Best Weekend Trips from San Francisco with Kids (From a Local!)
If the usual parent weekend routine of kids’ birthday parties and playgrounds is starting to feel a little monotonous, then it might be time to switch things up with a short weekend getaway! Or maybe you’re visiting San Francisco with kids and have some extra time to explore a little outside of the city. As a San Francisco local and a mom, these little weekend getaways were our practice to becoming confident traveling further abroad with our kiddo. I hope this list of our favorite weekend trips from San Francisco with kids can help inspire your next getaway. The best thing about these destinations is that while some are further away, there are also many closer options with plenty of fun things to do with kids that can even be done as a day trip. I’ve also included our favorite kid friendly things to do in each area. Get excited for your next mini vacation with these fun ideas for weekend trips from San Francisco with kids!
1. Monterey
- Drive Time from SF: 2-3 hours, depending on traffic
Monterey is one of our favorite long weekend trips from San Francisco. The nature is beautiful, and the pace is slower and more relaxed. We never have a packed itinerary when we visit, so that makes it easier for us to just enjoy our time together as a family. While the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the obvious attraction in the area, there are also plenty of fun easy hikes and outdoor activities to explore with kids. Monterey is also very dog-friendly, which we love because that means we get to bring our dog along for some bonding time with the whole family.
Check out our long weekend in Monterey with a toddler itinerary for all the details on these activities and our favorite kid-friendly restaurants!
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Monterey:
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Dennis the Menace Playground
- Hike in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (dogs not allowed)
- Spot sea otters in Moss Landing
- Hike the Monterey Coastal Trail
- Explore tide pools at Asilomar State Beach
- Whale watching boat tours
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Monterey:
- Portola Hotel & Spa
- Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
- Victorian Inn
- Monterey Beach Hotel
- Andril Fireplace Cottages
- Bide-A-Wee Inn & Cottages
- Carmel Valley Ranch
2. Lake Tahoe
- Drive Time from SF: 3.5-5 hours, depending on traffic
Lake Tahoe may be known for its snow activities in the winter, but when traveling with a toddler we actually like visiting Lake Tahoe more in the summer. The beaches are calm enough for our toddler to splash around on the shore safely. And when we need a change of pace, there are many hikes with amazing views that we can do relatively easily with a toddler in a carrier. Lake Tahoe is another “no daily itinerary” destination for us, where we can slow down and just enjoy time together without rushing from one activity to nap time.
Find directions to all our favorite beaches and hikes (including parking info!) in our Lake Tahoe with a toddler and dog guide!
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Lake Tahoe:
- Sugar Pine Point State Park
- Splash around in all the beaches
- Hike the Granite Lake Trail or Cascade Falls Trail
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Lake Tahoe:
We usually stay in North Lake Tahoe or Lake Tahoe West Shore because most of the beaches and hikes that we enjoy are closest to that area. Because we usually visit with extended family, we tend to book a big cabin for the whole family. Accommodations in Lake Tahoe fill up quickly in the summer, especially on the weekends, so I would recommend securing a refundable booking ASAP!
3. Mendocino
- Drive Time from SF: 3-3.5 hours, depending on traffic
Mendocino is another beautiful Northern California coastal city. While Monterey feels like the Victorian sister of the coastal city family, Mendocino is like the rugged brother. Maybe it’s because every time we have visited Mendocino it happened to be foggy, so it felt a little more wild and untamed. Mendocino is known for its nature but it’s not all hikes and beaches – the highlight for kids will probably be the Skunk Train through the redwoods. Because all parents have probably found themselves on more train rides than they ever thought they would take after having kids. Mendocino is also super dog-friendly, and Mendocino was actually the first road trip we took our dog on.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Mendocino:
- Mendocino County Skunk Train through the redwoods
- Pudding Creek Railbikes through the redwoods (ages 3 and up)
- Fort Bragg Glass Beach
- Hike the Mendocino Headlands State Park Bluffs Trail
- Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden
- Point Cabrillo Lighthouse
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Mendocino:
4. Central Coast (Morro Bay, Cambria, Paso Robles)
- Drive Time from SF: 3-3.5 hours, depending on traffic
The Central California Coast towns of Morro Bay and Cambria have the same beautiful coastal views and small town charm as Monterey and Mendocino, but feel a little less discovered. Because of that, this getaway was a little more affordable and less crowded than our trips to the Northern California coastal towns. But that didn’t mean we had to sacrifice good food on this trip. We based ourselves near Paso Robles for the best of both worlds during our visit. We had the delicious food and wine of Paso Robles, but we were just a short drive away from the scenic coastline.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in the Central Coast:
- Hike the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve and spot some sea otters
- Visit Morro Rock for more sea otter sightings
- Spot the wild zebras at Hearst Castle
- Grab some hand crafted ice cream at Negranti Creamery
Family Friendly Places to Stay in the Central Coast:
