15 Best Family Things to Do in San Francisco

Head up to this interactive children’s museum for a day out filled with inspiring arts and science exhibits. It’s right off Horseshoe Bay, at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and occupies around 7.5 acres of National Park land.

Toddlers can enjoy the Tot Spot, a multi-sensory playground specially designed with stimulating outdoor tunnels, obstacles and other explorative features. Older kids can take part in various STEM activities, play a physics-based round of golf at Planet Putt Putt and explore Gumnut Grove. You can reach the museum via the Golden Gate Transit but be aware there is a walk of up to a mile, so drive and take advantage of the free parking if you can.

Active kids can jump and bounce to their hearts’ content at this indoor adrenaline and trampoline park that’s right next to the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Even mum, dad and guardians can join in the fun.

House of Air hosts a good variety of activities in its massive indoor facility. There are trampoline jumping sessions, aerials, physical training on trampolines, trampoline dodgeball, trampoline basketball dunks and other active sports such as rock climbing, ninja obstacles and fitness classes. It's a great place to host a birthday party, especially with the onsite café that serves classic pizzas and snacks.

Promoting itself as a 'public learning laboratory', Exploratorium is one of San Francisco’s great educational spots for families with kids. The interactive museum is at Pier 15, just a few minutes’ drive south from the Fisherman’s Wharf.

Parents and kids can explore, play and discover through the various exhibits that cover a wide range of topics, such as learning about light through making your own light paintings, generating electricity from light through photoelectricity exhibits and test-launching model rockets with a launcher of your own design. Check the website before you visit for brilliant seasonal events like story time, crafts and illuminated artworks.

The Children’s Creativity Museum is an interactive science and technology museum that focuses on creativity and family collaboration. Younger ones can make their own spaceship designs at a DIY table, while older kids can create a series of clay characters, then bring them to life through stop-motion animation techniques.

On top of these fantastic activities, there’s also an interactive music studio and a digital community garden where visitors can stretch their drawing skills by adding flowers or whatever they can imagine. It’s a sure way to entertain the whole family. Don't miss a ride on the beautiful hand-carved carousel, delighting visitors since 1906.

You can find the California Academy of Sciences inside the eastern half of the vast Golden Gate Park. It houses the Steinhart Aquarium, the Morrison planetarium and the Kimball Natural History Museum, all of which are included in just one admission fee.

Science and nature are both celebrated here. Take an inspiring stroll through the Osher Rainforest exhibit, a lush, 4-storey rainforest teeming with butterflies, exotic birds, reptiles and amphibians. Check out the giant arapaima in the Amazon Forest tunnel: this massive fish will astonish you. To save a little on your entry fee, book your tickets online in advance or consider purchasing a CityPass to other top San Francisco family attractions.

The Ghirardelli Experience is the home of San Francisco’s most famous chocolatier, located in the picturesque Ghirardelli Square. You can enjoy a range of decadent sweet treats here, including chocolate bars, shakes, cocoas and ice cream sundaes.

The Ghirardelli Experience isn’t just for your sweet tooth. It’s one of the best places to enjoy a view of San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz. Take in the view from your seat for the price of a piece of chocolate. This is also a good spot to stock up on tasty souvenirs that are sure to be appreciated.

This wonderful; museum serves as a place where families can admire the history and understand the workings of the world’s oldest cable car system. San Francisco’s Cable Car Museum on 1201 Mason Street is free to visit.

The working museum showcases fantastic exhibits that explain how the cable car system works, along with various tools, parts and devices. There are several old grip cars displayed, as well as the cable car powerhouse nearby, in which you can observe the pulleys and cables hard at work from its 2 viewing galleries above. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop for some memorabilia, including genuine cable car bells.

Blue Heron Lake, formerly Stow Lake, is the largest body of water within the Golden Gate Park, where families can rent a pedal boat and enjoy the placid and natural surroundings with the occasional sightings of turtles, ducks and Canadian geese.

