San Francisco - Playing Tourist For A Day!
San Francisco - Playing Tourist For A Day! (Sunny Day Version)
When you have young kids like me, chances are you are always wondering where to go, or what to do with your kids on the weekends. To help out my fellow parents in SF, I'd like to share one of my favorite days with you. My kid loves this day plan and it is great on a sunny day.
1. Park at the end of Van Ness
Parking is always a concern in the city, but there is a large parking space at the end of Van Ness, so try here before you look for a paid parking garage. Follow Van Ness all the way till the end, and after crossing Bay St, you should see many 4-hour parking spaces on the street.
2. Go to Boudin Bakery for brunch
With kids, your day always starts early. We like to have brunch or an early lunch at Boudin Bakery. Not only do they have awesome sourdough and clam chowder, they have a demonstration bakery and a shop that entertains everyone for some time.
3. Have a nice walk to Pier 39
Jefferson Street on the way to Pier 39 is always busy with street performers, people sitting outside restaurants, and tourists going in and out of souvenir shops. I always get excited when walking here because I feel like I become a tourist in my own city!
And Pier 39 is of course, full of fun. Apart from ongoing excitements such as the sea lions, eateries and the aquarium, there are also seasonal events such as Tulipmania, so it may be useful to check out the Pier 39 website before visiting. There are almost unlimited things that your kids can do here including visiting the Aquarium of the Bay, running around among the crowds, waving at the sea lions, riding a merry-go-round to name a few.
4. Cable Car Ride To Downtown
If your kids are big fans of trains like mine, surprise them with a cable car ride to down town. You can either go all the way down town for big shopping malls and the famous Cheesecake Factory on top of Macy's, or step out in Hyde Street to visit the Crooked Street (Lombard St., between Hyde St. and Leavenworth St.).
*Quick tip: If you want to really pamper your kids, buy them a cable car toy sold at most of the souvenir shops at $7 before riding a cable car. My 2-year-old was super happy and excited with his 2 cable cars he clutched in his hands!
5. Sugar rush place for both grownups and kids: The Ghirardelli for ice cream
If you skipped the Cable Car tour, then Ghirardelli Sunday excites kids just as much! I know, I know, it's scary to give so much sugar to kids, but heck, don't we all need a break every now and then ;)
6. Enjoy the Hyde Street Beach
OK, time to deal with the kids' sugar rush! This beautiful small beach right in front of Ghirardelli Square is made for that! Let your little ones swim, run, build castles, whatever they need to do to burn off their energy. There's a stunning view of Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge from the beach, so you can't be bored here, even if you're not a beach person.
*Quick tip: it might be a good time to check your car if you're parked in a 4-hour parking zone. Go move your car to another spot!
Finding a parking spot in the afternoon won't be easy by all means, which will lead many of you to wonder... can I ever afford to live in this part of town? Well, it is definitely one of the most sought-after areas and real estate prices surely reflect that demand. Many buildings are nicely renovated preserving their original characteristics. Some properties will just take your breath away with stunning views of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge and Coit Tower.
Here are some quick real estate stats for the surrounding neighborhoods (September 2013 ~ March 2014)
Median Sales Price: $3,641.667(Single Family Homes), $1,516,197(Condos)
Selling Price/SqFt: $ 1,397 (SFR), $1,073(Condos)
A total of 58 homes were sold: 9 single-family homes and 49 condos
Median Sales Price: $854,562
Selling Price/SqFt: $808
A total of 16 condos(0 single family home)are sold.
Median Sales Price: $895,625
Selling Price/SqFt: $743
A total of 9 condos(0 single family home)are sold.
(Data found on SF MLS)
Coming soon!! Please stay tuned for my Rainy Day version of San Francisco - Playing Tourist For A Day!
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