Prepared for some household enjoyable within the SF Bay Space? We’ve compiled a helpful Spring Information for some family-friendly actions for an extended weekend escape from different American cities within the West or every week or extra for those who’re coming from elsewhere.
Six Flags Discovery Park
We opted to strive the Six Flags Discovery Park within the East Bay because it not solely included thrill rides and loads of enjoyable rollercoasters, however a possibility to hold with animals as effectively. Jake loves rollercoasters, so we at all times begin with the most effective ones within the park. BATMAN for instance, is a 4D Free Fly Coaster that thrusts you into a completely immersive, high-speed Gotham Metropolis journey. Riders flip head-over-heels at the least six instances alongside a weightless, tumbling journey with sudden drops and vertical free-falls.
The Medusa Coaster is equally thrilling. Named with Medusa in thoughts, this experience provides seven relentless inversions that loop like snakes and are manufactured from metal. At 3,937 ft, Medusa is the longest and highest coaster in Northern California and boasts a 150-foot drop. There’s additionally two corkscrew loops earlier than a hellacious helix that winds into an s-shaped flip. Kong is one other standard coaster experience within the park as is one they consult with as Boomerang Coast-to-Coaster. This experience makes use of 935 ft of observe and travels at almost 50 miles per hour with three mind-ripping loops alongside the way in which, together with a 120-foot vertical loop. You may say that this one is for the warrior inside every of us.
Probably the most excessive pendulum experience within the park goes to WONDER WOMAN, the Lasso of Fact, as a result of she embodies justice, equality and peace. She can also be the image of feminine empowerment, as she seeks to battle evil at each flip.
Fauna, flowers and stress-free fountains will be discovered within the park as effectively.
Then there’s SUPERMAN, which is a rollercoaster experience with pink and gold tracks. You’ll launch out of the station from a standstill by a warping tunnel to a whopping 62 miles per hour in solely a few seconds. On the way in which across the coaster, you have got a wide-open view of the world because it blurs previous you – it’s a thriller.
For one thing a little bit completely different, strive the thrilling Sky Screamer experience and let’s not overlook THE JOKER, a enjoyable, hybrid rollercoaster. Because the second DC-themed attraction on the park after SUPERMAN Final Flight, THE JOKER’s villainous character comes by within the coaster’s chaotic twists and turns, together with the world’s first ever step-up underneath flip and the one breaking wave activate the West Coast.
If quick, livid and winding issues aren’t for you, there are different actions to take pleasure in, equivalent to Rock Wall Climbing, Safari Jeep Excursions, the Seaport Carousel, which is nice in case you have youthful youngsters in tow, and loads of animal experiences. You possibly can take the Wildlife Journey Tour, discover the Wolf’s Den, the Lion’s Lair, Alligators, Cheetah Creek, Giraffes, Dolphin Discovery, a present with Sea Lion’s and go to designated sections the place you possibly can observe otters, penguins, seals and stingrays (known as Stingray Bay). It’s also possible to stroll by the reptiles part and the Shark Tunnel, the place you possibly can observe them swimming round by glass.
We had a good time and would encourage you to go to on a non-holiday weekend and get the quick cross to keep away from the lengthy traces. Go to their web site for extra info, tips on how to seize tickets and to find out about their sister parks.
Bowling @ AMF Petaluma Lanes
In northern Marin, there’s an enormous bowling alley known as AMF Petaluma Lanes in Petaluma. They’ve 40 lanes with full wheelchair accessibility. Past the lanes, there’s a full arcade, billiards tables, and a sports activities bar. Whether or not you’re within the temper to bowl for no purpose in any respect, are wanting to get the children shifting and away from their screens, or need to rent non-public occasion areas, it’s an important spot.
Fact be informed, we hadn’t bowled shortly so most of our scores had been someplace within the nineties, though I surpassed 100 twice . . . barely. That mentioned, it was a enjoyable expertise and we felt that we had the place to ourselves as a result of there have been so few bowlers on a mid-day afternoon. In addition they have menu bar codes, so you possibly can order sodas, sandwiches, fries and different bites by your telephone and your order arrives robotically when the meals and drinks are prepared.
We liked that there have been completely different lighting changes, from a dim darker mild with a inexperienced glow, to one thing a bit extra vibrant. The digital system does all of the calculating so that you don’t even must preserve rating. The draw back in fact is that your scores are on the overhead display screen for all to see.
To seek out out extra in regards to the Petaluma lanes, together with costs, tips on how to reserve a lane and their hours, you should definitely go to their web site.
Rollerskating in Rohnert Park
We found CalSkate in Rohnert Park in 2022. I grew up rollerskating and spent as a lot time as I might at rinks in New York, Arizona, Florida, and California throughout my teenage years. I even competed just a few instances, however if you’re out of form and your physique isn’t as versatile because it as soon as was, it may be a problem to maintain up with others flying across the flooring. After we went in April, we opted for an grownup night solely (Tuesdays and Sundays), however observe that it’s largely youngsters and younger adults. In different phrases, for those who’re anticipating any “oldie” tunes, you’ll be out of luck.
The partitions are colourful and vibrant right here, making it a enjoyable and full of life expertise to do along with your youngsters.
We had a blast: Anthony even took his hair down for this one.
Try their web site for extra info together with hours and costs.
The Alley Piano Bar in Oakland
The Alley, one of many final remainders from a wealthy historical past of Oakland piano bars, was based in 1934 and is positioned on Grand Avenue in Oakland, CA, close to the Grand Lake Theatre and the Lake Merritt estuary. A lot of the piano bars within the space closed many years in the past, and in contrast to most piano bars, they serve meals, so we had been in a position to deliver Jake and Julissa with us.
