10 Ideas for Families With Kids in SF.

By: Myk OLeary

Category: Opinion > Other

Read the article on Judy’s Book.

We’ve been to SF quite often, and have been there twice so far this summer. Someone asked about things to do with toddlers. here are some thoughts for kid spots in SF:

1) Walk the golden Gate Bridge. Why would a kid find this interesting? Well, it’s a massive structure that is almost a wonder of the world. These tidbits should catch any kid: “They never stop painting the bridge. By the time they are done, they have to start over. It’s also orange, not red. The real paint color is OSHA Orange.”

2) Pier 39. Where else can you find sea lions chilling out in a city? They bask in the sun on old un-used docks. (BTW, there are also Bison in Golden Gate park if you head over there. It might be the only chance the kids get to see these marvelous creatures…)

3) Go west on The Embarcadero from Pier 39 and look for bush man. He’ll be the homeless guy hiding on the edge of the sidewalk behind branches from a bush scaring the crap out of passers-by. Tons of kids were laughing at the people he caught.

4) If your family is at all religious, check out Grace Cathedral. It is the most amazing cathedral in the continental US. They also have one of the few full size labyrinths in their yard. It is a contemplative beautiful experience. It might give the kids a chance to reflect on what religion is.

5) If you have over 5-8 people at once, go to Ghirardeli Square and eat at the deli. They serve a sundae called the “earthquake” which is HUGE (8+ scoops of ice cream, PLUS fruits and toppings). It will take the whole party of people to finish it. If your kids like ice cream, their eyes will have never been bigger than they will be when they see this monstrosity.

6) Our four year old loved the interactive projected computer display at the Metreon. You can control the games with your feet and arms while running around the “screen” which is projected on the floor. While there, hit the carousel, but skip Zeum, it’s for older kids.

7) The Exploratorium is awesome. You will need a full day there. Especially once you see the Palace of Fine Arts. You will want to walk around it for a bit. It is an absolutely amazing example of Roman architecture (or something old like that…

Alcatraz. Scare them straight. Tell them bad people who lie and commit crimes go to jail, and this is what a jail is like. Make sure they see how much they suck.

9) Cable cars. Yeah, it’s cliché, but no where else in the country do they use still use these on a daily basis. If you go skiing at all, you can compare the system that runs the car to the rope pull they’re already familiar with.

10) The ocean. You just can’t beat the majesty and beauty of it. Especially by the rocks under the Cliff House. If the kids can take a hike of moderate vertical drop/gain, go to land’s end and hike down to the beach where you can get a view of the golden Gate from below. The beach here is incredible.