San Francisco – What To Do in San Francisco, California
What To Do in San Francisco, California
What to Do in San Francisco – #1 Bay Aquarium
Visit first thing in the morning to have fewer crowds at this world-class museum. See lots of colorful sea creatures and have fun with interactive activities. Walk through the clear tunnels which give everyone a close up view of fish and sharks all around you! Kids love animals and this aquarium is not to be missed!
Open daily except for Christmas Day. Admission: Adults $ 24.95, Seniors and Children (4-12) $14.95, Family Rate (2 adults and 2 children) $70.
Use the San Francisco CityPass to save money on the tickets
Save 42% on San Francisco’s Muni and 4 other attractions with CityPASS. Shop Now!
What To Do in San Francisco – #2 San Francisco Science Museum
Not just any museum….the MOST visited museum in all of San Francisco, California. If you only have one museum on your itinerary..make sure it is this one! Why is it so special? There is lot offered here: planetarium, four-story rainforest, an aquarium, and a natural history museum. See fish, tree frogs, and dinosaur skeletons all in one place. The newest exhibit is the earthquake exhibit – a perfect spot to feel what it’s like in a real earthquake – fearlessly!
Open daily except Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day. Admission: Adults $35, Senior, Student and Youth (12-17) $29.95, Child (4-11) $24.95 and Children under 3 are free.
What To Do in San Francisco – #3 Musee Mechanique
Do you have any video gamers in your family? Give them a taste of what gaming used to look like back in the day! You’ll find some really old coin-operated machines from the 1800s and Pac Man things from the more recent past. Free to go in, but bring your coins to play the games.
Open 365 days a year!
What To Do in San Francisco – #4 Segway Tours
Have you tried the Segway? It looks hard but within a minute you’ll get the hang of it. Great way to see the sights without having to walk. Even the most jaded kid who dislikes ‘boring’ sightseeing will be thrilled with this! You’ll be a rock star to your tweens with this idea! Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because, in essence, you’ll be standing in one spot.
Lots of San Francisco tours to choose from with different prices. Minimum age to ride a Segway is 12.
What To Do in San Francisco – #5 Golden Gate Bridge
One of the top San Francisco sights is the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge is really amazing to behold and one of the most recognized places in the world! When we were in San Francisco it was quite foggy and if that is the case for you, the best way to see the Golden Gate bridge is to walk across! Rent a bike in the Fisherman’s Wharf area if that is more fun for your crew! Enjoy a peek at the outdoor museum before you walk across to learn how the bridge works. VERY active kid-friendly fun.
Cross the Golden Gate bridge anytime between 5 am – 6:30 am.
NOT allowed: animals except service animals, roller blades, skateboards, and roller skates, electric bikes, small scooters
What To Do in San Francisco – #6 Enjoy a boat ride!
Do your travelers include a teen? Tweens and teens can be hard sells for some sightseeing activities. This San Francisco tourist attraction is made for kids that age.
Rocketboat Ride – This 30-minute ride takes the boat up to 55 mph! Prices: Adult $28, Senior $24, Junior (ages 12-18) $24, Child (5-11) $20
Interested in a water journey at a more relaxed pace? Ride past the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the breathtaking San Francisco skyline. Consider seeing this at the beginning of your trip to get your bearings.
San Francisco Bay Cruise – Several choices for cruise lengths!
Tweens love social media, too. If yours is into Instagram, be sure to take a look at these ‘Best Instagram Spots in San Francisco‘.
What To Do in San Francisco – #7 Muir Woods
Feeling like you have been shrunken to ant size under the world’s biggest trees is truly a magical experience. Kids and grown ups alike are amazed by getting to walk among the Coastal Redwood trees. Muir Woods is an absolute MUST see. Hiking is an option, too.
Open 365 days a year! Adults, $10 and children under 15 are FREE.
What To Do in San Francisco – #8 Ride a Red Fire Engine!
