Destination: Randall Museum, San Francisco
Visit the Randall (Junior) Museum, hike Corona Heights, and play at the Seward Street Slides.
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying with my kids once social distancing and shelter in place isn’t the norm any longer.
By User:Piotrus — Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8825873
Social Isolation — Day 52
I sincerely hope you’ve found these articles inspiring. This is article 52 of the 52 I had planned. I think I’ll be publishing some more things, but this is a good time to regroup a little. I have some ideas for 25 overnight adventures. Instead of the idea of taking one day trip every weekend for a year, what about setting out for one overnight adventure every couple of weeks. I’m thinking of splitting it evenly between camping trips and hotel/motel trips. That way you have a nice selection at your fingertips.
I’d love to hear your thoughts — would you find this interesting?
As our shelter-in-place mandates start to relax, we should seize the opportunity to go out and enjoy nearby places, summit mountains, experience history, learn about our area and it’s landscape, explore it on foot, or by hiking shoe, maybe by bike.
I caught this article on SFgate.com today about what travel might look like for the next couple of years. Corporate travel is going to be at a minimum, conferences and whatnot are probably going to have to wait until there is a vaccine. That European vacation will probably have to be postponed longer than expected. Trips close to home are going to be key! So make the most out of your immediate surroundings, enjoy more of what is at hand, take advantage of the remarkable destinations at our fingertips, and stay safe!
Destination: Randall Museum
Visit the Randall Museum
Hike Corona Heights
Play at the Seward Street Slides
Visit the Randall Museum
By Jllm06 — Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16858799
A childhood trip up to the Randall Junior Museum was always a treat. Visiting the small zoo, taking a class in one of the workshops, performing in the little theater, touring the exhibits, watching the letterpress run, and watching the model trains; there was always something to anticipate with a visit here. Today, after some recent updates, you can still register for some wonderful classes, and do much of what I have mentioned above, for free! Sure, it’s not a major site like the Exploratorium or the SF Zoo, but totally worth a trip all the same.
Hike Corona Heights
Corona Heights sits above the Randall Museum and is an easy hike to the top for a splendid view. There are multiple entrances to the park, so check the map for what works best from your location. Be aware that many locals will allow their dogs off-leash in the park, but they tend to be well behaved.
Play at the Seward Street Slides
In the early 1960s, this area was packed with families and housing was being built on every empty lot available. Finally, this final empty lot had plans for a 105 unit building, and Eureka Valley neighbors had enough. A three-year campaign started culminating in a sit-in in 1966 as bulldozers were set to start construction on the space as their permits were expiring. City Hall adopted open space requirements that have shaped the city ever since. A design competition for the park in the early 1970s was won by a local 14-year-old girl who was inspired by the slide at Playland at the Beach. This remote neighborhood park shaped policy for open space all over San Francisco we still enjoy today.
The park has strict hours (neighbors will quickly report any issues), and any adult should be accompanied by a kid, but this is something to be experienced at least once. Bring some cardboard if you can, but you’ll probably find some there. These cement slides can get you moving pretty quick.
Cody Tolmasoff is an author and publisher for Adventuring.in. He is a recovering programmer and a San Francisco native, raising two daughters, and regularly finding new adventures around the SF Bay Area. This article is an excerpt from an upcoming book, 52 San Francisco Bay Area Weekend Adventures, Day Trips With Your Kids!
Find him on Twitter @codyo, and read his most recent title Adventures in Getting Out on Amazon, filled with advice on successfully getting your family out for day trip adventures.
Originally published on Medium on 4 May 2020