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Exploring Golden Gate Park with Kids
A One-Day Itinerary
Golden Gate Park: A Fantastic Place for Kids
Golden Gate Park is one of San Francisco’s most iconic attractions for many visiting families. It is a well-loved outdoor recreations space for local families as well.
And it’s truly no surprise why. There is so much to see and do here!
With over 1,000 acres of gardens, lakes, museums, and meadow, there’s absolutely no shortage of good old outdoor entertainment here.
But let’s face it. With so much to explore, it can be very hard for parents to figure out which of the many park activities and attractions their kids will love .
Rest assured, however, because this one-day itinerary will help you plan an epic day at Golden Gate Park that’s filled with beautiful family moments . From bison to pedal boats, museums to tea, this itinerary is packed with fun and unforgettable activities that the whole family will be talking about for days.
Here is your itinerary for an unforgettable day at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park
with your kids!
What is Golden Gate Park?
Golden Gate Park is a sprawling park located in the middle of the bustling city of San Francisco. Its filled with miles of well-maintained walking trails, lakes, wildlife, a music concourse, gardens, and even a couple of well-renowned museums. This park covers over `1,000 acres of San Francisco land and offers local and visiting families so much to see, do and explore together.
A Perfect Family Day at Golden Gate Park
9:00 am – Breakfast at Beach Chalet
San Francisco, CA 94121
As all parents know, full bellies make for a much smoother family outing.
With this said, starting your day at Golden Gate Park at the Beach Chalet would help kick the day off on the right foot.
Beach Chalet is a family-friendly restaurant located at the western end of the park right across the street from the Pacific Ocean, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy a delicious breakfast with a spectacular ocean view.
The Beach Chalet offers a wide selection of breakfast items such as egg dishes, pancakes, waffles, and other yummy breakfast foods.
This restaurants typically opens later on Saturdays and Sundays, so be sure to check their website before going.
10:00am – Queen Wilhelmina Garden
Queen Wilhelmina Garden Address:
San Francisco, CA 94121
Once all hungry bellies have been fed, make a quick stop to the Queen Wilhelmina Garden.
This garden is a beautiful place to visit with your family filled with colorful flowers, tall trees, and lush greenery that are native to the Netherlands.
The months of February and March are when the color tulips are in bloom and is the best time of year to visit this garden.
10:30 am – American Bison Paddock
1237 John F. Kennedy Way
San Francisco, CA 94121
Next up on the itinerary is a quick visit to the bison paddock. At this iconic Golden Gate Park stop, your family will see that park’s beloved herd of American Bison.
This stop offers a great opportunity for your family to learn more about these iconic, American animals and discover how they found their home in the middle of San Francisco.
11:00 am – Stow Lake
50 Stow Lake Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
Stow Lake is your next stop on this Golden Gate Park Itinerary and it’s one of the most kid-friendly spots in the park.
If the kids are hungry at that point, you can easily purchase a quick snack from the Stow Lake Boat House concession stand to fill those tummies. This is where you can rent the family a pedal boat to use to travel on the lake.
It takes roughly 30 minutes to an hour to get around the entire lake depending on how quickly you pedal and how many stops you take for breaks or nature watching.
If your family isn’t up for a pedal on the lake, a stroll around the perimeter of Stow Lake is also a great activity that kids love. On your walk, your kids will get to see local birds like hummingbirds, geese, ducks and hawks. They’ll also find sunbathing turtles resting on logs.
12:00 noon – Lunch and Strawberry Hill
After pedal-boating or strolling around Stow Lake, grab a quick lunch at the Boathouse, then enjoy taking a quick hike around Strawberry Hill.
Strawberry hill is the small island in the middle of Stow Lake that is accessible the bridges that cross over the lake. While at Strawberry Hill, you’ll come across a tall waterfall, more native animals, and a cool Chinese pagoda.
At the top of Strawberry Hill, you’ll get a great view of San Francisco. and the park. Take a break here and enjoy the views before continuing on.
You and expect to spend anywhere between 20-45 minutes here depending on how quickly your kids can hike.
1:30 pm – The Japanese Tea Garden
Japanese Tea Garden Address
75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
The Golden Gate Park Japanese Tea Garden is a beautiful and serene place that kids love to explore. There is no shortage of cool things to see here.
At the Tea Garden, you and your family will get the opportunity to cross over a drum bridge, watch koi fish swim, walk through a peaceful zen garden, encounter a giant Buddha statue, walk past a beautiful pagoda, and browse through a great gift shop.
You can expect to spend an hour here simply exploring.
And before you leave the garden gates, definitely try to make a stop at the garden’s tea house for some Japanese tea and sweet treats.
2:30 pm – California Academy of Sciences
California Academy of Sciences Address
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
The next stop on your Golden Gate Park itinerary is the California Academy of Sciences.
This popular museum is one of the best kid-friendly spots in San Francisco. As a natural history and science museum, it is a great place for kids who love animals, insects, and outer space.
The Academy features a state-of-the-art planetarium, stunning aquarium, and natural history wing, so it’s the perfect place for you and your kids to learn more about science, animals, and the natural world.
Depending on how much or how little your kids have the energy for, expect to spend a 1 to 2 hours here.
TIP: Getting your tickets to the Academy in advance will make entrance into the museum a lot faster, especially during weekends and peak season. If this is something you plan to do, CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
4:30 pm – The Music Concourse
After a science-filled afternoon at the Academy, head over to the Music Concourse which is just outside the museum doors.
The Music Concourse is an outdoor venue that hosts a fun variety of events throughout the year.
This will be your last stop on this fun-filled, family day at Golden Gate Park, so soak it all in.
Depending on when you go, you might be able to enjoy a free, live concert by local musicians. Sometimes you might even find talented, local artists selling their art work in the middle of the music concourse.
If the food trucks and hot dog stands are still open at this time, you might want to consider grabbling a snack or coffee while taking in this fun, lively, and family-friendly part of Golden Gate Park.
Other family-friendly things to do in San Francisco
How to get around in Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park covers over 1,000 acres of land in San Francisco, so seeing everything by foot would be extremely difficult, especially for families with kids.
However, there are several faster ways to get around the park to help you make the most out of your time there. Here are some options.
DRIVING A CAR:
The first option is to rent a car to get to different areas of Golden Gate Park. The one downside to this, however, is parking, which can be challenging to find near busy attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden and the Academy of Sciences.
RIDE SHARES:
This option will alleviate the need to find parking, but it having to summon a ride share several times during your visit to the park can become cumbersome and expensive.
RENT BICYCLES:
This will allow you the freedom and easy of traveling between attractions in the park. There are several different bike options for your Golden Gate Park visit.
3) Bike tours
GOLDEN GATE PARK SHUTTLE:
This free shuttle takes you all throughout the park, with stops are the major attractions. Wait times for shuttles vary between 15 to 25 minutes.
In Conclusion
Golden Gate Park is a Must-do for Families Visiting San Francisco
With so many things to do at Golden Gate Park, it can be quite hard for any parent to plan a wonderful family day here. There are so many things to see and do at Golden Gate Park that it can be overwhelming to figure out just which activities to add to your list.
Don’t worry, though, because this one-day itinerary was created to help you take the stress out of planning a day at the park. That way you can put more of your energy towards making the most out of your family trip to San Francisco.
From the Bison Paddock to the California Academy of Sciences, Stow Lake to the Japanese Tea Garden, there’s something for every member of your family to enjoy.
With that said, I hope you have the most amazing day at Golden Gate Park with your kids!
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