Jump into these 26 fun things to do in San Francisco with kids

This eye-popping art and science museum located at Pier 15 mesmerizes kids and adults alike. The hands-on museum touts over 650 exhibits, which are really just fun things to do, most of them built in-house. Rather than docents, high school-aged “explainers” roam the floor, and the Exploratorium is also an R&D laboratory that is constantly evolving. It’s the brainchild of Frank Oppenheimer, brother to Robert. Don’t miss the amazing fog bridge by artist Fujiko Nakaya stretching between piers 15 and 17. Walk along its 150-foot span while 800 nozzles create a “gauzy embrace” of fog. It sustainably runs on desalinated bay water.

A project 30 years in the making, this new federal parkland opened in 2022, boasting 14 acres of space to play along the bay and take in stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The best part for the kids is the Outpost playscape located at the base of Tunnel Tops near Crissy Field. Suitable for toddlers to preteens, this nature-inspired playground is divided into three areas (Woodland, Coastal Bluff and Dunes), each with different features that are sure to entertain.

A woodworking shop for children may sound like an unlikely concept, but they’re in good hands with the Butterfly Joint owner Danny Montoya, a credentialed early-childhood educator who knows his way around a workbench. The Outer Richmond workshop offers classes and camps for kids as young as kindergarteners. Little ones can make items like chopsticks, cheeseboards, magic wands and “book sofas” where books recline. Also, check out the in-house café serving vegan, gluten-free donuts baked fresh every day.

This is a one-afternoon excursion guaranteed to tire your kid out. House of Air is technically a trampoline gym, but if you ask them, they're an adrenaline park. The sprawling, high-ceilinged space includes a trampoline court, where dozens of connected trampolines are surrounded by cushy angled walls, a trampoline dodgeball court and an airtrack basketball zone. Kids aged 2 to 4 have access to a mini trampoline area reserved explicitly for little jumpers. If you’re hoping to work on your skiing/snowboarding skills, you can sign up for a slope style workshop using a synthetic snow ramp, too.

This place is fun. Local legend Edward Galland Zelinsky founded it as a showcase for his unparalleled collection of antique oddities back in 1933, namely coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and antique arcade machines. The assortment spans more than 300 items, including coin-operated large-scale dioramas that come to life for a few moments (the full-scale circus can't be missed). In the back, more modern but still vintage arcade games can be played, like Ms. Pac Man and Galaga. You might want to scoot kids past the ginormous “Laffing Sal” animatronic figure at the entrance because she’s a little terrifying.

A list of things for kids to do in SF wouldn’t be complete without the beloved San Francisco Zoo. It’s open 365 days a year and is home to more than 2,000 exotic, endangered and rescued animals. Kids will delight in seeing playfulness at the largest outdoor lemur habitat in the country, while Penguin Island hosts tons of Magellanic penguins. We love the koalas—although they sleep 19 hours a day, so you’ll probably see them dozing. There’s a train, guided biking through the zoo, outdoor yoga at the African Savanna, carousel, playground, virtual reality experience and the charming vintage “zoo keys” that unlock stories.

Specifically aimed at young ones (aged 2–12), this museum offers two stories of hands-on multimedia arts and technology experiences. There’s a play patio, community garden, DesignIt! Studio to make prototypes, an animation studio where kids can make their own stop-motion movies, Making Music Studio where kids build their own instrument and Lil’ Critter City, a play area designed for the youngest visitors, all housed at Yerba Buena Gardens. Outside, take a spin on the ornate LeRoy King Carousel, a 1906 merry-go-round that once operated at Playland at the Beach. The ride has twirled in this Yerba Buena location since 1998.

Located just over the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, the Bay Area Discovery Museum shimmers with views of the bridge and the bay as your kids explore the 7.5 acres of playful learning experiences. Aimed at kids 8 and younger, the museum’s exhibits 12 different discovery zones, including a brand-new Wobbleland which opens March 8 with giant soft foam foods and kitchen accessories. Other zones include an outdoor mud kitchen to mix up your brownest recipes, a real sand beach with buckets and tiny surf boards, a beached boat that kids can climb into and three large treehouses. Bonus: stay at the Cavallo Point Inn which is walking distance from the museum. 

