A local guide made by BAND for GGB participants. BAND is the group communication app designed to make leaders' life easier. Check it out: http://bit.ly/troopbandapp

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PLACES TO VISIT IN
SAN FRANCISCO
GREAT FOR SHORT TRIPS WITH KIDS

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Welcome to San Francisco!
Looking for places to visit in SF? As Bay Area natives ourselves, the BAND Team organized a
short guidebook to introduce activities to do for your short trip.
This guide is made by BAND, the mobile communication app used by millions of groups.
We’ll be boothing at the Golden Gate Bridging event on 4/28. Stop by our booth to get
fun patches, goodie bags and take free Polaroid photos!
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Whether your troop is interested in history, art,
or just wants to go for a bike ride,
there’s something for everyone in SF!
Introduction to San Francisco
San Francisco is a cultural melting pot steeped
with history and personality, split into many
neighborhoods.
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Locations at a Glance
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● History
Alcatraz, Chinatown,
Coit Tower, Fort Point,
Maritime National Park
● Art
Color Factory,
de Young, Legion of
Honor, SFMOMA
● Science
Academy of Sciences,
Exploratorium
● Shopping
Chinatown, Ghirardelli
Square, Japan Town,
Pier 39, SOMA
● Outdoors
Golden Gate Park,
Presidio, Fisherman’s
Wharf
Activities at a Glance
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NEIGHBORHOODS
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Fisherman’s WharfBetween Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square, the Wharf
has a near-endless supply of fun things to do, see,
and eat. Here are some great activities:
Ghirardelli Square
● Home of the famous Ghirardelli Chocolate
Shop
Pier 39
● Bike Rentals - Blazing Saddles: $9 hour –
$36 per day
● Sea Lion Center
● Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant
● Aquarium of the Bay
Fisherman’s Wharf
● Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
● Musée Mécanique Arcade
● San Francisco Dungeon
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Golden Gate Park
A short (three mile) trek south from
the Presidio and Crissy Field, the
massive Golden Gate Park houses all
kinds of eye-catching flora and fauna.
There are tons of great attractions
throughout the park.
East side of the park
● Conservatory of Flowers
● Academy of Sciences
● de Young Museum
● Japanese Tea Garden
West side of the park
● Beach Chalet
● Bison Paddock
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Chinatown SF
As the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, San
Francisco’s Chinatown is an amazing place to explore
the unique history, culture, and cuisine of the
Chinese-Americans who settled in the city after the
Gold Rush.
Attractions: Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory,
Asian Art Museum, Dragon Gate
History: Chinese Historical Society, Portsmouth
Square
Culture: Tin How Temple, 41 Ross
Shopping: The Wok Shop, Canton Bazaar
Cuisine: R&G Lounge, Vital Tea Leaf, Ming Lee
Trading Inc, Golden Gate Bakery, Henry’s Hunan &
tons more!
Chinese
Historical
Society*
Adults: $15
Teens: $10
*Group rates available
sanfranciscochinatown.com
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Japantown SF
One of only 3 in the United States,
San Francisco’s Japantown shopping mall has
tons of food, festivities, and cultural
experiences.
Cuisine: Benihana, sushi, ramen & more
Entertainment: Theater, film, music, & art
Experience: Dance, martial arts, & hot springs
History: Japanese American National Library
Shopping: Tea shops, collectables, trinkets,
and much more!
*Onsite parking available.
sfjapantown.org
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HISTORICAL SITES
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Alcatraz Island
The Alcatraz Day* Tour is a chance to
see a legendary part of US history and
enjoy a beautiful view of the city at the
same time.
Round trip tours usually take around
2.5 hours. Ferry Departs from Pier 33.
Hours*
8:45am - 3:50pm
*Night tours available
Price*
Adults & Teens: $38
Kids (12&Under): $23.25
*Group rates available
alcatrazcruises.com
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Maritime National
Park & Fort Point
Located near Fisherman’s Wharf, the SF
Maritime National Historic Park offers a
glimpse at the history of the Pacific
Coastline, with historic ships, a museum,
and research center.
A few miles away, Fort Point is a Gold
Rush era coastal fortification situated
beneath the Golden Gate.
Price
Hyde Street Pier: $10
Fort Point: Free
nps.gov/fopo/index.htm nps.gov/safr/index.htm
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MUSEUMS &
ART GALLERIES
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Academy of Sciences
An aquarium, planetarium, natural history
museum, and more, the California Academy of
Sciences explores life on Earth and beyond.
See a four-story living rainforest filled with free-
flying butterflies and birds, and check out the
mysterious and wonderful wildlife in the
Aquarium’s coral reefs.
