Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It is difficult to believe today's swank and wealthy Marina
Dis-
trict (nicknamed simply “the Marina”) was once home to mud flats.
The flats were filled in for the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, held
to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. This same exposi-
tion also left behind the glorious Palace of Fine Arts, a delightful stop
on an SF visit. Today the Marina is popular with trendy singles and
stroller-pushing parents (grateful for the lack of hills). An address
along its patch of green (the Marina Green, your first stop on this
tour) is highly coveted for its front-seat views of the bay, the Golden
Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and the yacht-filled private marinas that
give the neighborhood its name. Take 2 to 3 hours for this tour.
START:
Marina Blvd. (between Fillmore & Scott sts.). Bus: 22.
1
★★
The Marina Green.
This
stretch of lawn is a popular place to
stroll, run, or bike. Check out the
musical sculpture called the
Wave
Organ
(p 85, bullet
1
). On a typi-
cally windy afternoon, you'll see
people flying colorful and acrobatic
kites.
Marina Blvd. (between Fillmore
& Scott sts.). Bus: 22.
2
★★★
The Palace of Fine
Arts.
Most of the Panama-Pacific
Exposition structures were built of
temporary materials. Only this one
was left intact and rebuilt in the
1960s. It now houses the Explorato-
rium (see below). The classical
rotunda with curved colonnades,
inspired by classic Greek and Roman
ruins, is topped with a dramatic
orange dome and situated around
a lovely pond filled with ducks and
geese.
3601 Lyon St. (at Marina
Blvd.).
3
★★★
=
The Explorato-
rium.
Described by
Scientific Amer-
ican
as the “the best science
museum in the world,” (I agree!)
this hangarlike hall holds over 650
interactive exhibits that enthrall
both kids and adults.
3601 Lyon St.,
in The Palace of Fine Arts.
y
415/
397-5673. www.exploratorium.org.
Admission $12; $9.50 seniors, stu-
dents & kids 13-17; $8 kids 4-12;
free for kids under 4. Free 1st Wed of
the month. Tues-Sun 10am-5pm.
Closed Mon except holidays. While
the Exploratorium always has a
crowd, it's best on weekday after-
noons (to avoid school tours) and
weekend mornings.
4
Chestnut Street.
A stroll
along the Marina's upscale retail
quarter is a fun way to end your
tour.
Chestnut St. (between Fillmore
& Broderick sts.).
The Palace of Fine Arts was built for the
1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.
5
The Grove.
Grab an outdoor
table and people-watch as you sip a
cup of java.
2250 Chestnut St. (at
Avila St.).
y
415/474-4843. $.
