Things to do with kids in San Francisco Category

Things To Do with Kids in San Francisco

There are TONS of things to do with kids in San Francisco! Whether you want to see nature, a historical landmark, kid-friendly foods, live performances, shopping, or children museums…San Fran has it all! See some of the many local options below to get your kids out for the day in this wonderful city!

Animals and Nature in San Francisco

Steinhart Aquarium
Visit this one of the largest museums of natural history in the world.
Learn more here.

Mountain Lake Park
Enjoy this park in the Richmond District neighborhood, located north of the intersection of Lake and Funston.
Learn more here.

Angel Island
Visit this island in San Francisco Bay that offers expansive views of the San Francisco skyline.
Learn more here.

Conservatory of Flowers
Visit this greenhouse and botanical garden that houses a collection of rare and exotic plants in Golden Gate Park.
Learn more here.

Attractions and Landmarks in San Francisco

Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar
Visit this restaurant and tiki bar in the Fairmont San Francisco hotel.
Learn more here.

Mission Dolores
Visit this oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions.
Learn more here.

Maritime National Historical Park
Visit this fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility.
Learn more here.

Golden Gate Bridge
Enjoy the breathtaking view of this suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait, the mile-wide, three-mile-long channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Learn more here.

Coit Tower
Visit this 210-foot tower in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.
Learn more here.

Fisherman’s Wharf
Visit this northern waterfront area of San Francisco
Learn more here.

Camera Obscura
Have a glimpse of this large-scale camera obscura and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Learn more here.

Alcatraz
Visit this small and historic island located in the San Francisco Bay.
Learn more here.

Kid-friendly Eats in San Francisco

Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar
Offers a tropical and festive atmosphere with live entertainment, dancing and a rain storm.
Learn more here.

The Grubstake
Enjoy their cooked-to-order burgers and breakfasts—as well as full meals and house-made desserts
Learn more here.

Tartine Bakery
Enjoy baked goods made with organic flour and local eggs.
Learn more here.

Taqueria Cancun
Try this popular Mexican place that’s been around for years.
Learn more here.

Tadich Grill
Try this seafood restaurant and has been for over 160 years.
Learn more here.

St. Francis Fountain
Visit the home of hearty breakfasts, top-rated hamburgers, and classic soda fountain desserts.
Learn more here.

Scoma’s
Visit the San Francisco waterfront restaurant steeped in a family history of quality and service.
Learn more here.

Sam Wo
Visit this “infamous hole-in-the-wall” Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, California
Learn more here.

Luna Park
Try this delicious moderately-priced cuisine on Valencia Street in the San Francisco Mission District
Learn more here.

Molinari Delicatessen
Enjoy their salami, great rolls and of course delicious sandwiches.
Learn more here.

North Beach
Visit this little Italian town in Sn Francisco.
Learn more here.

Japantown
Visit this largest and oldest such enclave in the United States.
Learn more here.

Herbivore the Earthly Grill — Valencia Street
Enjoy this vegan restaurant that offers an international menu and an enjoyable atmosphere.
Learn more here.

House of Nanking
Visit this Chinese restaurant located in Chinatown, San Francisco
Learn more here.

Hang Ah Tea Room
Enjoy this Dim Sum restaurant in Chinatown.
Learn more here.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
Enjoy this down to earth micro brewery restaurant .
Learn more here.

Ghirardelli Square

Visit this landmark with shops and restaurants in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco, California.
Learn more here.

Cheesecake Factory
Visit this full-service restaurant, specializing in cheesecakes for dessert.
Learn more here.

Caffe Trieste
Visit this chain of six Italian-themed coffeehouse plus one retail store
Learn more here.

Burma Superstar
Visit the home of original Samusa Soup, Rainbow Salad, and Burma Cooler!
Learn more here.

Bi-Rite
We make all of our ice cream by hand, in small batches
Learn more here.

Beach Chalet
Treat Your Loved Ones to The Gift of a Great Dining Experience.
Learn more here.