This is an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum wrapped into one. Today’s main Renzo Piano building has a living roof made of 1.7 million native California plants, organized in seven bumps that represent San Francisco’s hills. Kids will adore the four-story indoor rainforest, the mounted T. Rex skeleton and the charming South African penguins.

At Crissy Field East Beach, you have the best chance of warm weather (so long as fog permits) as you frolic in the sand, jog, read and watch the kitesurfers zip along with the wind. Best of all, the Golden Gate Bridge is in the background of all your sandcastle pics. You’ll find picnic tables and grills to extend your day (or pick up something at the nearby Presidio pop-up food trucks near the Tunnel Tops Outpost playground), and restrooms when you need them.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is dedicated to the life of Walt Disney and the beloved artistic empire he inspired. Inside, permanent exhibits document Disney’s innovations in sound and animation and provide a fascinating look at the career of the man behind the mouse, including the audio-enhanced tale of how Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was almost abandoned. Regularly rotating exhibits feature the work of revered animators and artistic collaborations. Stop by the Fantasia-themed theater to catch a classic Disney movie screening.

Golden Gate Park has more than 1,000 acres to explore, with everything from the Bison Paddock to the California Academy of Sciences and the Japanese Tea Garden. But kids may love the Koret Children’s Quarter most. Tucked away in the southeast corner, the playground opened in 1888 in what is thought to be the nation’s very first public playground. The concrete slides are a huge draw, as are the climbing walls shaped like ocean waves and tons of other traditional playground structures. Don’t miss the 1914 Herschell-Spillman Company Carousel with 62 colorfully painted animals and painted panels of San Francisco landscapes. If it’s raining, don’t fret: The Sharon Art Studio offers art classes for kids and adults.

One of the best hikes for grown-ups and older kids alike, the Lands End trail at the rocky northwestern corner of San Francisco has stunning views for its entire duration. The trail includes fascinating stops along the way: views of three old shipwrecks, the ruins of the Sutro Baths and a Lookout Visitor Center. Portions do have steep staircases that might be hard on little legs.

The Pirate Supply Store is full of everything you need for that scurvy-skirting trip across the seas. It’s actually a delightful workaround: the nonprofit youth writing center, 826 Valencia, was zoned for retail, so literacy-loving buccaneers Dave Eggers and Ninive Calegari opened up the connected pirate supply store. Inside the shop, which feels like you’re in a ship’s hold, you’ll find apothecary jars, Jolly Roger flags, seafaring journals, glass buoys, striped socks, pirate hats and the most clever signs you’ll find anywhere (like the Pirate’s Code: “no forgetting to swab, no earrings shall be larger than the Captain’s and prisoners must be tied to something, no exceptions”).

There likely isn't a more iconic San Francisco activity than riding a cable car up and down the city's massive hills. Invented in 1873 and a National Historic Landmark, the cars are exhilarating as they lurch forward from stopping. Two lines start at Powell and Market (where visitors line up to await their turn and watch the operators manually turn the train on its turntable), with the Powell-Mason route ending two blocks south of Fisherman’s Wharf and the Powell-Hyde route containing the steepest grade of all the cable car lines ending at the Hyde and Beach terminal. The third line begins at California and Market and continues to Van Ness Avenue.

Once a month, this veritable temple of jazz hosts an 11am matinee for budding jazz cats. The shows are just one hour for smaller attention spans. But unlike you might find at some kid-oriented shows, these performers are serious musicians. Past shows have been headlined by the likes of the Marcus Shelby Orchestra, soulful jazz singer Paula West and blues crooner Pamela Rose. Beyond the music, the performers engage the children with audience participation and a Q&A segment.

Amid a shakeup from financial malfeasance, the Aquarium of the Bay is still open at Pier 39, home to more than 24,000 local sea creatures. Enjoy ambiant lighting in the serene jellyfish area, walk through the 300-foot see-through tunnel as sharks and ray soar above you and get cuteness overload at the river otter gallery. Educator-led animal feedings and interactions often take place throughout the day. Once done visiting, head outside to see the sea lions (follow their barking to find them) doing their thing on the docks.

