San Francisco

In the past, family trips were not something I looked forward to. I never understood how couples could enjoy taking their kids on trips with them. Not only did I feel that the airfare and extra costs that the kids incurred were a waste of money, but the trip became a chore for the adults. Our trip to Hawaii a few years ago was a prime example. On that trip, we decided that the kids were no longer welcome on vacations that were longer than a 3 day weekend.

This past weekend, we combined a wedding with a family trip to San Francisco. We packed as much into 48 hours as we possibly could. We left early in the morning Friday and drove to Six Flags, where we spent the entire day and rode on everything from roller coasters to elephants. Then we drove down to SF and settled into our hotel. We ate dinner, worked out and went to bed. The next morning we walked along the marina, all the way to the Palace of Fine Arts and the Exploratorium museum, where we spent a couple of hours checking out all the hands on science displays. Then we got some lunch, made our way down to Pier 39, got back to our car and made our way to Modesto. After a record timing wardrobe, hair and makeup change, we got to the wedding just in time for family pictures. We made the 3.5 hour drive home that night in peace; the kids were sleeping and there was no traffic.

Although we were exhausted, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The kids were relatively well behaved and I feel that, at least Megan and Jacob, were able to get something out of the experience. They came home knowing that SF is known for their earthquakes, the Golden Gate Bridge, and their hilly roads. And no, I didnt tell them what SF is really known for....