Ultimate Local’s Guide to San Francisco with Kids by Neighborhood
As a Bay Area local and a local mom, it has been fun re-discovering old childhood favorites with our kiddo as well as exploring new kid’s activities in the city. The city’s patchwork of neighborhoods are vibrant and make San Francisco such a unique city. Most visitors only see the tourist areas of San Francisco. But is worthwhile to venture out of those areas for families looking for more kid-friendly things to do when visiting San Francisco with kids. If you want to hang out where the locals are in San Francisco, then check out this local’s guide to San Francisco with kids!
I’ve got you covered with some of our favorite food spots in each neighborhood as well. Some of these local gems are tried and true while others are new and hot, but all are definitely delicious and locally owned. If you are like me and look for places to eat first and then find fun things nearby to do, then this neighborhood list is perfect!
Presidio
The Presidio used to be an army base but is now a beloved green space in San Francisco. On a clear day, the views of Golden Gate Bridge are stunning. Even on foggy days, it’s a scenic place to play, walk, and spend time outdoors. This is one of the most popular areas to visit in San Francisco with kids because of all the outdoor activities available here.
Kid Friendly Activities
Tunnel Tops Playground is one of the highlights of the Presidio for kids. This nature-inspired playground has plenty to climb and explore. There is a water play area, so bring a change of clothes if your kid is drawn to water. Sometimes on weekends the park rangers are there to teach kids about the wildlife that call Presidio home. The grassy area above the playground is amazing for a picnic and has the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We always see photoshoots happening at the Wood Line. And once you visit, it’s no surprise why. This winding line of tree trunks zigzagging through a tunnel of eucalyptus trees makes for a beautiful backdrop! Kids love walking on top of the long line of giant tree trunks.
The Walt Disney Family Museum is a fun museum for Disney lovers. Besides the exhibits, they also hold film screenings and workshops that could be fun for older kids.
Crissy Field
Crissy Field is a large green space right next to the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s great for picnics, running, flying kites – the possibilities are endless.
If you’re looking for an easy hike with amazing ocean views that ends with an overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge, then the Batteries to Bluffs Trail is it.
Baker Beach
It’s too cold (most of the time) to actually go into the water at beaches in San Francisco. But Baker Beach is popular because of the panoramic view of the Golden Gate Bridge right behind it. Parents should be advised that the northern part of the beach is unofficially clothing-optional.
Kid Friendly (and Delicious!) Restaurants
- Presidio Pop Up Food Trucks – On weekends, food trucks serving all different cuisines pack the Main Parade Lawn of the Presidio (just above the Tunnel Tops Playground). With so many choices, you’re bound to find something that a picky toddler would enjoy!
- Dynamo Donuts – This tiny little kiosk next to the parking lot is an unassuming outpost for delicious donuts with unique flavors. The maple bacon apple donut is the star but they also have rotating seasonal flavors. I have liked every flavor that I have tried here. Even if I don’t intend on getting a donut, something always looks good when I walk by so it becomes a donut day.
West Portal
West Portal is a transportation hub with a Muni subway station where different train lines heading downtown converge. Cute stores and many local restaurants line the street leading up to the subway station. There is also a public library with a nice kids area and a great playground for little ones. West Portal has a bit of a main street vibe. This area is great for a meal-and-playground type of day, or a meal before or after the zoo.
Kid Friendly Activities
The West Portal playground is a small dragon themed playground. Parents love it because it’s not too big and it is fenced in, so it’s easy to keep track of your kids. There is also a large grassy area next to the playground for kids who want to play ball or just run around. There are some picnic tables next to the playground and a bathroom available. Another bonus for kids is that the playground sits above the subway station. So train-loving tots have a front row perch to watch the Muni trains coming and going.
This old-fashioned confectionary store has been around on West Portal for as long as I can remember. They sell all kinds of candy, fudge, and ice cream. Of course kids love the sweets, but parents also love the nostalgia of visiting a candy store from their childhood.
The San Francisco Zoo is technically in the outer Sunset but I listed it in the West Portal area because it’s closer to the West Portal restaurants than the commercial areas of the Sunset. Most local families frequent the zoo because it is an easy and safe place to go in San Francisco with kids to let them run around. And they are open relatively early (by toddler time). Besides the animals, they have a train, a carousel, and three different play structures for all age ranges. Honestly, we probably spend more time in the latter three activities than actually looking at the animals, but our kiddo does love to watch the giraffes eating!
