Summer fun for all ages -- with a view

<p>On a recent Wednesday morning, children scrambled over a wooden boat outside the barracks of an abandoned Army base and climbed a parapet for views of the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge.</p><p>For North Bay families seeking a final blast of summertime fun, it's hard to beat the Bay Area Discovery Museum at Fort Baker, near Sausalito.</p><p>Watching kids play amid the detritus of war is an odd but pleasing juxtaposition. Another is the setting on Horseshoe Cove, which affords a view of the Golden Gate that tourists might kill to photograph, if only they knew to make their way downhill.</p><p>"I don't think a lot of people know you can get down there and watch the sunsets and fog," said Jennifer Caleshu, a spokeswoman for the museum.</p><p>Another upside is the museum's relatively modest entrance fees. At $8 for kids and $10 for adults, a play date here will cost considerably less than going to a theme park.</p><p>As to the essential question of whether kids will enjoy themselves at the museum, the answer is yes, judging by the joy on display on this particular day.</p><p>Toddlers drenched themselves in a faux stream populated with fake fish, while older kids got their pirate on in Lookout Cove and constructed art projects.</p><p>This is the final week for kids to experience life on the International Space Station, including a popular exhibit on how astronauts use a potty in space, featuring a toilet for kids to sit on.</p><p>Friday also marks the museum's final "Summer Sunset" program, which is from 5 to 8 p.m. and features a circus act and DJ music. Visitors can bring a picnic dinner to the outdoor event or purchase food in a cafe.</p><p>The cost for general admission to the special event is $8.</p><p>The museum normally is open Tuesday through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Mondays.</p><p>Bring a jacket. The normally brisk waterfront setting is even chillier this summer, thanks to unusually low summer temperatures.</p><p>Getting to the museum from the North Bay is easy. Simply head south on Highway 101 and after going through the Waldo Tunnel, take the last Sausalito exit before the Golden Gate.</p><p>From there, it's a short drive down the mountain to the Army base.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com</p>