Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
Side Trips from
San Francisco
San Francisco offers so much t o
see and do that visiting families could eas-
ily spend sev eral days within city limits.
But the fact r emains that San Francisco is
nestled in one of the most scenic corners
of the world—with stunning natural
beauty, world-class vineyar ds, and lo vely
national par ks just a stone 's thr ow away.
Add to that its pr oximity to the East B ay
cities of B erkeley and O akland, both rich
in family-friendly attractions, and y ou
have a good excuse to hop on the BART or
rent a car to explore further afield.
The big decision may be which way to
go. B erkeley is so easily accessible b y
BART, there is almost no reason not to go,
but some other East B ay attractions ar e
more easily reached by car. If it's the great
outdoors y ou seek, look no fur ther than
the P oint R eyes N ational S eashore—cer-
tain to be a highlight of y our trip to the
Bay Ar ea. O r, like many S an F rancisco
visitors, y ou may hav e y our hear t set on
visiting the wine countr y. While this may
not be an intrinsically child-center ed out-
ing, ev en in N apa Valley y ou can find
activities that will appeal to y oungsters.
1
BERKELEY
In 25 minutes, the BART will take you from Market Street to downtown Berkeley. When
you emerge, you'll be in a different world. Berkeley is warmer, sunnier, and more wooded
than San Francisco. Its Bohemian character is also palpable. Berkeley's spirit of idealism,
in full swing when the U niversity of California Berkeley was a focal point of 1960s stu-
dent pr otests, persists today , ev en as the city takes in mor e families fleeing r eal estate
prices in San Francisco. On the university campus and in Tilden Park, you'll find some
terrific activities for kids. Teens will enjoy strolling down Telegraph Avenue and may even
be inspired by a campus tour to start thinking about college. For the whole family, Berke-
ley is also a delightful place to eat and shop .
EXPLORING BERKELEY
Adventure Park and Playground
Ages 4 and up.
A fenced outdoor wor kshop/
playground, this unusual park is heaven for any child whose idea of a good time involves
a hammer, some nails, and a pile of wood. I t's located at the B erkeley Marina, which
offers several great options for a day outdoors, including Cesar Chav ez Park, where you
can picnic or fly kites, and the Shorebird Park Nature Center (see below). At the Adven-
ture Park, with the help of students from UC Berkeley, kids are encouraged to create and
build whatever they want, sawing and painting as they see fit. They can climb on towers
and ships and play in shacks and other str uctures designed and assembled b y fello w
builders. They can also zip do wn a cable with the help of a pulley slide and play on a
jungle gym made out of automobile tires. The playground is designed for kids 7 and up,
