10 experiences to get you off the beaten path in San Francisco with kids

It may be my hometown hubris talking, but few cities compare to San Francisco when it comes to family friendly fun.   As a local, I’ve explored extensively with and without my kids.  If you’re ready to go beyond cable cars and Alcatraz on your next trip, good for you!  Here are some of my favorite things to do in the city by the bay.

1.  Go parrot-spotting on Telegraph Hill

For pure childish fun, you can’t beat exploring Telegraph Hill on foot while looking for the wild parrot flock that roosts there in all their green and red squawking glory.  If these noisy residents are anywhere nearby, you can’t miss them.

First, meander down the pedestrian-only Filbert Steps, just under Coit Tower. If you don’t find any parrots there, try the little park at Drumm and Clay (especially around sunset). Unfortunately, it’s illegal to feed them anymore, but they’re still a lot of fun to watch.

2.  Shop for kites

The good and bad thing about the global economy is that you can buy pretty much anything, anywhere.    It can make it really difficult to find unique souvenirs.  Not so at family-owned and operated China Town Kite Shop!  Browse their selection of hand painted kites, including dragons, grasshoppers, goldfish, and turtles.

Personally I think they’re way too beautiful (and expensive) to risk flying. They make gorgeous decorations for a child’s room though.  Even if you’re not buying, this shop is an oasis in the bustle of China Town.  Go on in!

3.  Taste tea

Step into one of Chinatown’s many tea shops for a respite from the chaos that reigns outside—even kids can get in on the tea tasting fun.  Two of my favorite shops are Ten Ren’s Tea and Vital Tea Leaf (both on Grant Street). Ask if your kids can try something sweet (lychee and hibiscus teas are both good bets), and make sure you have your camera ready.

Don’t let the charming tea ladies at Ten Ren talk you into Bubble Tea—a sweet lukewarm concoction with a scoop of gelatinous giant black tapioca balls at the bottom (served with an extra wide straw for easier slurping).  Disgusting doesn’t even begin to cover it.

4.  Cheer for the World Champion Giants

Even if you don’t particularly like baseball, you’ll love catching a game here.  AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants is in an intimate, waterfront venue where they really do hit balls into the bay sometimes — kayakers wait in McCovey Cove during every home game.

On a sunny day, it’s a blast. Check the Giants’ schedule for special events (dog costume parades, and toy giveaways for example).  You can bring your own picnic to save some money if you want, but you’ll wind up wishing you hadn’t. Sit in the bleachers to economize instead…the food’s too good to miss.

5.  Travel back in time at the Musée Mécanique

Some people (such as my husband) think that this Mechanical Museum is just a tarted up video arcade.  I disagree.   The Musée Mécanique is one of the world’s largest privately-owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines.  Admission is free, but you’ll drop dozens of quarters into machines that dance the Can-Can, show you slide shows of old San Francisco, and tell your future.

My kids spent most of their money on foot massage chairs, baseball game machines, and an old fashioned boxing game (think Rock’em Sock’em Robots, but metal).  The location on Pier 45 can be a little tricky to find the first time.   Go to the giant, famous Fisherman’s Wharf crab sign, and head back toward the bay.

6.  Walk under the Golden Gate Bridge

Only tourists and crazy people walk over the Golden Gate Bridge.  The views — and the weather– are better underneath.   At the end of Crissy Field, the Warming Hut is a great place to load up on coffee and only-in-San-Francisco souvenirs. They’ve got books, maps, toys, and environmentally-friendly gifts.

The adjacent beaches and lawns are a safe, car-free place for your kids to burn off some energy, and the views of the bridge and the city skyline are gorgeous.  If you happen to be there on a weekend or holiday between 11am and dusk, grab lunch at the Let’s Be Frank hot dog cart.  Mmmmmm.

7. Get lost in a labyrinth

Ignore the meditative people shuffling around like they’ve had too much cold medicine, and let your children have fun following the path of enlightenment with their feet. There are two labyrinths at Grace Cathedral—I recommend the outdoor one.  Climb the front steps, turn right, and you’re there.

Nob Hill is pretty posh, but there’s a nice children’s playground across the street in Huntington Park if your kids have energy to burn afterwards. Yes, I’m sick of hanging out at playgrounds too, but this one is really exceptional.  Comfy benches, lush lawns, a beautiful fountain, and cable cars trundling past.  Oh, and exquisite views of iconic Grace Cathedral.

8. Check out the Cable Car Museum

Located on Nob Hill in the Washington-Mason line powerhouse and carbarn, the Cable Car Museum is a working piece of history. Shockingly, admission is free!  Even more shockingly, I have lived in this area for most of my life and never visited until recently.  Big mistake.

Your kids can watch the cables running on huge wheels, ring a real cable car bell, and see photos and exhibits of the 1906 earthquake.

There is a particularly poignant video exhibit that tells how the cable cars were saved from “modernization” in the 1940′s.  It seems funny in retrospect that the cable cars almost fell victim to the lower operational expenses of buses.  As far as I know, tourists don’t exactly throng to San Francisco to ride the buses.

9.  Eat a big pile of Dim Sum

To my way of thinking, Yank Sing has the best dim sum in town.  For the uninitiated, dim sum is a Cantonese word for “snack”.

If you’ve never had dim sum, you’re in for a fun time. You choose whatever looks good from the carts speeding past. The servers (whose English is limited) explain their offerings, mark your check, and total it up at the end. It’s a great way to eat.

If your kids are picky eaters, ask to see the menu and order some plain rice or noodles. BBQ pork buns are another good choice for less adventurous eaters.

Yank Sing has two locations. If you’re bringing your kids, go to the one on Spear Street, and ask to be seated in the atrium. There’s a two-story water fountain, and your kids can safely explore the atrium between bites. Lots of families eat here, so you’ll feel very comfortable.

Although they don’t have the best dim sum in town, New Asia is an unbeatable scene. It’s absolutely huge (there used to be a sign on the wall that read, “Maximum Occupancy 1,000″) and totally frenetic.

10.  Catch a pedicab

Skip the cable cars with their long lines and crowded interiors! You don’t have to ride them to appreciate them.

A better way to see the city is a pedicab ride. A family of four can squeeze in, and the riders are happy to take you just about anywhere you want to go.

Look for them along the Embarcadero (especially in front of the Ferry Building). It’s a great and green way to get off your feet for a little while, and of course the kids love it.

November 7th, 2011 | by Jamie Pearson 1 comment