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Top San Francisco and Northern California Resources

Getting around California with kids is easy, but the distances are great. Public transport is limited, though Greyhound offers weekly Ameripass tickets, and children receive a 50% discount.

At Pier 39 near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, kids love watching the sea lions that gather daily to soak up the sun - or fog. Across the bay, the very walkable Oakland zoo is especially good for yound children with an outdoor eating area, animals to feed and pet, pony rides and a sky ride chairlift.

For family camping, try Calaveras Big Trees State Park in the Sierra Nevada ountains where children can spot woodpeckers and walk through a tree-tunnel in a magnificent giant sequoia grove. The art and science Exploratorium in San Francisco is enormously popular, especially the pitch black Tactile Dome that kids can crawl, climb and slide through.