de soto national memorial Still raring to go? If it s a clear day, take the no. 5-Fulton bus (board at Fulton St. and 8th A ve

Still raring to go? If it s a clear day, take the no. 5-Fulton bus (board at Fulton St. and 8th A ve.) out to O cean B each (p. 217). You ll see a S an Francisco vista too many tourists miss out on. Most tourists only see the part of the city that opens out onto the Bay, missing the entir e w estern shor e of the San Francisco de soto national memorial peninsula that abuts the Pacific Ocean. The water at O cean Beach is not safe for swimming, although exper t surfers can t stay away fr om its po werful waves. If you time it right, y ou ll enjoy a lovely sunset.

Now that I ve dampened your expectations, let me say that the w estern side of F isherman s Wharf, opposite de soto national memorial P IER 39, is actually quite nice, getting better every year, and worth a visit. Glimpses of the area s maritime past are visible in the wonder ful antique boats of the Hyde Street Pier. Here you ll also find an upscale shopping mall atGhirardelli Square, a pleasant str etch of lawn for kids to r un around, a tiny beach, The Cannery courtyard, and the M unicipal Pier, with its sweeping views of the Bay and the Golden de soto national memorial Gate Bridge. de soto national memorial

One reliable agency that targets trav eling grandparents is Elderhostel (& 877/ 426-8056; www.elderhostel.org), which arranges study programs for those aged 55 and over in the U.S. and in mor e than 80 countries around the world. Of particular interest de soto national memorial ar e the I ntergenerational pr o- grams. Most courses last 5 to 7 days in the