You could easily take a Golden Gate Park “staycation” and have no trouble keeping your family busy for days. This 1,017-acre area, located right in the heart of the city, is full of amazing attractions, picturesque places and kid-friendly activities. It’s no wonder Golden Gate Park continues to be one of San Francisco’s most treasured gems, delighting locals and tourists alike. Here are 20 things you must do with your kids in Golden Gate Park.
1. Stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden
Where: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA
Climb the Drum Bridge, hop across stepping stones, look for koi and snack on sweet mochi from the tea house. Arrive before 10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and admission is free (regular admission is $8 for adults, $6 for ages 12 to 17, $2 for ages five to 11 and free for four and under with discounts for SF residents).
2. Go back in time and visit the prehistoric garden in the San Francisco Botanical Garden
Where: 1199 9th Avenue, San Francisco, CA
There is so much to do in the Botanical Gardens but the prehistoric garden is a special spot for kids. It features ancient plants and a boardwalk trail that is a favorite with little ones. You should also visit the Children’s Garden while there; they often have special activities such as docent led tours, hands-on gardening and craft projects as well as garden story times.
3. Play in one of Golden Gate Park’s many playgrounds
Where: 320 Bowling Green Dr, San Francisco, CA
The largest of the parks place spaces is the “Children’s Playground” (Koret Playground) that’s decked out with numerous play structures for kids of all ages. Other favorite playgrounds include the “Blue Playground” (at Fulton at 8th Avenue) and the playground at 45th Avenue and Lincoln Way.
4. Wander museum galleries and stop for lunch at the de Young Museum
Where: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA
To engage in a bit of art in a very arty place, try out the Saturday art class that are just for kids at the de Young Museum (free with admission to the museum). If you’re not in the mood for the full museum experience, make a quick visit to the sculpture garden or tower (both are free and no admission is required).
5. Enjoy a free concert
Take in a concert at the bandshell Spreckels Temple of Music in the Music Concourse. Sit back and enjoy free performances by the Golden Gate Park Band—who will be celebrating their 134rd season this year—every Sunday from April through October.
6. Learn how to Lindy Hop
During the street closures in the park every Sunday along JFK Drive, you can join the informal, free swing dance party between 11am and 2pm. Visit the Lindy in the Park website for updates and schedule info. If you aren’t ready to cut the rug, just hang out and watch the dancers show off their moves.
7. Explore the world at the California Academy of Sciences
Where: 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA
Visit a rainforest, a coral reef and the other fascinating exhibits at the California Academy of Sciences, which is a Golden Gate Park “must do” for kids (and adults). Along with all the regular exhibits, the special shows and the educational events, stop by the cafe for a delicious lunch where you can feast on American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican and other cuisines. (Admission is $34.95 for adults, $29.95 for ages 12 to 17, $24.95 for ages four to 11 and children three and under are free).
8. Hit the streets
Hit the streets along JFK drive on Sundays for car-free bike riding, roller skating, scootering, and skateboarding. This is a great, and safe, stop for kids who are just learning to ride their bikes or are trying out roller skating for the first time.
9. Find a perfect place for a picnic
Picnic among the blossoms in front of the incredibly elegant and always gorgeous Conservatory of Flowers. Be sure to make a stop the dahlia garden just west of the Conservatory. And don’t worry if you didn’t bring a picnic, there is usually a hot dog stand set up nearby.
10. Go round and round on the carousel
Take a ride on one of the fantastical animals like a dragon, camel, goat, horse, frog, dog, rooster or pig on the Carousel at “Children’s Playground”) (Koret Playground). The carousel was built in 1914 by the Herschell-Spillman Company and was installed in Golden Gate Park in 1940. Rides are $2 for ages 13 and older, $1 for ages six to 12 and free for five and under.
11. Tour Stow Lake by boat
Rent a row boat or pedal boat and navigate your way around the picturesque lake and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for ducks and turtles along the way. This is a wonderful adventure on a sunny day, and your family will totally forget that they’re in the middle of a bustling city.
12. Picnic in a pavilion
Have a picnic in the ornate Chinese Pavilion at Stow Lake. The pavilion was presented to San Francisco by its sister city Taipei in 1976. Take the short walk across the bridge (which was built in 1893) and stop in front of the beautiful waterfall where you can enjoy all the splendor, rest and relax.
13. Visit some furry friends in the Bison Paddock
Say hello to the buffaloes that make their home in the Bison Paddock) along JFK drive. Bison have lived in Golden Gate Park since 1892 and have had a home in their current paddock—west of Spreckels Lake along John F. Kennedy Drive—since 1899.
14. Go Dutch
Enjoy ocean breezes and picturesque tulips while you play by the stately Dutch Windmill. The windmills in the park were once responsible for pumping as much as 1½ million gallons of water on a daily basis and helped nourish and the plants, trees and flowers in the park.
15. Take an art class at the Sharon Art Studio
The Sharon Art Studio is located right near the carousel and Koret Playground, and they offer a variety of classes to the public. From cartooning, to ceramics and building items with recycled materials, there’s something for artists of all ages.
16. Go (mini) boating at Spreckels Lake
Watch small scale motorized boats in action at Spreckels Lake where members of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club congregate to show off their incredible creations. This may even inspire a new family hobby!
17. Stop and smell the flowers at the Conservatory of Flowers
Where: 100 John F Kennedy Drive, San Francisco, CA
Hold your own botanical scavenger hunt at the Conservatory of Flowers. Ask at the front desk for self-guided tour materials for kids and hunt for amazing tropical plants in their wonderful collection. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for ages 12 to 17 and $2 for ages five to 11 (discounted admission for SF residents).
RELATED: San Francisco Stairways Every Family Should Climb
18. Get dramatic at the Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers
Practice your thespian skills in the Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers. Tucked away just to the west of the Academy of Science, you’ll find a charming walled garden with a small stage and many varieties of flowers mentioned in Shakespeare plays from lilies to roses. It’s a quiet place to relax, read or pretend.
19. Make some echos
Try out the acoustics in the tunnels you’ll find on the north and south sides of the Music Concourse—it’s the perfect spot to attempt your scariest or silliest echoes.
20. Look for the secret fairy doors
If you know where to look, you can find several tiny doors scattered around the park (search online for tips on finding them). Knock and see who’s home and be sure to bring a tiny note, or a special token of some sort, to leave for the wee occupants. Hint: There is a popular one hidden in the trunk of a tree in the south central area of the Music Concourse.
Photo credits: Stow Lake Boathouse, FarOutFlora/Flickr, California Academy of Sciences/ Tim Griffith, Shawn Clover/Flickr, James Gaither/ Flickr, Golden Gate Park
