A Kid’s Guide to San Francisco s guid kid’ e t a o Welcome to Yerba Buena! That’s what San Francisco used to be called until the United Sates took it over way back in 1847. That’s just one of a bucketful of cool things to find out about one of the most exciting, and kid-friendly cities in the country. San Francisco There’s so much to discover here in the “City by the Bay.” A Kid’s Guide to San Francisco makes it easy, with over 100 fun and interesting facts from Alcatraz to the San Francisco Zoo. Let this book be your own personal tour guide as you venture up and down hills to explore dozens of interesting landmarks all over the city. Twin Lights Publishers Twin Lights Publishers, Inc. Photography by Sandra Cannon • Written by Sara Day s guid kid’ e t a o San Francisco Photography by Sandra Cannon Written by Sara Day Copyright © 2011 by Twin Lights Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this elcome to Yerba Buena! forest—San Francisco is the place to be for book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the That’s what San Francisco things to do and see. artists concerned and no responsibility Wused to be called until the United Sates Our user-friendly, A to Z format covers is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of took it over way back in 1847. That’s just a little bit of everything including: history, copyright or otherwise, arising from one of a bucketful of cool things to find art, culture, music, sports and more. It’s the contents of this publication. Every out about one of the most exciting and easy to read and is illustrated with tons of effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with infor- kid-friendly cities in the country. beautiful color photos of famous build- mation supplied. This book can be your own personal tour ings, parks, and landmarks you’ll come to First published in the United States city guide as you venture up and down hills to recognize. of America by: incorporated: explore dozens of interesting landmarks all Keep tabs on all the great things you see Twin Lights Publishers, Inc. April 15th, over the city—from the incredibly awe- and do with the trip guide at the back of 8 Hale Street \\1850 some Golden Gate Bridge, to the ginger- the book. There’s even a fun “Been There Rockport, Massachusetts 01966 bread-style Painted Ladies, Fisherman’s Done That!” sticker map that’ll come in Telephone: (978) 546-7398 http://www.twinlightspub.com area: Wharf, and crazy twisted Lombard Street. handy when keeping track of some of your There’s so much to discover here in the most favorite landmarks. ISBN: 978-1-934907-05-4 46.69 ISBN: 1-934907-05-7 square “City by the Bay.” A Kid’s Guide to San Whether you’re riding the rolling hills miles Francisco makes it easy, with over 100 fun on a classic San Francisco cable car, racing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and interesting facts from Alcatraz to the along on the super-modern BART transit estimated San Francisco Zoo. Check out Ghirardelli system, or hiking along the scenic Bay Photograph on page 5, top right population: Chocolate Factory, tour a submarine, Trail, this guide is packed with fun facts courtesy of Edelson Photography, learn about the Pony Express, that’ll give you the lowdown on one of the Aquarium of the Bay 815,358 or discover an ancient redwood most exciting cities on the planet. Book design by SYP Design & Production, Inc. http://www.sypdesign.com Printed in China 3 Angel Island Aquarium of the Bay A The Western Gateway to America Discover an Underwater Paradise One of the most beautiful island parks in Mysterious and awe-inspiring life thrives Alcatraz Island America is only a brisk ferry ride away. just beneath the waves of San Francisco The Rock Hike to the highest point on the island, Bay, the largest estuary on the west coast. Mount Livermore, and get ready to be You can feed a Bat Ray, and touch Skates, High atop a small, rocky island out in the blown away by the perfect panoramic Leopard Sharks, and Sea Stars at the middle of San Francisco Bay, sits a building view. On a clear day, you can see all five Touch the Bay exhibit. This totally amaz- that used to be one of the toughest prisons Bay Area bridges. Angel Island is known ing exhibit has cool tunnels that give you in America. Cold, damp, and downright as “The Ellis Island of the West,” because a chance to scuba dive without getting unfriendly, Alcatraz was home to some of it was here that hundreds of thousands hypothermia! The Aquarium of the Bay the most notorious bad guys around, in- of immigrants, mostly Asian, made their is a marine nature center dedicated to the cluding Al Capone and George “Machine way to America way back in 1910. conservation of San Francisco Bay and all Gun” Kelly. It used to be a military fort At Immigration Station you can still marine environments. before it was a prison. If you decide to take see the poems of hope they carved into a tour, just remember, they say that no one the walls. Aquatic Park Lagoon has ever successfully escaped from Alcatraz! Chilly Thrills! Antisubmarine Net Just behind the Maritime Museum is Gotcha! San Francisco’s favorite swimming hole. Whether you’re just splashing around During World War II, San Francisco had with your family or training for a serious some pretty clever ways to protect the bay. open-water swim meet, this pretty lagoon’s One idea was an enormous underwater water temperature averages between 50 net that stretched clear across the bay. It and 60 degrees. Brrr! Don’t forget the was the third line of defense behind huge, hot chocolate! powerful guns and a minefield scattered with about 600 mines. 4 5 Bandshell Bank of Canton B There’s Music in the Air! Can You Hear Me Now? Come and enjoy a Sunday afternoon band The Bank of Canton in Chinatown Balclutha Clipper Ship concert at Spreckels Temple of Music, also used to be called the Chinese Tele- known as the “bandshell.” Built in 1900, it phone Exchange. First ringing up Just over 300 feet long, with the tallest of was a gift from Claus Spreckels, a man who customers in 1894, it was Chinatown’s first three masts measuring 145 feet high, this was in the sugar business. Sweet deal for public telephone station and had a small spectacular 19th-century classic is one the city! The bandshell was damaged switchboard where operators knew each big boat! Built in 1886, Balclutha has had by two earthquakes, customer by name, not by number. a long career carrying cargo all over the one in 1906 and one world. Also known as “Star of Alaska” in 1989. It was repaired and “Pacific Queen,” she is the last square- Barbary Coast Trail with special reinforce- rigged ship in San Francisco Bay. Moored Get Your Walking Shoes On! ments made just for in Maritime National Historic Park, today When you see this bronze medallion along earthquakes and Balclutha is a living museum waiting to the sidewalk, you’ll know you’re on the reopened in 1994. welcome you aboard. Barbary Coast Trail. Just follow the arrows to see some important historic sites along the 3.8-mile walking tour. From Union Square to Nob Hill, from the Gold Rush to the 1906 earthquake, walking this trail is an adventure. And, if you get hungry, BART don’t worry, there are lots of great places to One Cool Ride chow down along the way! The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, bet- ter known as BART, is famous for being Asian Art Museum the most luxurious public transportation Travel back in time through 6,000 years system around. The sleek, 70-foot-long Bay Area Discovery Museum of history at one of the biggest Asian art trains run along 104 miles of track and A Mind Blast for Kids! museums in the world. With over 17,000 link 43 stations in style with carpeting, air The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a great works of art, this museum’s collection was conditioning, and fancy lighting. You can place for kids to learn and play. Inside so huge, they had to move it from Golden travel underwater on BART because it runs and out, they can explore and create with Gate Park to a larger building at the Civic under the bay through one of the longest hands-on science and environmental Center. Art, films, demonstrations, and underwater transit tubes in the world. exhibits, special events, festivals and more. exciting programs are just some of the ways BART opened in 1972, and the trains still It’s 7.5 acres of pure fun, so get curious, get you can discover amazing Asian culture. have a very modern design. creative, and get going! 6 7 Bay Bridge Bison Paddock The Other Way Across Big Beasts in a Big City The Bay Bridge connects the cities of San What’s a heard of Bison doing in a big Francisco and Oakland and is actually city? They’re part of the San Francisco made up of six different parts that span 8.4 Zoo.