Taking a vacation with your children often doesn’t really feel like a vacation at all. When you’re trekking through amusement parks and child-friendly resorts, there’s not always a whole lot of enjoyment to be found for the adults among the group.
Fortunately, there’s a happy medium between sporting mouse ears and dragging your kids to a vacation only their parents will enjoy: a trip to San Francisco is a great bet for kids of all ages, as well as their parents. If you find yourself headed to the Bay Area with your little ones, make sure to put these exciting activities on your to-do list:
Take a Tour of Alcatraz: The world’s most famous prison is just a short boat ride from San Francisco, and is an exciting adventure for parents and kids alike. Discover where Al Capone and some of the world’s other most famous criminals spent their incarcerations with a spooky tour of this now-shuttered prison.
Take a walk in Golden State Park: Stretch your legs and see the sights by taking your kids for a gorgeous walk in Golden Gate Park. Known as one of the country’s most beautiful public parks, Golden Gate Park is crisscrossed with easy walking paths perfect for a leisurely stroll on a beautiful San Francisco day.
Check out the entertainment on Pier 39: Enjoy the best of everything San Francisco has to offer with a trip to Pier 39. An aquarium, a mirror maze, musical steps, boat rides, whale watching, carousel rides, sea lion watching, street performance, shopping, and great food all converge in a single location that’s sure to be a hit among both adults and children.
Take a cable car ride: One of the coolest things about San Francisco is the cable cars that still run up and down its streets. Hop a ride with your kids as you check out the painted ladies or just enjoy the ride on these historic vehicles; no matter where you’re headed, it will definitely be a trip your kids won’t soon forget.
Tour the California Academy of Sciences: If you find yourself in San Francisco with your kids, make sure to visit the California Academy of Sciences. This science museum is full of animals, from an albino alligator to penguins, houses an aquarium, planetarium, four-story rainforest, and countless exciting exhibits about the natural world your kids are sure to love.
Don’t waste another vacation wandering around a theme park as your kids get increasingly sullen and sunburned. This year, make the most of your time off with an exciting and educational trip to San Francisco instead. Whether you spend your days exploring museums or touring one of the world’s most famous prisons, there’s always something fun to do in the beautiful Bay Area.