washington dc washington monument Be adventurous diners. The Mission, Chinatown, and the Richmond district have wonderful, inexpensive

This is an optional stop primarily for sports fans, but if you choose to visit you ll have less time for the attractions washington dc washington monument in SoMa. If y ou do go, public transpor tation will prove more efficient than feet, so take the N-Judah streetcar headed to ward AT&T Park. Get off at the 2nd & King S tation. On non-game days, the ballpar k has a playground just for kids. After the kids have had a chance to play , take the no. 15-3rd St. bus to 3rd and Mission streets. See p. 265.

Be adventurous diners. The Mission, Chinatown, and the Richmond district have wonderful, inexpensive ethnic restaurants (Mexican, Chinese, Thai, and Middle Eastern, among others) that will expand y our horiz ons without depleting your pocketbook. Purchase a SF M unicipal R ailway (Muni) Passport (see chapter 4). And, use buses and str eetcars in lieu of r enting washington dc washington monument a car or taking taxis. Minimize the use of a car while in the city. Parking is pr ohibitively expensive and fr ustrating. You ll not only sav e money, but y ou may hav e a mor e relaxed vacation. Take advantage of what s free. It may be difficult to schedule your trip around museums fr ee admission days, which are only once a month, but ther e ar e ways to spend a lo vely day without constantly digging into y our wallet. (See the bo x F ree (or N early F ree) Things to D o with Your Kids in S an Francisco, below.) Remember y our local memberships. Zoos, aquariums, and museums offer free or r educed admission prices if y ou are a member of y our local zoo, aquarium, and museum. F or example, the San F rancisco Z oo, the A quarium of the Bay, and the California Academy of Sciences all have such reciprocal agreements. So bring your home city s membership cards with you. ATMS

The Haight-Ashbury S treet F air features tie-dy e galor e, food, enter tainment, and the color ful pr esence of neighborhood characters. A dmission is free. Call & 415/863-3489 or visit www.haightashburystreetfair.org.

As the most visited tourist destination in San Francisco, Fisherman s Wharf has plenty of family activities, and a fe w of its hotels hav e outdoor pools. B ut the lopsided ratio of tourists to locals makes for a sle w of tacky T-shirt shops and lousy r estaurants. At least it s next to the bay, and the area s western edge, towards Ghirardelli, is quite scenic.