From exploring museums to learning new skills through play, here’s a list of fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer.
A family on the bridge over the sea during sunset.
The beautiful Californian city of San Francisco offers
awe-inspiring views of the ocean and skyscrapers and a plethora of kid-friendly activities to enjoy all year round. We’ve made a recommendation list of the fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer, and it includes both indoor and outdoor activities.
Visit Exploratorium
Spectacular Exploratorium is an educational museum for kids of all ages who love science, technology, and the arts. There are hundreds of exhibits to explore and many things to play with. Most importantly, your family can investigate the living world and explore the local environment at this fantastic place. Furthermore, you’ll be able to experiment with thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Your kids will be able to learn:
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How electricity works
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What causes earthquakes
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How important everyday things are made
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All about temperature and weather patterns around the world
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Everything about tornados
While here, don’t forget to visit the Mad Scientist’s Penny Arcade and the Scientific Funhouse.
Explore Children’s Creativity Museum
The Children’s Creativity Museum inspires kids to imagine and create. They can share their thoughts and ideas in a multimedia environment. Above all, the skills that your kids can learn here are not just fun but also extremely useful in today’s digital world.
Exhibits include:
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Animation Studio where kids ages 5+ can make their own clay characters and bring them to life on the screen, creating a stop motion movie
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Imagination Lab where kids 3-6 can imagine, create and share
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Music Studio for musically inclined children 3+
There’s also karaoke where kids can dress up and be recorded. Furthermore, there are many workshops and hands-on activities suitable for kids of all ages, so you can spend the entire day here.
Take a Bay Cruise
Exploring San Francisco’s bay is
a magical experience and one of many fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer. Families usually choose a classic Bay Cruise, which runs several times a day. It’s a 60-minute trip around the bay where you can spot some sea life, admire the city skyline, the Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. Certainly, children enjoy these cruises and heading under the Golden Gate bridge. After a hot summer day in the sun, find some refreshments at one of the most popular
ice cream parlors in San Francisco. The kids will love it!
One of the fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer is cruising around San Francisco’s Bay..
Organize a picnic at Golden Gate Park
There are so many fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer, and since all kids love nature, you can enjoy a plethora of outdoor activities. Although nearly every neighborhood in San Francisco has at least one park, the biggest and most amazing of all is Golden Gate Park. It has more than 1,000 acres of lush greenery, and it is home to:
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The Koret Children’s Quarter – playground with slides, climbing walls, and many other adventures
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Colorful Conservatory of Flowers with gorgeous Japanese Tea Garden
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Stow Lake, where you can take a pedal boat ride and admire the wildlife
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De Young fine arts museum with the observation tower that offers spectacular views of the city
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The Bison Paddock where you can see a couple of bison in person
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California Academy of Sciences (more details below)
The park offers a perfect setting for a picnic with its waterfalls and open meadow, as well as several other family-friendly activities. You can end your perfect day with lunch or dinner near Ocean Beach and enjoy the views over the Pacific Ocean.
Golden Gate Park is packed with attractions and kid-friendly activities.
Discover California Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences is the most visited museum in San Francisco and home to several fun activities for both kids and adults, including:
Here you can find more than 40,000 live animals, enjoy a penguin feeding, dive show, and see Academy’s celebrity albino alligator, Claude.
Visit Bay Area Discovery Museum
This children’s museum is located right by the Golden Gate Bridge, and it’s perfect for early learning in a fun, vibrant atmosphere. It has seven exhibition spaces and more than six daily programs for children six months to 10 years old. There are indoor and outdoor activities, and kids will always find something to amuse them. The highlight of this place is a Lookout Cove with its pools, caves, shipwrecks, and boats.
Experience PIER 39 and all its highlights
Pier 39 is located on Fisherman’s Wharf near
North Beach and is often referred to as the “Disneyland of San Francisco” where you can find
fun activities for kids of all ages. For instance, here you can:
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Watch the sea lions on their platforms as they jump in and out of the water
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Watch magicians, jugglers, and comedians during daily street performer shows
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Run down oversized musical stairs
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Visit Aquarium of the Bay to learn more about the plants and animals in the San Francisco Bay
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Enjoy Players Sports Grill & Arcade
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Explore Museum of 3D Illusions
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Walkthrough Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze
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Ride at San Francisco Carousel
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Visit a Caricature stand
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Get a unique 7D Experience that includes a roller coaster ride. (Roller coaster moves in sync with the activities on the large movie screen right in front of you)
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And much, much more!
Pier 39 area is not only filled with entertainment but also with all kinds of shops and amazing restaurants. Therefore, you can spend a whole day here and never be bored.
If you’re lucky you can spot some sea lions sunbathing at Pier 39.
Are you moving to San Francisco with your family?
With all mentioned above, it’s easy to see that
locals and visitors can make a never-ending list of things to see, do and try in San Francisco. If you are planning to become a resident and have already hired long-distance movers to bring you here from another part of California, you really have a lot to look forward to. In addition to fun and entertainment, San Francisco will amaze you with:
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Mild and comfortable weather all year round
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Progressive culture
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Technological innovations
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Iconic culinary scene
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Plentiful transportation options
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A healthy way of life – farmers markets and sports clubs all over the city
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Start planning your relocation right now, and you’ll have plenty of time to discover even more benefits of living here both for yourself and your kids.
Final thoughts
The list of fun things to do with kids in San Francisco this summer can go on and on, and you’ll probably discover many more on your own. So, get ready for many adventures and enjoy them to the fullest!
