Family Escape to San Francisco

Embassy Suites has nice large rooms. Our suite had a king-size bed and then a living/dinning room area. The children slept in the foldout and crib, and there was still plenty of space. The complimentary breakfast each morning was tasty and filling. Cocktails in the evening were also free during the manager’s happy hour (the kids loved the popcorn). Because of its corporate location, weekend rates are a bargain. The one drawback is the lack of restaurants in the area.

This is in a temporary location until 2008 (normally it is in Golden Gate Park, but now it is at 875 Howard). They had a rotating exhibit on the history of chocolate that my whole family enjoyed. The small section devoted to children under 5 was a bit unimpressive. They had a wide array of sea life in the aquarium, and if you can’t make it to one of the other Bay Area aquariums, this is a nice option. My 4-year-old enjoyed the hands-on fossil and bone tables located throughout.

This bay cruise offers inside and outside seating. (My 2-year-old got a bit chilled, and we had to spend part of the cruise indoors, but our view was still great). You get an up-close view of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and the San Francisco coast line. Interesting narration is available in several languages on headsets. Some of the narration on the loudspeaker is hard to hear in spots because of the wind. The boat was not overloaded, so there was plenty of space to walk around or sit.

This wonderful park has something for everyone. Lakes that have boat rentals, bison roaming a large field, running/biking trails, a windmill, gardens, a botanical center, tea gardens, museums, and children’s playgrounds. We spent a good part of the day here and could have stayed even longer if we had more time on our trip.