Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, CA

Three floors of hands-on stuff. The fog chamber alone is worth the admission. Kids under 4 free.

Pier 15, San Francisco, CA 94111 · Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm. Closed Mon. · Ages 0+

Aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum under one roof. The four-story living rainforest dome is unreal.

55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm · Ages 0+

Open every day of the year. SF residents get discounted admission. The Little Puffer miniature train is a guaranteed toddler hit.

Sloat Blvd & Great Hwy, San Francisco, CA 94132 · Daily 10am-5pm, last entry 4pm · Ages 0+

Kids make their own claymation movies and music videos. Not a look-don't-touch museum. Everything is hands-on.

221 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 · Wed-Sun 10am-4pm. Closed Mon-Tue. · Ages 1–12

Free. Golden Gate Bridge views from the playground. Climbing structures, sand play, water features. The best new playground in the city.

210 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129 · Daily 9:30am-6pm

Oldest public playground in the country. The concrete slide is fast -- bring cardboard. Carousel is $1 for kids.

320 Bowling Green Dr, San Francisco, CA 94117 · Playground open daily sunrise to sunset. Carousel hours vary.

Two concrete slides hidden in a tiny park. No adults without kids. Bring cardboard. Free. Closes at 5pm.

30 Seward St, San Francisco, CA 94114 · Daily until 5pm · Ages 3+

Walk through a 300-foot tunnel with sharks swimming overhead. Then go outside and watch the sea lions for free.

Pier 39, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Daily 10am-5pm, last entry 4:30pm · Ages 0+

Two big slides, climbing structures, swings. The park around it has the best skyline views in the city. Free.

19th & Dolores St, San Francisco, CA 94114 · Daily 6am-10pm

Kids 17 and under always free. Free for everyone first Tuesday of the month. Saturday family art programs are legit.

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm, Fri until 8:45pm. Closed Mon. · Ages 3+

Free for SF residents with ID. 55 acres. Kids run wild in the Prehistoric Plants section.

1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122 · Daily 7:30am, closing varies by season (4pm winter, 6pm summer)

Soft sand, calm water, Golden Gate Bridge right there. Bring a kite. The Warming Hut sells hot chocolate.

1199 Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129 · Open 24 hours. Parking sunrise to sunset.

Every branch runs free storytime. Baby, toddler, preschool, bilingual. Every single week. No registration.

100 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102 · Main: Mon 10am-6pm, Tue-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri 12-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12-6pm. Branch hours vary.

7.5-acre outdoor campus at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Built for ages 0-8. Worth crossing the bridge.

557 McReynolds Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965 · Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. Closed Mon-Tue. · Ages 0–8

Indoor trampoline park in a converted Presidio airplane hangar. Grip socks required ($4). Closing Feb 2027 -- go before it's gone.

926 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94129 · Mon 10am-7pm, Tue-Fri 3-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-1pm · Ages 3+

Free summer concert series in a eucalyptus grove. Kid Zone with face painting and instrument petting zoo. Bring a blanket.

19th Ave & Sloat Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132 · Gates noon, concert 2pm, Sundays mid-June through mid-August

Gymnastics, trapeze, parkour, breakdancing -- all in one spot. Classes start at 18 months. The circus arts are the draw.

639 Frederick St, San Francisco, CA 94117 · Mon-Fri 8:45am-8:30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-2:30pm · Ages 1+

Indoor pool, lessons from 6 months up. Non-members welcome. The pre-swim team program is strong.

3200 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Pool hours vary by day, family swim Sat-Sun 2-6:45pm · Ages 0+

Multiple public pools across the city. Swim lessons and open swim. Balboa Pool runs a solid summer program.

Multiple locations citywide · Hours vary by pool and season · Ages 0+

Free. A small herd of actual bison in the middle of San Francisco. Kids lose their minds every time.

John F Kennedy Dr & Chain of Lakes Dr, San Francisco, CA 94121 · Visible during park hours, daily

Free playground, ice skating rink, bowling, carousel -- all in one block downtown. The playground alone is worth the stop.

221 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 · Gardens open daily 6am-10pm. Carousel and rink hours vary.

Rent a pedal boat or rowboat. Paddle around the island. The waterfall on the north side is hidden and great.

50 Stow Lake Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Boat rentals daily 10am-4pm (weather permitting)

Seven floors of modern and contemporary art. Frida Kahlo, Warhol, Calder. Rooftop sculpture garden with city views. Free under 18. Late Thursdays open until 8pm. Federal employees free with ID.

