<p>I think I’ll let the boys do a 4-hour surfing class in Monterey instead of GoCars. About the same money and it seems safer :-).</p>
<p>Deborah, Thanks! I’ll google for more info! </p>
<p>I told the boys they need to take jeans! Even in our coldest winters they often wear shorts here. Of course, our winters aren’t much colder than SF summers. It’s a good thing SouthWest doesn’t charge extra for luggage - I won’t be packing light!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all the help!</p>
<p>The sf giants ballpark is an amazing place. It is a little jewel box, and right in town, close to the Embarcadero. I promise you, your guys will love seeing a game there!</p>
<p>Another thing to do in Monterey is to rent kayaks and paddle around looking for the sea otters.</p>
<p>Another San Franciscan here…
About the cold - it is cold - the most important thing is to be prepared, and just don’t expect it to be hot (that’s extremely rare in summer). The past few days its been 50s and wet and windy where I am. So its good to bring jeans, but you also have to bring a warm jacket if you want to be comfortable (especially if you go to a ballgame). Think winter in Houston… We see so many miserable tourists who just didn’t believe it would really be cold.</p>
<p>I second the many good suggestions, but I’d also mention a new bike rental service that allows you to rent a bike in one park and return it in another. I would think it would be great for teenage boys. People can bike across the Golden Gate bridge, take the ferry back to San Francisco, and return the bike at the ferry station. Pretty cool.</p>
<p>And you can see portions of a game at AT&T from outside the park without buying tickets. That could be a good option if you don’t want to watch a whole game or spend the money. The neighborhood is a great walking neighborhood on the water.</p>
<p>Oh, and not sure if its been mentioned, but if you’re a frugal (and political) traveler check out the Mime Troupe - a real San Francisco tradition, and its free. It’s not mime, its political satire, and they perform in parks during the summer. There are a couple of performances when you’re here. </p>
<p>[2012</a> Schedule - San Francisco Mime Troupe - America’s Theater of Political Comedy](<a href=“http://www.sfmt.org/schedule/]2012”>http://www.sfmt.org/schedule/) </p>
<p>Not everyone’s cup of tea, but its usually fun.</p>
<p>“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” - Mark Twain. </p>
<p>And if it looks like a nice day, don’t expect it to stay nice. It won’t be nice once that fog sets in… And anywhere along the coast is really windy (beaches included!).</p>
<p>vballmom - my girls did drive down Lombard in their little car and around Chinatown and I think maybe Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. It has a GPS gadget in it that gives directions for a set tour. My girls are locals but they got a big kick out of it. One gave it to the other for Christmas. Another year one bought the other two indoor skydiving out in the east bay somewhere. That was also good fun. Apparently they like activities that involve helmets and goggles.</p>
<p>I have to add that it is ridiculously cold here right now but after a pea-souper of a morning, it is sunny in the afternoon. If the weather report looks horrible right before you come, perhaps you’ll luck out and get some of the warm days.</p>
<p>I’ve gone with 2 teenage boys. Great suggestions already on this site…not much to add…but definitely get that drop off at the de Young. Dale Chihuly glass in the Contemporary Craft collection. Whole family might enjoy the magnificent views from the Museum’s observation tower.</p>
<p>Don’t know if you want to stay overnight outside of San Fran…but…a few years ago, a CC poster suggested staying at one of the lighthouse hostels along the coast. The trip down was spectacular (although I understand that some of the most “spectacular” part of the trip has been changed into a bike trail, and cars go through a tunnel.) And the lighthouse experience was very nice (room was VERY simple…as you’d expect in a hostel…)</p>
<p>[Pigeon</a> Point Lighthouse Hostel - Welcome to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel](<a href=“Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA”>Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA)</p>
<p>[Point</a> Montara Lighthouse Hostel - Welcome to the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel](<a href=“Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA”>Find a Hostel Near You | Backpacker & Youth Hostels Nearby | HI USA)</p>
<p>They will be long gone when you get here, but I have to give a shout out to my ladies!..</p>
<p>[Thousands</a> of AKA Members Headed to Bay Area to ‘Meet and to Serve’](<a href=“http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/us/item/6057-thousands-of-aka-members-headed-to-bay-area-to-meet-and-to-serve]Thousands”>http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/us/item/6057-thousands-of-aka-members-headed-to-bay-area-to-meet-and-to-serve)</p>