The Best Kid Tourist Attractions in the San Francisco Area

If you are visiting San Fransisco with kids, you are in luck. The City by the Bay has several outdoor attractions that hold great appeal for children. Enjoy breathing the deep ocean air and sharing the beautiful seaside attractions with the youngsters in your life. Whether you stay ashore or head out to sea, exploring San Fransisco with kids is bound to be a memorable vacation.

The San Francisco Zoo

There is something wonderfully exhausting about pushing a stroller or giving a piggy back ride up and down the endless intertwining hills of the San Fransisco Zoo. The animals are housed in habitats designed to simulate their real world homes from all over the world, with interpretive displays highlighting conservation efforts. The surrounding park and garden area has walking and bicycling trails, a wildflower garden and a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco Zoo
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco, California 94132
(415) 753-7080

Kid-Friendly Hiking at San Pedro Valley Park

If you enjoy hiking with kids, the San Pedro Valley Park, less than half an hour from San Fransisco, has three different hiking trails that are stroller accessible and gentle enough for kids. Steelhead salmon spawn in the two San Pedro Valley streams that come down from the Santa Cruz Mountain range. The park has bathrooms, a visitor's center, hiking trails, nature trails, barbecue areas and picnic tables.

San Pedro Valley Park
600 Oddstad Blvd
Pacifica, CA 94044-4422
(650) 355-8289

Alcatraz Island

Once the famous state prison, now a nature preserve, Alcatraz has a guided tour through the prison with stories of its colorful past. Before or after the guided tour, guests are free to explore the island, climb around on the rocky landscape (within limits) and picnic on the grounds. The only company that offers ferries to the island is Alcatraz Cruises, which is contracted by the National Parks Service. Previous visitors advise families to purchase tickets in advance, to avoid standing in line.

Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Fort Mason, B201
San Francisco, CA 94123
Ranger Station (415) 561-4900

Alcatraz Cruises
Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing
San Francisco 94111
(415) 981-7625

Resources

Article Written By Lisa Russell

Lisa Russell has been a freelance writer since 1998. She's been published in "Rethinking Everything Magazine," "Playdate" and "Home Educator's Family Times." She has a professional background in education, cosmetology and the restaurant industry. Russell studied early childhood education at Antelope Valley College, and is pursuing a degree in law.

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