Christmas in San Francisco City Hall

Address:1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco

The beautiful San Francisco City Hall is one of the biggest city halls in the States. Its dome is gilded with gold leaf and it's the fifth largest dome in the world. It has very grand staircase and ornate interior. The movies "Milk" and "Bicentennial Man" were filmed here. The City Hall Christmas tree is decorated with thousands of origami cranes for this Christmas. The tree is named the "Tree of Hope". Each crane contains a wish for the world and were made by people from all around the world. City Hall is open for public Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm. Free admission.

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California Academy of Sciences

Address: 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

California Academy of Science is full of surprises...there are white alligators, Vietnamese moss frogs, dragon fish, ecological living roof top just to name a few. Free admission 3rd Wednesday of every month. That's a savings of $25.00 per admission. But you have to be there early. We were there at 10:00AM and it's so crowded already. Check out its site for more information: http://www.calacademy.org.

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The building is a sustainable architecture which utilizes natural light.

Mini frogs. How many do you see?

Living roof top -- using native plants as roofing material.

Giant cockroaches.

Vietnamese moss frogs - can you find them?

Seahorse decor.

White alligator. Look like it just finished lunch.

90-foot diameter rain forest dome.

San Francisco Public Library

Address:100 Larkin Street, San Francisco

This is a beautiful library. I love its interior design. There seems to be a nautilus theme going on - the ceiling, the staircase .... In celebration of the holiday, there is a also a toy train display outside the kids reading room on 2nd floor. Kids can light up the fairy wheel, activate the trains and gondola by pressing a few big buttons.

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Musee Mechanique

Address:Pier 45 Shed A at the end of Taylor Street,Fisherman's Wharf , San Francisco

A place where many tourists miss when they visit Fisherman's Wharf. Musee Mecanique is a place where you find rows and rows of antique arcade machines. A fun place to experience what kids did for fun in the past. Admission is free. Most machines cost 25 cents a game. It's free when someone else pay for the games and you just watch it :P. Really cool.

X'mas in Japan Town

Address: Webster x Post, San Francisco

Very nice Christmans decor throughout Japan Center. The Christmas tree was fully decorated with origami ornaments.

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Chrismas Lights in Hyatt Regency

Address: Hyatt Regency, 5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco

Went to Hyatt Regency during lunch today. Totally amazed by the beautiful blue lights that shower down the 17-story high atrium - an atrium that is recorded in Guinness World Records as the largest hotel lobby in the world. There were also a few sets of mini town fully decorated with X'mas lights and motorized parts. The atrium is located two floors above the street level entrance of the hotel.

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