Continue reading “TRAVEL GUIDE: EXPLORING THE SEA AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE BAY”
TRAVEL GUIDE: A STROLL THROUGH CHINATOWN
We took the elevator from the bowels of the parking garage, rose upward and stared transfixed as the doors slid open before us.
Live Chinese singers had set up camp at the Chinatown Entrance, their melancholy tune coupled with the twang of lutes serving as a soundtrack of sorts for the rest of our visit.
TRAVEL GUIDE: VIEWS FROM THE GOLDEN GATE
We had family visiting us over the weekend and decided to go and see the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Even though we have seen it before, I saw it for the first time through their eyes. The views really are stunning!
TRAVEL GUIDE: IN THE LAND OF CHOCOLATE
Before going to Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, I salivated over what I might find there. If you watch The Simpsons, you’ll remember that episode when Homer daydreams about the Land of Chocolate. Something like that was dancing through my head leading up to our visit.
TRAVEL GUIDE: 3 TIPS FOR TAKING YOUR KIDS TO THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO
We took our girls to the San Francisco Zoo, excited to point out real animals to Pumpkin, animals she had only thus far seen in My Big Book of Animals.
Despite some inconveniences, such as difficult parking, small and ill-placed exhibit signage and a very hectic food court, my girls had a fun time on their first visit to the zoo.
If you are planning a visit to the San Francisco Zoo, here are some things to keep in mind:
come early
The parking lot fills up very fast on days with pleasant weather, and after that only paid valet parking is available if you want to park near the zoo entrance. Another reason to arrive at opening is to actually be able to see most of the animals. After about 12 noon, most of them are asleep or hiding after their midday meal.
Pick up a map
Maps are provided at the entrance and we consulted ours on more than one occasion to navigate the zoo. The signage is not clearly placed, and we went in circles a few times in order to find our way around.
Bring your own lunch
The Leaping Lemur Café is more of a zoo than the actual zoo! It’s structured like a food court, but all three counters are right next to each other causing a mess of a line, not to mention confusion. The food is way overpriced, the music blaring, and by the time you receive your tray and turn around, you would be lucky to find a place to sit, as the sitting area is very crowded. We did in fact grab a table as soon as another family had vacated it, but if I had known ahead of time how hectic it would be, I would’ve brought lunch instead. If you have little ones, I don’t think highchairs would be available either (I didn’t see any).
Overall, the grounds are very stroller-friendly, so no worries there. We did have fun posing and taking photos with the animals, and we definitely got our workout in for the day. Pumpkin enjoyed being outdoors, and although this zoo has no “effant” (elephant) she was excited to see a real live “ghee-affe” (giraffe)!
