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Post by Peace Sign on May 14, 2015 0:35:25 GMT
What should I do with my 9 and 10 year old active boys? We'll be staying in alameda. They are active, love sports and sea life.
How far ahead do we need to buy Alcatraz tickets?
What should we not miss? We're going in late August.
Thanks!!
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Post by lucyg on May 14, 2015 1:11:09 GMT
Go to an A's or Giants game. Even if they aren't really baseball fans, it's a fun way to spend an afternoon in August. Exploratorium in San Francisco. Also Japanese Tea Garden and Academy of Science (across from each other). Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley hills (you'll need a car to get there). Fishing off the Berkeley pier if you have access to fishing gear. Oakland Zoo (smaller than SF Zoo ... I like it better) or SF Zoo. Monterey Bay aquarium ... it's pretty much a full-day car trip. There's also an aquarium in SF but Monterey is amazing. Or spend a night in the Monterey area and also visit Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk. Ocean Beach in SF to put their toes in the Pacific Ocean. I don't know how far in advance to get Alcatraz tickets, but definitely take them. It's the most fun thing to do with boys around here.  |
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Jili
Pearl Clutcher
SLPea
Posts: 4,378
Jun 26, 2014 1:26:48 GMT
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Post by Jili on May 14, 2015 1:16:56 GMT
I'd try to get the Alcatraz tickets as soon as you can. We went last summer and we bought our tickets at least a month in advance (probably more). Your boys will definitely enjoy that.
I'm sure you'll spend some time walking around the Fisherman's Wharf area. My teenage girls (and us, too) enjoyed the Musee Mecanique, which is essentially an arcade filled with antique arcade games. It's unusual and fun. Admission is free, and the games are mostly 25 cents, with some being .50 cents. I think it would be a fun thing for the boys for an hour or so.
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Post by originalvanillabean on May 14, 2015 1:18:13 GMT
Exploratorium for sure!
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Post by lucyg on May 14, 2015 1:18:56 GMT
Jili, you mean 25 cents, right? Not $25?
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Jili
Pearl Clutcher
SLPea
Posts: 4,378
Jun 26, 2014 1:26:48 GMT
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Post by Jili on May 14, 2015 1:19:32 GMT
Jili, you mean 25 cents, right? Not $25? Heck yes, I'll fix it! Thanks! |
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Post by ~summer~ on May 14, 2015 2:42:58 GMT
I would skip Alcatraz honestly - instead take the ferry from Alameda over to the embarcadero and walk around the water front, go to the aquarium by the bay etc.
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Post by alittleintrepid on May 14, 2015 2:54:48 GMT
We were there in March. My 8 year old also loved Muir woods, riding the Cable car, and the Ghiradelli ice cream (from Ghiradelli square, near the end of the cable car line going to the wharf).
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Post by ntsf on May 14, 2015 3:01:14 GMT
there is also a creative museum that is at 4th and howard..make your own claymation cartoons. alcatraz...order now. high demand. or if can't go there, take a picnic and go over to angel island...cool place in bay. state park. or check out ft point, open Fri-Sunday under the Golden Gate bridge...cannons, views, and cannonballs..how cool can it get? the top museum I would think would be the exploratorium...be sure to go upstairs at the back bay side for cool map table. and views and a place to sit for a minute.
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Post by hennybutton on May 14, 2015 3:19:23 GMT
I would skip Alcatraz honestly - instead take the ferry from Alameda over to the embarcadero and walk around the water front, go to the aquarium by the bay etc. We went to San Francisco when DS was in 6th grade. Alcatraz was the highlight of the trip for him. We both read "Al Capone Does My Shirts" right before we went and it was really cool seeing the places that were discussed in the book. Definitely do the night tour. You arrive before sunset. The boat goes all the way around the island before docking, the day tour doesn't. The Golden Gate and the SF skyline are beautiful when viewed from Alcatraz at night. Another kid pleaser is the Ghirardelli chocolate factory. My husband and son couldn't get enough of the hot fudge sundaes the last time we went to SF a couple of years ago. |
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Post by cmpeter on May 14, 2015 4:24:53 GMT
Alcatraz was a favorite of ours too. I wouldn't skip it.
At the Exploratorium they have this thing called the Tactile Dome. You need to reserve separate tickets for that. Check it out on their website. It is seriously cool and one of my kids favorite things. It used to be my favorite when I was in elementary school too.
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Post by kristi on May 14, 2015 6:25:03 GMT
My daughter loved Alcatraz at that age. I would get your tickets as soon as you know a date & do the audio tour (take a jacket as it gets cold/windy on the boat ride over). While on the Wharf go to Ghirardelli & they have a Mirror Maze.
