Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
203
Walk back to Greenwich Street. Walk east 2
1
/
2
blocks.
A half-block past Grant Avenue are the Greenwich
Steps, which lead to:
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Pioneer Park & Coit Tower
Listen for the wild parr ots carr ying on.
Then get y our camera r eady to photo-
graph both the bir ds and the stellar vie w
from Coit Tower, a 210-foot landmar k
that boasts some of the gr eatest vie ws in
the city.
On either side of Pioneer Park are more stairs; the
wooden ones on the south side are the:
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Filbert Steps
Take the stairs do wn the hill, stopping to
exclaim o ver the G race M archant gar den
and the Victorian cottages, some of the
oldest homes in the city . As y ou'll notice,
no cars can come this way . . . imagine
taking groceries home!
The steps will bring you to:
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Levi Strauss Plaza
Here are the headquar ters of Levi S trauss
& Co., which was founded in S an Fran-
cisco. Legend has it that during the gold
rush, Levi Strauss had the idea of making
trousers out of tent fabric, and he stength-
ened the pockets with riv ets so that they
could withstand the wor k of mining and
the weight of gold. H istory is also found
under the plaza, belo w which lie some of
the hundreds of ships abandoned by crews
eager to head for the hills during the
height of the gold r ush. The kids can
reward themselves for their walking efforts
with a fr olic in the plaza 's walk-thr ough
fountain; they won't get w et unless it's on
purpose.
WALKING TOUR 5
THE MARINA
Start:
Palace of Fine Arts.
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Finish: F
ort Mason.
Time:
At least 3 hours, depending how long you stay at the Exploratorium.
Best Time:
Mornings.
Worst Time:
Evenings.
This walk takes y ou through one of the mor e scenic r esidential neighborhoods of S an
Francisco. Plan on spending all morning her e, or longer, if you want more time for the
Exploratorium.
Starting from Union Square, take the no. 30-Stockton
bus to The Marina. Exit at the corner of Broderick and
Jefferson streets. Walk 1 block east to Baker Street
and continue across the lawn. On your left you'll
see the:
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Exploratorium
A terrific institution dedicated to interac-
tive education, this science museum will
delight kids of all ages and their par ents.
Plan to spend at least an hour her e.
Adjacent to the Exploratorium is:
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The Palace of Fine Arts
This is the only str ucture left fr om the
Panama-Pacific E xhibition of 1915. Kids
can enjo y r unning ar ound the lo vely
grounds of this neoclassical dome and gaz-
ing at the ducks, swans, geese, and seagulls
in the pond.
From here walk up Baker Street toward the water.
Cross Marina Boulevard and go straight ahead to the
Marina breakwater. Walk to the end of the breakwa-
ter, where you'll find the:
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Wave Organ
Designed by scientists from the Explorato-
rium, this unusual structure is an amazing
piece of environmental art. Listening tubes
emerge from the water below the concrete
and rock structure, capturing the ebb and
