Post contributed by Lisa Crovo Dion
San Francisco offers a lot for the kids, so if you’ve explored Super Bowl City and are ready to conquer more of the city, here are some ideas:
Fisherman’s Wharf offers a lot more than cheap souvenirs and T-shirts.
Who doesn’t love a wax museum? Creepy, yes, but Madame Tussaud’s, a new addition to the area is a super fun for kids and parents alike. Little vignettes are set up and encourage interaction and great photo ops.
The Hyde Street Pier is a collection of vintage vessels including the beautiful Balclutha, an 1886 sailing ship that has lived more lives than a cat. She sailed around the Horn 17 times, sunk once of the coast of Alaska, and starred in the movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Today, you can get on board and poke all of the nooks and crannies and listen to videos of the history of this 30-ft beauty.
Another nautical adventure is aboard USS Pampanito, a restored World War II fleet submarine. Not recommended for claustrophobes, but you tour the interior and see what it was like to live and work inside.
Pier 39 has a lovely carousel, an arcade, lots of kid-friendly shops, and the Aquarium of the Bay.
Nearby, for some retro fun, Musee Mechanique has a collection of 300 mechanically operated musical instruments and antique penny arcade machines.
Across town, Golden Gate Park offers lots for kids including the popular California Academy of Sciences that houses a fantastic aquarium, a planetarium, and much more.
Nearby, the Koret Children’s Quarter, arguably the best playground in the city, with multiple structures, water features, a vintage carousel, and a huge concrete slide built into the hill.
At Stow Lake, you can rent bikes or paddle, row or electric boats. The lake is calm and beautiful. Golden Gate Park is a great place to explore and on weekends one of the main roads is closed to traffic.
And don’t miss the Exploratorium on Pier 15 — 30,000 square-feet of amazing interactive science exhibit will blow minds, both young and old.