The bar is a component saloon, half 1920’s alley, a design the East Bay Specific as soon as described as “Dashiell Hammet in Disneyland.” As you stroll in, you’re confronted with wooden shingles, phone wires and postcards plastered all around the partitions inside. There’s additionally a silhouette of a busty dame above one rooftop in addition to a pretend pawn store alongside the again wall. Along with photographs, you’ll discover almost 50,000 enterprise playing cards stapled up by guests from all around the world for many years, together with ones from Jerry Brown and Gregg Allman. A big picture of Frank Sinatra sits above the piano itself.
Under are a few of the cubicles within the restaurant/bar.
We landed there on a Thursday evening, which apparently is Classic Evening. This interprets to solely classic songs being performed till round 10 or 10:30 pm after which it opens as much as different tunes, together with Broadway. The grand piano is positioned previous the principle bar, topped by a lacquered wooden desk. There are solely twelve seats across the bar, so if you wish to get a seat, that you must go early. That mentioned, you possibly can’t eat on the bar, so that you must take a sales space first after which cozy up on the bar for singalong after dinner.
Songbooks and microphones relaxation on the bar; suppose the Nice American Songbook, though extra modern songs are additionally now performed. Because the Fifties, singers wait their flip to sing together with the resident piano participant (or guitar participant) for the night. Says the Lonely Planet Information, the bar attracts “a wacky mixture of hams and crooners,” and apparently the combined drinks are robust. The ambiance looks like a mishmash of New York Metropolis with New Orleans. We liked our expertise.
For extra info, go to their web site.
Purchasing within the Haight
On the nook of San Francisco’s Haight and Ashbury Streets sits a avenue signal marking the center of the neighborhood the place Nineteen Sixties flower energy blossomed. As we speak, the principle downtown drag is surrounded by colourful Victorian homes on hillsides, and there are tons of cafes, pizza joints, eating places and boutiques.
Haight Ashbury, generally shortened to The Haight, is a good spot to deliver youngsters as a result of procuring appears to be designed for them, from classic and designer retailers to fashionable espresso bars.
Jake went into many of the second hand and classic shops that additionally carried some distinctive designer “catches,” and located some nice offers. One in every of my private favorites is The Love of Ganesha, which is a retailer loaded with gem stones, ritual instruments and all issues East.
You may say that it’s a bit dizzying strolling by the shop as a result of there’s a lot to have a look at — you possibly can spend hours getting misplaced in all issues historical and esoteric.
For extra details about Haight Ashbury, try this SF Journey neighborhood web page that explains extra.
Stroll Round Sonoma Sq.
Whereas it could not have glimmer and shine, Sonoma is a down-to-earth city within the coronary heart of Sonoma Valley wine nation. And the drive is gorgeous, so whether or not you need the entire household to have a winery expertise or need to go as a romantic escape, Sonoma is an excellent possibility.
The sq., which is within the coronary heart of downtown, is a stunning strategy to spend an hour or so. Meander round it and pop your head into the completely different retailers and cafes; there are additionally alleyways you possibly can enterprise down, a few of which supply wine tasting rooms.
There’s additionally Chateau Sonoma, a stunning French retailer that’s brimming with all issues nation — it’s my favourite store within the sq. and one I at all times enterprise into every time we’re in Sonoma.
Window dressings and design are additionally lovely right here.
After strolling round and taking within the senses (on the olive oil tasting room for instance), duck into the ever so genuine Della Santina’s Restaurant and the Enoteca subsequent door. You’re feeling as for those who’ve been transported to Italy. Right here, genuine Northern Italian fare is created underneath the course of Quirico Della Santina, a 3rd era chef who got here to the United States from Lucca almost fifty years in the past. He discovered cooking alongside his mom and his grandmother, who created true farm to desk, easy meals.
As we speak, they name it “Tuscan Soul Meals” — selfmade pastas, rotisserie meats, bread baked every day, soups and fish — all of it scrumptious and served in a quaint Italian courtyard with fountains and flowers round you. In addition they have a “wine library” with a 250+ bottle “wine wall” so guests can pattern, drink and buy wines from hard-to discover native producers. We now have come right here usually over time, so it was an important spot to share with the children.
Above, the burrata salad at Della Santina’s and beneath a scrumptious Rum Cake for dessert.
Try the restaurant web site for extra on their story. Additionally try the Sonoma Valley Tourism Board website for extra actions to select from when planning a visit.
Renee Blodgett is the founding father of We Weblog the World. The positioning combines the magic of a web-based tradition and journey journal with a world weblog community and has contributors from each continent on the planet. Having lived in 10 international locations and explored almost 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural range.
She can also be the CEO and founding father of Magic Sauce Media, a brand new media providers consultancy targeted on viral advertising and marketing, social media, branding, occasions and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped corporations from 12 international locations get traction available in the market. Recognized for her world and natural strategy to product and company launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an energetic person of social media, she helps shoppers navigate digital waters from world wide. Renee has been running a blog for over 16 years and frequently writes on her private weblog Down the Avenue, Huffington Put up, BlogHer, We Weblog the World and different websites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Journal and is listed as a brand new media influencer and recreation changer on numerous websites and books on the brand new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed because the sixth most influential girl in social media by Forbes Journal on a High 20 Listing.
Her ardour for artwork, storytelling and pictures led to the launch of Magic Sauce Pictures, which is a visible extension of her writing, the results of which has led to producing six picture books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee can also be the co-founder of Touring Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to different international locations to share and be taught from friends, governments, firms, and most of the people as a way to educate, share, consider, and promote progressive applied sciences.
