San Francisco

My latest field trip with the boys was to San Francisco. (Thank you Daddy for staying home with Baby M!) The main purpose was to attend a San Francisco Symphony youth program, a forty minute program where the musicians played snippets of classical music for schoolchildren. We got to sit in the terrace, right behind the orchestra, which was very cool. In all honesty, I think I was much more excited about it than the boys. After just ten minutes they kept asking if it was time to go yet. But I'm checking off "Fine Arts Field Trip" for the year! 

The trip was a series of mishaps. But everything ended well and we all had a great time. We ended up at the Golden Gate Bridge because I missed a critical turn trying to get to the Exploratorium, the kind of turn that if you miss it, you either go over an incredibly big bridge or have to drive around in a twenty minute circle to get back to where you need to be. We made the most of it. We got a snack, checked out the bridge exhibits, hiked around a bit, and then got back in the car.

Here the boys are at the Palace of Fine Arts, right next to the Exploratorium. Or what used to be the Exploratorium, anyway. When we (finally, after getting lost several times and driving around in circles) got there we realized that it was closed. Yes, closed. To my kids, who were beside themselves with excitement at the idea of going to the Exploratorium, it was like finding out that Disneyland was closed. They were seriously disappointed. But after the tears subsided, we made the best of it and explored the grounds and climbed some awesome trees.

Plan B: Golden Gate Park. Made use of the concrete slides, climbed to the top of some crazy tall rope climbing structures, made some new friends, and did the usual playground things.

Our San Francisco tradition: stopping at Krispy Kreme donuts on the way home after a long day of fun.