Best way to get around with a baby in San Francisco?

Thorn Tree forumInterest forumsKids To Go
Enter custom title (optional)
This topic is locked
Last reply was
2.9k
…
Send as an e-mail
Send as an e-mail
kellysensei
kellysensei

My husband and I just booked a six-day trip to San Francisco in June. Our son will have just turned one, and this will be his first plane trip. I don't know if he'll be walking yet or not. What's the best way to get around San Francisco with a one-year-old? Are we going to have to take taxis everywhere? Can we take a fold-up stroller on the trolleys? What about BART?

Unless we change our minds, we'll be staying in Japantown. (Got a good rate, and since I've lived in Japan before, it seems fun.)

Thanks for any advice!

View last reply
Report
1
lindachica
lindachica

SF is a fun with a kid and is a great city to walk around in. There are lots of parks in the city with play structures and the cafes are all so good - you'll have fun! The Muni, buses, BART are all easy to use too.

Do you have a baby carrier? I found it easier than using a stroller. Although I did walk from Nob Hill to North Beach (big hills) a few times with a stroller and it worked fine. Steep sections, but doable. One time I had a sleeping 15 month old in a carrier and a car seat, and jumped onto a packed trolley - and folks were really accommodating!

Matt Gross of the NY Times did this trip - and I think his daughter was a year old too:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/travel/14frugalSF.html

There is also a cool video by him:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/03/12/travel/1247467332293/san-francisco-welcomes-frugal-baby.html

Good luck!

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.
Permalink to this post
Report
2
littlemissclever
littlemissclever

Our ErgoBaby is a godsend for trips that we are doing a lot of walking. As is the MacLaren. It's light and folds small and has a shoulder strap. BART and MUNI are great, but you occasionally run into non-functioning escalators. Thus, another good reason to have a lightweight stroller or a backpack. As a native East Bay girl, now living elsewhere, you are going to have a great time!

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.
Permalink to this post
Report
3
moseler
moseler

Whatever you use to get your child around your hometown will be fine in SF. A cheap, lightweight stroller is all we ever used getting our kids around town. It'll work on BART, the streetcars, the cable cars, and the ferries. Enjoy your time here.

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.
Permalink to this post
Report
4
awayteam07
awayteam07

If you can afford it, I'd buy an Ergo carrier. I have a very solid (35 lb) 20-month-old and carry her on my back in the Ergo when we travel, and have done for many months. Much easier than pushing her in the umbrella stroller now that she's so heavy - and negotiating public transport etc. She gets out and walks sometimes, and sleeps in it too! The Ergo is great value for money as it can be used for quite some time - I don't know what the max weight is, but it's a lot. Good luck and have fun!

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.
Permalink to this post
Report
5
hello_bamboo
hello_bamboo

Ergo baby carrier. It's the only thing we bring when we travel- no stroller or anything else.

To live in fear is a life half lived.
-
Want to visit undiscovered places/hidden gems/secret spots?
Find them on www.minorsights.com
Copy and paste the url below to share the link.
Permalink to this post
Report

This topic has been locked by a moderator.

Pro tip
Lonely Planet
trusted partner