Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around San Francisco
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. This page is where we showcase the 2023 list of winners for the Bay area. (Click here for the full list of nominees.)
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! After you check out the list, make sure to find great things to do on our packed daily calendar, sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter, and visit our Everything That's Free page for lots more ideas.
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1. San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco’s 100-acre zoological park and gardens is located by the Pacific Ocean. It features nearly 250 endangered or rescued local and native species, each serving as important educational ambassadors. The Zoo’s beautiful gardens showcase an array of local and exotic plant life that thrive in this coastal environment. Kids love to play on the largest playground around, and memories are made riding the historic Little Puffer steam train and Dentzel Carousel. The Zoo’s mission is to connect all people with wildlife, inspire caring for nature, and advance conservation action. Open 365 days a year.
2. California Academy of Sciences
An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum—all under one Living Roof.
3. Imagination Playhouse
An indoor playground for family and kids in San Francisco: Imagination Playhouse is a fun indoor playground for generations of children to help them with their fine motor, cognitive, social and emotional development.
5. The Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum, a professional development home for teachers, and a global exhibit-design trailblazer with a mission to transform learning worldwide.
6. Oakland Zoo
Oakland Zoo, home to more than 850 native and exotic animals, is managed by the Conservation Society of California (CSC); a non-profit organization leading an informed and inspired community to take action for wildlife locally and globally. With over 25 conservation partners and projects worldwide, the CSC is committed to conservation-based education and saving species and their habitats in the wild. Oakland Zoo is dedicated to the humane treatment of animals and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the national organization that sets the highest standards for animal welfare for zoos and aquariums.
7. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the San Francisco area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them #4 in best places to take kids this year!
8. LEGOLAND Discovery Center
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area is the ultimate indoor LEGO® playground in The Great Mall in Milpitas. The indoor LEGO attraction is a 3-hour play experience featuring 10+ interactive play zones! Celebrate with a LEGO® Birthday party at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area and have a fun-filled adventure to remember! For a birthday party to remember we offer Awesome, Awesomer, and Awesomest birthday party packages in our private birthday party rooms. See why we are the most unique venue for kid's birthday parties in the Bay Area!
9. PIER 39
PIER 39 is the premiere entertainment destination in the heart of the San Francisco waterfront. Along with two levels of dining, entertainment, shopping and attractions both on The PIER and in San Francisco Bay, PIER 39 is home to the world-famous sea lions, who have been delighting guests daily at K-Dock since 1990.
10. Children’s Fairyland
Children’s Fairyland is America’s first storybook theme park. Ever since we opened in 1950, we’ve been a magical place for young children to create, imagine, play, and learn.
11. Aquarium of the Bay
Aquarium of the Bay, California’s only Smithsonian-affiliated aquarium, is a non-profit organization with a mission to enable conversations on climate resilience and ocean conservation globally, while inspiring actionable change locally by protection and preservation of the San Francisco Bay and its ecosystems, from Sierra to the Sea™.
12. CuriOdyssey
As a non-profit science museum and zoo, CuriOdyssey lets kids loose to observe wild animals, experiment with scientific phenomena and let the natural world answer their questions. We treat kids like the geniuses they are.
14. USS Hornet - Sea Air and Space Museum
The USS Hornet is the Bay Area’s premiere ship museum with a legacy of service from WorldWar II to the Apollo space program and now as an educational institution. Our mission is to utilize USS Hornet and the collections, exhibitions, and educational programming to promote awareness and understanding of history, science, technology, and service.
17. Children's Creativity Museum
The Children's Creativity Museum is a hands-on arts and technology experience for families with children ages 2 -12. We believe that creative expression, innovation, and critical thinking are core to fostering the next generation. Visitors are invited to make a stop-motion animation video, create your own track in the music studio, and explore the power of feelings at our XOXO exhibit.
19. Lindsay Wildlife Experience
The mission of Lindsay Wildlife Experience is to connect people with wildlife to inspire responsibility and respect for the world we share. The wildlife hospital is open every day of the year to accept injured and orphaned native California animals.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in three categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: Children's Creativity Museum
The Children’s Creativity Museum mission is to nurture creativity and collaboration in all children and families. Located in Yerba Buena Gardens, the Creativity Museum and LeRoy King Carousel welcome your families for a safe and fun visit!
Top Sports Educator: YMCA
Top STEM Educator: California Academy of Sciences
An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum—all under one Living Roof.
