Archive for the Family Attractions category
November 29th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 29- December 23
Jersey Boys at the Curan Theater: Don’t miss this Broadway hit that chronicles the story of how blue-collar boys became one of the biggest pop music sensations. Playing at the Curan for a special holiday encore engagement, get your tickets here.
Friday, November 30-Sunday, December 2
50th Annual International Auto Show: Take a look at more than 800 vehicles in the bay area’s number one international auto show.
Friday, November 30
Neon Nights: Rock out to Soul, Funk, Electro this Friday at 222 Club’s 80’s night.
Weekends through December 23
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair: The Cow Palace is transformed into 90,000 square feet of the Charles Dickens’ London town complete with pubs, winding lanes of entertainment, dance parties, artisans, and familiar Dickens characters. Theatrical lighting, decorations, food, and actors representing characters from literature and history will have you stepping into a Victorian Christmas in this elaborate fair.
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November 27th, 2007 by jamie a

Photo uploaded by tukaintheusa
Attention chocoholics! From old-fashioned Ghirardelli to the modern Scharffen Berger, San Francisco can fulfill your wildest chocolate dreams.
Founded in 1852 by Italian immigrant Domingo Ghirardelli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company went on to become America’s longest continually operating chocolate manufacturer. Starting with the finest in carefully selected cocoa beans, they roast the beans in-house in order to ensure their signature flavor. To savor their luxurious intense dark chocolate or their smooth and creamy hot chocolate blends, visit their main location in Ghirardelli Square, which was declared a San Francisco landmark in 1965.
For the more modern palate, Scharffen Berger, another great chocolate establishment, was founded in 1996. Using only a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, an electric mixer, and a hair dryer, John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg made their first batch of chocolate. Specializing in the finest blends of dark chocolate, Scharffen Berger even offers free public tours of their amazing factory!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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November 26th, 2007 by jamie a

Photo uploaded by gwdexter
Start your holiday season off with a bang by enjoying the Embarcadero Center ice rink, which is now open for the season. From November 7 through January 15, you can don your skates and round the rink to your heart’s content.
While you’re at the Embarcadero Center, you can also visit over 100 shops and restaurants as well as the five-screen cinema, which shows the best in independent and foreign language films.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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November 20th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, November 22
Thanksgiving Day Buffet Cruise: If you’re visiting San Francisco over Thanksgiving there is no better, stress-free way to enjoy the holiday than on a sunset cruise around the bay. Board the famous s for a delicious spread of traditional Thanksgiving fixings in a picturesque setting.
Thursday, November 22
2007 Turkey Beach Trot: Get some exercise before indulging in a feast at the Ocean Beach Turkey Trot underneath the famous Cliff House.
Friday, November 23
Ghirardelli Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony: Enjoy live free entertainment all day before the culminating 35-foot Christmas tree lighting in the evening. For more lighting ceremonies, head over to Macy’s at Union Square for another festive display of charity and holiday decorations.
Saturday, November 24,
Gingerbread building: Take your kids to the to make their own gingerbread house creation.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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November 16th, 2007 by susan j

Photo up loaded by Josh.Ev9
With many of Broadway’s stagehands on strike, travelers are starting to look elsewhere to get their theater fix. Though the city is over 3,000 miles away from the Great White Way, San Francisco offers Broadway-caliber theater and enough variety for even the pickiest arts patron. Here’s a roundup of performances in the Bay Area this winter:
October 9-December 9
San Francisco’s Best of Broadway series presents The Color Purple, a musical based on the popular Alice Walker novel.
October 19-December 8
Actors Theatre of San Francisco brings Tennesssee Williams’ Camino Real to the stage.
November 8-December 2
Berkeley Playhouse journeys to Whoville with Seussical the Musical.
November 23-December 16
42nd Street Moon introduces audiences to Jerome Kern and P.G. Wodehouse’s little known musical Oh, Lady! Lady!!
December 5-23
American Conversatory Theater presents the classic holiday spectacle A Christmas Carol.
December 1-January 12
The San Francisco Playhouse takes a quirky look at Christmas with the Sna Francisco premiere of Christopher Durang’s Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge!
For more on theater in San Francisco and half-price tickets, check Theatre Bay Area’s website.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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November 15th, 2007 by amy c
Friday, November 16
Embarcadero Holiday Kick-off: The Embarcadero, shopping central and Winter Wonderland, begins its famous celebration of the holiday season this Friday. Complimentary appetizers and holiday cheer abounds in this famous celebration.
Saturday, November 17
3rd Annual Reindeer Romp: Real live reindeer return to the San Francisco Zoo to celebrate the holiday season.
Sunday, November 18
Free day at the museum: is offering a free day from 10- 5!
Sunday, November 18
Holiday Harmony: Enjoy Bay Area performances at Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pier 39 of traditions from Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa. The majestic Christmas tree will also be lit and adorned with hundreds of multi-cultural bows.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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October 26th, 2007 by amy c

