Family Friendly Things to Do in San Francisco: Eight Picks

Eight places cover the family friendly things to do in San Francisco for most ages. Kids under four get the sea lions and a carousel, ages four to twelve get the science museums and the zoo, and teens get the island, the bridge and the thrift shops. Older kids who like to walk can also join a San Francisco walking tour instead of a museum day.

The best family day is the one that ends before anyone is tired.

1. California Academy of Sciences: the best full day indoors

The California Academy of Sciences is the best full indoor day for families with kids of any age. Doors open Monday to Saturday at 9:30am and Sunday at 11am, with last entry at 4pm, according to the Academy's hours page.

Tickets are timed, so book a slot before you go. A child aged 3 to 12 pays $39, or $45 on peak days. A youth aged 13 to 18 pays $45, or $49, and an adult pays $49, or $55. Kids aged 2 and under are free. Peak pricing covers spring break, summer, holiday weekends and November and December.

You can buy direct or through a reseller. The Academy of Sciences entry ticket on GetYourGuide starts from €43.62 per person and is rated 4.5 from 747 reviews. The listing names the Academy as the operator and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Food and drinks are not included.

Doing it yourself is the simpler route here, because the direct ticket is timed and the reseller ticket is also entry only, with no guide. The reseller price is in euros and the direct price in dollars, so compare the total at checkout. The ticket covers the aquarium, rainforest, planetarium and museum.

The Academy's page does not state how long a visit takes or whether strollers are allowed. Email info@calacademy.org if that matters to you. For comparison, the Exploratorium lists two to four hours, and its youth ticket is $29.95 against $39 for the Academy child ticket.

2. Exploratorium: hands-on science for ages 4 and up

The Exploratorium at Pier 15 is the best hands-on pick for kids who like to touch and try things. Most visits take two to four hours, according to the Exploratorium visit page.

Adults pay $39.95 and youth aged 4 to 17 pay $29.95. Kids aged 3 and under are free. Doors open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Mondays are closed. Strollers are available on a first come, first served basis.

Weekday afternoons after 3pm and weekend mornings from 10am to noon are the quieter times. Visitors who receive EBT, Medi-Cal or WIC benefits get a discount, but only at the door.

Pro Tip Arrive at the Exploratorium after 3pm on a weekday, when it is quieter. A $29.95 youth ticket still gives you two hours before the 5pm close.

Our Exploratorium page covers tickets and timing in more detail.

3. Pier 39 sea lions: a free stop for toddlers and up

The sea lions at Pier 39 are free to watch, which makes them the easiest family stop in the city. Pier 39 is open to the public with street performers, musical stairs and a carousel on the pier. The shops and attractions open from 10am to 8pm, and the restaurants from 11am to 9pm, according to the PIER 39 site.

Older kids can also try the Museum of 3D Illusions or Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze on the pier. The Aquarium of the Bay is next door. Its ticket page lists adults at $28.25 and kids aged 4 to 12 at $20.25. It opens at 10am and takes last entry at 4:30pm. Online prices run a little higher because of fees.

Viewing is free and open 24 hours, so you can stop by at any time and stay as long as your kids like.

4. San Francisco Zoo: animals, a train and a carousel

The San Francisco Zoo is the best pick for kids who love animals. The gates are open every day, including holidays, from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm, according to the zoo's ticket page.

A non-resident adult pays $32 on weekdays and $34 on weekends. A child aged 2 to 11 pays $22 or $24, and kids under 2 are free. Parking costs $15 on weekdays and $20 on weekends. You save $1 on parking if you show a Muni receipt.

Inside, the Little Puffer train costs $9, free for kids under 3. The Dentzel Carousel costs $4. The Children's Zoo has farm animals, and the zoo holds more than 225 species, says the city's tourist board.

5. A bay cruise: one hour on the water for short attention spans

A one-hour bay cruise is the easiest way to put young kids on the water, because it starts and ends at the same dock and nobody has to plan a way home. Things to Do in San Francisco's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 6 San Francisco Bay sightseeing cruises of 90 minutes or less.

The Golden Gate Bay Cruise takes 1 hour and costs from €34.72 per person. It is run by San Francisco Cruises (The Red and White Fleet) and rated 4.7 from 4,085 reviews. The listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Snacks, drinks and hotel pickup are not included.

Bring a jacket for everyone. The Park Service warns that bay weather can turn from sun to fog and wind in a day, so a warm layer helps a small child.

6. Cable cars: a short ride, with the stroller folded

A cable car ride is a short, memorable ride for kids, but it takes some planning. A single ride costs $9 for adults, and kids aged 4 and under ride free, according to the SFMTA fares page.

