If you’re spending one day in San Francisco with kids, this guide will help you concentrate your efforts. Payton and I drove down to San Francisco for a fleeting visit, but we still managed to pack in a lot of activities. 24 hours in San Francisco isn’t enough, but if you are taking advantage of a layover or stopping along a road trip, these are some of the child-friendly highlights for you to consider.
San Francisco Itinerary : 24 hours
Muir Woods
Muir Woods National Monument is the crown of the Bay Area. There have been redwoods growing in this valley for around 60,000 years. There are trees in Muir Woods that are 600+ years old, and they are so tall – beyond belief big. It is a humbling experience visiting these huge redwoods, and great place to visit with kids, as it is very educational too.
There is a reservation system and shuttle service in place at Muir Woods, so make sure you book in advance. This is an important recent addition in order to help protect the delicate ecosystem from traffic and too many visitors. There are also tours you can take from San Francisco that include a visit to Sausalito, or a ticket to Alcatraz alongside a Muir Woods stop!
Payton had such a fun time standing next to these amazing trees and understanding the scale of them. There are many trails through the woods, none of them particularly taxing. Spend 1-2 hours here at a minimum.
If you have more than 24 hours in San Francisco, stop by Sausalito too. This cute town is full of artisan boutiques and houseboats.
Golden Gate Bridge
On your way from Muir Woods into the city, you will go over the Golden Gate Bridge. But before you do, make sure you stop at one or more of the many Golden Gate Viewpoints. On the north side of the bridge there are 4 major viewpoints – Golden Gate View Point, Battery Spencer, and the Marin Headlands on the west side; and Golden Gate Bridge View Vista Point on the east side.
San Francisco gets a lot of fog, so don’t be disappointed if the bridge is shrouded in cloud when you visit!
San Francisco Waterfront
From the Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop near the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, to Pier 33 (Alcatraz ferry), is a great section of the waterfront to explore. Get your fill of chocolate at the famous Ghirardelli shop, or try the traditional clam chowder in a sourdough bowl at Boudin Bakery Cafe, and then head over to Pier 39!
Pier 39
Pier 39 is great for families. There is a carnival atmosphere about the place – there is a carousel, mirror maze, and activities and fun everywhere. Not to mention the famous sea lions that laze about on pontoons. There is a viewing area on Pier 39 that allows plentiful space to watch these funny animals.
The sea lions are only at Pier 39 from late July to mid May, as they leave at the height of summer to have their babies on the more spacious islands along the California coast.
If clam chowder isn’t appealing to the kids, then there are plenty of family style restaurants along the waterfront and at Pier 39. While there are many more cheaper dining experiences around the city, when you’ve only got 24 hours in San Francisco, it’s easiest to just eat where you are visiting.
We enjoyed our meal at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Pier 39. Payton had a huge and delicious sundae for dessert – and she is a dessert connoisseur, so I’ll take her word for it!
7D Experience – Pier 39
When traveling with kids, you often have to seek out those experiences that will keep them entertained and engaged. We love the 3D experiences such as Flyover America (similar to the one we went to at the Mall of America), so we visited the 7D experience on Pier 39.
Using 3D+ technology, you get the fun of roller coasters, but without the need for all that space. It’s a great way to keep the kids occupied for an hour.
Alcatraz
No visit to San Francisco is complete without a trip out to Alcatraz. We highly recommend the full tour or night tour; although if you are really short on time, you can do a boat ride that sails past Alcatraz and out to the Golden Gate Bridge – just to see it from afar. You can also get combo tickets to include both Alcatraz and a Waterfront Walking Tour.
The tour is fascinating, and tells the story of the prison island from both the prisoner and guard perspectives. Did you know that the guards and their families actually lived on the small island too? What a place to grow up! Our friend HH Lifestyle Travel has written a whole post with tips for visiting Alcatraz.
TOP TIP: You MUST book in advance – tickets book out up to 3-months ahead of time.
Just in case you have more than one day in San Francisco…
2 days in San Francisco
If you have an extra day, or manage to squeeze a few extra activities in, I recommend these few extras.
- Take a ride on a cable car – One of the best routes is the Powell-Hyde line that runs from where Powell meets Market street right in the center of town, to Hyde Street near Fisherman’s Wharf. This route also goes near Lombard Street (the famous switchback street seen in many movies).
- See some of the Pacific coast – Driving down California’s Highway 1 is a dream road trip. And although on a short visit it’s not practical to drive the whole route down to Big Sur, you can still see some coastline. Head out to see the Victorian era Sutro Baths, and the neoclassical Cliff House. Then drive a little way down the Cabrillo Highway to Pacifica Beach, and watch the sunset over the ocean.
24 hours in San Francisco with Kids
As an east-coaster, it was important for us to show Payton the Pacific ocean, let her dip her toes in, and to watch the sun set over the ocean in the west. We managed to squeeze a lot into our 24 hours in San Francisco, and hopefully these kid-friendly activities will help you plan your own visit.
One day in San Francisco wasn’t nearly enough, especially when there are so many family friendly activities to see and do. Next time we visit, we want to see the Painted Ladies houses, take a wine tour to Napa & Sonoma (ok, maybe that’s for us adults), visit San Francisco’s Chinatown, take the ferry to Sausalito, and so much more!
Have you been to San Francisco with kids? If so, put your best tips in the comments below…
Let us help you plan your next trip,
with our full service Travel Agency!
Copyright © Endless Family Travels – all rights reserved. Photos and content cannot be used without express permission.
Endless Family Travels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
A few years ago my husband and I stayed on a sailboat on Pier 39. Not something I would recommend with kids but for us it was awesome.
Haha that sounds pretty fun!
We’ve only lived in the area for a few months now, so we’re still getting to know it! We get our carpets cleaned every so often, so we’re always looking for things to do to get out of the house. This is such a great list of fun things! Thank you!