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By Root 663 0

time I see one of these things the people riding in them are grinning from ear to ear—and they’re cleverly guided by a talking GPS (Global Positioning System), which means that the car always knows where you are, even if you don’t. The most popular computer-guided tour is a 2-hour loop around the Fisherman’s Wharf area, out to the Marina District, through Golden Gate Park, and down Lombard Street, the “crookedest street in the world.” As you drive, the talking car tells you where to turn and what landmarks you’re passing. Even if you stop to check something out, as soon as you turn your GoCar back on, the tour picks up where it left off. Or you can just cruise around wherever you want (but not across the Golden Gate Bridge). There’s a lockable trunk for your things, and the small size makes parking a breeze. Keep in mind, this isn’t a Ferrari—two adults on a long, steep hill may involve one of you walking (or pushing). You can rent a GoCar from 1 hour (about $49) to a full day. You’ll have to wear a helmet, and you must be a licensed driver of at least 18 years of age. The GoCar rental shop is at 2715 Hyde St., between Beach and North Point streets at Fisherman’s Wharf. For more information call 800/91-GOCAR (46227) or 415/441-5695, or log onto their website at www.gocarsf.com.

MUSEUMS

For information on museums in Golden Gate Park, see the “Golden Gate Park” section.

Aquarium of the Bay This $38-million, 1-million-gallon marine attraction at Pier 39 is filled with sharks, stingrays, and other sea creatures that visitors can get up close and personal with via touch tanks and clear acrylic tunnels that you pass through on a people-mover. (Being here during an earthquake would be really interesting.) Although the tunnel is an engineering marvel, the overall experience pales in comparison to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but the kids sure seem to get a kick out of all the fish swimming above and around them.

The Embarcadero at Beach St. 888/SEA-DIVE (732-3483) or 415/623-5333. www.aquariumofthebay.com. Aquarium admission $16 adults, $8 seniors and children 3–11, free for children 2 and under; family (2 adults, 2 children) package $38. Behind-the-scenes tour $22 per person, $14 seniors and children 5–11, including admission to the aquarium. Summer daily 9am–8pm; rest of year Mon–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri–Sun 10am–7pm. Closed Dec 25.

Asian Art Museum ★ Previously in Golden Gate Park and reopened in a stunning space that was once the Beaux Arts–style main library, San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum is one of the Western world’s largest museums devoted to Asian art. Its collection boasts more than 15,000 art objects, including world-class sculptures, paintings, bronzes, ceramics, and jade items, spanning 6,000 years of history and regions of south Asia, west Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, China, Korea, and Japan. Inside you’ll find 40,000 square feet of gallery space showcasing 2,500 objects at any given time. Add temporary exhibitions, live demonstrations, learning activities, the very good Cafe Asia, and a store, and you’ve got one very good reason to head to the Civic Center.

200 Larkin St. (btw. Fulton and McAllister sts.). 415/581-3500. www.asianart.org. Admission $12 adults, $8 seniors 65 and over, $7 youths 13–17 and college students with ID, free for children 12 and under. $10 flat rate for all (except children 12 and under who are free) after 5pm Thurs. $5 1st Sun of the month. Tues–Wed and Fri–Sun 10am–5pm; Thurs 10am–9pm. Bus: All Market St. buses. Streetcar: Civic Center.

Cable Car Museum ★ If you’ve ever wondered how cable cars work, this nifty museum explains (and demonstrates) it all. The Cable Car Museum is no stuffed shirt; it’s the living powerhouse, repair shop, and storage place of the cable car system and is in full operation. Built for the Ferries and Cliff House Railway in 1887, the building underwent an $18-million reconstruction to restore its original gaslight-era look, install an amazing spectators’ gallery, and add a museum of San Francisco transit history.

The exposed machinery, which pulls