<p>Ok! I got 4 tickets for $1104 ($276pp). Mom60, we know nothing so I am totally open. I emailed the link to that BestWestern to DH. The AAA rate is 110 - that would be perfect!</p>
<p>I signed up for LivingSocial in SF today so maybe I’ll get something fun in the next few weeks.</p>
<p>Thanks again to all of you! I’ve been working 12 hour days, coming home and logging back in to work some more for a product deadline in 3 weeks, so this will be something to look forward to!!</p>
<p>GladGradDad, I didn’t see your post until after I booked. SJC is about the same price, but Oakland had the nonstops so it worked out ok. Thanks for all your wonderful tips!</p>
<p>AllThis…Just note that if you stay in Marin, taking a ferry into SF can be spendy, too. At 7/1, the one way fares go up to Adults $9; teens $4.50. [Golden</a> Gate Transportation District](<a href=“http://www.goldengate.org%5DGolden”>http://www.goldengate.org) for the schedules, fares. That’s $54 round trip…if you just do once. </p>
<p>Personally, I feel for your short visit, staying in Marin the whole time would eat up a lot of transit time. Possibly spend 2 nights in City, doing your sight-seeing by foot/public transit, and then maybe renting a car for last day/night to do Marin adventures?</p>
<p>Giants game!!! Go Matt!!! Had to get a plug in for my boys!!</p>
<p>Go to Chrissy field, find the presiidio promedade near the warming hut and walk to the golden gate bridge from there. The views are amazing. Parking is easy and the hike is easy. There is also a tour of Alfred Hitchcock movie locations. </p>
<p>Duck boat tour. Mission district. Castro. City hall is spectacular. Grace cathedral and nob hill. Go inside the fairmont at union square. Ferry building. Lands end above sutro baths at ocean beach. Golden gate park tea garden. Presidio. Waltz Disney museum. Rent a bike on a sunday and ride around golden gate park. </p>
<p>I live in San Francisco, so I know it well.</p>
<p>If you are in town and can’t get tickets to a giants game, check out ballpark anyway. </p>
<p>I would look for deals on sail boat rides. There are yatch clubs who periodically have free sailboat rides on the bay. Angel island and treasure island are very different but awesome. </p>
<p>What sports are they into? You can kayak in mar in or on the bay. </p>
<p>Not sure when trip is but I would sign on up for group on, yelp, and other coupon deal sites. </p>
<p>Check out sfgate.com for events the weekend you are here. There are many free fairs like the north beach fair this coming weekend. </p>
<p>If here on a friday, do off the grid at fort mason for dinner…food cart heaven with free music. During the summer there are also free outdoor movie nights in different parks, free music and such in union square weekdays at lu ch or early evening, but you. Eed to check, Wednesday’s I think.</p>
<p>What week are you coming?</p>
<p>Seahorserock - Aug 16-22.</p>
<p>Allthis…check out Living Social today for SF…
<a href=“http://sz0141.ev.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/mail?app=mail#4[/url]”>http://sz0141.ev.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/mail?app=mail#4</a></p>
<p>Bay cruise, and wax museum and science museum deal…</p>
<p>gosmom - thanks!!!</p>
<p>We stayed at the Holiday Inn near Fisherman’s Wharf. Great location for catching city transportation, about a block from the Cable Cars, the wharf and the electric trains. Loved it.</p>
<p>Mom2M, We’re staying at the HolidayInn Express which is supposedly very near the HolidayInn. Thankfully, DH has some “points” that will cover 2 nights there and then we’re moving on to Half-Moon Bay and then Monterey. I’m excited, but I’m hearing such bad things about the weather there (foggy/wet/dreary) in August I’m a little worried about that.</p>
<p>AllThis-
Join Goldstar- discounted prices for
Speedboat tour of SF bay sounds great for restless 12 year olds.
The guided walking tour a possibility.
Giants tix also discounted.
Kayaking in the bay affordable.</p>
<p>Do you know anyone who works at Google, Facebook. Yahoo, Apple?
They can give the boys a tour of their work campus/cafeteria for lunch.
