original berlin walks Ask your children what they would like to do during the trip. G ive them options, make a calendar ,

You ll arrive at the Ferry Building, at once a r eminder of S an F rancisco s maritime history and a symbol of the city s position as an important culinary center. Before original berlin walks the construction of the bay s bridges and the underwater original berlin walks BART tunnel, the Ferry Building oversaw one of the most complex ferry systems in the countr y. After a multimillion- dollar r enovation completed in 2003, the Ferry Building is now home to a number of upscale shops offering gourmet, organic, and/or sustainably raised meats, vegetables, breads, chocolates, and even mushrooms. Twice a week the Ferry Building holds the world-class F armer s Market, attracting S an F ranciscans of all stripes who ar e passionate about good food and quality original berlin walks ingr edients. Take a moment to walk out back and watch the ferries, which no w primarily ser vice commuters who liv e in M arin County, come and go. See p. 161.

You ll save yourself a good bit of aggravation by reserving a seat in the bulkhead row. You ll hav e mor e legr oom, your children will be able to spread out and play on the floor under foot, and the airline might pr ovide bassinets (ask in adv ance). You re also mor e likely to find sympathetic original berlin walks company in the bulkhead ar ea, as other families with children tend to be seated ther e. The only drawback is that in the bulkhead r ow you can t always lift the armrest for little ones to rest their head on your lap. Be sure to pack items for your kids in your carr y-on luggage, such as to ys, books, pacifiers, and che wing gum, to help them r elieve ear pr essure buildup during ascent and descent. Have a long talk with y our children before original berlin walks you depart for y our trip. If they ve nev er flo wn befor e, explain to them what to expect. I f they re old enough, you may even want to describe how flight wor ks and ho w air trav el is even safer than riding in a car. Explain to y our kids the impor tance of good behavior in the air ho w their o wn safety can depend upon their being quiet and staying in their seats during the trip. Pay extra car eful attention to the safety instr uctions befor e takeoff. Consult the safety chart behind the seat in front of y ou and sho w it to y our children. B e sur e y ou kno w ho w to operate the o xygen masks, as y ou will be expected to secur e y ours first and then help your children with theirs. Be especially mindful of the location of emergency exits. B efore takeoff , plot out an ev acuation strategy for y ou and your children.

Ask your children what they would like to do during the trip. G ive them options, make a calendar , and follo w through on some of their suggestions. This doesn t mean they are in charge. It means they get to participate in a bit of decision-making. Give them a camera. E ither buy an inexpensive digital camera for y our kids, or let them use y ours (car efully) once in a while. I t s empo wering and cheap since you can just delete all the pictures with people s heads cut off and provides a new way for your kids to think about sightseeing. Have them keep a journal. E ven before they could write, we gave our girls notebooks so they could draw pictur es of things they saw on each trip. Now, on vacations, they enjo y spending the fe w minutes befor e dinner original berlin walks arriv es writing about their day. Look at the silv er lining. Taking original berlin walks our toddler son back to hotels for naps in the middle of the day is my ex cuse for me to read a good book. or enjo y a nice nap myself, something that s rare at home. Relax. When y ou slo w do wn, forget about stresses of home, and all focus on your ne w surr oundings, y ou and y our family can build some lasting memories together. How to Take Great Trips with Y our Kids (The Harvard Common Press) is full of good general advice that can apply to travel anywhere. original berlin walks

The San Francisco Convention original berlin walks and Visitors Bureau operates the Visitor Information Center original berlin walks on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza on Powell and Market streets (&415/3912000; www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com). The staff is multilingual and genuinely helpful. original berlin walks Visit the information center for books; maps; Municipal Railway passes for buses, original berlin walks streetcars, and cable cars; souv enirs; original berlin walks 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.