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10 San Francisco Family Activities

by Katie Wallace | Updated: July 14, 2017

San Francisco is known for sourdough bread, delicious chocolate, scenic bay views, and whimsical trolley cars. Our family really enjoyed exploring this culture-rich city. We made some great memories with our young children during our summer visit. We also found plenty of San Francisco family activities to do along the pier! Here are some of our top choices for experiencing San Francisco with kids.

10 San Francisco Family Activities

Take a Ferry to the Port of San Francisco

Although you can drive to San Francisco, it’s so much more fun to take a ferry! Because we took our three kids to the city on the ferry, they enjoyed the windy ocean views from the ferry deck. For a family of five, the cost of a ferry trip adds up. However, we enjoyed the experience. Of course, our kids wanted to buy a snack from the ferry concession stand.

10 San Francisco Family Activities

Interact with Science at the Exploratorium

Our first stop on our tour of San Francisco family activities was at the Exploratorium kids’ science museum. We were delighted to find a diverse collection of exhibits exploring science. We learned about color, sound, electronics, anatomy, social behaviors, physics and more! The most eye-catching exhibit featured a panoramic creation called “Wild Card” made entirely of cardboard.

10 Family Activities in San Francisco - Exploratorium cardboard Wild Card exhibit

The “Wild Card” exhibit included a detailed collection of objects, vehicles and buildings made entirely from cardboard.

10 San Francisco Family Activities - Exploratorium cardboard crystals

My little son discovered this cave-like room complete with cardboard crystals.

10 San Francisco Family Activities - Exploratorium mirror exhibit

A unique Exploratorium mirror exhibit allowed us to look into a design of tiny mirrors to see a myriad of eyes — all your own — looking back at you.

10 Family Activities in San Francisco - Exploratorium spinning sand blackboard activity

My kids had fun playing with the sand on these spinning disks and creating circular patterns.

Many of the exhibits were designed for older kids and explored scientific principles about how things work. We would need to visit the Exploratorium several times to see everything. Furthermore, we could easily spend several minutes checking out each of the hundreds of interactive exhibits and activities.

San Francisco pier 39 family visit

Stroll Down Pier 39

After our Exploratorium visit, we took a walk to Pier 39 and window shopped. Additionally, we enjoyed clam chowder in a bread bowl at Chowders. Pier 39 is a festive touring destination in San Francisco with shops that sell all kinds of collectibles and gift ideas. Our Joovy Caboose Ultralight stroller made it very easy to take our little kids down the busy pier boardwalk. This compact stroller is great for family travel! We picked out San Francisco t-shirts for a very reasonable price and the girls selected cotton candy as their special treat.

10 San Francisco Family Activities - Pier 39

Enjoy Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl

A visit to San Francisco isn’t complete without a bowl of famous sourdough clam chowder. Chowders is a great place for lunch with kids. This is because the clam chowder is delicious and the sourdough bread bowls are fresh, soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside. Chowders on Pier 39 is known for their homemade clam chowder and fresh sourdough bread. They also use sourdough batter to bread the fish and chips. We enjoyed deliciously breaded butterfly shrimp, which was the perfect combination of crispy and not too greasy.

10 San Francisco Family Activities - Chowders clam chowder and sourdough bread

Explore the Deep at the SF Aquarium of the Bay

San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay is home to more than 20,000 marine animals. Furthermore, each exhibit allows visitors to learn more about San Francisco Bay’s native species. The Under the Bay exhibit features 300 feet of crystal clear tunnels, which allow visitors to view marine animals up close.

Touch the Bay touchpools allow you to interact with sharks, sting rays, and sea stars and feel their unique textures. At the interactive Bay Lab Station, naturalists lead an ongoing schedule of interactions with land animals. Additionally, visitors of all ages can explore sensory activities that range from microscopes to puzzles.

10 San Francisco Family Activities - Aquarium of the Bay

Travel via San Francisco Trolley

If you are looking to travel around the city of San Francisco, you can take one of the many trolleys or cable cars. A trolley ride would be a fun and memorable activity, and an easy way for families with kids to view the city.

