Quack

(I've been a little delayed in writing some blog posts lately. I'm going to date them accordingly)

Today was Family Field Trip Day! I joined my Mom, Dad and Sis on a Duck Tour around San Francisco and into the Bay. My parents and my sister have all done various Duck Tours in other cities around the country. This was my first. I really enjoyed it!

What is a Duck Tour? It's a city tour, in an amphibious vehicle which operates both on land as well at sea. Here's more info.

My parents found an online coupon for 1/2 off the Duck Tour in San Francisco, so we all thought it would be a fun experience to do together!


The Chows go on the Duck Tour of San Francisco!

I know the photo is really cheesy. They take a photo of your group before you all board the vehicle, and offer it for sale afterwards. We weren't planning on buying it at all, but it turned out pretty well, and we thought it might make for a fun photo for my parents' Christmas Card. :)

It occurred to me that I've never been on a San Francisco Tour of any kind - not that I can recall, anyhow. I was a little skeptical, as I've lived here for 16 years, and we've lived in the Bay Area for over 30.


Mom, Dad and Sis ready for our Duck Tour!

Turns out, the tour was a ton of fun, and we even learned a little San Francisco history that we didn't know. (Did you know that the San Francisco Ferry Building rotated 8 degrees after the 1906 earthquake? When you look at it from Market Street, you can see that it is not actually straight!)

As much as I enjoyed riding around the town in our cheesy tour boat, quacking on the kazoo-like duck quackers that they give out, I was really most impressed with the water tour! The vehicle goes right down a dock and into the Bay! We spent about 20 minutes in the bay, out in McCovey Cove, behind AT&T Park. It was really fun, and a neat way to see that part of the city from an unusual vantage point.

To top it off, it was Fleet Week here in SF, so there were some really interesting military vessels out on the bay that we drove by.



Once we were in the water, we were all offered the chance to take the steering wheel to drive. Of course, my Dad and I gave it a shot!


Captain Henry


The back side of AT&T Park from McCovey Cove


this picture shows another Duck Tour vehicle in the water. it gives a neat perspective of what the amphibious vehicle looks like when in water.

It was a really fun day with the family! Thanks, Mom, Dad and Sis!!