Kid Friendly (and Delicious!) Restaurants
- Khao Tiew – Khao Tiew is one of the newer Thai restaurants on the scene, and has already gotten very popular. The Thai food is more unique than your typical pad thai because they focus on homestyle Thai cooking, but with a modern flair. We’ve pretty much enjoyed everything we ordered, but our kiddo likes the train fried rice and we always get the drunken ma ma. They are only open for dinner and the lines can get long, so with kids we either go early and join the Yelp waitlist before heading out the door, or just order take out.
- George’s Donuts & Merriment – George’s Donuts & Merriment is another new and hot place in West Portal. Think of a cross between a Viennese cafe and a donut store. Their gourmet donuts often sell out before closing, but they also have salads, sandwiches, and bubbly to enjoy in their beautifully designed cafe.
- Little Original Joe’s – Little Original Joe’s is a take-out eatery serving pizza, pasta, and Italian sandwiches. The pizza slice of the day at Little Original Joe’s is a great deal in an expensive dining city like San Francisco. They do have a couple small tables outside, but mostly people order for take out. Another gem is the small market attached to the eatery. They sell the infamous Zanze’s cheesecakes there (a pillowy soft cheesecake that is so delicate it has to be cut with a fishing wire. This cheesecake is a San Francisco institution!), other local San Francisco specialties, and they have ready-to-reheat trays of their pastas. These pre-made meals are a lifesaver for busy parents.
- Submarine Center – There are a lot of venerable sandwich shops in San Francisco and everyone has their neighborhood favorite. Submarine Center is mine. The hot pastrami with cheese is my go to. The hot subs with special sauce and crunchy bread have hit the spot for years. Sub Center (as the locals call it) is now take out only, but you can always walk to the playground to enjoy your sandwich.
Sunset
The Sunset district encompasses the avenues south of Golden Gate Park all the way to the beach. Historically, the Sunset has been where many families settle down. With Golden Gate Park and the San Francisco Zoo nearby, this area is where many of the kid-friendly attractions of the city are located. This neighborhood has also historically been home to many Asians, so this is where you can find some outstanding Asian food.
Kid Friendly Activities
California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences has something for all ages. While the indoor rainforest globe is the claim to fame, our kiddo’s favorite area is the aquarium. Whenever we visit with friends all the kids immediately run in different directions once we hit the aquarium. Another popular attraction is the planetarium. Although we haven’t visited since having a kid because kids under 4 are not allowed. Another unique area is the living roof top garden, with views across the park. This is a great indoor activity for those rainy days when visiting San Francisco with kids.
Golden Gate Park Children’s Playground
I have fond memories of the Children’s Playground in Golden Gate Park. Especially of whizzing down the cement slides on pieces of cardboard. The playground also has a play structure and rope climbing structure that are probably better for older kids. Next to the playground is a carousel and a large grassy area, so the playground is pretty open and not fenced in. Overall, we’re saving this playground for when our kiddo is a bit older and can fully enjoy the cement slides.
Golden Gate Park Stow Lake
Stow Lake is a large lake in Golden Gate Park with an easy flat walking path that goes all around the lake. We used to rent the pedal boats and row boats from the boat house to go around the lake (although I would be hesitant to take a toddler because the lake water is not the cleanest and neither are toddlers). There are many little pavilions dotting the walking path, and a stepping stone path in front of a waterfall that is fun for little feet to jump over. Kids also love feeding the ducks all around the lake.
The Great Highway is a busy street that runs next to the length of the beach. On weekdays its a busy thoroughfare for commuting, but on weekends and holidays the highway gets closed off to cars and it becomes a long flat road for recreation. It’s a popular places for families with dogs, and a great place for kids to scooter and bike without having to worry about traffic or hills.
Kid Friendly (and Delicious!) Restaurants
9th and Irving (by Cal Academy of Sciences)
- Arizmendi Bakery – Arizmendi’s is a co-op bakery with great baked goods (I always get the scones). But what we always go for is the pizza on sourdough crust. There is only one pizza of the day with different toppings every day, and we have yet to try one that we did not like. Pro tip: order online for pick up because the line can get really long!
- Art’s Cafe – Art’s is a beloved mom and pop Korean brunch diner. In its original iteration it was just a long skinny corridor with counter seating only, but now with new owners they have expanded to some outdoor table seating so it’s more kid-friendly. The hash brown sandwich filled with Korean meats is my favorite on the menu. They also have Korean-inspired omelettes. There is usually a line here because the seating is so limited, but you can also order online for take out.