I think everyone should walk across the Golden Gate bridge at least once (or rent bicycles).
The Exploratorium is good if they like hands on science.
Muir Woods is amazing but a bit of a drive.
Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the best but about a 2 hour drive.
Angel Island is a nice hike & ferry ride over.
You should definitely ride the cable cars at least once.
For some off the beaten path things to do:
Bi-Rite Creamery is my favorite ice cream
Walt Disney Museum (cool if they have been to Disney before)
Lovers Lane Trail in the Presidio
Seward Street Slides
Casting Pools (I think they give free lessons on certain Saturdays)
16th Ave Mosaic Steps (great climb & beautiful views of the city)
Have their picture taken with the Yoda Statue in the Presidio
Lombard Street (one of the most crookedest streets in the world)
Fortune Cookie Factory (watch them assemble)
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Post by Peace Sign on May 14, 2015 15:21:23 GMT
They would most certainly kill me if we didn't go to Alcatraz!!!!
Is there an island with a hippie flea market type of thing??
Nobody mentioned Chinatown...
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Post by lucyg on May 14, 2015 16:24:35 GMT
Yes. Visit Chinatown. (It's big. I don't even know where to tell you to go there, exactly.) ETA hippie flea market on an island? I am unfamiliar. Maybe someone else will come up with it for you. |
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Post by ntsf on May 14, 2015 16:32:15 GMT
there is a flea market on treasure Island...but I think it would be boring for kids. and you mostly have to have a car to get there.
chinatown..visit wok shop, maybe the fortune cookie factory (they give tours...these were invented in SF) and nearby is the cable car museum.
or alternative to chinatown..take the geary 38 bus from union square out to 25th and geary and eat chinese...
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Post by lucyg on May 14, 2015 16:36:05 GMT
^^^^^^ I knew ntsf would know the answer to the hippie flea market question. |
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Post by Peace Sign on May 14, 2015 16:53:15 GMT
Yes...treasure island is what I was thinking of! Thanks!
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The Birdhouse Lady
Prolific Pea
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,589
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on May 14, 2015 19:20:03 GMT
Nobody mentioned Chinatown... I was going to!! We are headed that way in June. I mentioned to my kids that we should visit Chinatown again and my son chimes in we are eating somewhere else first!! HAHA 
We went a few years back and my sister friend took us around the city. It was her idea to eat there and we went to some dive that she said had awesome dim sum. Ya, not so much. I remember they had toilet paper on the tables to use as napkins. No joke!
The whole experience was great it was like stepping into another country. It was very interesting.
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The Birdhouse Lady
Prolific Pea
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,589
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on May 14, 2015 19:36:20 GMT
Also wanted to add that there is a Bubba Gump's restaurant on Pier 39 (which is also a fun place to visit). They serve pretty good food and have a lot of stuff related to the movie. The wait staff will ask you trivia question about the movie! For my meal I had the "bucket of boat trash" !!
Pier 39 is fun. They have some fun shops and a nice carousel. In the back of the pier you can see tons of seals. Just follow the noise!! Hahahaha!! They also have live shows...we watched a pirate show with fire eaters! There are also a lot of street performers! |
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Post by ntsf on May 14, 2015 20:30:06 GMT
locals stay away from pier 39--except for Aquarium by the bay... like going to paris and eating at mcdonalds. there are great places in town other than that...but that is a local speaking. we never ever go there..and the sea lions just stink. I would suggest Boudins over bubba gumps...at least it is local to SF.. and good.
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Post by lindywholoveskids on May 15, 2015 12:07:19 GMT
Definitely go to the Exploratorium ...the Tactile Dome is really fun, especially for active kids. Alameda has a cool beach, and it's not crowded. and Yes, avoid Fisherman's Wharf. There are many many other places to eat. San Francisco is also really traffic ridden. Take BART for sure. walking or biking the Golden Gate Bridge or the Bay Bridge is thrilling. Remember that June is foggy in the Bay Area, at least till noonish. bring layers. Yesterday we had a freak thunder lightening storm ..go figure..At least we got a bit of rain! The Academy of Science is pretty cool too! check it out. it's in Golden Gate Park. there is a Planetarium there that's wonderful as well. But if you really want to see a unique aquarium, go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You can get tickets ahead of time. It's award winning, and a day trip from the Bay Area. Very much worth it. And Monterey and Carmel are wonderful! if you can go on a weekday, you can avoid crowds...Must See the Monterey Bay Aquarium ..oh wait I just said that!! |
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Post by blueeyedpups on May 15, 2015 15:54:08 GMT
Alameda has a pinball museum. I think you pay like maybe $10 or $20 and can play all the pinball you want. It's a lot of fun, and I think 9 & 10-year old boys would enjoy that.
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