Live Performances in San Francisco

San Francisco School of Circus Arts
One of the foremost circus schools in the western United States.
Learn more here.

Beach Blanket Babylon
Great wholesome entertainment for the whole family.
Learn more here.

Local Unique in San Francisco

Westin St. Francis Glass Elevator
Historic luxury hotel located on Powell and Geary Streets on Union Square in San Francisco, California.
Learn more here.

Wave Organ
Great mini excursion for anyone looking to get away from the Fisherman’s Wharf crowds
Learn more here.

Union Square
A 2.6-acre public plaza bordered by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton Streets in San Francisco
Learn more here.

USS Pampanito
A Balao-class submarine, was a United States Navy ship, the only one named for the pompano fish.
Learn more here.

Top of The Mark
A rooftop bar located at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel on Nob Hill at California
Learn more here.

San Francisco Ghost Hunt
A two hour walk with several haunted places, many ghost stories, and even some magic.
Learn more here.

Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Regular visitors to our bird feeder.
Learn more here.

Inner Richmond District
Practical and comfortable neighborhood with a citywide reputation for fantastic restaurants.
Learn more here.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
A fortune cookie company located in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco.
Learn more here.

Cable Car Museum
Free museum in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.
Learn more here.

49 Mile Drive
Designated scenic road tour highlighting much of San Francisco.
Learn more here.

Museums, Exhibits and Art Galleries in San Francisco

Zeum
A hands-on, multimedia arts and technology museum for kids of all ages
Learn more here.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
A modern art museum located in San Francisco
Learn more here.

Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf
Don’t dare to miss to see those 270 wax figures.
Learn more here.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum
Offers museums and attractions in multiple countries focusing on odd and amazing things.
Learn more here.

Musee Mecanique
A for-profit interactive museum consisting of 20th-century penny arcade games and artifacts
Learn more here.

Exploratorium
A museum in San Francisco whose stated mission is to change the way the world learns
Learn more here.

Cartoon Art Museum
A California art museum that specializes in the art of comics and cartoons.
Learn more here.

California Academy of Sciences
Among the largest museums of natural history in the world.
Learn more here.

Outdoor fun in San Francisco

Stow Lake Boat and Bike Rentals
The heart of Golden Gate Park and offers environmentally-friendly boat rentals.
Learn more here.

Presidio
A park and former military base on the northern tip of the San Francisco.
Learn more here.

Ride a Bike to Sausalito
Enjoy biking at Sausalito with the family.
Learn more here.

Golden Gate Park
A large urban park consisting of 1,017 acres of public grounds.
Learn more here.

Shopping in San Francisco

Scroungers’ Center for Reusable Art
This is an incredible help for crafts, art, and various other projects on a budget.
Learn more here.

Schein & Schein
Located in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach District and just off the square in Sonoma
Learn more here.

Little Fish Boutique
A beautiful store full of unique clothing and accessories for infants and children as well as men and women
Learn more here.

Green Apple Books
San Francisco independent bookseller, 38 years in business.
Learn more here.

Chinatown Kite Shop
Go fly a kite, it is fun to relax half day in the warm Autumn sun.
Learn more here.

Chinatown — San Francisco
Centered on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street in San Francisco
Learn more here.

Sports in San Francisco

San Francisco Giants
Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco
Learn more here.

Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar

A visit to San Francisco isn’t complete without experiencing The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. Yes it’s a bar, but it’s also a restaurant that children won’t want to miss. The Pan-Pacific Rim menu is tasty but what makes the place so special, so impossible to miss, is the artificial thunderstorms that come on the hour while a full band plays on a boat in a moat. You’ll be blown away as the kids sip soda and you enjoy one of the Tonga’s famous Mai Tais.

Contact no: (415) 772-5278

Location: 950 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

Learn more here.

Sutter’s Fort

Kids young and old can learn about Sacramento’s early history at Sutter’s Fort Historical State Park. This Midtown attraction is an actual fort, not a figurative one, with walls 2 feet thick and about 17 feet high. There are hands-on activities and scheduled events throughout the year.