- Tartine – Tartine is a San Francisco institution when it comes to bakeries. They are famous for their bread, but the morning bun is another sellout item. Besides the baked goods, they also have breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads so it’s an easy place to find something for everyone in the family while exploring Golden Gate Park.
- Sweet Glory – This is one of my go-to spots for getting nice cakes to give as gifts for special occasions. Their Asian-inspired crepe cakes, basque cheesecakes, and chiffon cakes aren’t just pretty, they also actually taste good. The sweet corn basque cheesecake is the Instagram darling, but I also like the black sesame basque cheesecake.
- Um.Ma – The Korean food scene in San Francisco is not as strong as LA’s, but Um.Ma is an exception to that. Their meats are tender with great flavor and just a little bit of char and the seafood pancake is crispy. We have enjoyed pretty much everything we have ordered. Korean food has some strong flavors for picky toddlers, but our kiddo likes the crispy pancake and the sul lung tang (beef broth noodles).
- San Francisco Hometown Creamery – This is my favorite ice cream shop in the city. They have homemade, unique, seasonally rotating ice cream flavors. I have never tried a flavor I did not like here. But my favorite thing about this place is their housemade waffle cones. You will smell them as soon as you walk in because of the cinnamon flavor. Sometimes I buy a cone to go just to eat it like a cookie later.
Outer Sunset
- Pineapple King – Pineapple King serves traditional Hong Kong style pineapple buns, with a thick slab of butter in the middle. But they have modernized the traditional pineapple bun by infusing different flavors into the butter and putting fillings into the pineapple bun. The guava butter pineapple bun was surprisingly my favorite. This place usually has a line and often sells out of the popular flavors, so order ahead online if there’s something you absolutely want to try. Kids love these soft pillowy buns!
- Hook Fish – Hook Fish is a tiny neighborhood seafood place that focuses on fresh, locally caught fish. The menu is simple, but the fish is always reliably fresh and that’s what makes it so tasty. They have a kids menu, and the fish and chips is always a hit with our toddler. The seating is all outdoors, and it is just a couple blocks from the beach, so how busy it is really depends on the weather.
- Damn Fine Pizza – Damn Fine makes some damn good pizza. The pizzas have unique toppings and flavor combinations that really work. I don’t even like mushrooms and the Pig in the Woods is one of my favorite pizzas here. This place is usually filled with families early in the evening. We often order online for take out because of the wait.
Lower Pacific Heights
Lower Pacific Heights is the area sandwiched between the affluent neighborhood of Pacific Heights and Japantown. It’s getting closer to downtown and feels more like the city, but still has that neighborhood feel.
Kid Friendly Activities
Alta Plaza Park Playground
Alta Plaza Park Playground is a great fenced in playground. It has a couple different play structures for all ages and a sand pit. For a park in the middle of the city, it’s very clean. The views of downtown and the Bay from this hilltop park are amazing.
Lafayette Park Playground
Lafayette Park is just a couple streets down from Alta Plaza Park. This park is also perched on a hill with more views of downtown. The playground is fenced in and has a couple play structures with a lot of space to run around in between.
Japantown
In Japantown you will find stores and restaurants dedicated to all things Japanese. The stores might interest older kids more. Younger kids like ours mostly like to run up and down the corridors.
Kid Friendly (and Delicious!) Restaurants
- Sweet Maple – San Franciscans love brunch and Sweet Maple is one of the brunch staples. This is one of the places that we will circle around looking for parking with a kid for. Go before 9am or prepare for a wait.
- B. Patisserie – In a city full of famous bakeries, B. Patisserie is at the top of the list. They are famous for their kouign amanns. The chocolate caramel toffee mousse cake is divine. Order ahead online or prepare to wait in line.
- Jina Bakes – Jina Bakes is a bakery located inside Japantown with Asian inspired pastries. They are known for their cream puffs with Asian fillings (check the calendar on their website to make sure the cream puffs are available the day you visit).
- Matcha Cafe Maiko – Matcha Cafe Maiko is one of the original matcha-centric cafes to open up in San Francisco. They are located in Japantown (across from Jina Bakes). Even if you don’t love matcha, their soft serve desserts are still yummy.
- Salt & Straw – This ice cream shop has unique flavors, but somehow, they work! It’s a couple blocks down from Sweet Maple so sometimes we save room for dessert.
I know that San Francisco has a bad rep these days, but there are still plenty of families raising kids and thriving here. The key to visiting San Francisco with kids is knowing where to take them! Bookmark this list of fun, family-friendly, and safe areas for your next family vacation!
With more time, plan for a short trip outside of San Francisco to one of our favorite weekend trips from San Francisco with kids!
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