women in military service The San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau operates the Visitor Information Center on the lowe

flat, making the E mbarcadero an easy reach the Hyde Street Pier, space opens family ride. S tart at the B ike Hut (see up. Keep going until you get to Aquatic chapter 9) and cr uise do wn the str eet Park, wher e y ou can stop to eat y our past the piers, women in military service stopping b y the F erry pre-packed lunch. Building to buy picnic food. Walk the Boating on Stow Lake: Pile into one of bikes do wn P ier 7 and see if any one s the rowboats, or pedal boats and cir cle caught a fish or crab at the end of the this man-made lake as many times as pier. Continue to ward P IER 39 and you can. R elax as y ou admire the tr ees Fisherman s Wharf. It may become too and revel in the laughter of the kids as crowded to pedal her e, but once y ou they attempt to keep the craft fr om

Getting around the city with y our children should be hassle-fr ee, for the most par t. The one exception is if it s necessary to cart around baby paraphernalia such as strollers women in military service and diaper bags, because it s difficult to get on and off buses when y our hands ar e full and the bus is crowded. In this case, you ll want to plan your itinerary to decrease your dependence on public transportation and walk as much as possible, or take advantage of the wider entrances and exits on Muni streetcars. Again, for families with kids of any age, always factor in extra time to get ar ound even if y ou are driving, since ther e s a good chance you ll either get lost or spend 20 minutes looking for parking. San Francisco buses are slow; in addition to the scheduled stops, women in military service there s traffic to deal with and the occasional breakdown. The streetcars are a little better time-wise, but can be cr owded. Remember, in a new destination, part of the pleasure really is in the journey itself. That s certainly the case in San Francisco. women in military service

MODERATE Kabuki Hotel Value Upon arrival, your kids will get some immediate cr osscultural edification, with a complimentar y Japanese tea service brought to your room. The hotel s Asian-accented guest rooms were all redone in 2007 and include top-quality linens, updated marble and tile bathr ooms, the latest electr onics (flatscreen TVs, iPod docking stations, free high-speed wireless Internet, and so on), and Asian tea kettles. The intended mood her e is ser ene. I f tranquillity is har d to achiev e with y our little ones around, at check-in r equest a r oom with a J apanese-style deep-soaking tub. Then send one parent to visit J apantown s bookstores and gift shops with the kids while the other one of you indulges in a long, soothing bath.

The San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau operates the Visitor Information Center on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza on Powell and Market streets (&415/3912000; www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com). women in military service The staff is multilingual and genuinely helpful. Visit the information center for books; maps; Municipal Railway passes for buses, streetcars, and cable cars; souv enirs; and tons of br ochures to guide y ou fur ther. I t s open Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm and w eekends 9am to 3pm.