Contact no: (916) 445-4422

Location: 2701 L St., Sacramento, CA 95816

Learn more here.

Westin St. Francis Glass Elevator

The St. Francis is a lovely hotel, and one of the best things about it is that security doesn’t seem to mind when people who aren’t hotel guests use its glass elevators. There are five elevators that run the height of the building and offer spectacular views of the city and the Bay. It’s well-known to locals that this is the best view in town. children enjoy taking a trip to the top almost as much as they like Fisherman’s Wharf. Sure, this isn’t a traditional tourist attraction, but it’s so much fun. And since it’s free, you can’t argue with the price.

Contact no:(415) 397-7000

Location: 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Learn more here.

Wave Organ

The Wave Organ, an Exploratorium artist-in-residence piece, is a wave-activated acoustic sculpture located on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay at the tip of the Marina. It’s not a video game, nor is it in high definition. It doesn’t shock you terribly or run up your credit card. It just makes a very pleasant sound that your children will find delightfully bizarre. Waves going through the Wave Organ make it play something that’s not quite music, but certainly not just noise. It’s like stepping inside one of the seashells that you hold up to your ear.

Contact no: (415) 561-0360

Location: 1 Yacht Road, San Francisco, CA 94123

Learn more here.

Union Square

If San Francisco has a heart, it’s in Union Square. This open-air plaza is ideal for sitting to enjoy a drink while you watch tourists, businessmen, shoppers, street performers and all the rest of the residents of the City by the Bay. Be sure to check local listings to see if any events are taking place in the Square, as the plaza is home to art shows, fashion shows, parties, and sometimes demonstrations, political and otherwise. On the plaza, there is a little café where you can get pastries, coffee or a glass of wine. Union Square is home to the TIX booth (350 Powell Street); buy discounted tickets there to shows at the downtown theaters.

Contact no: (415) 433-7827

Location: Post Street and Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Learn more here.

USS Pampanito

San Francisco is home to one of the “most popular historic vessels in the country”; it is a giant WWII submarine that sank six Japanese ships. Now, it’s a living museum where you and your children can marvel at this immense symbol of military brawniness. Submarines are inherently fascinating to kids, and any children learning about World War II in history class should definitely see the USS Pampanito for a well-rounded lesson in the past.

Contact no: (415) 775-1943

Location: Pier 45, San Francisco, CA 94133

Learn more here.

Top of The Mark

The View

Located on the 19th (and top) floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, the world-renowned sky-bar affords an almost 360 degree vista of San Francisco, including views of the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Alcatraz. The Top of the Mark is as famous for its 100 different martinis as it is for the view, but before 8pm, it serves soft drinks for the children as well.

Contact no: (415) 616-6916

Location: 1 Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA 94108

Learn more here.

San Francisco Ghost Hunt

Good orb! There was no lights in the background..

The Ghost Hunt is a walking tour of San Francisco which focuses on ghosts and other paranormal activity. The organizers claim that all of their information is backed up by research, but we’re not so sure. Even skeptical kids will have fun on this two-hour tour. The tourguide, Jeff Fassbinder, says this is a chilling supernatural adventure, so please dress warmly because it gets chilly at night in San Francisco. This hunt is not recommended for children 8 and younger.

Contact no: (415) 922-5590

Location: 1590 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Learn more here.

Parrots of Telegraph Hill

The rowdy and charming flock of Cherry-headed Conures is thought to have come here in the late 80s, and they’re still delighting curious children today. Originally from South America, no one is sure exactly how they ended up on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. In the 90s their fame grew along with their numbers, and there are now more than 100 parrots in the group. These are beautiful, brightly-colored, tropical parrots, who manage to survive in San Francisco due to the mild climate (which seems to suit the human inhabitants as well). Several years ago, their primary caretaker, Mark Bittner, wrote a book and contributed to a film about this curious flock, which only increased their fame. They’re now the most loved feathered citizens of the city.

Contact no:
Location:

Telegraph Hill Boulvard, San Francisco, CA 94111
Learn more here.