Visit Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is another great stop for San Francisco family activities. Golden Gate Park features 1,017 acres of gardens, playgrounds, lakes, trails, and picnic areas. Park highlights include the Conservatory of Flowers which houses 1,700 species of aquatic and tropical plants. The San Francisco Botanical Garden conserves more than 8,000 varieties of plants from around the world in 55 acres. Kids will love exploring the Great Meadow and viewing the waterfowl pond, which is home to egrets and ducks. Although we didn’t visit on this trip, we would love to explore Golden Gate Park on our next visit to San Francisco.

Stop for Ice Cream

You can buy an ice cream cone on practically every corner in San Francisco. After all, who doesn’t love eating ice cream while exploring a city park? Along Pier 39 alone there were at least 3 ice cream shops. The only question is, which ice cream flavor would you choose?

Take a Tour of Alcatraz

Alcatraz tours are another popular San Francisco tourist activity. We will probably visit when our kids are a bit older. Once a military prison, Alcatraz Island is a national park located more than mile off the San Francisco coast. It is also the site of the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast. Visitors can view the island’s unique bay views, natural rock pools, and seabird colonies.

Don’t Leave without a T-Shirt

Of course a visit to San Francisco must include buying a t-shirt! My girls had no trouble picking out their favorite shirts. We had a lot of fun browsing the local shops on our walk around town. Just like many cities, San Francisco has unique features that make it a memorable destination and an interesting place to live. From our list, what would be your favorite family activity in San Francisco?

Katie Wallace
Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!

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Karley Moore
Karley Moore
7 years ago

Thanks for the great info. We will be vacationing there soon.

Reply
Wehaf
Wehaf
7 years ago

Also, if you have adventurous kids (food-wise), The Stinking Rose is amazing. They’re a garlic restaurant so everything they make has a ton of garlic in it. It sounds overwhelming but it’s really incredibly delicious.

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Wehaf
Wehaf
7 years ago

The Exploratorium looks like a ton of fun, even without kids!

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Pat F
Pat F
7 years ago

We have been to San Francisco a few times. There is so much to do and see. I would love to return again as we have not seen but a part of the city. Loved the Golden Gate Park, Pier 39, boat rides, trolley rides and more .. San Fran… Read more »

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Gayle
Gayle
7 years ago

That clam chowder looks to die for. I may just have to visit San Francisco to try that out!

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The Wordy Mom
The Wordy Mom
7 years ago

Visited San Francisco many years ago. A highlight for me was a trip to Alcatraz. Of course, that was before I had a child. Wouldn’t be terribly kid-friendly. But a great place nonetheless. Also enjoyed the pier, the aquarium and some awesome clam chowder!

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Emily @ The Multitasking Mom
Emily @ The Multitasking Mom
7 years ago

This looks like an awesome trip! I love the Exploratorium. We have a Joovy Caboose stroller too and we love it!!

Reply

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Wallace Family 2024 create play travel

Hi, I'm Katie and we are the Wallace family! We homeschool, go on adventures, and travel internationally with our four kids. I hope you enjoy our creative ideas on Create. Play. Travel.

