San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California conjures images of the Golden Gate Bridge, clam chowder in a bread bowl, and insurmountable hills. It is also one of the most progressive, diverse and beautiful cities in the United States, worth a visit at least once in your life, if not once a year.

Getting into San Francisco:

San Francisco is accessed through three international airports (SFO, OAK and SJC) and through a variety of train lines. There are a ton of resources for getting to San Francisco and general San Francisco travel information on the web, so figure out what works best for you.

Getting Around San Francisco:

Public transportation is where San Francisco falls behind other major cities of its size and significance. It’s a small city, only 7 miles long, but many of the charming residential neighborhoods remain unreachable via public transportation as are attractions outside of the city. That being said, most hotels downtown will charge you a stiff parking fee so my suggestion would be to spend a couple of days in the city without a car and then rent one to see some of the Bay Area’s sights (highly recommended). All rental agencies will be able to rent you a car seat in case you are not able to bring yours. Check out one of our Bay Area itineraries to help you plan.

The main public transit system in San Francisco is the MUNI, which you will see in the form of buses, trains and vintage trams on certain routes (the F train that runs through the Embarcadero). You can plan a trip online on the MUNI or find out when the next bus or train will arrive. You can also take the BART to a few stops within the city, but it mostly serves areas East of San Francisco while the Caltrain runs to the South Bay and Peninsula. Ferries are also available to the North and East Bay from the Ferry Building and Fisherman’s Wharf. Finally, taxis are notoriously hard to come by and you will likely have to call one so keep this number handy: Yellow Cabs (415) 333-3333.

You can take a stroller on all of these as long as it’s not rush hour. Car seats in taxis are not mandatory but are recommended. If you are a true tourist, you will probably want to take a ride on the SF Cable Car which is a great way to experience some of the city’s history and impossible hills.  Take the Powell/Hyde line which starts at Union Square and ends at Ghirardelli Square, where you will find the famous Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop (need we say more?). The whole adventure will be a hit with the kids, especially as you go past Lombard, the world’s crookedest street.

Check out this video below of Lombard and how the locals use it for sport (don’t try this at home, kids!).

Fun Things For Kids in San Francisco:

There is no dearth of great things for kids to do in San Francisco as the general population here values education, diversity and exposure. With the influences of neighboring Silicon Valley and the burgeoning biotech corridor in the city, there is plenty for kids to do around science and nature, in addition to a general lifestyle  bent towards the outdoors. Plus, there are always the usual suspects: Fisherman’s Wharf (including a trip to Alcatraz for a walk on the dark side), Ghirardelli Square and the Golden Gate Bridge. But there is so much more to San Francisco off the beaten path that as a local, it is my responsibility to point out to you:

• Check out the Exploratorium for some educational fun
• Try to get a Saturday at the Ferry Building for a great atmosphere and some amazingly fresh food
• Spend an afternoon at Golden Gate Park, the country’s largest city park and its wonderful offerings for kids such as the Playground, the Stow Lake and the Academy of Sciences

Shopping and Dining in San Francisco:

San Francisco may not rank as high as New York and Los Angeles for fancy restaurants but its cuisine choices are eclectic, flavorful and often made with natural and organic ingredients. Union Square holds some favorites like the Cheesecake Factory and you will get some amazing clam chowder and seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf; the Mission will offer you some of the most authentic Mexican food this side of the border and Chinatown, the best dim sum. There are several other options spread around, such as our list of favorite brunch places will tell you. Locals in San Francisco are very dependent on reviews site Yelp.com for opinions and you can use it as a resource when picking your meals.

For shopping, you will find all your favorite brands around Union Square and the Westfield Mall, but for a taste of San Francisco’s unique styles and creations, check out the following:

• Our Top 5 Best Boutiques for Kids
• Hayes Valley, a charming neighborhood and one of our favorites for kids
• 24th Street in residential Noe Valley and its many retail gems

Where to Stay in San Francisco:

It’s certainly not one of San Francisco’s most interesting neighborhoods, but Union Square may be the best choice for tourists because of its central location and access to facilities like concierge and taxi services. Most of the large hotel chains are represented here so you will have a choice between the likes of the  upscale Mandarin Oriental and the more economical Marriotts. Fisherman’s Wharf also has some family-friendly options like the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites but I personally don’t find the location as convenient as Union Square which is more in the center of the city. Sites like Expedia.com can help you find the best hotel deal.

Family Safety in San Francisco:

The thing the brochures don’t tell you is that San Francisco’s liberal approach to life and living makes it a conducive place for all kinds. Union Square, one of the most touristy and densely populated parts of San Francisco is right next door to the Tenderloin, a seedy neighborhood filled with heroin addicts and other colorful characters. If you’re into trivia, read some fun stories about how the Tenderloin got its name but let your interest remain purely academic. You definitely don’t want to wander this part of town at night or with kids. If you are staying at a hotel in Union Square, ask your concierge to highlight the boundaries on a map.

Similarly, San Francisco does have a gang problem and night time in the Mission and parts of downtown may see more nightlife than you are interested in. Keep to well-lit and crowded streets and you should be A-Ok!

Great Day Trips from San Francisco:

While you could spend days exploring each of San Francisco’s quaint neighborhoods, you’d be doing yourself an injustice if you didn’t plan at least one day away to these picturesque and world-famous sights below (our Bay Area itineraries can help) :

• Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito for breathtaking views and fresh seafood
• Pack a picnic and make a trip to Sonoma in world-renowned wine country with our recommendations for kid-friendly wineries (with great wine)
• Berkeley, California, home of the cultural revolution, the organic food movement and the University of Berkeley
• Palo Alto, heart of Silicon Valley where game-changers like Google, Facebook and Apple were born and continue to thrive.

How Kid-Friendly is San Francisco?

The two minus points for San Francisco are the difficulty of getting around and the costs which are probably lower than New York City but higher than all other US cities. But other than that, the weather is moderate (remember: you always need a sweater because the fog can change temperatures within minutes), the culture is outdoorsy and the people are friendly. What’s not to love?

Get your kids ready with this cute animated video about San Francisco: