San Francisco has always been one of my mother’s favorite vacation destinations. As such our family spent a fair amount of time visiting the city by the bay while I was growing up. Only because of the school schedule we typically made our journeys to the California hot spot primarily during the summer and early fall. Which means we missed out on everything the city had to offer during the spring.
If you have the opportunity to travel to San Francisco from now until the end of May I would highly encourage you to do so. The city is teeming with family friendly events that will make your trip a memorable one.
Some of the most popular are:
The Annual Cherry Blossom Festival
Who says Washington, D.C. is the only place to view the spectacular sight of cherry trees at their peak? Each April hundreds of thousands of visitors pack the streets of San Francisco’s Japantown for the city’s tribute to the cherry blossom and all things Japanese. The celebration of Japanese culture and traditions began back in 1967 in the spring before that famous Summer of Love. These days the festival honors the growing Japanese community that planted roots and flourished in San Francisco, despite the dark days of internment during World War II. Events include arts demonstrations, a taiko drumming contest, sumo wrestling, traditional Japanese dance performances and then there’s the food. The festival is home to dozens of food booths selling sushi, yakitori, yakisoba noodles and other Japanese delicacies.
Bay to Breakers Race
On the third Sunday in May, some 70,000 road warriors take to the streets of San Francisco for the spring ritual known as the ING Bay to Breakers Race. What started out as a traditional foot race has morphed into a parade of costumed runners (think jogging hot dogs, Dolly Parton look-alikes, and fruit with feet) racing from the foot of the Bay to the breakers of the Pacific Ocean. The 7.5-mile course is manageable even for people who only lace up their running shoes once a year. If you go keep an eye out for the school of spawning salmon who run the race “upstream” every year, and don’t miss the Footstock Festival at the Polo Fields at Golden Gate Park.
Bay Area National Dance Week
If you prefer the rumba to running then set aside the last week in April when you can strut your stuff in a citywide conga line during the Bay Area National Dance Week. The 10-day free event offers more than 300 classes, workshops, performances, and public dance celebrations showcasing local dance studios and companies at venues all around San Francisco.
Related Articles:
Fall Happenings In San Francisco
Destination: San Francisco–Perfect Picnic Spots
Outdoor Hot Spots In San Francisco
Travel Deals: Catering To Californians