The boathouse also has row boats, electric boats and passenger pedal boats that can seat up to 6 people, all available to hire. Some of the lakeside attractions that you can row to include Strawberry Hill Island, an artificial waterfall and a beautiful Chinese Pavilion. After enjoying the sun and the sights, stop by the snack bar for juicy burgers, hot dogs and vegan options.

The San Francisco Zoo offers you the chance to walk around 100 acres of land populated by over 250 species of animals in their native habitats. The zoo hosts over 1,000 individual animals and is in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, nestled right up against the Pacific Ocean. 

This exciting attraction allows you to get up close to giraffes, zebras, ostriches and grizzly bears, see lemurs leaping through trees and view one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies in captivity. It's a family-friendly attraction that also offers plenty of dining options and a gift shop for souvenirs. Kids will love the whimsical carousel and the unique Elinor Friend Playground, while teens might prefer the thrilling Virtual Reality Zone.

Oracle Park is one of America's top sports stadiums, and a visit to San Francisco wouldn't be complete without attending one of its ballgames. Home to the San Francisco Giants, who have won the World Series Championships multiple times, a game here is an unmatched experience partnered with epic waterfront views.

The magnificent towers and the Willie Mays statues are 2 exterior features you can’t miss. Once inside, check out the world’s largest baseball glove and grab a beer at famed Peet’s Café. Baseball buffs will love the 90-minute behind-the-scenes tour where you can sit in a Major League dugout and visit the press box. Tickets can be hard to come by, so make sure to book in advance.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is a contemporary arts centre that celebrates a wide variety of art expressed in exhibitions and performances. You'll find all sorts of displays and programmes held here all year long led by locals and travelling acts alike. From art galleries to magical performances, there’s always something new to discover. Check online before visiting, as event times may be different to the galleries' opening times.

Anyone who's looking to immerse themselves in artistic expression and the multitude of Bay Area communities on display here will enjoy a trip to this arts centre. Why not participate in one of their free workshops? You and your kids can create gorgeous lanterns or collages together.

Also referred to as the Golden Gate Park Carousel thanks to its charming merry-go-round, the Koret Children’s Quarter is a longstanding family attraction in the southeast corner of the Golden Gate Park. The children’s quarter was established back in 1888, making it one of the nation’s earliest known public playgrounds. 

Your kids will love traversing the climbing wall and ropes or zipping down the historic concrete slide. To extend your day out even further, the Sharon Art Studio next door offers art classes for both parents and kids. Parking is close by, but you’ll have to get there early as spots fill up quick. You’ll also find restrooms just up the hill.

This longstanding San Franciscan museum at the south-eastern base of the Corona Heights Park offers interactive natural science exhibits. Weekly agendas for families with kids include Science Saturdays, where you can try out various experiments, and art-making classes.

Live animal exhibits allow you to learn more about California’s diverse habitats and see native species such as coyotes, gray foxes, brush rabbits, California quails and Gopher snakes. Toddlers can enjoy their dedicated learning space filled with carpeted climbing structures, as well as books and toys. You'll be pleased to know that admission is free, making the Randall Museum a great budget day out for your family.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory is a legendary bakery in Chinatown that has been providing fortunes since 1962. Every day, up to 10,000 cookies are made here by hand, using a secret family recipe. Cookie flavours are unique: you’ll find chocolate, strawberry and even green tea.

Order a customised fortune cookie message as a thoughtful gift for a loved one to really make their day. The shop is open every day of the week but if you want to enjoy the tour with fewer crowds, it’s best to visit the factory on a weekday. You can easily reach the factory on public transportation.

Officially referred to as the Spreckels Lake Model Yacht Facility, this manmade lake on the northern side of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is a major go-to for model boat enthusiasts. Boaters of all ages gather here to put their racing sailboats or powerboats to the test, while assessing their designs or improving their remote-controlling skills.

Even though the lake is manmade, Spreckels is a fine example of a naturalistically styled artificial lake. Access is free, and you and your kids can simply relax by the lakeside while admiring the showcase of the passionate model builds.