This combined natural history museum, science museum and arts center aimed at children originally opened in a city jail (!) in 1937. It’s now run by the Parks & Rec folks in its own building in Corona Heights in a 16-acre park overlooking San Francisco Bay. Besides compelling hands-on exhibits, about 100 animals live here in habitats since they can’t survive in the wild anymore: Visitors can interact with some of them. There’s also one of the oldest continuously operating model railroads in the western U.S., an observation deck, an amphitheater, a kinetic wind sculpture, native plant gardens, picnic areas and access to hiking trails. Admission is free.

Set in the middle of Golden Gate Park, the peaceful, man-made Stow Lake has entertained families since it was completed in 1893. Stroll along the waterfront or rent a bike to explore the park. The most popular activity here is renting one of the motorboats, rowboats or pedal boats to take out onto the water. After your adventure, stop by the Blue Heron Boathouse for a glass of wine or a beer—it also serves a classic menu with hamburgers, hot dogs and salads, with vegan choices.

If your kid loved the cable car ride, make sure to stop by the Cable Car Museum. It tells the history of cable cars in San Francisco from their origins in 1873 to the present day. Visitors can see various mechanical devices, tracks and cables—in addition to historical photos and three antique cable cars from the 1870s. It’s not all about history, though: You can go out on the subterranean walkway that lets you see the moving cable that runs the cars today. Free.

If you want to thrill your kids, taking them out onto the bay is a surefire way to do it. Take in the city’s most iconic landmarks—including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge—from the water. There are many different companies and themes to choose from, be it a sunset sail or a whale watching excursion. Some of our favorites include: the Schooner Freda B, which makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time; the Blue & Gold Fleet if you’re looking for an overview tour of SF; Adventure Cat for a smaller group setting on a catamaran; or San Franciso Whale Tours if marine mammals are what you’re after.

It’s well known that Dolores Park is a haven for the grown-ups of San Francisco—but it’s also one of the best spots for kids in the city, thanks to the incredible onsite Helen Diller Playground. The park has existed since 1907, boasting unparalleled views of the city, giant palm trees and plenty of green space to sprawl out. The playground was upgraded in early 2022, offering a natural stone climbing wall, cascading slide, a play mound and a footbridge.

San Francisco has no shortage of pools, indoors and out. But Hamilton Rec is a kid favorite for one reason: It’s the only pool in the city with a water slide—two twisty, corkscrew chutes, no less. The center includes a 75-foot-long heated pool for stronger swimmers and a heated shallow pool for doggie paddlers and splashers. Swimming classes are available for a reasonable price.

Is it hokey? Is it overpriced? Maybe and maybe, but with the right friends, Ripley’s can be enormously entertaining with hundreds of bizarre artifacts. Need to see a life-sized woolly mammoth made out of tire rubber or an Amy Winehouse portrait made of cassette tape? Ready to walk through a vortex tunnel? Yes, you do and you should. Controversially, there are shrunken heads on exhibit inside, but you can start a conversation about ethics with this. Get access with Ripley’s Mirror Maze for $30 (kids and adults the same price, but kids 2 and under are free). You can also add on the Museum of 3-D Illusions for an additional $15 or the 7D ride experience and the Flyer, a flying theater, for an additional $16.

It’s the simplest of pleasures but creates a totally memorable experience as the bay winds gust (and if you’re brave, riding a bike across the bridge is wonderful too, but sometimes that little rail just doesn’t seem tallllll enoughhhh). It’s free and provides time to chat and see the gorgeous spectacle of the Golden Gate itself, the lands connected by the bridge. It’s a truly San Francisco experience—even if you’ve lived here your entire life.

Take a (quick) free one-way gondola ride to Salesforce Park, a 5.4 acre rooftop public park. Walk the half-mile winding path past 13 different botanical areas with 600 trees and 16,000 plants. There’s an amphitheater and lawn areas to bring your picnic, a children’s play area and some spectacular art, including Julie Chang’s “The Secret Garden,” a 20,000 square foot terrazzo floor design in the Grand Hall at the base of the escalators and elevators you use to get down from the park. Ned Kahn’s “Bus Fountain” is a 1,200 foot length of 247 geysers that spurt water whenever a bus on the level below them goes by, activated by sensors.