October is a glorious month in San Francisco. Our Indian Summer brings warm days with crisp blue skies. If you want to appreciate the beauty of the topography of the Bay Area, this it the time of year to do it.

October also means Fleet Week, an annual event when the Navy is celebrated with a steady stream of activities including a parade of ships coming into the bay and an air show featuring the Blue Angels.

Suzanne Battat Dowling lives in San Francisco with her two boys (4 and 6). She is an expert on exploring San Francisco and the perfect resource for our list of top favorite things to do with kids in the city.

Plans to visit the San Francisco Bay Area? I live here and put together a few ideas for fun activities with kids for Two Kids and a Map—a terrific family travel blog …

I’m always trying to capture the best scenery shot and get everyone to smile (no fake smiles allowed). Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out. This week’s Photo Friday post is one of those moments.

Granted, there is not the same energy and bliss in the Bay Area when spring arrives—versus say Chicago—given that our winters are mild. That said, I have a few favorite local excursions …