Kids of all age will be delighted with this rare opportunity to ride in a real fire engine! The San Francisco fire engine tour takes you through the Fisherman’s Wharf, the Presidio, and over one of the world’s MOST recognized sites – the Golden Gate Bridge. Pose in front of the bridge for photos to show the friends back home. Really cool experience for the whole family!
75-minute tour with a maximum of 13 persons. Kiddos must have an adult present.
Prices: Adult $55, Youth (13-14) $45, Child (2-12) $35 and Infants (0-2) $20.
What To Do in San Francisco – #9 Fortune Cookie Factory
Have you ever wondered how the little slip of paper gets into the fortune cookie? Well, now you can find out! This fortune cookie factory has been making cookies to ship the world over since 1962. Stop by to see how it all works and pick up a fortune cookie for yourself!
What To Do in San Francisco – #10 Alcatraz
Wondering if a prison is a family-friendly things to see on vacation? Well, it sure is! No worries about keeping kiddos quiet. The little ones love the ferry over to it and the freedom to be a kid. The older ones will love the stories of how the prison from which no one could ever escape….turned out to have several people do just that! Parents will enjoy the interesting history of the island which was once a lighthouse, once a US fort, and once occupied by Indians of All Tribes.
Reserve ahead of time with Alcatraz Cruises. Slots fill up.
San Francisco, California has much to offer for family vacations! Plan for the perfect family adventure!
If you are heading to San Francisco in the Golden State of California, you’ll want tips on planning the perfect adventure!!
CLICK HERE – Airport Security with an Infant
CLICK HERE – Pack Light and look fantastic!
CLICK HERE – Get the kids ready for long family vacation walks and hikes!
Happy travels,
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
The Muir Woods and Rocket boat sound so fun! I don’t have kids yet, but am always wondering what I will do with them when I want to travel. Also many of these places look good for adults on their own too!
Wow, there are a lot of things to do with kids – segway tour, fire engine and fortune cookie factory are ones I’ve never heard about. Thank you for the tip about going to the aquarium early. I’ve pinned this for a future California trip – with or without kids!
Thanks! I know I enjoy the things ‘for kids’ at least as much if not more than they do! 🙂
Generally we come across tips that tell us how to travel and where to go. But its very rare to find ones where we also consider the kids and you have done a great job at this. San Francisco for kids sounds amazing and there’s a lot to do for them.
The sites in San Francisco you have listed which I would like to take my daughter to are for both of us, Muir Woods and the Golden Gate Bridge. I would love to photograph her in the famous woods and around the famous bridge. For her, she would love to watch and ride the Red Fire Engine, I guess you can combine this with the Golden Gate and save yourself a walk from Fisherman’s Wharf. There are some wonderful activities for kids in San Francisco here.
Even as an adult I love science museums, especially the interactive parts. The San Francisco Science Museum is on my list now. The San Francisco Bay Cruise could be romantic around sunset I guess, for the people without kids. 😉 The segway photo is fun!
So many of those things I want to do myself. I didn’t get chance on my last trip to see San Francisco so it is a definite on my next trip to the US. Alcatraz is a must for me, something I have been fascinated with and have wanted to visit for years. Also the golden gate bridge, Muir woods & the science museum.
Wow! I like all of the activities that you have featured especially the Fortune Cookie Factory and boat ride. I would not mind doing all of these with my friends. They sound so much fun and it is San Francisco! It is one of the most beautiful places that I want to explore.
Wow so much to do! The San Francisco Science Museum sounds absolutely wonderful for both kids and adults! I can’t believe it has a planetarium, rainforest, aquarium and a natural history museum. That’s quite a museum so I can see why it is the most visited! I would love to see it for myself. Love the photo of the trees at Muir Woods!
These are great ideas! I didn’t realise that you could visit the fortune cookie factory. I also still haven’t gotten to the Musee Mechanique either.