years after his reign, and 30 years after the original exhibition opened in San Francisco, Tutankhamun, ancient Egypt’s celebrated “boy king,” returns to the de Young Museum. In the summer of 2009 the de Young presents Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, a glorious exhibition of over 130 outstanding works from the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as those of his royal predecessors, his family, and court officials.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs includes many new and exciting elements not seen in previous versions of the exhibition, including a revised version of the catalogue, a new audio tour, and additional artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb.

September is California Wine Month. And even if it wasn’t, September is always a great month to visit the California Wine Country!

The California Trade and Tourism Commission has rallied some 75 wineries, hotels, and restaurants across the state to put together special offers for people who want to make the most of Wine Month. Our favorite is the Wine Country Explorer Pass, which in addition to the usual savings it provides those looking to get a taste of Napa and Sonoma, has a special offer with Summit Lake Winery.

Summit Lake Vineyards & Wineryis a wonderful family owned winery, and in September it is offering Wine Country Explorer Pass customers a special 15% off purchases of their new releases and 20% off the remaining bottles of the 2003 vintage.

The CTTC has a portion of their site dedicated to all the various offers available in September. You can see the complete list by clicking here. It is a long list, but they have broken it up by region to help you find the specials relevant to your plans.

“California is the leading destination for wine and food travel in the U.S.,” said Caroline Beteta, president & CEO of the CTTC and chair of the U.S. Travel Association. “We produce 90 percent of American wine and 350 different crops, making us a playground for the culinary arts, which translates to a gourmet paradise for foodies yearning for a deeper connection with California’s great wine and fresh produce. California Wine Month is the ultimate time wine connoisseurs can enjoy the Golden State, and these special offers make it even more appealing.”

Cheers to that!

California Academy of Sciences is now part of the Go San Francisco Card. Holders of San Francisco’s best attraction pass now get free entry to the Academy along with 50 more of the Bay Area’s best things to see and do.

After nine years of planning, four years of construction and $488 million, the new California Academy of Sciences recently opened its doors to the world. The new Platinum LEED certified museum is the only place on the planet to combine an aquarium, natural history museum, the world’s largest all-digital planetarium, and a rain forest dome under a 2.5-acre living roof.

With the addition of the California Academy of Sciences, the Go San Francisco Card’s convenience, cost savings and flexibility for visitors to the city is now that much better. Customers choose one, two, three, five or seven day cards at a low, pre-paid price. Customers have the ability to use the card to gain access to an unlimited number of attractions each day from 9:00am to 5:30pm and the Card also provides discounts at popular restaurants and shops and the ability to skip the lines at many attractions. Each Go Card also comes with a color-printed, pocket-sized guidebook full of maps, travel tips and itineraries for San Francisco.

“The ‘do more, see more’ vacation mantra is still valid, but it’s getting rounded out with ‘and do it for less,’” said Cecilia Dahl, Founder and President of Smart Destinations. “By adding the California Academy of Sciences to our roster of San Francisco attractions, we’re proud to offer our customers the ability to visit a museum that is so rich in history and knowledge – a real ‘must-see’ in San Francisco.”

“Officially the greenest museum in the world, we’re thrilled to be able to welcome additional visitors to experience all that the Academy has to offer under its mission to ‘explore, explain and protect the natural world,’” said Richard Peterson, Director of Travel Industry Sales at the California Academy of Sciences.

It really is a one-of-a-kind place: you can peer in on an albino alligator living in a swamp,  get close to a colony of penguins or watch sharks and rays slither through their tank.  Then you can walk through the four-story rain forest where you wind your way through Borneo’s Bat caves, see chameleons of Madagascar, climb into the tree-tops of Costa Rica and descend by elevator into an Amazonian flooded forest.  

Throughout the week there are daily programs and activities at the exhibits including Coral Reef Dives, Penguin Feedings, and a Swamp Talk about the inhabitants native to swamps in the southeastern United States. 

So if you are visiting the Bay Area, be sure to check out this amazing new attraction.