Hours: 9:30 -5pm Mon-Sat; 11am -5pm Sunday
Price*
Adults: $35.95
Teens: $30.95
Kids:$25.95
*Group rates available
calacademy.org
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De Young Museum & Legion of Honor
De Young: Permanent collections from the
Americas, Africa, and Oceania; featured
exhibitions for April include Fans of the
Eighteenth Century and Judy Dater: Only Human
Great panoramic view of the city in the Hamon
Observation Tower (no admission fee necessary)
Price (Includes both Museums)*
Kids (18 & Under): Free
Adults: $15
*Group rates available
Legion of Honor: Current exhibits include
Casanova: The Seduction of Europe, Paris 1913
deyoung.famsf.org
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Exploratorium
An interactive museum of experimentation
and investigation. Exhibitions are designed to
be hands on, so guests can play and learn at
the same time.
Price*
Adults: $29.95
Teens: $24.95
Kids (4-12): $19.95
*Group rates available
—Museum of Art, Science, and Perception
exploratorium.edu
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Gallery 1: Human Phenomena - Thoughts,
feelings, and social behavior
Gallery 2: Tinkering - Think with your hands
and explore creativity
Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening - Light, Vision,
Sound, & Hearing
Gallery 4: Living Systems - Life from DNA &
Cells to Organisms & Ecosystems
Gallery 5: Outdoors - Winds, Tides, and
Natural Phenomena
Exploratorium (continued)
exploratorium.edu
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SF Museum of Modern Art
A mix of permanent and visiting exhibitions,
contemporary art at SFMOMA is often shocking
and unconventional.
April’s temporary exhibits include ‘Sublime
Seas,’ ‘The Train,’ ‘Louise Bourgeois Spiders,’
‘Designed in California,’ and more.
Price*
Adults: $38
Kids (18 & Under): Free
*Group rates available
sfmoma.org
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Two-Story interactive exhibition of
color and materials, including an
exhibition of 10,000 colored
ribbons & a giant yellow ball pit.
Enjoy a spectrum of sweets and
treats from all over SF.
General Admission: $35
Hours: 10 am - 9:30 pm,
closed Wednesdays
Interactive Rainbows:
Color Factory & MOIC
colorfactory.co
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An interactive art gallery and ice cream
parlor tailor-made for the Instagram /
Snapchat generations of teens and
millennials.
Tickets ($38) are very limited, and may
not be available on weekends. Tickets
include ice-cream tastings.
Museum of Ice Cream
museumoficecream.com
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OTHER ACTIVITIES
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Take a Ride on the Trolley
● Three routes; two start at Powell & Market to
Fisherman’s Wharf, third starts at California & Market
and ends at Van Ness
● Unlimited passes can be purchased together with
museum passes
● Purchase directly from cable car director or ticket
booths on Powell/Market or Hyde & Beach
turnarounds
● Get familiar with safety guidelines
Price
All Routes (One-Way): $7
Price
All Routes (One-Way): $7
sftodo.com/sanfrancisco/cable-car-san-francisco
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Hiking & Climbing Trails
California Coast Trail: Hike or bike 9 miles from Lands End to
the Presidio. Starts at the Cliff House at Lands End (1090 Point
Lobos Avenue) and runs past the Golden Gate Bridge to the
Presidio. Includes several detours and entry points, including the
amazing Batteries to the Bluffs Trail, between Pershing Dr
and Kobbe Ave.
Filbert St Steps: A quirky part of San Francisco history, this
picturesque “street’ is entirely made of stairs! Located near
Telegraph Hill at the dead end of Filbert, the steps connect the
street to Battery in an area that was once determined to be too
difficult and steep to build on.
Lombard Street: Mostly known as a twisty drive, Lombard
Street also makes a great short hike, as you’ll have plenty of time
to take photos of drivers crawling down the beautiful twisty
street.
Twin Peaks Trail: Deeper inland, Twin Peaks offers amazing
360 degree views away from the hustle and bustle of the city
center.
sftodo.com/sanfrancisco/crooked-street-lombard
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Head Out of Town
To the north, Marin offers
the legendary Muir Woods
National Park, a beautiful
redwood forest along the
coast. Reservations are
required in advance.
There’s even more to see right outside of
the city. Here are some great spots right
across the bridge:
● Marin
• Muir Woods
• Sausalito
• Headlands
● East Bay
• Oakland Zoo: Teens/Adults:
$22, Kids $18
• Jack London Square (Food &
Shopping District)
• Downtown Berkeley & Lake
Merritt (Food & Shopping
Districts)
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Camping Spots
● Mount Tamalpais State Park:
Mill Valley (North, 30+ minutes*)
● Sky Camp:
Point Reyes (North, 1+ hour*)
● Camp Twin Canyon:
Lafayette (East, 1+ hour*)
● Big Basin Redwoods:
Santa Cruz (South, 1.5+ hours*)
● Mount Diablo State Park:
Mt. Diablo (East, 2+ hours*)
*Approx distance from Crissy Field
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Have Fun in SF!
BANDCheck out before you leave.
Plan, share, and connect with your group before and during the trip!