- Beachcomber Unit of Coastal Harvest Hideaways
- Paso Robles 3 bedroom cottage
- Farm Airbnb in Atascadero
5. Napa Valley
- Drive Time from SF: 1-1.5 hours, depending on traffic
Napa Valley may seem like more of a parent’s destination since it is mostly known for wine tasting, but the train rides in this area help to boost the kid friendliness factor. The Napa Valley Wine Train might be better for older kids, but the Sonoma TrainTown Railroad is basically a train amusement park that is fun for all ages. And because Napa Valley is an agricultural region, you can find farms and farmer’s markets for even more hands on fun for kids. Many of the hotels in this region are also spas, so they have great pools and some kid friendly play spaces.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Napa Valley:
- Napa Valley Wine Train
- Sonoma TrainTown Railroad
- Connolly Ranch
- Old Faithful Geyser
- Oxbow Public Market
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Napa Valley:
- Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa
- The Meritage Hotel and Spa in Napa
- Indian Springs Resort and Spa in Calistoga
- Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa in Calistoga
6. Santa Cruz
- Drive Time from SF: 1.5-2 hours, depending on traffic
Santa Cruz is as close as Northern California gets to a typical swimming beach because it actually gets warm enough to go into the water. I remember going to the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk as a kid and loving the arcade, so a trip to Santa Cruz always brings back happy memories from childhood. Santa Cruz is also home to yet another fun train ride for kids, the Roaring Camp train through the redwoods. Honestly, some friends visit Santa Cruz just for this train ride, especially in October when they dress up the trains as Thomas the Train.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Santa Cruz:
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Hike in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Roaring Camp Train Ride through the redwoods
- Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Santa Cruz:
7. Half Moon Bay
- Drive Time from SF: 30-45 min, depending on traffic
Half Moon Bay is just a short drive from San Francisco, which makes it one of the easiest weekend trips from San Francisco that still feels like an escape from the city. We usually head to Half Moon Bay when we’re craving some lobster rolls (hello, Sam’s Chowder House!) and add in some scenic walks to round out the day. Lemos Farm is also a huge Bay Area parent destination come October because of the pumpkin patch, but even during other times they have animals to visit.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in Half Moon Bay:
- Walk the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail
- Hike Devil’s Slide Trail
- Walk the Ritz Carlton Coastside Trail
- Lemos Farm
- Bonus: Mori Point trail in Pacifica
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Half Moon Bay
8. South Bay
- Drive Time from SF: 45 min-1 hr, depending on traffic
Depending on who you talk to, the South Bay can span an area from Palo Alto all the way to Gilroy. Because many families live in these suburbs there are tons of family-friendly things to do in this area. We find ourselves traveling down to the South Bay multiple times a month. The museums, playgrounds, and amusement parks are perfect for toddler-aged children. And I always make sure to look up the new hot boba cafes and bakeries close by to whatever we’re visiting, since more and more are opening in the South Bay rather than the city.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in the South Bay:
- Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
- Legoland Discovery Center
- Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
- Magical Bridge Playgrounds
- Seven Seas Playground and Splash Pad
- Emma Prusch Farm Park and Playground
- Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
- Gilroy Gardens
- Vasona Park train
Family Friendly Places to Stay in the South Bay:
9. Sausalito
- Drive Time from SF: 30 min-1 hr, depending on traffic
Sausalito is a cute little town just across the bay from San Francisco. There are cute shops and cute waterfront restaurants, but we all know shopping and eating with kids is not the same as shopping and eating alone. So these days when we visit the North Bay with our toddler, we’re not going to the town of Sausalito itself, but to places where toddlers can explore or run (preferably both). As a bonus, if you can convince the other parent to watch your kid alone at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, I highly recommend a massage at the spa at Cavallo Point (which is next door to the Bay Area Discovery Museum).
Kid Friendly Things to Do in/near Sausalito:
- Bay Area Discovery Museum
- Muir Woods (don’t forget to make parking reservations in advance!)
- Marine Mammal Center
- Ride the ferry
- Bonus: Safari West slightly further north in Santa Rosa
Family Friendly Places to Stay in Sausalito:
10. East Bay
- Drive time from SF: 30 min-1 hr, depending on traffic
The East Bay is a large area that can span from Oakland and Berkeley to Livermore and down to Fremont. Honestly, crossing the bridge is often a barrier for us visiting the East Bay because of the traffic, but the kid-friendly activities below make it worth it. Especially when Glowfari is on at the Oakland Zoo. The train at Tilden Park also seems famous amongst Bay Area parents. I never knew this park existed but since becoming a parent, “have you been to the train at Tilden Park?” has come up in conversation at least once a month. For the very little ones, Children’s Fairyland is a retro theme park, complete with a little train and mini ferris wheel. It’s probably more fun for kids 4 and under.
Kid Friendly Things to Do in the East Bay:
Family Friendly Places to Stay in the East Bay:
- The Claremont Resort and Club in Berkeley
