Finding fun and frustration in San Francisco

You’re not supposed to need a mental health day on a family vacation, are you? I took two. So did my 18-year-old son. In fact, my favourite part of a recent week-long family vacation to San Francisco was standing on the sixth floor balcony of our airport-area hotel, watching planes come in for landing and the bay waters splash ashore with a calming, steady rhythm day after night after day. O-o-o-m-m-m. Namaste.

Maybe it was thanks to the blisters I earned from walking up and down the steep, hilly San Francisco streets one long day, or maybe it was the flat tire (and added $200 fee) the first day we got our rental minivan: whatever the minor irritation, my hotel view (and free nightly wine and beer reception in the hotel lounge) helped make the trip pleasing overall – a combination of palm-treed resort and big city holiday, with a kid mutiny thrown in now and then for good measure.

This trip marked the first time our family of six had booked a flight and hotel package online through Expedia, and while decently-priced and with direct flights from Edmonton (highly desirable when travelling with kids, as every parent knows), the hotel’s beautiful but not-too-convenient location became a mixed blessing – tranquil, yes, but two hours getting in and out of the city to sightsee each day? Not my favourite, nor that of my four kids, ranging in ages from 12 to 20.

At the hotel, front desk clerk Sela provided shuttle times into the nearby shopping district and for the frequent and free airport shuttle, which enabled us to transfer to the efficient BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to get into the city’s downtown in under an hour. Even though our hotel averaged about $100 a night for a suite with a view, the time and daily transportation cost made it about as much as a pricier hotel in the heart of the city. It’s something to keep in mind when comparing package costs.

My whining aside, San Francisco is a beautiful city on the Pacific shores of Northern California, packing 800,000 residents into 48 square miles of historic wharves, hilly streets, cable cars and the largest Chinatown in North America.

There’s big city bliss if you want it, from all the major U.S. department stores in Union Square to the freshest fish and seafood from wharf-side shacks and chic waterside restaurants alike. Noshing a famous San Francisco sourdough bread bowl filled with creamy, local seafood chowder while watching the sea lions yelp and frolic in the salty bay – who could complain?

Yes, visiting Alcatraz “The Rock” (just a 15-minute boat ride a mile away from Fisherman’s Wharf) scored major points with the kids, who remained a bit disappointed at the lack of shanks and “escape weaponry” on display. They also loved the scenic coastal drive along the 17-mile highway, some 90 minutes south of San Francisco and home to the Pebble Beach golf course and stretches of gorgeous white sand and aggressive waves. Bare feet and soaked shorts were California heaven – we could call it a day as far as these teens and tweens were concerned.

It’s a carnival-like atmosphere at Pier 39 in the heavily-touristed Fisherman’s Wharf – there’s even a kiddie carousel ride at the end of the boardwalk, plus the requisite souvenir shops and chain restaurants. The whole of Fisherman’s Wharf – a few kilometres worth – is that way, with buskers and tour operators vying for your attention and cash, but it’s worth seeing at least once, if you’re not claustrophobic. And the smell of the salty ocean and fishing boats still survive amidst all the tourist schlock.

Maybe we had turned a corner – got on the same boat, as it were – but the day at Muir Woods, just north of San Francisco across the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, impressed us all with stands of 1,000-year-old Redwood trees, some 200 feet high and 14 feet across. Maybe that calming visit to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park helped, or was it the cool, foggy weather and heavenly scents of the park’s rose gardens? Maybe we just finally relaxed into our vacation and embraced the California vibe.

As many of us with young families know, kids like their time in the hotel pool about as much as sightseeing, and you don’t have to pay a few thousand dollars to find that. For the teens, shopping for trinkets in Chinatown was a highlight and, of course, the hotel pool and cooked-to-order hot buffet breakfast. We’re still talking about that breakfast buffet.

In hindsight, I’m not sure San Francisco is the best choice for a family holiday, especially with younger children. Challenging city walks aside, the San Francisco area is serious wine country, with iconic Napa Valley and Sonoma (considered premier wine regions in the world) beckoning with wine tastings and vineyard tours. Kid-friendly that ain’t.

Time and my blisters will heal. There’s always next year.