San Francisco weekend with 4 yo - suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I'm taking my 4 yo daughter to San Francisco for a weekend trip. We're planning on a Saturday afternoon baseball game, but I'd appreciate suggestions for a couple other activities. In particular I was wondering about the harbor and seeing seals. My DD would get a real kick out of that. Is there a best spot for that, or a beach? Or maybe a boat cruise. Any specific recommendations? I've been to SF for work and just remember a series of piers all offering similar seeming cruises that were on the pricey side and maybe more geared for adults (history of the bay, Alcatraz, etc.). Thank you in advance.

And I love dim sum, so any best spots for that would be appreciated as well!

[Anonymous]

Don't bother with a cruise.

Go to Canton Dim Sum on Folsom off Third St., in SoMa. Looks like crap, but good food. You can also do Yank Sing.

If your kid wants seals, you may as well go Full Tourist and go to Pier 39 - she can see the seals, ride the carousel and do all that crap.

If you're going to a baseball game, make sure she gets to go down the Coke slide at the stadium. Do NOT eat at Amici's Pizza across from the ball park - it's awful. Instead go up 2nd Street to Tony's Slice House. Also, go behind the ball park to see the baby baseball diamond - you'll get to walk over the drawbridge. Lastly, there's what we call the Toddler Park next to the stadium. Try that, and then there's also a more fun playground way up the Embarcadero, just south of the Aquarium By thee Bay. You can also go to the Yerba Buena playground - near 4th Street.

[Anonymous]

wharf is good; they have a little aquarium that a 4 yr old might like. Also, the cable car, and Golden Gate park. There's usually some activity going on, or just hang out at the big playground (can't remember what is called); walk across the bridge, but it can be windy and cold, so take a jacket.

[Anonymous]

Whatever else you do, definitely take some time to ride on the cable cars. When my DS was four, that was his favorite thing in the world!

[Anonymous]

The science museum, I don't recall the name, but it is in an old pier building, a good walk from the Ferry Building (I know, b/c I walked it).

The playground at Golden Gate Park near Haight Ashbury.

If you have time, the Ferry to Angel Island. There is a small beach. I think it's Angel Island (we had my three y.o. calling it Pirate Island and her uncle actually buried a treasure for her to find).

Coit Tower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever else you do, definitely take some time to ride on the cable cars. When my DS was four, that was his favorite thing in the world!

This. Also stay somewhere with a pool, if possible.

[Anonymous]

We went for a week with our 4 and 7 year old and had a blast.

I highly recommend the CA Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. We have been to a ton of museums and it is one of my favorite. We could have spent two days. We also went on a Duck tour because that is how we roll; the kids had fun and it was an easy way to see a lot of the sites. We also had dinner in the Tike Room which was entertaining for all. What a throwback.

[Anonymous]

Ditto on CA Academy of Sciences. Favorite museum. Also the Exploratorium is a fantastic children's museum. Skip Alcatraz at that age. You can still do a cruise under the bridge and around Alcatraz. I've heard great things abut the firetruck tour of the city - you ride on the top of the truck - but we didn't have time. When we were there they had set up barriers so the seals could not hang out at Pier 39 but I don't know if that's changed (3 years ago). When we were there there was a site that offered a 3 day ticket which packaged admission to Exploratorium/Aquarium and CA Academy of Sciences. Included bus/cable car transportation and saved us a ton of money.

[Anonymous]

I definitely agree with the other posters about Pier 39, the bridge, and the cable cars.

I would also go to Ghirardelli Square for chocolate and ice cream, as well as to Alamo Square Park (especially if your DD is a Full House fan).

You should also consider going to Sausalito on the ferry for a few hours. The waterfront is beautiful and the ice cream shop (Lappert's) is great. The views from the ferry are amazing!

[Anonymous]

Thank you, PPs. Great suggestions. I wish my DD was a full house fan. Sadly I think I'm just dating myself...

[Anonymous]

If you go to Sausalito, the Bay Area Discovery Muesum is awesome but closed for the month of Sept each year. The sealions migrate - last year there were almost none on the pier in August. I recently moved to Bay Area with my 3.5 year old. We haven't done CA Academy of Sciences yet but I do hear good things. She liked, but seemed a little young for, the Exploratorium. The zoo is fun too.

[Anonymous]

Watch out for gutter punks. Especially ones with aggressive dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watch out for gutter punks. Especially ones with aggressive dogs.