There are few places more spectacular than San Francisco on a sunny day. The city is always beautiful, even under cover of fog, and one never wants for something to do, but legit sunshine is so rare in San Francisco that the dozen or so sunny days we enjoy annually feel exceedingly precious.
So when a perfectly warm, sun-dappled day strikes, it must be *relished.* We’re not lingering over al fresco, rosé-laden lunches like we used to pre-kid {sigh}, but that doesn’t mean we’re doomed to rot at the playground all day either. Here are a few of our favorite ways to pass a rare, sunny San Francisco day with our tiny sidekick.
Survey the Golden Gate Bridge in all its splendor with a morning walk on Crissy Field. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Dynamo Donut Kiosk at Little Marina Green is a perfect spot to grab some Four Barrel coffee and a (wait for it) bacon maple apple donut to enjoy while you stroll. That covers three food groups, right?
While the frisson of excitement running through San Francisco on sunny days can be contagious, consider taking a quiet turn through the Japanese Tea Garden. We are always struck by the beauty and serenity of this oft-forgotten city landmark, especially in springtime when the cherry trees blossom. For her part, the Little Lady loves getting up-close-and-personal with the koi and can now identify “Buddha.” Calming and educational? Yes, please.
Reward your child for being ever so well-behaved at the Japanese Tea Garden with a run through the Sculpture Garden at the de Young Museum or a turn on the gorgeous Herschel-Spillman Carousel.
Consider a beach day at Baker Beach. It requires a little more energy to chase one’s child at what is essentially a giant, potentially glass-and-cigarette-butt laden sandbox immediately adjacent to a treacherous body of water, but you’re at the beach. In San Francisco. How bad could it be?
Outerlands is much beloved for its casual, farm-to-table fare, as is illustrated each weekend by the throngs of devotees queuing up for tables. Waiting for pretty much anything is not a recommended toddler activity, so we like to visit with the Little Lady for weekday lunch. The grilled cheese really is *that* good, as are the fried egg tartines and seasonal salads. To leave without purchasing a loaf of bread for home would be blasphemy.
SHIT. Nothing wrecks an otherwise-lovely day quite like an afternoon nap-ruining snooze in the car. Our favorite tricks for keeping the Little Lady awake include blasting the air conditioning, signing along to a “Music Together” CD at obnoxious volumes, and occupying her with a sweet snack like Stretch Island Fruit Co. fruit leather strips.
If there happens to be a delightful concurrence of sunshine and an Off the Grid event (Wednesday evenings in North Beach, Thursday evenings in the Upper Haight, Friday evenings at Fort Mason, and a seriously awesome “Picnic in the Presidio” on Sunday afternoons), GO. Live music, dining al fresco on kooky inventions like Korean nachos and chicken tikka burritos, *and* not having to clean up the kitchen? Everybody wins. (Except perhaps your GI tract.)
We’re also especially fond of family bike rides on warm evenings. Our regular route includes dinner at Cafe Bunn Mi (the Little Lady devours BBQ pork rice noodles by the fistful) followed by a shared scoop of Double Rainbow ice cream at the perfectly kitschy Toy Boat Dessert Café. As we cruise home, the Little Lady snug on the back of the Hus-b’s bike in her Yepp Maxi seat, we know we’ll soon be returning the sundresses and sandals to the back of our closets, but for now, it’s impossible not to feel pinch yourself-lucky to live here.
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