Strollers must be collapsed on a cable car, and the child must be taken out before boarding, according to the SFMTA's page for young children. On regular Muni vehicles, foldable strollers are allowed, and open strollers can stay unfolded if there is room.

Lines at Powell and Market can run over 30 minutes and are busiest from 11:30am to 4pm, so start from a stop further along the line. The Cable Car Museum is free and works well for a rainy hour.

No official page says how steep the hills are or how practical they are with a stroller. The published facts are that Muni takes foldable strollers, open strollers can stay unfolded if there is room, and new buses have a stroller area at the rear. Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive is closed to cars from 19th Avenue to Stanyan Street, which is a calm place to push one. Our cable car tours page has more on tours that include the ride.

7. Presidio Tunnel Tops: a free playground with views

The Presidio Tunnel Tops is a free park with a two-acre playground called the Outpost, with parking and restrooms, according to the San Francisco Travel kids guide. It is the best free pick for kids who need to run around.

Three more free or cheap stops help on a tight budget. The Randall Museum on Museum Way is free. The Children's Creativity Museum has animation and music studios and is free for kids aged 2 and under. The Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio runs a Little Open Studio for ages 7 and under, and charges $15 for ages 6 to 17, according to the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Sunset Dunes on the Great Highway is a two-mile stretch with art and nature areas. Golden Gate Park's JFK Drive is closed to cars from 19th Avenue to Stanyan Street, which makes it a calm place to walk.

8. For teens: Alcatraz, the bridge and the thrift shops

Teens usually like Alcatraz, a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge and the thrift shops in Haight and the Mission best. The tourist board also lists the SkyStar Observation Wheel at Fisherman's Wharf, Japantown and Chinatown.

The Alcatraz Day Tour costs $47.95 for adults, and the Night Tour costs $59.65, according to the NPS fees page. Tickets go on sale up to 90 days ahead. The Alcatraz ticket with ferry and self-guided app is from €68.92 per person, rated 4.5 from 4,589 reviews, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. It meets at Pier 33, takes 3 to 5.5 hours and does not include a live guide.

The island is closed from 26 October to 18 November 2026. Check the NPS notice before you buy a ticket for those dates. Our Alcatraz tours page covers the day and night options.

Sports fans can try the Giants Oracle Park ballpark tour. It takes 1.5 hours and costs from €45.58 per person. It is run by the San Francisco Giants, rated 4.8 from 199 reviews, and groups are up to 25 people. It meets at the Juan Marichal statue. Plan 3 to 5.5 hours for Alcatraz and 1.5 hours for the Giants tour, and allow time to reach Pier 33 or the statue.

Key Takeaway For a trip with kids under 12, one big paid stop a day, such as the $39 Academy child ticket or the $29.95 Exploratorium youth ticket, plus free stops like the sea lions, keeps the cost and the tantrums down.

How to choose family friendly things to do in San Francisco

Pick by the youngest child, then by the weather. A rainy day points to the Academy of Sciences or the Exploratorium. A sunny day points to the sea lions, the zoo or the Tunnel Tops.

The Academy of Sciences, the Exploratorium and Alcatraz are poor picks for a toddler who naps at noon. With a very young child, choose the sea lions, the carousel and the playground. If money is tight, our San Francisco on a budget guide lists more low-cost ideas.

Where to stay and eat with kids in San Francisco

No official page names the best neighborhood for families to stay in. San Francisco Travel says kid activities cluster in Fisherman's Wharf, Nob Hill, the Mission, Chinatown, Japantown and the Presidio. For a first visit with kids, Fisherman's Wharf puts Pier 39 and the cruise docks within walking distance.

The Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf is a large family-friendly hotel about ten minutes' walk from Pier 39, with an outdoor pool and fire pits. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Fisherman's Wharf is a four-minute walk from Fisherman's Wharf. Our where to stay page compares the other areas.

No official page lists family restaurants either. San Francisco Travel points to the restaurants and arcade at PIER 39, dining in Chinatown and Japantown, the Exploratorium cafe and picnics with food from local markets. At PIER 39, San Francisco Travel names Players Sports Grill & Arcade and FiRE + iCE, and the restaurants there open from 11am to 9pm. The Ferry Building Marketplace is open daily from 6am to 10pm, and its Farmers Market runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm and on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm.

Hills are a worry with strollers, but no official page says how steep or practical they are. The only published rules are the Muni stroller rules above. Plan short walks and use the getting around San Francisco guide to pick a route.