San Francisco is a vibrant city recognized for its fog, hilly landscape, and assorted styles of architecture. With no shortage of fun things to do, it is a great city to visit for travelers of all ages.
Here is a suggested list of 20 fun activities your whole family will enjoy in San Francisco:
1. Take a photo on the Golden Gate Bridge
If you’re traveling with family, you can choose to either walk or cycle across the bridge. Both options are equally fun and guarantee a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline and waterfront. It is an experience not to be missed, and is entirely different from just admiring the bridge from afar. For the curious, pop in to the visitor’s center to find out more on the history of the park and fun facts about the bridge’s construction.
2. Tinker with the exhibits at the Exploratorium
The institution has been hailed by New York Times as “the most important science museum to have opened since the mid-20th century, an achievement attributed to ‘the nature of its exhibits, its wide-ranging influence and its sophisticated teacher training program’”. It is the ideal place to be spending a fruitful afternoon and your kids will definitely enjoy having their curiosity fed here.
3. Get your pictures taken at Madame Tussauds
Some of the celebrities featured here include Lady Gaga, Abraham Lincoln and Steven Spielberg. Madame Tussauds San Francisco also has figures that were vital to the city’s history, such as actor Robin Williams, the first openly gay official Harvey Milk, and Facebook’s co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.
You will be in for a fun time here with your kids meeting the celebrities and taking selfies with each of them.
4. Enjoy a cable car ride
The Powell / Hyde and Powell / Mason lines stop at the Cable Car Museum, and it is worth checking out. It provides a history of the cable cars and how they work. Your kids will be fascinated to see the real cables below ground!
5. Drive down the crooked Lombard Street
As San Francisco is well-known for its steep hills, it is only natural for travelers to flock here - one of the world’s crookedest streets. If you have a vehicle, drive down the eight sharp hairpin turns. It is definitely a thrilling ride down the one-way street from the top and will leave your kids begging for more.
6. Play antique arcade games at Musée Mécanique
It can be a trip down memory lane for parents, as you can show your kids or grandkids what you played with when you were their age instead of modern video arcade games. Admission is free, but quarters are needed if you want to have a go on the machines.
7. Get to know sea creatures at Aquarium of the Bay
There are three main exhibit areas, housing 20,000 local sea creatures like the Sevengill shark and moon jellies. Kids can even interact with some of them during the daily special events like animal feedings and behind-the-scenes tours.
8. Visit San Francisco Zoo
San Francisco Zoo is another attraction that kids will enjoy. Here, you can see over 250 species and more than 1,000 endangered and rescued animals. The zoo is also home to some exotic and rare animals such as the snow leopard, a black rhinoceros, and polar bears. Similar to the Aquarium of the Bay, the zoo also offers animal-feeding sessions, so make you you check out the schedules.
9. Visit the buffalo at Golden Gate Park
10. Say "Hello" to the sea lions at Pier 39
11. Tour a WWII submarine on Pier 45
12. Paddle a boat at Stow Lake
13. Take a hike at Lands End
14. Treat your kids to an ice cream sundae at Ghirardelli Square
15. Eat seafood at one of the oldest restaurants - Swan Oyster Depot
16. Sing along to a film at The Castro Theatre
For families with younger kids, check out the special Sing Alongs to films like The Sound of Music, The Little Mermaid, and even Frozen.
17. See how fortune cookies are made
Be sure to have a quick stop at The Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory to witness how this little snack is made from scratch, while munching on some freshly-made ones. Afterall, the fortune cookie was actually invented in San Francisco!
18. Visit the Children’s Creativity Museum
19. Visit the four-floor rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences
On top of that, this museum also houses an aquarium, a planetarium and a national history museum. There is even an earthquake simulator for you to feel an actual earthquake. With so many things to explore and see, adults and kids are guaranteed a fully-engaging time here.
20. See a classic Disney movie at the Walt Disney Family Museum
There is also a Fantasia Theater in the compound, where they screen a classic Disney movie every day of the week, except on Tuesdays. The films range from The Sword in The Stone (1963) and Bambi (1942), to Mary Poppins (1964). There is usually one show in the morning and a few more in the afternoon. Tickets to these screenings are free as long as you purchase a ticket to the museum.
Immerse your kids in diversity
Even if you are traveling with kids, there are countless things to do in San Francisco. From vintage streetcars to the range of museums, this city will surely leave your kids wanting more. Whether it will be your first visit to the city or you are just looking for new ideas, this list should provide plenty of inspiration.
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