Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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conservatory is a colorful display of traditional flo wers and, to the right, the captiv ating
Dahlia Garden.
Just off John F. Kennedy Dr., near the Stanyan St. entrance.
&
415/666-7001.
www.conservatoryofflowers.
org. $5 adults; $3 for youths 12-17, seniors, and students w/ID; $1.50 childr en 5-11, free children under
5. Open Tues-Sun 9am-5pm (last visitor must enter by 4:30pm.)
Japanese Tea Garden
All ages.
Japanese landscape ar chitect Makoto Hagi-
wara designed a small J apanese-style gar den for the 1894 World's F air, which later
expanded to its current 5-acre size. Visitors walk along windy pathways, stepping stones,
and bridges framed b y koi ponds, J apanese maples, cedars, cherr y tr ees, and bonsai.
Highlights include a 1790 bronze Buddha, a Shinto wooden pagoda, and a Zen Garden.
Young children find this small, intimate minipark particularly memorable, in part for the
steeply arched Drum Bridge—which doubles as an ex cellent climbing str ucture. You'll
need less than an hour to take it all in, but if y ou want to extend y our experience, visit
the teahouse for tea and snacks. J ust steer clear of the junky gift shop , lest you lose the
sense of serenity gained while strolling through these lovely grounds.
The garden entrance is to the left of the de Young Museum construction site.
&
415/752-4227.
Admis-
sion $5 adults, $3 seniors and children 6-12, $1.50 children 5-11, free children 4 and under; free entrance
Mon, Wed, Fri btw. 9-10am. Open 9am-4:45pm; summer 9am-6pm.
The Strybing Arboretum and B otanical Gardens
All ages.
With mor e than
6,000 species of w ell-tended plants, flowering trees, and theme gar dens, you'll find this
to be a splendid oasis. I t is exceptionally lovely in late winter when the rhododendr ons
blossom and wild iris poke up in corners, and there is no more peaceful a place when the
skies are drizzling. D ocents give free tours daily at 1:30pm and w eekends at 10:30am,
departing from the bookstore. Children can run at will on the vast lawn not far past the
entrance, and at the v ery end of the arbor etum there's a children's teaching garden with
vegetables, herbs, fruit, and sunflowers in season.
9th Ave. at Lincoln Way, left of the tour bus parking lot by the Music Concourse.
&
415/661-1316.
www.
sfbotanicalgarden.org. Free admission. Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm; Sat-Sun 10am-5pm.
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MUSEUMS FOR EVERYONE
Asian Art Museum
Ages 8 and up.
After 35 years in Golden Gate Park, the
Asian moved in 2003 to ne w quar ters near City H all. The museum o wns one of the
largest collections of Asian ar t in the Western world, co vering 6,000 y ears and encom-
passing cultur es thr oughout Asia. The textiles ar e amazing examples of design and
handiwork; the Chinese paintings are often more accessible than modern wor ks and are
achingly beautiful. M y kids w ere enthralled with the intricate I ndonesian puppets and
the model Japanese home. The building itself is another reason to visit: Gae Aulenti, the
Milanese architect who r enovated the d 'Orsay train station in P aris into the intriguing
Musée d 'Orsay, r enovated the interior of the 1917 B
eaux Ar ts former M ain Librar y,
creating 37,500 square feet of exhibition space.
The museum offers two “F amily Fest” events per y ear, with specific activities gear ed
toward families. Sundays at 1pm the museums stor ytellers entertain children with Asian
myths and folktales. Also on those first S aturdays, as well as every Sunday, the museum
hosts a storytelling time for kids at 1pm. The first Sunday of the month is “Target Sunday”
