Mom Recs: Visitor Center for the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, Crissy Field

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If you've spent time at Crissy Field, you have no doubt noticed the gorgeous white clapboard house with a red roof, framed by picturesque palm trees. Did you know you can go inside it?  With your kids? For free? 

The Greater Farallones Visitor Center is small, but JUST enough for kids to take a  20-minute peak around. In the first narrow room, there are some buttons to hear animal sounds and a trough of pebbles where kids sift through to find shark teeth. The larger room boasts several tanks teaming with awesome sea life, and a sea lion statue that kids just can't help but sit on (It's okay to climb!). It is a perfect little educational break from the bike/walk/picnic/swim lesson/beach day you had planned at Crissy Field. 

Hours are Wednesday-Sunday 10AM-4PM. Admission is Free. 

While there, ask the staff about their Family Workshops, or email Jean.Alupay@noaa.gov to get on the email list. The next workshop is all about CRABS! Dress like them, play with them, trap them off the Visitor Center pier! (Sunday, June 16th, 10-11:30, 1-2:30). 

Metered parking at Crissy Field is easy on weekdays, doable on weekends. Several Muni bus routes drop off at the Golden Gate Bridge Visitor's Center, and necessitate a 15 minute walk downhill, or a loop around on the Presidio Shuttle. The PresidiGo Downtown Shuttle is free and can take you from several locations downtown to the Presidio Transit Center, where you can take the local Presidio shuttle to Crissy Field.