6 Things Every Teen Should Do in San Francisco
Last summer, my mother, sister and I took a trip to San Francisco, where we became acquainted with the kind people of the city and spent most of our time exploring — in fact, some of my favorite parts of the trip were things we didn't even plan on doing originally. Here are a few things to do that are fun for all ages, especially for teenagers, like me.
1. Cruise Around Town on a Cable Car
When it comes to transportation, most cities are known for their outrageous cab fares or dirty public transit. San Francisco has been the first city I've been to that broke the bad trend. At $7 per person for a single ride, cable cars are not only more affordable than traveling by car, they are much cooler — my Uber driver probably wouldn't give me a high rating if I decided to hang on to the outside of his or her car either. If you do decide to take the cable cars for a spin, keep an eye out for the man who races them — you're supposed to cheer him on as he barrels downhill, always winning.
2. Explore Golden Gate Park
If you're looking for a place to kill a few hours, head to Golden Gate Park, which has something for everyone — there are tons of interesting attractions, but my favorites are the Japanese Tea Garden and the de Young Museum. The Japanese Tea Garden is a great place to snack on fortune cookies and tea while taking in the calming, Japanese-inspired landscapes. The de Young Museum is perfect for art lovers, with its worldly permanent collection and a cool observation floor offering 360-degree views of San Francisco so you can pick out your favorite Victorian-style house.
3. Visit Point Lobos
For breathtaking views of the Pacific, make your way to Point Lobos, where you can grab a bite to eat at Cliff House, a restaurant with enormous windows overlooking the ocean. Nearby, check out the Sutro Baths, the remnants of a swimming facility built in the late-1800s. Point Lobos is also a great place to hike and appreciate the scenery.
4. Bike Across the Golden Gate Bridge
When I visited San Fran, the weather was absolutely beautiful — sunny with a breeze — and perfect for a bike ride. We grabbed some bikes from Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & Tours and followed their map all the way from Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito, a quaint city that arguably resembles the South of France. After enjoying some ice cream, we took our bikes and headed back to Fisherman's Wharf by way of ferry. Although the bike ride was more of a time commitment than I was originally expecting, it was so worth it and ended up being, without a doubt, my favorite part of the trip.
5. Check Out the Redwood Trees at Muir Woods National Monument
Take a beautiful drive across the Golden Gate Bridge into the mountainous setting of Muir Woods, where you'll be among astoundingly tall coastal redwood trees — the tallest is 258 feet tall, while the oldest is at least 1,200 years old. It's almost impossible to conceptualize just how high these trees are, even when you're standing right beside them, because it seems as if their trunks shoot up into oblivion. Admission to Muir Woods National Monument is free for children up to age 15, while everyone ages 16 and older must pay $10 for to get in.
6. Get Your Head in the Game at Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique is by far the most unique museum I've ever visited, showcasing original, still-functioning arcade games from the 20th century. Here, you can try out the same exact game Julie Andrews played in the film, The Princess Diaries (pictured below, she managed to beat it somehow, but I didn't), take pictures in vintage photo booths and enjoy tunes from self-playing pianos. Granted, there are some creepy games to be aware of, like Laughing Sal (you'll see). Admission is free, but you'll have to break out some change if you want to play the games.
Bottom Line
I would also recommend checking out the sea lions at Pier 39, taking the risky drive down Lombard Street — the most crooked street in the world — and taking an obligatory picture with the Painted Ladies, the colorful buildings featured during the opening credits on Full House. If you ever go on a family trip to San Francisco and try any of my recommendations, I’d love to hear about it! Keep up with all of my travels and let me know where I should head to next on Twitter and Instagram: @alycerchiai.
What are your favorite things to do in San Francisco? Leave your tips in the comments, below.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.