budapest sights Checking Out the Scene at the M aritime National Historical Park: Young kids will lo ve exploring th

Checking Out the Scene at the M aritime National Historical Park: Young kids will lo ve exploring the antique ships of the H yde Street Pier (p. 170), running around on the grass at Victorian Park, and gaping at the crazy swimmers in A quatic P ark who brav e the Bay s chilly waters. All the while, grown- ups can mar vel at the lo vely scener y. Then ev eryone can grab a snack fr om the S an F rancisco C repe Car t in The Cannery (p. 132), and perhaps listen to some music from a local performer. Hanging O ut in G olden G ate P ark: You don t need an agenda to fritter away the hours ar ound San Francisco s most famous park. The antique carousel budapest sights is a big draw , as is the K oret Childr en s Quarter, a world-class playgr ound. The Japanese Tea G arden is so composed and elegant y ou ll want to meditate there, but the kids will pr efer stepping over the stone walkways and scaling the Drum B ridge. B udding botanists will appreciate the dahlia garden outside the Conservatory of Flowers and will especially budapest sights enjo y ogling the carniv orous plants inside. The de Young M useum tower affor ds super city vie ws and the Three G ems str ucture budapest sights in the sculptur e garden is a great place to chill out for a moment. O n S undays, the par k is closed to traffic; near 6th A venue and Fulton S treet, be sur e to look for the skate dancers, budapest sights who put on a fine sho w. See p. 173. Traveling through the jungle and the heavens at the California budapest sights Academy of Sciences: This Golden Gate Park attraction deserves its own heading. Opened in late 2008 in a ne w awar d-winning home, the world s most eco-friendly museum will inspir e the botanist, marine biologist, or astronomer in your child. B reathe in the moist air of the world s rainforests, soak up the scener y atop the living budapest sights roof, fawn over the fishes of the Steinhart budapest sights Aquarium, and experience space trav el in the P lanetarium. See p. 178.

Japantown has held an annual Cherry Blossom Festival since 1967. The festival takes place o ver 2 w eekends and offers many events for families, budapest sights including demonstrations of traditional dance, taiko dr umming, tea cer emonies, and flower arrangement. There s also a parade, copious food, and, of course, beautiful trees in bloom. Call & 415/ 563-2313 or visit www.nccbf.org.

September and O ctober are usually great months in S an F rancisco; the fog disappears and the air is warm. O f course, school schedules may be an issue, but perhaps you can fit in a long w eekend in the city. Fall brings a huge spike in conventions, budapest sights but business budapest sights is normally conducted during the w eek, leaving hotels to offer weekend packages and discounts.