Rent pedal-powered boats at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. Stow Lake is a beautiful moat filled with ducks and other waterfowl that enjoy popcorn which is on sale at the snack bar. Best of all, the lake is open year-round because of the city’s mild weather. You and your children can pedal under bridges and over reeds in one of San Francisco’s most beautiful places.
Contact no: (415) 752-0347
Location: 50 Stow Lake Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
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This National Historic Landmark was established by the Spanish during colonial times to guard the bay against invasion and later served as a base for the American military through the Cold War. Since 1994 it’s been a National Park. You can visit the unique (if a bit morbid) pet cemetery, check out the old gun batteries or take a stroll down scenic lovers’ lane. The Presidio golf course (300 Finley Road) offers one of the best views in the city as well.
Contact no: (415) 561-4323
Location: 50 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129″
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Ride a bicycle across the legendary Golden Gate Bridge, then coast downhill to Sausalito for a bite to eat before taking a ferry back to the city. This ride is the best and most memorable way for you and your children to see the bridge. You can set your own pace and explore the Presidio or the Marin Headlands at your leisure. After all, what’s the rush? The helpful staff at Blazing Saddles will equip you with a bike, a helmet, a map, a bottle of water, and a ferry pass to get back and directions. The only thing left for you and your child is actually pushing the pedals.
Contact no: (415) 202-8888
Location: 2715 Hyde Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
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There are dozens of things to do in Golden Gate Park, but some of them stand out. First, no trip would be complete without paying a visit to the buffalo (or bison, if you want to get technical). The bison paddock was established in 1891 and serves as a breeding area. The current population is 5 beautiful, if a little aloof, buffalo. Next you’ll want to visit the Japanese Tea Garden, world famous for being the site that invented the fortune cookie. At the Japanese Tea Garden, you can enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony; cookies come afterward.
Contact no: (415) 831-2700
Location: Fulton Street and Stanyan Street, San Francisco, CA 94121
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The Steinhart Aquarium houses a massive variety of animal life, from penguins to puffer fish. Some of the species here can’t be found at any other aquarium, and some are even extinct in the wild. Your children’s eyes will bug out at the 212,000-gallon coral reef aquarium, one of the biggest in the country.
Contact no: (415) 379-5451
Location: California Academy of Sciences 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
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Mountain Lake Park has a small enclosure, and it’s always teeming with professional dogwalkers leading (or being led by) a plentitude of pups. It’s a quiet park, with slides and grassy areas for playing, but the waterfowl that live here really make it special. Even though there are more birds in the ponds in Golden Gate Park to the south, the ducks, geese, and loons here are much friendler, probably because they’re used to being barked at by dogs. Little kids bearing breadcrumbs are welcome. Many of the ducks will eat right out of your children’s hand. It sounds like a small thing — feeding the ducks in a park — but to a kid, it’s enormous. The best time to come is during the week, when parking is easier to find.
Contact no:
Location: Lake Street and Park Presidio Boulevard Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94118
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At one time, Angel Island, in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, was California’s version of Ellis Island. For generations of immigrants, this was the point of entry. Now, it’s a state park, and a beautiful one, known as the “Jewel of San Francisco Bay.” The view from the island is unequaled: On a clear day, you can see the Golden Gate, the Bay, Richmond/San Rafael, San Mateo, and Dumbarton bridges. Mountain bikes are available to rent, and there are hiking trails crisscrossing the whole place. A lovely little swimming hole is a great place for a dip on those rare hot days in the Bay Area. The best way to get here from the city is to take one of the Blue and Gold Fleet’s ferries, which leave from the Embarcadero just about hourly.
Contact no:(800) 444-7275
Location: Pier 39, San Francisco, CA 94133
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A trip to the Conservatory is the easiest trip to the tropics you can take, assuming you don’t already live there. This recently rebuilt flower showroom has palms, bromeliads, orchids and even carnivorous plants (don’t worry, they don’t move fast enough to pose a threat). The 100-year-old Imperial Philodendron will make you realize how young you really are. The six-foot-tall leaves of the Victoria Amazonica are strong enough to support a small child (but we don’t advise that your child try it out). Apart from the exotic and rare flowers, the Conservatory maintains a wonderfully educational exhibit about plants that we all use everyday, like sugar cane, cacao, coffee, and rubber. Teaching your child that the food chain doesn’t start at the supermarket is invaluable.
Contact no: (415) 666-7001
Location:100 John F Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118
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What makes this inexpensive eatery unusual is that it’s located inside an antique train car that is permanently parked on Pine Street. It used to be a train on the Key Line that connected San Francisco to the East Bay before the Bay Bridge was constructed. Along with its traditional diner fare, The Grubstake is oneof the few restaurants in the area to serve Portuguese dishes, an easy and delicious way to feed your children some culture. Some swear by its burgers; we like its Caldo Verde. Remember, bring cash, Grubstake doesn’t take credit cards.
Contact no: (415) 673-8268
Location: 1525 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
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Everyone loves the Tartine Bakery, which is a short walk from Dolores Park. It uses only the freshest local ingredients to make its delicious French pastries, and San Franciscans line up every day for the chance to taste flaky, buttery croissants, and chocolaty brownies. Although the staff fusses over their pastries to perfect them; the elegant, simple taste of the pastries won’t frighten kids away. In Paris, you still might not find Pain au Chocolate as good as this. Tartine’s quality is no secret, so come during the week to avoid the crowds.
Contact no: (415) 487-2600
Location: 600 Guerrero Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Learn more here.
