San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau

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San Francisco is a fun town for all, especially if you're 33 inches high and Big Bird is your best friend. A few suggestions for full-day itineraries tailor-made for the youngest among us:

City Circuit:

Cable Car and Fisherman's Wharf
Start early with a ride on the Powell Street cable car and stop over at the Cable Car Barn and Museum at Mason and Washington Streets. Of course, half the fun is getting there, but the view of the giant wheels that pull 11 miles of cable at a steady 9¹/2 mph is made-to-order for impressionable minds. Curiosity satisfied, continue the journey to Fisherman's Wharf. Street artists entertain on a regular basis at most of the shopping complexes in the area: The Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square and PIER 39. The latter includes a carousel, sea lions, Aquarium of the Bay, and a games arcade of particular interest to ages 8 and up. High tech thrills can be had at Turbo Ride's "motion theater" on the pier. History comes alive nearby at Hyde Street Pier. Historic ships may be boarded every day from 10 am to 5 pm. Sea chantey sings the third Saturday of every month, "Just for the Shell of It" crabbing demonstrations and ranger-led activities add to the fun.

Other sure-to-please family favorites include:

California Academy of Sciences, in Golden Gate Park, is full of wonders: a bird-eating spider, Steinhart Aquarium, a 1,350 pound quartz crystal, and some scenes right out of Jurassic Park. Schedule time to watch the dolphins and seals being fed, every two hours beginning at 10:30 am.

M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, just across the concourse from the academy, has set aside Gallery One for young visitors. A computer station offers access to over 70,000 prints and drawings; there's also a reading area for children, a guide to works on view entitled, "Do You See What I See?" and a table for writing and drawing. Closed until 2005 for renovation.

Exploratorium, a playful museum where kids make the discoveries for themselves, activating over 700 exhibits. Combine your visit here with some kite flying on Marina Green or a visit to the Wave Organ at the end of the St. Francis Yacht Club jetty. For lunch or dinner, Union and Chestnut streets offer a number of restaurants.

Pacific Bell Park, the splashy home of the San Francisco Giants, offers Guided Insider’s Tours daily at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Kids will love sitting in the dugout, experiencing a big league clubhouse, walking on the field, and visiting other places in the park only players and staff get to see. For tour reservations, please call (415) 972-2212 Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, or order tickets online here.

The San Francisco Zoo opens new habitats all the time but Gorilla World, Koala Crossing and the Primate Discovery Center are still the top draws here. Youngsters can feed, pet and play with barnyard animals in the Children's Zoo.

Here are other suggestions within a 30 minute to 2 ¹/2 drive of The City:

Bay Area Discovery Museum, located under the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, was conceived, designed and constructed solely for children. Dozens of entertaining exhibits include crewing on a boat and exploring San Francisco Bay.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, billed as California's seaside amusement park 74 miles south, features more than 28 spine-tingling rides, including two National Historic Landmarks: the 1925 Giant Dipper roller coaster and the 1911 Looff Carousel.

Six Flags Marine World, just 30 miles northeast of San Francisco, is the only combination wildlife park and oceanarium in the country. Animals of land, sea and air are showcased in spectacular shows and innovative attractions. The Gentle Jungle has plenty of hands-on contact for kids and adults. And lucky youngsters can always hope for a kiss from a killer whale. "Is that fish on your breath?"

Paramount's Great America, a multi-faceted family fun center only 45 miles south of The City at Santa Clara, has special children's areas including Nickelodeon's "Splat City," full of participatory activities including a game show featuring wacky stunts, a challenging maze and some slimy fun with the Gak du jour. Paramount is open weekends only in the fall, closing in the winter and reopening weekends in the spring and daily during the summer.

Monterey Bay Aquarium, 130 miles south, is the largest aquarium in the United States. Probe the deep wonders of Monterey Bay at this Cannery Row magnet where sharks, sea otters and schooling fish cast their spells. Little ones are particularly intrigued by the bay ray pool where they can actually pet the fish.

For information on free things for families to do in San Francisco, click here.