Blue Heron on a Marin Headland hiking trail
photo uploaded by dbaron
Not only is the San Francisco area home to extraordinary natural beauty, but business owners have grown more environmentally friendly. Visitors and locals can choose from over 1,000 certified “Green Businesses,” which hold themselves to higher standards of environmental regulations.
By choosing restaurants, shops, and hotels that are considered a green, you can help make sure that the air stays fresh, the ocean clean, and the animal and plant life diverse…And what better way to exude San Francisco style than to match the Green craze sweeping the Bay Area?
Choosing Green Businesses can even enhance your vacation. Here are my picks for the restaurants, hotels, and attractions that don’t compromise taste, fun, comfort, or the environment:
- Elixir may be San Francisco’s oldest running saloon, but this award-winning watering hole’s thinking, innovation, and scene is anything but dated. The Victorian style saloon offers a dog friendly happy hour (your pup should probably stick with water) and transforms into a swanky cocktail lounge as the sun goes down, satiating your thirst for a look into history with saloon memorabilia on the walls and a trendy, but eco-friendly nightlife.
- Aquarium of the Bay will give you an inside look to the bay’s unique life and possibly new enthusiasm for staying Green to help preserve it.
- Bay City Bike Rentals: There is no better way to see all the sights, beat traffic, and assuage any possible guilt about your personal carbon emission than renting bikes to explore the city. Plus, you’ll get some major quad-burning exercise on those San Francisco hills.
- Marin Headlands Hostel: Affordable accommodations in a beautiful, convenient setting and environmentally conscious, you can stay in historical homes in the scenic rolling hills of the Marin Headlands, located just a ferry ride away from the city or a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Nearby attractions also include Muir Woods, numerous hiking trails, and the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
Whether you’re a visitor or local, check the Green Business Listings to choose from a variety of businesses in every service.
It is now easier than ever to be environmentally friendly when you travel with the Terrapass, which is an affordable way to balance your environmental impact of carbon emission when you fly or drive. Check back for hiking trails and more ways to enjoy nature in and around San Francisco!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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October 15th, 2007 by susan j
Each weekend in October, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom transforms itself into a Halloween-themed adventure area complete with haunted mazes, a coffin of fear, and a wheel of fright!
During the day, Six Flags will feature fun activities for the kids, including a Twick or Tweet Trail featuring Bugs Bunny and Friends, a Dracula Magic Show, and a daily costume parade. At night, the scare factor intensifies with a twilight funeral procession, Halloween-themed live shows, and more. Check out photos from Six Flags’ Fright Fest. For more information, click here.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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October 12th, 2007 by jamie a

photo uploaded by amyrod
It’s raining, it’s pouring—and you need a place to get away from it all. With this guide to rainy days in San Francisco, you’ll find plenty of ways to keep busy and stay dry!
Exploratorium: An art, science, and anthropological museum all in one, the Exploratorium is full of amazing hands-on experiences. It stimulates creative and scientific thinking as well as indulges the curiosity of both adults and children.
Cartoon Art Museum: The only museum in America dedicated to the art of the cartoon, this museum has been delving into the history of the art form since 1984. There are over 6,000 original pieces here, depicting the great talent and ingenuity of these serious artists.
Ferry Building Marketplace: From cheese, tiny cafes, tea, ice cream to the Scharffen Berger chocolate maker, the marketplace is a perfect place to while away a rainy day! Herb Caen, columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle said that “The waterfront without the Ferry Tower would be like a birthday cake without a candle.” A cherished landmark of the city, it has recently been restored to its original beauty and magnificence.
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory: Just ask yourself: how many times in your life will you be able to tour a fortune cookie factory? This is a favorite kitschy spot for locals and tourists alike. In the heart of Chinatown, you can see fortunes being printed and then carefully folded into the traditional cookie. Be sure to grab a bag of warm cookies to enjoy on your way out.
Lovejoy’s Tea Room: For a cozy retreat on a cloudy day, this tea room is perfect to share a pot of black, green, or herbal tea in many different varieties. Get acquainted with the art of British high tea while enjoying tiny cucumber sandwiches and warm scones with Devon cream. If you fall in love with your teacup, you can even make an offer to buy it since all of the tea accessories are for sale.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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October 11th, 2007 by amy c
Thursday, October 11- Sunday, October 14:
9th Annual Oktoberfest-by-the-bay: Enjoy the largest festival of its kind in California at the Festival Pavillion, Fort Mason, and Buchanon Streets. All day activities, performances, food, and drink as Germanic culture invades the city-by-the-bay.
Monday, October 8- Saturday, October 13:
8th Annual Litquake: Don’t miss the last weekend to experience a one-of-a-kind showcase of hundreds of authors, many of which come from the bay area. Celebrate the bay area’s literary past as well as its present and future with talented writers of a variety of genres. Check the website for specific events and readings to take place at various locations around the city.
Saturday, October 13- Sunday, October 14:
37th Annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival:Autumn and Halloween spirit will be brewing in this charming seaside town, known as the “World Pumpkin Capitol,” this weekend as thousands of pumpkins decorate the rolling hills, pumpkin carving demonstrations take jack-o-lanterns to whole new fright heights, and non-stop live entertainment takes to 3 different stages.
Saturday, October 13- Sunday, October 14:
32nd Annual San Francisco Open Studios: An event no art-enthusiast should miss! Artspan, located at 934 Brannon Street, invites the public to watch local artist work every weekend from October 6- October 28.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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