San Francisco Packing List:
5 Must-Have Essentials for Families
Yes, we all know to pack shampoo, toothpaste, and a phone charger when going on a vacation to San Francisco, but there are 5 also essential packing list items most families don’t consider packing for their first trip to the City by the Bay.
Does your family have these items on your packing list?
Packing for a Family Trip to
San Francisco
San Francisco is an amazing city to visit for families.
It offers great kid-friendly museums, interesting historical sites, outdoor recreational spaces, a renowned food scene, and endless breath-taking views.
What a lot of families don’t realize before traveling to San Francisco, however, is that it has often-times unpredictable micro-climates and environmentally-friendly laws that can make packing for a trip here a little out-of-the-ordinary.
No need to stress out about packing though, because this post will cover the 5 must-have items every family should have on their next trip to San Francisco that will help them come prepared for the wonky weather and the earth-loving culture of the City by the Bay.
5 Essential Items You Must Have on Your
San Francisco Packing List
Before we dive into the 5 items you must have on your packing list, it’s important to know a couple of things about San Francisco.
1) SAN FRANCISCO HAS MANY MICROCLIMATES
A microclimate is the climate of a very small, restricted area, and San Francisco has many of them. This means that on some days, the difference in weather between the west and east sides of the city can be several degrees.
2) SAN FRANCISCO STRIVES TO BE A ZERO WASTE CITY
San Franciscans love Mother Earth and it’s evident in the many laws and programs that have been put in place to create a sustainable, zero-waste city.
Now that we’ve gotten that all out of the way, here are the 5 must-have items to take with you on your next family trip to San Francisco!
Clothing you can layer up
The first must-have item for your packing list is clothing that you can wear in layers.
Because of San Francisco’s many microclimates, all locals know to wear layers of clothing that they can easily put on and peel off throughout the day in order to adjust to the likely changes in weather temperature.
This is something you and your family will definitely want to do as well!
The types of layers will depend on the season, so be sure to check the weather before packing, but some bare basics include:
- undergarments like tank tops and camisoles
- short-sleeve and long-sleeve t-shirts
- light sweatshirt
- puffer vest
- wind-breaker jacket
Phone with Necessary SF Apps
The next item families must have on their San Francisco packing list is a reliable phone with essential apps.
We all know that cell phones are a must when traveling, but when visiting San Francisco there’s one thing you should add to your phone to make your trip easier: necessary San Francisco apps.
Here are some must-have apps when making a trip to San Francisco.
- Mr. Chilly – This app helps you see the city’s different microclimates and forecasts throughout the day. It’s super helpful when you’re picking out your layers.
- Pay By Phone Parking – If you’re renting a car in SF, this app will allow you to pay for parking meters with a credit card. In addition, with this app, you can add time to your meter without having physically go back to car to do so. It’s all done through the app, which is a lifesaver when traveling with kids.
- Golden Gate Park App– This app is helpful when visiting Golden Gate Park since it provides an interactive map that helps you navigate your way through the park.
- Moovit – If you’re planning on using public transportation, this app is a navigation tool that gives you information on bus/train routes, schedules, and arrivals times.
- Muni Mobile – MUNI is San Francisco’s public transportation system and this app is the one you need for purchasing tickets.
Comfortable, closed-toed walking shoes
Do not leave for San Francisco without packing comfortable, closed-toed walking shoes!
It is pretty common to see tourists walking around in flip-flops on cool, foggy days in San Francisco, so it seems like many visitors don’t know what type of footwear to pack when visiting The City.
Comfortable, closed-toed, walking shoes are always the best bet for the following reasons:
- The temperature in San Francisco usually very mild in the 50s and 60s. There’s usually no need for summer shoes.
- Most popular San Francisco attractions like Alcatraz, ferry rides, Golden Gate Park, and the Golden Gate Bridge require a good amount of walking. Because of this, you’ll want supportive shoes.
- You’ll want your toes covered and protected when taking scenic hiking trails and nature walks at must-see places Lands End, the Presidio, and Golden Gate Park.
Reusable bags
This is a packing list item most people don’t consider when visiting San Francisco: reusable totes.
As mentioned earlier in this post, San Francisco puts lots of programs and laws in place with on order to reach its goal of being a zero-waste city.
Because of this, stores are required to charge customers a fee for bags.
These efforts aim to do the following:
- reduce litter and waste
- reduce contamination in recycling and composting bins
- improve water quality of the Bay by reducing pollution
Plus, with a reusable tote on your arm, you’ll fit right in with all the Earth-loving, San Francisco locals.
Refillable water bottle
A refillable water bottle is also a must-have packing list item for your next trip to San Francisco.
In addition to the city’s bag fee, San Francisco restricts the sale of plastic bottles that are 21 ounces or less.
While aluminum and glass beverage containers are still permitted, it is still really smart to carry a refillable water bottle with you when you’re exploring the city.
Here’s why:
- Its much cheaper to simply refill your water bottle as opposed to purchasing a bottle of water from a store.
- San Francisco is safe to drink. In fact, San Francisco tap water is highly regulated at meets state and local water quality standards
- Many areas in the city (including public spaces like museums, parks, and shopping centers) offer refilling stations called “tap stations” where people can refill their bottles. There’s really no need to buy water.
- With a refillable water bottle in your hand, you’ll fit right in with city locals
Waste sorting guide
This last handy item you should add to your family’s San Francisco packing list is another one that many new visitors don’t even consider to have handy.
This item is a waste-sorting guide.
Yes, San Franciscan are THAT dedicated towards being zero waste.
As a step towards sending less waste to landfills, San Francisco requires residents and businesses to recycle and compost.
Because of this, when you visit public spaces, food courts, and even some restaurants where you have to bus your own table, you will often times come across waste sorting stations.
This is where the sorting guide will come in handy!
With this guide you’ll know to put dirty napkins in the green compost bin and glass bottles in the recycling bin!
AND, once again, you’ll fit right in with the environmentally-friendly locals.
Plan and pack for your family trip to San Francisco!
And there you have it!
The 5 must-have items you’ll definitely want to put on your family’s San Francisco packing list.
Clothing you can wear in layers
Comfortable, closed-toed walking shoes
Phone with essential SF apps
Reusable tote
Refillable water bottle
Waste sorting guide
With these 5 items, you’ll be prepared for the city microclimates, you’ll have important tools in your phone, and you’ll fit right into the environmentally conscious culture of San Francisco!
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