San Francisco with Kids

When I think of San Fransisco the song, Everywhere You Look, by Jesse Frederick from the hit show Full House immediately pops into my head. After all when I was growing up Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen were my idols. Traveling to a big city with kids involves lots of planning and keeping a child’s interest and abilities in mind is a must. Our first trip as a family of four was a week long trip to California. We spent 4 days in San Fransisco and 2 days in wine country.

DAY 1: TRAVEL DAY
Well we made it! The family arrived in San Fransisco and it couldn’t have gone better. This was our first time flying with two kids. Our baby boy slept the ENTIRE flight while our toddler played and ate his pretzels like a seasoned traveler. We could not have asked for a better first flight as a family of four!

Due to a conference in town we were lucky to get a room at the Hilton Financial District. This hotel is located at the crossroads of Chinatown and the Financial District. However, this renovated hotel is still situated within in walking distance to Union Square (shopping), Little Italy, and only a 30 min walk to Fisherman’s Wharf. There is also easy access to the trolley if you would rather ride than walk!

TIP: THERE IS A PLAYGROUND FOR THE KIDS LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HILTON FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

Dinner: Pizza – it’s always a good sign when the line to the restaurant is out the front door and down the sidewalk. This hole in the wall pizza joint with its grunge vibe was the place to go. Order pizza by the slice or your own large rectangle pizza to go that could feed 6-8 people easily. Stickers plaster the wall with music streaming. Be warned as there are only high top bars to sit at lining the walls of this restaurant. If you are lucky you might be able to sang a stool facing the prep area where kids can watch the pizza makers do their thing.

DAY 2: FISHERMAN’S WHARF
With two kids in tow and a time change we were thankful to sleep until 5:00am. This means we were up and out of the hotel by 8:00am. What better way to start the morning than a pleasant walk down to Fisherman’s Wharf? The nice thing about getting down there early – it was quiet. We were able to enjoy walks a long the boardwalk, see the seals as Pier 39 and run the musical stairs until our hearts were content.
Then it was time for the carousel! The two storied carousel rocked the 4 year olds world. Ticket prices for the carousel were $5 for one ride and $10 for three rides. Adults have to pay to ride with children if they are under 48 inches tall. Carousel opens at 10am.

Lunch: In N Out- Finally! Another line out the door restaurant for the win. If you haven’t been go. This classic burger, fry and shake quick serve restaurant lived up to the hype. The juicy burgers with toppings piled high on a toasted bun were mouth watering. They have adorable sticker pages the kids can play with while you wait!
Post lunch and a rest back at the hotel we walked up to the Cable Car Museum. The Cable Car Museum is free and a perfect place to catch one of the two trolley lines. FYI the museum is loud. Our son was not a fan of the loud noises so we didn’t last very long inside. On the street corner outside of the museum you can pick up the trolley. Before catching the trolley make sure you have your things together and stroller packed up. The attendants are very eager to help you aboard.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT PICTURES NOW JUST HOP ON AND ENJOY THE RIDE.TAKE THE TROLLEY TO THE END OF THE LINE AND GRAB A PHOTO ONCE EVERYONE IS OFF!

From the end of the trolley line you can easily walk a couple blocks to either Fisherman’s Wharf or Ghirardelli Square. A yummy treat at Ghirardelli Square was in order. Our family does not pass up an opportunity for a special treat especially when chocolate is involved! Since we were in San Francisco we had to try the Painted Lady Parfait. This fantastic parfait of mint ice cream, fudge and whipped cream can easily be shared by 3-4 people. Walk off your yummy treat while you meander through the shops as well as the beautiful waterfront park at Ghirardelli Square.

Dinner: We took an Uber to Magnolia Brewery located in the Haight Ashbury district, a hippy eclectic neighborhood. It was was fantastic! Loud music plays inside and kids menus with crayons keep the kids entertained. Flights of beer available if you can’t choose just one of the beers brewed in the restaurants basement!

DAY 3: DAY TRIP TO SAUSALITO
When visiting San Fransisco with kids be sure to allow a day trip over to Sausalito. I remember visiting this quaint city as a child and wanted to take mine. A child’s excitement over riding a ferry across the San Fran bay to Sausalito is energizing. You can read about our day trip to Sausalito here. 

One of my favorite beers is brewed in San Fransisco by 21st Amendment. 21st Amendment is a family friendly brewery and restaurant. Their thin crust pizza was a family hit. Several other people at the restaurant were enjoying their tacos, those looked awesome too. The brewery is conveniently located near AT&T Park. Stop at 21st amendment before or after a baseball game!

DAY 4: PRESIDIO OR GOLDEN GATE PARK
Today did not go as planned but still turned out to be a great day. Presidio kept coming up as a fantastic area to visit while visiting San Fran so we decided we would head there for a day and go to Julius Kahn Playground, Crissy Field for a picnic and amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and a visit to the Walt Disney Family Museum.
What in reality happened.

We arrived at Julius Kahn playground where we had a gorgeous view of the hills, a peak of the bridge, and surrounded by beautiful homes. It was a fun playground. The slides landed into the sandbox, which the kids thought was so fun. There were also a lot of swings and climbing structures. A perfect spot to allow the kids to burn off some energy before sightseeing!

After playing until hearts content it was time to drive down to Crissy Field. We found parking near Presidio Picnic – which if you visit on Sunday is supposed to have amazing food trucks. The area is extremely spread out. Having been an old military base it is a random assortment of housing, businesses, office buildings, etc. What people don’t tell you is that the fog rolls in a lot in the summer and that the view of the bridge isn’t there. Our picnic with a view was no longer an option. We finally found a nice place inside for lunch since the weather was chiller than expected and regrouped. Sometimes things do not go as planned on trips but we make the most of it. Our new plan? Drive to Golden Gate Park.

I still do not know why when I searched I found so many recommendations for Presidio because to me it was a total letdown besides the playground. Golden Gate Park is a fantastic spot and I only wish we had found it sooner in the day! Golden Gate Park is as large as Central Park in NYC. Complete with a Japanese tea garden, Shakespeare theatre, a botanical garden, and the California science museum. The California Academy of Sciences is not a normal museum it is a 3 in 1! There’s even a small children’s play area for under 5. We spent the rest of the day playing, learning, and exploring this vast museum! 

Have you been to San Fransisco? What is your must see near Fisherman’s Wharf?