San Francisco With Kids: Hills, Cable Cars and Fog

The best things to do in San Francisco with kids are a cable car ride, the hands-on Exploratorium, the penguins and rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences, the sea lions at Pier 39, and the free Presidio Tunnel Tops playground with Golden Gate Bridge views. San Francisco is compact, so most of the things to do with kids in San Francisco are a short ride apart, and children 18 and under ride Muni buses and trains free. Plan for two things: steep hills, which make a light stroller or a carrier the better choice, and fog, which means layers in every season.

Know before you go

The hills are real. Some blocks are too steep for a loaded stroller. Use a light stroller for flat areas like the waterfront and Golden Gate Park, and bring a carrier for anything that involves climbing. Let the buses, streetcars and cable cars do the hills.

Kids ride Muni free, but not the cable cars. The SFMTA says Free Muni for All Youth covers all youth 18 and younger, regardless of residency, with no Clipper card needed on regular buses and trains. The exception is the cable car. Visitors pay for cable cars, and children 4 and under ride free.

Pack for fog, not for California. San Francisco summers are often cool and grey, especially by the water, and the temperature can change a lot between neighborhoods. Dress kids in layers you can peel off and put back on. A light fleece, like the Columbia Youth Steens Mountain II, stuffs into a day bag and earns its space every afternoon.

The best things to do in San Francisco with kids

1. Ride a cable car

The one thing every child wants to do. There are three lines: Powell/Hyde, Powell/Mason and California. The SFMTA lists a single cable car ride at $9.00, with no transfers between lines, and the cable car is free for children 4 and under (fares as listed in October 2026). At the busiest turnarounds (Powell & Market, Bay & Taylor, and Hyde & Beach), you must buy your ticket in advance between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., which you can do on the MuniMobile app.

The kid-friendly way to do it: the turnaround at Powell & Market has the longest queues. Boarding a few stops up the line, or riding the California line, can mean a shorter wait. Fold the stroller before you board, and keep small children seated inside rather than on the running boards.

2. The Exploratorium

This is the best museum in the city for kids of any age. The Exploratorium at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero has more than 650 hands-on exhibits about science, light, sound and perception, and almost all of them are meant to be touched. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. for the public. It is closed on Mondays, and Thursday evenings are for adults only. The Tactile Dome is a separate, pitch-dark crawl-through experience. It is brilliant for confident older kids and not for anyone afraid of the dark.

3. The California Academy of Sciences

An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum under one living roof in Golden Gate Park. The Cal Academy has African penguins, a four-story glass-domed rainforest with free-flying birds and butterflies, and an aquarium home to over 1,000 species. Note the planetarium rules before you promise a show: the Academy says the shows may not suit children under 7, and children under 4 are not admitted. Showtimes need reservations. It occasionally closes for private events, so check the calendar.

Make it a Golden Gate Park day: the park’s playgrounds, gardens and lakes are all nearby, and you can easily spend the afternoon there.

4. Pier 39’s sea lions

Free, loud and endlessly entertaining for small children. Pier 39 says California sea lions started hauling out on its K-Dock after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. By January 1990, they had taken over the dock, and they have stayed ever since. Numbers rise and fall with the seasons. The record was more than 2,100 in May-June 2024. Watch the sea lions, then move on: the rest of Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf is busy and shop-heavy, and an hour is plenty with small kids.

5. Presidio Tunnel Tops and the Outpost playground

The best free afternoon in the city. Presidio Tunnel Tops is free and open every day, with Golden Gate Bridge views, picnic lawns, food vendors and the Outpost Nature Playground, where kids climb on play structures inspired by nature and history. Bring a picnic, let the kids run, and enjoy the bridge views without fighting for a photo spot.

6. The Golden Gate Bridge

Seeing the bridge up close is a must. The Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center at the south end is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It has exhibits on how the bridge was built, including the original 12-foot stainless steel test tower used in 1933. Walking onto the bridge is windy, loud and cold. With under-fives, walk a short way out, turn back, and enjoy the views from Tunnel Tops or the waterfront instead. Hold small hands firmly near traffic.

7. Alcatraz (for older kids)

The island prison is a great outing for kids around eight and up, who will enjoy the ferry and the stories. The National Park Service says all access to Alcatraz is by a private ferry company under contract with the park, Alcatraz City Cruises, so book through them rather than a reseller. The park also warns that the island’s weather changes quickly and asks visitors to dress in layers and wear shoes with grip soles. With toddlers it is a long day of walking for a story they won’t follow, so save it for later.

Where to stay in San Francisco with kids

Fisherman’s Wharf, for first-timers with small kids. It’s flat, close to the sea lions and the cable car turnarounds, and it is an easy walk along the waterfront to the Exploratorium. The Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf is a few minutes’ walk from the Wharf and has a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, which is rare in this city.

Union Square, for transit and food. It’s central, with the Powell Street cable cars at the doorstep and easy access to BART from the airport. It’s busier and more urban, so it suits families with kids 6 and up.

The Marina or the Presidio side, for green space. Quieter, closer to Crissy Field, Tunnel Tops and the bridge, and better for a slower trip with toddlers.

A realistic four-day plan

Day 1: Arrive, walk the waterfront, and say hello to the sea lions at Pier 39.
Day 2: A cable car ride in the morning, then the Exploratorium (not on a Monday).
Day 3: Golden Gate Park: the California Academy of Sciences, then the park’s playgrounds.
Day 4: The Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, then a picnic and playtime at Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Add on: Yosemite, Tahoe or Los Angeles

San Francisco is the natural starting point for a bigger California trip. My best family resorts in California roundup covers Yosemite and Lake Tahoe bases a few hours’ drive inland. If you’re heading south, my Los Angeles with kids guide has the area-by-area plan that keeps the driving under control.

FAQ: things to do with kids in San Francisco

Is San Francisco good for kids?

Yes. It’s compact, the transit is easy, and the Exploratorium, Cal Academy, the cable cars and the sea lions are all excellent with children. Plan around the hills and bring layers for the fog.

What are the best things to do in San Francisco with toddlers?

The Pier 39 sea lions, the Outpost playground at Presidio Tunnel Tops, the penguins and rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences, and a short cable car ride. Skip the planetarium: children under 4 are not admitted.

Do kids ride free on San Francisco cable cars?

Children 4 and under ride cable cars free. Youth 18 and under ride regular Muni buses and trains free, but visitors over 4 pay the cable car fare.

Is San Francisco stroller-friendly?

The waterfront, the Embarcadero and Golden Gate Park are. The steep hills are not. Bring a light stroller plus a carrier, and use the buses and cable cars for climbs.

What should kids wear in San Francisco?

Layers, in every season. Fog and wind by the water can make summer days cool, so pack a fleece or light jacket even in July.