MariannNOVA Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Good morning! We will be visiting San Francisco/Palo Alto this July.......dh, dd and ds13, and me.......dd14 will be attending a seminar near by. Would you kindly share your best tips/suggestions on where to stay, what to see, go here, don't go there, must see/visit? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I would go on a hop-on-hop-off trolley tour, which leaves from Pier... can't remember which pier, but it's the big tourist pier. :-) I would get the coconut shrimp and Bubba Gump Shrimp (same pier) I would go through the small "Under the Bay" aquarium (same pier!) which is AMAZING for its size. When you do the hop-on-hop-off, you might like to try walking through China Town and pick up some of the little boxes of throw-on-the-ground paper wrapped fire cracker things. They are cool. And get dim sum, but make sure you read up on how to order dim sum before, if you've never been! The Exploratorium is AMAZING, followed closely by the SF Aquarium and the Museum of Natural History, in that order of priority. :-D The boat trip to Alcatraz is ok, and apparently the guided visit is good, but I've never been. I would make things that are uniquely SF a priority- the trolley tour, China Town, the Pier, and the aquariums and exploratorium. Palo Alto? Meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Gee, can you tell I'm homesick? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I just saw you have TWO WEEKS!!! Ahhhh!!! I would go for a nice meal at the Cliff House Restaurant, and if I recall, there is some good tide-pooling a short walk from the restaurant. If you have never been tide-pooling, do read up on safety first. I'd do some hiking in the larger parks- SF has beautiful flora, and that windswept coastal look is somewhat unique. I'd probably consider a day trip to Six Flags Marine World, although the place has lost it's charm ever since they put in rides. Still the whale and dolphin show is great. You can tour a WWII submarine in SF as well, can't remember but probably also the tourist pier for that one! It's a really eye-opening tour about life on a sub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history_junkie Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 We loved Pier 39, Alcatraz, China Town, Muir Woods, Lombard Street, Tully's Coffee, and we even visited the Irish Coffee shop used as a model for the one in Yours, Mine, and Ours. It was fun to watch that and What's up Doc? before and after going. My parents took the "big kids" nine years ago, the middle boys went with Dad two years ago, and they are going back with the young set this year. We spent half a week in San Francisco and half the week in Yosemite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 We went last summer and my kids LOVED the Alcatraz Tour, but buy tickets ASAP because they sell out months in advance. The other place my kids (14,11, and 8 at the time) dug was the Winchester Mystery House - it's expensive and cheesy, but they really liked the tour A LOT. We did most of the other stuff poster upthread mentioned and it was all fun. We saw Segway tours in Golden Gate Park but my 8yo did not make the height/weight requirement - if yours do, those folks were having a blast! If you have time, a day trip to Santa Cruz is pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Well, in Palo Alto you would obviously spend a day wandering around Stanford University and visiting the Stanford Mall-a beautiful outdoor mall. The university is huge, but definitely walk around the quad, the church (on the quad), browse the bookstore. The weather will probably be gorgeous. I don't know if my favorite places to eat are still around, but you can check -Hobees for coffeecake or breakfast (in a little shopping area across from Stanford) -Babbos pizzeria (I think that was the name) in the Stanford mall. There's a fun little outdoor food market right near by. Wood-fired pizza. -Alpine Inn, aka Zott's, back behind Stanford in Portola Valley, especially if the weather is nice. Hamburgers, beer, "garden" out back to eat in. Very casual. Also could spend time wandering down University Avenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Memorial Church, Hoover Tower, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford Museum of Art, Stanford Shopping Center. I love to drive over to the beautiful mountains and valleys in quaint Saratoga. For restaurants, I would check Trip Advisor for Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton. I'm sure much has changed since I was last on campus (12 years ago -- eeek!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Thank you so very much! Yes........two weeks, I think. Dd14 will be on campus at Stanford Law School. I may bring her out and get her settled, enjoy a few days alone, and then have dh and twins join me so their visit is one week. Thank you immensely for the suggestion to plan certain things well in advance......I usually do not know what we are having for dinner till I walk into wegman's at 4:59p.m.........chronic procrastinator. Again, thank you for these wonderful suggestions........I am going to start planning this immediately. ✈ï¸ðŸŒ‰ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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