151 Third St, San Francisco, CA 94103 · Mon-Tue 10am-5pm, Wed closed, Thu noon-8pm, Fri-Sun 10am-5pm

400-seat comedy club in North Beach with touring headliners and up-and-coming comedians. Good sightlines from every seat. Two-drink minimum. Plenty of Italian restaurants nearby for dinner beforehand.

915 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Show nights, check schedule

1915 Beaux-Arts rotunda and colonnades built for the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Grounds and lagoon free to visit year-round. Indoor theatre (1,000 seats) hosts concerts, ballet, comedy, cultural performances.

3301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123 · Grounds open daily; theatre hours vary by event

Fine arts museum in Golden Gate Park. American art from the 17th century on, textile arts, contemporary international. Hamon Observation Tower has free 360-degree city views. Free first Tuesdays. Japanese Tea Garden and botanical gardens nearby.

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm, closed Mon

Acoustic sculpture at the tip of a jetty. 25 PVC organ pipes make music from bay waves. Views of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, and the skyline. Go at high tide for the best sounds; at low tide the pipes are basically silent. Full moon tides are loudest. 1.8-mile trail connects to Crissy Field.

83 Marina Green Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123 · Open 24 hours

163 tiled steps with a sea-to-sky mosaic, completed in 2005. Best photos before 10am or after 4pm. Take the N-Judah to 15th & Judah and walk up, or get dropped at the top. Tiles can be slippery. Grandview Park nearby for city views. Residential area, keep it quiet.

16th Ave & Moraga St, San Francisco, CA 94122 · Open 24 hours (residential area, visit during daylight)

Two steep concrete slides built into a hillside, designed by a 14-year-old in the 1960s and opened in 1973. Choose the red slide or the yellow slide (steeper and faster). Bring cardboard to sit on — without it, the concrete friction slows you down and ruins your clothes. Locals grab flattened boxes from nearby stores. The slides are steeper than they look and the yellow one is legitimately thrilling. Hidden in a residential area and easy to walk right past.

30 Seward St, San Francisco, CA 94114 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon

Free museum about the science of sight, run by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. 38,000+ artifacts including antique surgical instruments, optical illusions, and exhibits on how vision works. More interesting than it sounds. Most people walk right past it on the way to Ghirardelli Square.

645 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94109 · Wed-Sun 11am-4:30pm, closed Mon-Tue

Outdoor food truck park with trucks rotating from 200+ Bay Area operators. Free entry, food $10-18 per item. Fire pits, lawn games, bar. Weekday lunch has short lines; Fri/Sat evenings are packed. Dogs welcome. Check @sparksocialsf on Instagram for daily lineups.

601 Mission Bay Blvd N, San Francisco, CA 94158 · Mon-Thu 11am-3pm & 5-9pm, Fri 11am-3pm & 4-9pm, Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-5pm

Free outdoor concerts in a natural eucalyptus grove amphitheater, running Sunday afternoons mid-June through mid-August since 1938. Classical, jazz, pop, world music. Reserve free tickets online in advance. Bring a blanket and picnic.

19th Ave & Sloat Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132 · Sunday afternoons, mid-Jun through mid-Aug, typically 2pm

Victorian-era saloon on Columbus Ave with free live jazz and ragtime most evenings from 8pm. No cover. Mahogany bar, pressed tin ceilings. Craft cocktails and small plates.

155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Tue-Sat 4pm-12am, closed Sun-Mon

Free monthly night market in Chinatown with 40+ vendors, food stalls, games, DJs. Typically one Saturday per month, 6-11pm. Check the schedule for dates.

Grant Ave & Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · Monthly, typically one Saturday evening, 6-11pm

Coastal ruins of a Victorian-era bathhouse — free, haunting, and best in fog.

1004 Point Lobos Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121 · Sunrise to sunset daily

Largest island in SF Bay — ferry from Pier 41, hike to 360-degree views.

Ferry from Pier 41, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Ferry schedule varies, check Angel Island Ferry website

$16 admission, $6 skate rental. Year-round indoor rink in the middle of the city. Most people don't realize SF has a permanent ice rink.

750 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94107 · Daily 6am-10pm

$22 includes skate rental. The classic SF holiday rink. Drag on Ice nights in December. Open through mid-January.

333 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · Daily 10am-11pm

Brand new for 2026. SF's largest outdoor rink at Fisherman's Wharf. Waterfront views. ~$20-25 including skate rental.

80 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Daily 10am-11pm

$20 admission, $8 skate rental. The only permanent outdoor ice rink west of the Sierras. Open mid-October through April. Book online -- sessions sell out.

3009 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306 · Sessions vary by day -- Mon/Tue 3-5pm, Wed-Sun multiple sessions, check website