I first went here to try some open water swimming. There are measured buoys to gauge how far you go. But this a nice beach for kids too. There are open showers and foot sprays to save your auto from mounds of sand. There's parking in Ghiradelli Sq parking lot and if you're lucky you might find a free spot on the street.

We purchased a membership before the new CA Academy of Sci opened in the fall. We waited until March to go since all we heard about are the crazy crowds. We went on a Sunday morning and it IS crowded, but not terrible. If you're prepared, tell your kids to stay close, there are lots of great things to explore: the living roof, the rain forest, the alligator pit, the coral reef, and tons more. Unless you're really ambitious, I would recommend against taking kids in strollers; too cumbersome, and there are other less crowded places for little ones to get a good look at an aquarium and penguins. My 3 year old seemed to do fine, our 2.5 year old friend ran amok and got lost briefly. Locals who used to go to the old CA Academy of Sci say the changes are not for the better and that they miss some things and the feel of the original. But as someone who hadn't been to the old one, this is a pretty cool place!

I've been to this park a couple times with my 3 boys ages 5 and under. It's got lots of great features--the ginormous slides, the climbing structures, sand, field and carousel, but trying to keep an eye on all boys is enough to have a nervous breakdown. The times I've been there, it's pretty crowded, with some rather "colorful" if not "unsavory" riffraff hanging out nearby. The climbing net is REALLY high (10ish feet?). It's fun, but not a place to sit back and let the kids go crazy.

We've stayed here a couple times. The one room we'll try to continue to get is the 2-bedroom apartment in the building next to the indoor pool. We're the only ones in the building (the downstairs is a conference room)--so the kids can make noise without worrying about annoying the neighbors. ALSO, there are a couple resident bears that roam around at night...one was raiding a trash barrell right outside our door! Stash your trash wisely.

We've been going to Yosemite at Christmas time for the past two years. There are no crowds, the scenery is beautiful and the kids get a dose of snow. The Ahwani has special events going on, but with three boys under 5 years old, we opted to just have lunch (fabulous for kids and adults alike) and spend time on their beautiful property.