IMHO-
You need more time in SF and skip HMB-boring.</p>
<p>Our weather in the summer is very flukey. We tend to have a three or four nice days followed by several foggy days. What happens is that the central valley gets hot and sucks the fog in, blanketing the city. Then when the valley cools off, the fog moves out and we get sunshine. So let us hope you hit the pattern just right. Also, even on foggy days, it often starts off gray in the morning and then the sun comes out for the afternoon. Lastly, it can be sunny just a few blocks away so if you don’t like the weather, head for another part of the city.</p>
<p>Did anyone here mention the silly little cars you can rent to drive around the city? Two of my daughters did it and thought it was hilarious. I think this is the company:
[GoCar</a> - The Cure for the Common Tour. Exciting sightseeing activities in San Francisco, San Diego and Miami!](<a href=“http://www.gocartours.com/]GoCar”>http://www.gocartours.com/)</p>
<p>AllthisIs NewToMe- if you have had a hot summer, the fog and cooler temperatures will feel great! August is normally better than June of July for fog. Just dress for the weather (shorts are normally unecessary) and have a jacket, hoodie or sweater.</p>
<p>
I’ve seen those driving around - it looked like it’d be fun.</p>
<p>Sorry if I’m repeating anything, I honestly didn’t read every post on here…</p>
<p>Go to a Giants game! And I say this as an A’s fan… They are in town from the 10th-15th, so hopefully you overlap… If you do feel like going to an A’s game to see your future AL West competition, take Bart (our subway system, it will save you during rush hour traffic and goes straight to the A’s coliseum), they are in town from the 17th - 22nd. </p>
<p>Fisherman’s Wharf (I’m sure someone mentioned it) is a must, get clam chowder in a breadbowl, it will warm you to the core, and you’ll need it in our wonderfully foggy and cold weather. Also go to Ghirardelli Square, it’s really nice but pretty pricey.</p>
<p>The Cable car can have great views and the line moves a lot faster than you think. You can take it from right outside Forever 21 on Powell (right near Union Square) straight to Fisherman’s Wharf.</p>
<p>Lombard Street! It’s not THAT amazing but it’s cool and people talk about it all the time. When I was younger, my dad would tell me that all the flowers the planted in the street were to cover the graves of everyone who died coming down Lombard when it was straight and you could fly downhill (I don’t even know if it ever was straight but it definitely scared us when we drove down other steep SF roads). </p>
<p>There are bay tours, which I’ve never been on but have heard nice things. It gets even colder on the water though so be prepared.</p>
<p>Chinatown isn’t a must but it’s pretty cool.</p>
<p>Walking the Golden Gate Bridge is pretty cool. </p>
<p>I liked the Exploratorium, very cool museum. There is also a Ripley’s Believe it or Not but that’s also not a must, just cool if you have some free time (and it’s not the only one so it’s not like here is the only place to go). </p>
<p>Food in San Francisco is amazing, I just can’t really recommend good restaurants since I’m a broke college student and haven’t been able to try the good ones… But there are plenty of Michelin star restaurants in the city, just look online. </p>
<p>If you feel like venturing out of the city itself, Monterey (and Carmel) are amazing! The Aquarium is fantastic! They also have a John Steinbeck museum as he lived around there and it’s great for a book lover! There isn’t much to do in Oakland… Although Tribune Tower is pretty cool. Oh, and people come from all over to Fenton’s Creamery on Piedmont ave in Oakland. It’s even in the last scene of the movie Up (the ice cream store they eat at). I would recommending splitting something, the ice cream portions are massive! Telegraph is great, go there for a Berkeley feel. And if you feel like it, walk around Cal’s campus, it’s gorgeous. </p>
<p>Pixar is in downtown Emeryville, they have tours and if they like film at all (or just enjoyed Cars, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Up, etc), it might be worth it to go.</p>
<p>Bookmarked! Nice thread. Search for same idea in years prior.</p>
<p>For cheap eats check out chowhound and think ethnic. Do a cheap eats search.</p>
<p>Dont be afraid/intmidated by public trans. Its nice.</p>
<p>Layers! This is a heads up about the microclimates in the bay area.</p>
<p>Not sure if I missed this in earlier posts, but has anyone mentioned the free walking tours of San Francisco offered through City Guides? See: [San</a> Francisco Walking Tours | City Guides](<a href=“http://www.sfcityguides.org/]San”>http://www.sfcityguides.org/).</p>
<p>What dates are you traveling? </p>
<p>MUSIC!! If you / your kids are into live music, there’s always great shows going on! Like you, I have two teenagers and they love music festivals (we drive to CA for Coachella, FYF Fest, etc…) There’s an annual music fest in Golden Gate Park called Outside Lands - [Outside</a> Lands - 2012 : Music - Food - Wine - Beer - Art](<a href=“http://sfoutsidelands.com%5DOutside”>http://sfoutsidelands.com). Looks like a great lineup this year. </p>
<p>Otherwise, in the evening, you can catch all-ages shows at Great American Music Hall, the Fillmore, Slim’s, Warfield, etc. My boys are music junkies so we ALWAYS visit Amoeba Records (Haight-Ashbury) and they get to shop :)</p>
<p>Agree with Shrinkrap… it’s all about layers. We lived in Cupertino and dressing for SF is all about layers, layers, layers! Brrrrrrrr.</p>
<p>This is a little out of the way, and I haven’t been there in a very, very long time, but you mentioned glass and I thought you might like Sausalito. Perhaps someone else can comment further?</p>
<p>Puzzled88 that GoCar tour looks like a blast. Did you daughters drive it down Lombard Street?</p>