The small-town vibe, lively streets, cable cars, a prison island, golden bridge, fog and lots of creativity top the list of San Francisco family attractions. Visitors of all ages love the city year round, but locals admit that June through August can be chilly, overcast and windy. SF Travel is your source for current calendars, tips and general information whenever you decide to go.

Read on to learn more about FTF’s favorite San Francisco family attractions. (Many are available with a top value San Francisco CityPASS ticket booklet which saves you 46% over individual entry and guarantees front of line access.)

Great Fun for the Kids

(Toddler to Age 8)

Aquarium of the Bay
Pier 39 Beach Street and The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94133
415/623-5300

This unique family attraction inspires visitors to support conservation of the aquatic life living in San Francisco Bay. Watch and learn as you walk through 300 feet of see-through tunnel tanks.  More than 20,000 different species including sharks, eels, rays, and sea stars surround you. Check out the special “Behind the Scenes” tours and Animal Encounters. The best times to visit with children are early in the morning and late afternoon. It’s a San Francisco CityPASS attraction.

Cable Car Museum
1201 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
415/474-1887

Who doesn’t love the cable cars? At this free museum around Fisherman’s Wharf, discover what makes the cable cars move. Watch huge revolving sheaves in the ground and immense engines that pull the cables. There are also several antique cable cars to look at and climb into, and a very fun gift shop.

The Exploratorium
Pier 15 at Green Street, The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111
415/528-4444

Calling itself a “Learning Laboratory”, The Exploratorium is highly regarded as one of the world’s top science museums. All the well-designed exhibits are tools for hands-on learning. Look for interactive mirrors, fun stuff like a tornado in a jar, the San Francisco skyline made of toothpicks, workshops, light shows and exhibits for all ages. Guides or “explainers” walk around the museum to answer any question your kids (or you) may have. You can spend a day indoors and out, with two acres of open space and a waterfront location. A San Francisco CityPASS attraction.

California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118
415/379-8000

It’s one of the world’s largest natural history museums, and a favorite San Francisco family attraction. The variety of exhibits makes the CAS an all-day destination for toddler through adult ages. The space is divided to feature a large aquarium with some very unusual marinelife. The lobby level coral reef grows under special sun lamps; there’s a tidepool and some hissing cockroaches. The planetarium’s fascinating narrated shows, best for ages 7+, are included in the admission price. Don’t miss the “Shake House” in the Earthquake section, a simulator where bookshelves and dishware shake while museumgoers hold on. Have young adults 18+ in tow? Their Thursday Nights dance party is supposed to be a lot of fun. Available at discounted admission to San Francisco CityPASS holders.

Fun for Older Children

(Up to Age 18)

Haight-Ashbury

Stroll down this street and blast five decades back to 1967, the famous Summer of Love with your kids. Immerse the family in shops packed with Grateful Dead memorabilia, lava-lamps, trendy hemp jewelry, cool posters, and all the hippie gear their young hearts desire. More important is the opportunity to share the hippies’ wisdom about free health care, organic products, environmental conservation, innovative technology, art, design and architecture — easily done on a Haight-Ashbury Walking Tour. We joined a two-hour guided Love and Haight jaunt, accompanied by music, that proved a hit family attraction for the teens in our group.

The Counterculture Museum
1485 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Owners David and Barbara Cimino, who ran the Beat Museum (currently closed for structural repairs) for more than 20 years, now focus on younger changemakers. Their small, private collection covers counterculture movements of the 1960s, starting with the Beat poets. Glass cases feature newspaper clippings and images about societal change, from disillusionment with government after JFK’s never-resolved assassination (think: Jeffrey Epstein), to Black Power and the Civil Rights Movement. Explore the rise of feminism, AIDS and LGBTQ history, the Viet Nam War and more.  Learn about Peggy Caserta, who ran popular hippie shop that sold clothes, concert tickets and LSD. Caserta invented the bell bottom jean when she hand-stitched extra-wide pants legs to accommodate cowboy boots. That inspired the Levi’s 646 Bell Bottom. The Counter Culture Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.

Palace of the Legion of Honor
Lincoln Park
100 34th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94121
415/750-3600

Part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the California Palace of the Legion of Honor opened in 1924, dedicated — like the Greek temples it resembles — to those who died in WWI. Its spectacular setting overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge. Allow time to explore the collection of 4,000 years of European masterworks, ancient arts of the Near East, Greece, Rome and Egypt, and European Decorative Arts. The prints and drawings collection is especially noteworthy.

de Young Museum
Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA  94118
415/750-3600

Dedicated to works of the 20th and 21st centuries, the museum showcases the modern art of Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg, Rene Magritte, Piet Mondrian, as well as Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Agnes Martin and others. There are three dining venues, including an outdoor café in the fifth-floor sculpture garden. The stylish SFMOMA uses its public gallery space for visiting artists, community programs, films and live performances. Check their calendar for upcoming events; visitors 18 and under always enter free.

The Walt Disney Family Museum
104 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94129
415/345-6800

Located in The Presidio, the 40,000-square-foot museum commemorates the life-long accomplishments and legacy of Walt Disney. Explore the first drawing of Mickey Mouse and Disney’s creativity in high-tech interactive sound mixing exhibits. Visitors get a true sense of the amazing work and innovation from one of the most iconic figures of our time. Check their calendar for several animation workshops for all ages and temporary exhibitions.

