Notes: San Francisco

Last month, we went to San Francisco. We've never travelled as much as we have in recent weeks, but, man, has it been amazing. There are so many road trips I want to do. (I still fantasize about taking the kids out of school for a year, renting our house out and driving across country in a giant Winnebago, but that's for another time... although we have gone so far as to put a budget together, if/when we decide to go for it. I'm 100% on board. Just have to convince my team, is all. And figure out how to make $$$ on the road.)

The kids are finally getting to an age where we can drive places and get to said places relatively unscathed. And I say that in retrospect. It is far easier to write about the awesomeness that is traveling with kids... four weeks later. Not that it wasn't AWESOME. It was just... also very difficult. I have aversions to crowds and Bo and Revi aren't fully potty trained and Fable's feet always hurt and Archer is annoyed by how slow everyone is and Hal does NOT appreciate noise when he's driving, which, I mean... hello. I mean, dude.... 

Anyway, after our New Years drive up the coast, we landed in San Francisco where we spent three full days exploring the city with our crew and friends/hostessess with the mostessess, Maggie, Brad, Hank and Baby-to-Be-in-Maggie's belly... (Thank you, guys, for everything.)

Maggie and I met in 2008 via Momversation and our kids have formed a friendship over the years, as kindred as any I've ever seen, and, well, my heart explodes when they're together, sporadic as it is. They're good dudes, these two. I like them very much. Also, they were just babies two seconds ago. And now they are... not... babies.

Anyway, here are some belated photos + notes from our time in SF. We had a time... 

Day One: The Presidio & Downtown

It was freezing that day and poor Revi was in tears half the time. (Luckily Maggie brought bubbles to distract... and they worked. For ten minutes, anyway.)

I kept Revi in the carrier wrapped up in my coat for the half day we spent there as the other kids ran around. Bo, on the other hand, REFUSED to wear a sweater because, "It's not cold here at all, actually."

So, yeah. One child screamed because IT IS SO COLD I HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL while another claimed "It was hot, actually. I don't need a sweater, Mom..."

After lunch (thanks for the balloons, Mel's) we split up and explored Downtown, rode a Merry-go-Round and ran around a park in the shadows of giants.  It was lovely. Walking around unfamiliar cities always is, I think. 

***

Day Two: California Academy of Sciences

My cousin, Erica, met us there with her oldest daughter, Jade, and we had a lovely time. Science Museums are our jam. So are open-air auditoriums where coffee is served outside and we can sit and watch people and the kids run around...

***
***

Day Three: China Town/Cable Car/Cable Car Museum

We were supposed to leave in the morning but decided to stay the day and drive home late that night, which was THE BEST IDEA ever because China Town was amazing. So was riding a cable car with the crew. So was hanging out at The Cable Car Museum which is free, FYI. Twas the perfect day. 

Hi, guys! We are tourists!

The highlight of our time was seeing the Fortune Cookie Factory (which is located in the alley pictured above) and watching fortune cookies get made. We bought 78789 bags of them and are STILL consuming them all these weeks later... (Next time, we'll make our own fortunes at home and bring them to the factory to make our own... which you can totally do there, isn't that the best?)

We drove home late Sunday night, pulled over punch-drunk to get food around 10, listened to Serial while the kids slept, chewed gum to stay awake. We talked about the trip, where we're going, where we've been. We held hands, had to pee but didn't stop, kept driving. Around 2am, we arrived home, where we took turns carrying sleeping children to their beds before collapsing in a heap of high fives.

Until next time, San Francisco...

...Until next time. 

What about you guys? What are your favorite things to do in San Francisco as a family? What should we add to our list to check out next time? Thanks in advance!

GGC