One of the world’s most iconic cities, San Francisco heaves with wonderful things to see and do – with plenty to entertain kids among the mix.
A visitor interacts with an exhibit at Exploratorium (Photo: Exploratorium)
Perched on the scenic northern Californian coast, the city is perhaps best known for its Golden Gate Bridge, eye-catching steep streets and notorious former prison. If you’re coming to San Francisco as a family and would like to start building an action-packed itinerary that has plenty of age-appropriate activities and attractions, we’ve picked out 10 of the best ways to spend your time here with little ones in tow.
Explore a family-friendly museum
The suggestion of visiting a museum doesn’t always fill kids with enthusiasm, but if any will, it’s Exploratorium. Located in the historic Pier 15 along San Francisco’s Embarcadero, the venue invites adults and children alike to play and interact with the 600-plus exhibits, which cover a huge diversity of topics including human perception and life sciences, physics, the local environment and human behaviour. Highlights include the Tactile Dome, a pitch-black environment in which visitors find their way through touch, and Mood Lighting, which lets them experiment with colour while sitting under a glowing, rainbow dome.
Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green Street / Tues-Weds & Fri-Sat 10am-5pm Thurs 10am-10pm Sun 12pm-5pm Closed Mon
If the above has given your little ones a taste for learning, then just two miles south you’ll find another museum offering hands-on multi-media art and technology experiences. Situated close to Union Square, the Children’s Creativity Museum is packed full of interactive exhibits designed to get children’s creative juices flowing, including a Create and Share zone where they can make their own stop-motion animation movie, a Tech Lab where they learn how to code robots, and a Making Music exhibition where they are invited to experiment with instruments and sounds.
221 4th Street, Yerba Buena Gardens / Fri-Sun 10am-4pm Closed Mon-Thurs
Marvel at an array of marine life
Home to more than 20,000 aquatic animals spread across 3 main exhibit halls, Aquarium of the Bay is one of San Francisco’s most enduringly popular family attractions. With a focus on the amazingly diverse marine life that lives beneath the surface of San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters, the aquarium offers visitors the chance to learn about the local underwater ecosystem. They can get up close and personal with seastars, sea anemones and more in the interactive tide pools, watch sharks, bat rays, and skates glide through the water over the walkable tunnels, and marvel as river otters eat, play and swim just inches away.
PIER 39 The Embarcadero &, Beach St / Mon-Sun 11am-6pm
You can book admission tickets for Aquarium of the Bay at GetYourGuide
Exotic sea life behind a glass wall at Aquarium of the Bay (Photo: Aquarium of the Bay)
Look around a historic former island prison
Visiting a former prison may not be on the bucket list of most children, but a trip to Alcatraz might well make them reconsider. The famous former penitentiary offers kids an experience they won’t find anywhere else, starting with the ferry ride from San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island, continuing with the mesmerising abundance of flowers and birds that inhabit the island, and culminating with the fascinating stories that emerge as you explore the site in the company of bone fide former prisoners-turned-guides. The site also runs a Junior Ranger program for kids, which allows them to explore the mysteries of the prison and uncover different layers of its history during their visit.
Enjoy a bike ride through an urban park
Spanning some 1,017 acres, Golden Gate Park is home to bucolic lakes, meadows, museums and tons of opportunities for outdoor adventure. Among the most popular activities with kids and adults alike is embarking on a scenic bike ride along the park’s huge network of roadways and trails, with the endless variety of undulating topography making for a picturesque backdrop. For a challenging route that encompasses all of the park’s diverse scenery, you can loop around its perimeter which covers some 7.4 miles. Bikes are available to rent directly in the park.
Spend a day at the zoo
Set over 100 acres of picturesque gardens and against a Pacific Coast backdrop, San Francisco Zoo attracts large numbers of visitors throughout the year. Residing here are more than 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals, including giraffes, zebra, and kudu in the African Savanna section of the zoo, a Tropical Rainforest brimming with colourful birds and exotic plants, and America’s largest outdoor lemur habitat. As well as the array of animals on display, there’s also a farmyard area where kids can feed and pet the animals, a historic 1920s carousel and a miniature steam train.
Sloat Boulevard &, Upper Great Highway / Mon-Sun 10am-5pm
You can book admission tickets for San Francisco Zoo at GetYourGuide
A resident poses for a photo at San Francisco Zoo (Photo: San Francisco Zoo & Gardens)
Ride a cable car up the city’s hills
San Francisco’s cable cars aren’t simply a convenient way to navigate the city – they are also a tourist attraction in their own right and particularly popular with kids. Also known as streetcars, these quirky trolleys have crisscrossed the city since 1873, with stops dotted throughout its most renowned areas including Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Powell and Market Streets. They are also a less arduous way of traversing San Fran’s famed hilly layout than on foot, with plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
Visit a world-famous national park
Older children are likely to be just as in awe as their parents when they bear witness to the vast expanse of Yosemite National Park, whose breath-taking beauty is unequivocal to all ages and tastes. Due to the size and scale of the park, it is strongly recommended to visit as part of a guided tour – with a wide number available from San Francisco, despite the 4-hour drive between the two. During the tour, you’ll be taken to some of the park’s most renowned spots, including Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Grove, home to giant sequoia, the largest trees on earth. There’ll also be options for hikes to the lesser-visited Sequoia Grove as well as some free time to explore at your leisure.
You can book a guided tour of Yosemite National Park from San Francisco at Viator
The awe-inspiring scenery of Yosemite National Park (Photo: Irene Steeves via Flickr / PDM 1.0 DEED)
See the city from up high
One of San Francisco’s most distinctive landmarks quickly became one of its most visited following its construction in 2018. Perched on the city’s waterfront at the world-renowned Fisherman’s Wharf, the SkyStar Observation Wheel offers spectacular views across the city from its 36 rotating gondolas, each of which can host up to 6 guests per ride. The highest point sees you reach 150 feet above the ground – high enough for dramatic vistas of such sights and places of interest as North Beach, Russian Hill, Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Sausalito and Alcatraz Island.
2860 Taylor Street / Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
You can book tickets for the SkyStar Wheel at GetYourGuide
The SkyStar Wheel at Fisherman’s Wharf (Photo: SkyStar Wheel)
Sail under an iconic bridge
Linking San Francisco to its northern neighbour, Marin county, no visit to San Francisco is complete without stopping to admire the unrivalled majesty of the Golden Gate Bridge. Visible from far and wide, one of the most unique vantage points for taking in this architectural wonder is from the water. There are regular daily Golden Gate Bay boat tours that cruise along San Francisco’s waterfront before passing under the legendary bridge, while audio commentary regales you with fascinating tales and facts about the landmark and its long history. Tours vary in length, with most taking in several other notable attractions, as well as offering wildlife spotting opportunities, plus an onboard bar.
You can book a 1-hour Golden Gate Bay Cruise at GetYourGuide