The Vault Museum
Levi’s Plaza
1155 Battery Street at Telegraph Hill
San Francisco, CA 94111

The Vault is the renovated museum space of legendary blue jean maker Levi Strauss & Co. Although the San Francisco-based company has long had a repository of historic documents, fabric samples, films and photos of evolving styles, public shows such as “Amped: Music Icons in Levi’s Denim,” are new. The small but rich exhibit used music, historic context and denim costumes to highlight the performers’ American roots. Keep an eye on their website for news of the next show, because The Vault plans to quadruple in size. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only; admission is free.

Fun for the Whole Family

Alcatraz Island
National Recreation Area
Fort Mason, B201
San Francisco, CA 94123
415/ 561-4900

Add a visit to the world’s most famous prison to your Bucket List adventures. It’s your up-close view of the home of the nation’s most notorious criminals between 1937-1963. Kids will delight in the eeriest of all Golden Gate City tourist attractions. You’ll get to know many prisoners and their guards through the excellent (free) audio guide. Outside, see where the wardens’ families lived in what they called “the safest small town in America.” Alcatraz gets quite windy and chilly, both on the boat and the island, so pack some warm clothing. Note that a free golf cart will transport the mobility challenged up the steep hill from the ferry pier. The only way to reach the infamous island is via ferries run by Alcatraz City Cruises. (You must book ahead for day or night tours of “The Rock.”)

Fisherman’s Wharf
Bounded by Aquatic Park, North Point, Powell Street, and Pier 39
San Francisco, CA 94133
415/674-7503

Walk the eight blocks that make up this historic waterfront district for its most famous sights — The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square, and Pier 39. In addition, you can drop into the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, buy fresh sourdough bread at Boudin Bakery, watch sea lions and board a cablecar. Play with the delightful Musée Mécanique’s collection of vintage arcade games and antique slot machines. Explore the converted red brick warehouses, offbeat boutiques, galleries and many new restaurants serving sustainable seafood. The colorful and noisy zone attracts street performers, so all ages will enjoy it.

The Ferry Building Marketplace
One Ferry Building
Embarcadero (at the foot of Market Street)
San Francisco, CA 94111
415/983-8030

This market, located in the historic Ferry Building, is a haven for foodies of all ages. Stroll stalls bursting with artisan cheese, bread, meat, poultry, fish, coffee, tea, pastries, ice cream and more. Buy prepared foods, take a seat, and enjoy! The famous Farmers Market is held Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday but the big chefs, cooking demos and more than 100 vendors turn out Saturday! The 2.3 mile Herb Caen Way, a beautiful waterfront esplanade adjacent to The Ferry Building, is named for a local journalist. Bring rollerblades, bike, have a picnic lunch or just sit and admire the view.

Oracle Park
24 Willie Mays Plaza, Third and King Streets
San Francisco, CA 94107
415/972-2000 Last minute tickets: 510/762-BALL

Home of the San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park offers great Bay views and terrific sightlines from every seat. Locals love the reasonably priced tickets and fantastic food choices. What makes it a top family attraction in San Francisco is the array of interactive pre-game activities for kids and ball fanatics. Plus, the city’s Muni, BART and Caltrain systems go right to the front door.

Yerba Buena Gardens
Moscone Convention Center
750 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA  94103
415/820-35550

This 10-acre family entertainment complex has a 12-lane bowling center, indoor ice-skating rink, restored historic carousel and children’s play area in a garden setting. There is also the Metreon mall, outdoor gardens, several restaurants, and arts center with several theaters and a Martin Luther King Memorial. The hands-on Children’s Creativity Museum is designed for infants to age 8, but there’s such a wide range of activities (many free) that everyone in the family will be happy.

CineLounge Tiburon
Ark Row Shopping Center
40 Main Street
Tiburon, CA  94920
415/797-6976

Just across the bridge from San Francisco, this unusual three-screen theater is a worth a night at the movies. Book a reserved plush armchair or loveseat for two. Arrive early and hungry to enjoy a Steven Spielburger, pizza or hot dog among kid-pleasing attractions. Choose between craft beers, a hardy wine list, or the specialty cocktails themed to the films showing. A memorable experience.

Illuminate SF Light Art Trail

January is typically chilly and rainy, but the annual Illuminate SF Festival of Lights — one of the country’s most exciting light shows — makes it prime time to visit. Any time of the year, look up and catch the work of top light artists playing across major downtown landmarks. Use our Google map to walk or drive past the Parks at 5M, the Salesforce Tower and Transportation hub, the Moscone Convention Center and more. For $100, we booked a private tour past the public light displays and up to Twin Peaks. The city’s highest point offers fabulous views of the entire Bay Area in lights, spreading out from the Golden Gate Bridge.

SFJAZZ Center
201 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
866/920-5299

Opened in 2013, this is the first stand-alone building designed for the performance of jazz in the entire country. The center features the Robert N. Miner Auditorium, a scalable 350 to 700-seat concert hall, as well as rehearsal spaces, educational facilities, and a restaurant. Check their site for information on Family Concerts performed specifically for families with children under age 10. Sounds like music to our ears!