A Saturday of Miniature Trains and Kites

A Saturday in late September 2008, and we managed to fit in two classic kid-friendly outings. We started the day with a ride on a miniature train somewhere in the wooded hills. We all piled into one of the open-air wooden cars for the short trip through the forest. It was a popular spot, with a long line of families waiting for their turn on the rails.

After the train ride, we headed into the city. Down by the water near Fort Mason, a huge kite festival was underway. The grassy field was packed with people, and the sky was just filled with kites of every possible shape and color. There were long, flowing dragons, fish, and countless others dancing in the wind against a bright blue sky.

Our daughter ran around the field, dwarfed by the scale of the event. We found a spot to watch, holding her up to see everything. It was one of those perfect, simple Bay Area days—a bit of nature, a bit of a city festival, all before heading home.