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
Learn more here.
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
Learn more here.
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
Learn more here.
