Visiting SF late Dec or early Jan?

Would the Christmas holiday time be a good time to visit SF? I am trying to decide an somewhere to go during the holiday break from school with my husband and two kids (8,11). If not we will be going next summer. Which is a better time of year?

We would want to see all the sights in SF, go to see the redwood forests, visit some wineries, and hopefully visit a theme park, maybe Paramount%26#39;s Great America (I hope thats the name.)

Any suggestions?

Visiting SF late Dec or early Jan?

«Would the Christmas holiday time be a good time to visit SF?»

Yes, especially if you like Chinese cuisine.

«We would want to see all the sights in SF»

The ';Don%26#39;t-miss SIGHTS in San Francisco'; page geocities.com/touringsfo/Articles/Sights.html has enough to keep you busy for nine 12.7-hour days. It includes links to your best sources of advice on WHERE TO EAT and, according to the Department of Health, WHERE TO NOT EAT here, the UseNet Group ba.food, and the quite-good sfSurvey and the comprehensive Yelp. It also has a WEATHER CHART with a link to current conditions.

The FLAG/MAPS page geocities.com/touringsfo/…FlagMaps.html has links to the best on-line MAP of San Francisco, the outstanding WALKER/BICYCLIST map that shows the steepness of our streets. The new version of the formerly superb map created for the San Francisco Municipal Railway has removed many streets%26#39; names making it less useful. It%26#39;s cluttered with our many bus, cable car, street car, and bus routes. There is also a map of our CABLE CAR ROUTES, our 49-mile SCENIC DRIVE, and a superb map of GOLDEN GATE PARK.

The frequently-updated SPECIAL EVENTS page has irregularly-scheduled music and dances as well as links to seven calendars of regularly-scheduled dances, a composite of five of them, and one of dance cruises and events around the world: http://geocities.com/dancefest/Specials.html The MUSIC section at the bottom of the page focuses on the best of jazz.

«If not we will be going next summer. Which is a»

There is no such thing as a «better time of year» to visit us.

«Great America»

Might be open only on week-ends, if at all. I, a life-long %26#39;coaster freak, prefer Marine World not significantly farther away.

«redwood forests»

It might be raining in nearby Muir Woods.

Visiting SF late Dec or early Jan?

Christmas is a lovely time of year in the city. Outside of the city, if you%26#39;re the type who doesn%26#39;t mind rain, then go ahead. It can be rainy this time of year. It can also be quite nice but...

The cold rain may put a damper on the outdoors part of the travel. A couple of Christmases ago, we planned a trip up to Sonoma County, right after the holiday. It rained every day, which was not fun. If you live in Seattle, maybe you%26#39;re more used to it. We weren%26#39;t crazy about tromping around in the woods or even driving around on country roads to go wine tasting in the rain.

Anytime is a great time to see San Francisco, but Fall is the best weather. Are you aware of San Francisco%26#39;s unique climate? It%26#39;s possible in any season to have your wig blown off, walk around all day with goose bumps, get soaked with fog, and get back to your hotel feeling like a frozen stump. And I%26#39;m talking about July, too! There are many lovely, sunny days - but you can%26#39;t count on when, is what I%26#39;m saying. If there%26#39;s any rain in the summer, it%26#39;s just once %26amp; for about 20 minutes.

Christmastime can be wet...or not. Add a screaming wind off the Pacific %26amp; you will be cold to the bone. Could be warm(ish) %26amp; sunny. Getting the picture? Bring layers to wear, because in summer our mini-climates are especially active: hot in the Mission, freezing at Ocean beach. Don%26#39;t bother with a swimsuit.

The Redwoods are best in summer, although I%26#39;ve been way up north in ';the tall trees'; (the oldest, tallest ones) in winter. It%26#39;s gorgeous in the rain if you%26#39;re well covered, and there are no crowds tromping on the ferns.

Now, wineries. Winetasting is really fun in the winter. Doesn%26#39;t matter if it%26#39;s raining, the tasting room is warm and cozy. Again, you get more elbow room with most tourists staying home in the winter. In late summer and fall, wine country is bumper-to-bumper.

I saved theme parks for last, because I don%26#39;t know one thing about them - just that there are some around. Whatever you do and whenever you come, pack a few warm things and have fun!

Great America, unlike Disneyland, is not open at Christmas. They close after Halloween, and don%26#39;t reopen until around Easter.

Auntie

I%26#39;m going to keep this short - with your kids age DO GO TO THE EXPLORITORIUM.

That%26#39;s it - don%26#39;t miss it

huntlawoffice enthused «GO TO THE EXPLORITORIUM.»

If you accept that excellent advice, emarismom, plan nothing else for the day, and get there when the doors open. Although getting in is as easy as any other places that has a cover charge, getting out of the Exploratorium is extremely difficult.

A week or few ago was Members%26#39; Night. We were there, for the manyth time, for three hours. There were very few people there. We still didn%26#39;t get to see or do much.