Part III: Northern California: Redwoods, Wind, and Wonder in VS .NET

Creator DataMatrix in VS .NET Part III: Northern California: Redwoods, Wind, and Wonder

See map p 122 At the foot of Polk Street, on the western edge of the Embarcadero To get there: Powell-Hyde cable-car line to the last stop; F-Market streetcar; or 19Polk, 30-Stockton, 32-Embarcadero, 42-Downtown Loop, or 47-Van Ness bus Parking: Pricey lots and garages; street parking is difficult

It s the quintessential San Francisco landmark A walk across the windy, 13 4-mile-long span, hundreds of feet above the water, underscores the point that San Francisco really is like no other city Bundle up, then set out from the historic Roundhouse visitor center/gift shop on the south end of the bridge The stroll is noisy and chilly, but exhilarating The only way to return from the other side is on foot, so assess your fatigue in the middle of the span before continuing on toward Marin After your stroll, climb below the bridge to walk through the 5-acre garden See map p 122 No phone wwwgoldengateorg To get there: The 28-19th Avenue or the 29-Sunset bus will deposit you across from the viewing area, right by a parking lot Open: To pedestrians daily 6 am 6 pm

The part of Lombard with the moniker crookedest street in the world begins at Hyde Street below Russian Hill The whimsical, flower-lined block attracts thousands of visitors each year If you intend to drive this redbrick street (it s one-way, downhill, so take the curves slowly), go early in the morning before everyone else revs up their Chevys Better yet, walk down the stairs to fully admire the flowers, the houses with their long-suffering tenants, and the stellar view See map p 122 Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth streets To get there: Powell-Hyde cable-car line

Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)

If you walk down Third Street toward Yerba Buena Center, you can t fail to notice the multistory photo mosaic marking one of the latest additions to the South of Market culture klatch MoAD packs quite a bit into its relatively small exhibition space, and although it won t take more than an hour to tour, you ll find much to think about Photographs, video, and some very cool interactive displays and technological touches focus upon the themes of origins, movement, adaptation, and transformation in relation to Africa, and thus, in relation to our own selves and communities Take the kids See map p 122 685 Mission St (at Third Street) % 415-358-7200 wwwmoadsf org To get there: Take any Muni streetcar to the Montgomery Street Station or the 15-Third, 30-Stockton, or 45-Union/Stockton bus Admission: $8 adults, $5 seniors and students Open: Wed Mon 10 am 6 pm, until 9 pm Thurs

11: San Francisco San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

It was a big deal when the city finally built a handsome, grown-up museum to house its collection of modern paintings, sculptures, and photographs The interior is especially beautiful and exudes a warmth that makes viewing the exhibits including works by Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, and Ansel Adams even more enjoyable See map p 122 151 Third St (2 blocks south of Market Street, near Howard Street) % 415-357-4000 wwwsfmomaorg To get there: Take any Muni Metro to the Montgomery Street Station and walk 1 block south to Third Street, then 2 blocks east; or take the 15-Third, 30-Stockton, or 45-Union/Stockton bus Admission: $13 adults, $8 seniors, and $7 students with ID; half-price Thurs 6 9 pm; free for kids under 12; free to all first Tues of the month Open: Thurs 11 am 8:45 pm, Fri Tues 11 am 5:45 pm, from 10 am in summer

The 1,017 rectangular acres of greenery and cultural attractions that comprise Golden Gate Park contain something for everyone Locals use the park for everything from soccer practice to wedding receptions to flycasting lessons On Sundays, when John F Kennedy Drive is closed to street traffic, bicyclists ride with impunity and in-line skaters converge for dance parties A grand park entrance on Stanyan and Waller streets will lead you to the massive Children s Playground and its beautifully restored carousel The imaginative structures and swings will occupy kids for as long as you allow Remodeling this entrance cut down on the rather large numbers of street people who used to hang out there, but you never know whether that will change In any case, don t let it keep you from enjoying the park; the street folks can look a little scary to the uninitiated, but they re generally harmless Another entrance at Ninth Avenue on Lincoln Way brings you to the Strybing Arboretum and the Japanese Tea Garden The California Academy of Sciences is closed for renovations until 2008 However, the de Young Museum has been completely rebuilt and boasts even more space for its collections of American art The Conservatory of Flowers, a Victorian glass greenhouse located northeast of the Academy of Sciences off John F Kennedy Drive, reopened in spring of 2003 Modeled after the conservatory in London s Kew Gardens, it was nearly destroyed in 1995 after a horrific storm all but tore it apart; since then, $25 million has been raised to repair and reinvent this San Francisco landmark Joggers and parents pushing baby strollers make regular use of the path around manmade Stow Lake The boathouse (% 415-752-0347) rents paddle boats, bikes, and in-line skates by the hour, half-day, and full day If you aren t driving, walking to the boathouse is a bit of a hike The boathouse is west of the Japanese Tea Garden on Martin Luther King Drive; it s open daily from 9 am to 4 pm