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Coming to terms with the past, and pressing forwar Coming to terms with the past, and pressing forward with grace, that’s all any of us can do.Lately, I’ve been asking myself some hard questions… especially when it comes to homeschooling.Here’s the truth:I can’t keep homeschooling the way I’ve been doing it.I’m not a teacher in the traditional sense, and I don’t love teaching. That’s not why we chose this path.The real reason we homeschool is because we want our kids to have freedom.🌟 Freedom to learn how to learn🩵 Freedom to discover what they love😀 Freedom to grow in diligence and live out their faith boldlyBut as I wrestle with our present, I’ve also had to face my past.I was homeschooled, too.There were a lot of blessings in that, but also some challenges. I grew up in a conservative environment where the focus was often on sheltering kids. And while I know that came from a place of love, it was hard. Especially as a teenager trying to figure out what I believed for myself.In our family’s younger years, our homeschool rhythm has been pretty relaxed, mostly workbooks and flexible days. But moving forward, things are going to look different.Here’s what I do know about the road ahead (and I’ll share more in upcoming reels):— We’re still homeschooling… just reimagining it.— We’re asking the Holy Spirit to lead our family.— Our kids know the Gospel, and that’s our foundation.— We want to live with intention and boldness.— We’re giving our kids space to try new things while they’re still at home.— I’m praying for a gracious heart when the questions come (because they will come).Maybe this resonates with you. Maybe you’ve felt that tension too, between what you grew up with and what you want to build now.If so, you’re not alone. 🫶🌟(continued in the comments)Follow our journey!
Seriously, SO many cute impulse buys. But I didn’t get any of them. 😅😌 🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#travelwithkids #travelhighlights #explorefrance #createplaytravel
Beautiful architecture like this is so fun to stum Beautiful architecture like this is so fun to stumble upon while going about every day life in Europe. 😀🌻 I love the cultural & historic discoveries we find almost everywhere we look. 😌🌍Tag a friend who loves going on adventures! 🫶Follow along for more creative family travel!@createplaytravel
Throwback to a year ago. ❤️ We did it! 🥹😎 I had our baby in Merida MX and with some effort, we got her documents lined up to bring her home. She’s a dual citizen, with double US & MX birth certificates and passports. 🌎🌟It was a great experience! 😌🌄😍 We felt like God was with us, led us through the whole process, and provided for us so tangibly even in the small things. 💗🎬 Watch my YouTube video highlighting what we learned by having a baby in Mexico!🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures! 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#digitalnomads #birthingabroad #worldschoolingfamily #adventurefamily #travelwithbaby
Tuscany villa stay straight out of a fairytale! ✨🌿🇮🇹This overnight at an “agriturismo” was perfect for our family of 6. 🌹🍷 We loved staying in our cozy villa, exploring the gorgeous tree lined lane, smelling roses, and sipping local wine while our kids played in the yard. Our host even made us an amazing Italian dinner! 🙌Would you stay in a villa like this with your kids?? We loved this amazing cultural experience in Italy!💬 Agriturismos are working farms that welcome guests (like us!) to stay on the property, creating memorable & local experiencesTag a friend who would love this! 🇮🇹🌟 Hi! We’re the Wallace family. 👋😀 We love traveling with our 4 kids, homeschooling, and exploring — follow along as we Create. Play. Travel. 🌟#travelwithkids #exploreitaly
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Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such a Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such an amazing time exploring — we had to come back a second day. Highlights included:Visiting the gladiator arena in Pompeii. 🏛️Walking along ancient streets, so well preserved!Exploring what’s left of the shops & eateries.Viewing 2,000 year old artifacts like bottles and bread! Learning about Roman culture in 79AD.Viewing Mount Vesuvius, which is huge and very close to modern day Pompei, Italy 🌋😮It was so wild to learn in detail how this ancient city was wiped out by the volcanic eruption. Definitely an amazing educational experience!!➡️ Homeschoolers, would your family enjoy visiting such a rich historic site, such as Pompeii? 😀 🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#createplaytravel #homeschoolfamily #travelwithkids #adventurefamily #worldschooling #kidswhotravel #pompeii
Safety is a top priority when traveling with kids! Safety is a top priority when traveling with kids! 🌎🌟 We’ve learned a lot through our experiences. For example, when arranging a ride to the airport in Cancun, we followed these guidelines ⬇️1. We hired a driver through a company that had good reviews. This gave us peace of mind when traveling 4 hours across Mexico ☀️2. We told friends/family about our travel plans including when we left Merida and when we arrived in Cancun. This gave us some accountability 😃3. Finally, we trusted our instincts. We are continually growing in our travel knowledge and intuition. We often know when an arrangement needs to be changed. Often, we meet very friendly and interesting people!➡️ Would you take your kids on an adventure in Mexico? We had a very positive and memorable experience!! 🌴🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#createplaytravel #homeschoolfamily #travelwithkids #adventurefamily #worldschooling #kidswhotravel
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