Are you planning a trip to San Francisco and looking for fun things to do with the kids? This is a local mom’s guide on the top 10 best things to do in San Francisco with kids.
Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is one of the top science museums in the US. It’s a highly interactive museum that allows kids of all ages to explorescience, technology, and arts. It’s an awesome place for kids to be free to tinker and play with everything they see. Located on the beautiful Embarcadero, this is a great place for kids big and small to tinker and toy with more than 600+ exhibits.
One of the most popular attractions for families is the California Academy of Sciences. This natural history museum is like having four attractions all under one roof! Walk through the four story rain forrest with butterflies flying around, or check out the world-class aquarium, then sit back and stargaze in the MorrisonPlanetarium. There are so many things to see and activities for all ages. Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, this is an incredible museum you won’t want to miss.
Fisherman’s Wharf is synonymous with San Francisco. We love to visit here to feel like we’re on a staycation..lol! I enjoy eating the fresh seafood that comes from the bay while enjoying the beautiful view. Not to mention the local sea lions that are always fun to visit. Who can’t resist a hot fudge sundae from the world famous Ghiradelli Square.
Walk or bike the Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most iconic bridges in the world. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World as well as the most photographed bridge. With over 10 million visitors each year this is a great place to walk or bike the famous bridge.
Tips: The bridge is 1.7 miles long and takes about 30-45 minutes to walk across one way. Biking across the bridge is also a popular option as it only takes about 10-25 minutes. Don’t forget to bring a jacket as it can get very windy even if the rest of the city isn’t.
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is one of the best parks in the country. It’s a large urban park consisting of 1,017 acres and is the third most visited park in the United States. Home to several beautiful gardens, museums, lakes, and home to the famous California Academy of Sciences. Take in the stunning greenery of this magnificent park that is actually 20% larger than New York’s Central Park. This is a must-visit while in San Francisco.
Museums California Academy of Science De Young Museum
Playground Koret Children’s Quarter
Gardens Conservatory of Flowers Japanese Tea Garden San Francisco Botanical Garden
Ride a Cable Car
San Francisco’s cable cars are the last manually operated cable car system of its kinds in the world. They are a historic part of San Francisco and would be a memorable experience for young kids. In fact, one of the few things I remember as a young kid visiting San Francisco were the cable cars. They’re also a great way to see the incredible views of the city and bay with young kids who might not be used to the steep hills of SF.
Another great way to explore the entire city is through an open-top bus tour like BigBus. Their route visits all the major landmarks in San Francisco and allows you to easily hop on and off at any one of them. Kids will absolutely love exploring the city by riding this bus.
Tips: There are also free museums for those interested in learning more about the history, different eras, and see photographs of the cable cars and street cars of San Francisco: Cable Car Museum and SF Railway Museum.
Helen Diller Playground
The Bay Area has some of the most nicest playgrounds I’ve ever seen. We usually take our kids to their favorite playground in Mission Bay, but I recently took them to the Helen Diller Playground in Dolores Park. They absolutely loved it and it has now become their favorite playground, which says a lot. It’s definitely a spacious playground with lots to do for young and older kids. Not to mention it’s right next to the famous Dolores Park of San Francisco.
One things to note is that the playground is next to a big grass area that’s usually packed on the weekends with adults sunbathing and partying. Not to mention the smell of marijuana wafting through the air. Note: marijuana is legal in California, but not in public places. Visiting during the week was actually very pleasant and you just can’t beat it’s central location with spectacular views of the gorgeous city skyline and being in the Mission where there are tons of great food options.
Tips: Take the kids to Bi-Rite creamery, which is an institution in San Francisco. They are diagonally across the opposite end of Dolores Park. They usually have lines, but they move pretty quickly.
View from the parking lot during the day
View from the parking lot at sunset
Land’s End
One of the most beautiful places to hike in San Francisco is the Land’s End Trail Hike. Located on the far northwest side of the city, Lands End is a beautiful place right by the ocean (Ocean Beach to be exact). It is a National Monument and is part of the San Francisco National Parks. It’s a kid-friendly trail (mostly flat except for one big hill with stairs) at about 2.9 miles out-and-back and is dog friendly.
This place is a photographer’s dream and quite possibly one of the best places to see the sunset in San Francisco. The hike starts and finishes at Sutro Bath, which is a former bath house that burned down. There is a visitor center with bathrooms, but it was closed when we went there last.
Catch a Ferry
The Bay Area has several ferries that take you to different areas throughout the bay. Take in the gorgeous views of San Francisco Bay, or on see the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge from a completely different angle. You could even take the ferry to Sausalito and enjoy lunch on the beautiful waterfront before heading back. Or why not take a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and take the ferry back to San Francisco.
This one is technically outside of San Francisco, but I had to include it. The Bay Area Discovery Museum is one of the most popular children’s museum for kids 6 months to 8 years in the bay area. It’s so much fun for kids to learn and play at the indoor and outdoor exhibits. Located right across the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, which is one of my favorite day trip places near San Francisco.
Why not help your child prepare for their San Francisco trip or have something to remember it? The Good Night San Francisco is a children’s book showcasing the major attractions and landmarks within San Francisco. This is part of the bestselling Good Night Our World series, and they have hundreds of books on many other places. This is such a fun and cute way to introduce kids to travel and appreciate different places around the world.
