Spend a few days visiting Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California, and experience the wide range of unrivaled attractions the park has to offer. Not only does Golden Gate Park have renowned museums, but the park also has sporting facilities, lakes, nature areas, flower gardens, areas for pets, children's play areas, boat docks and picnic areas. Beautiful Golden Gate Park is in itself a must-see attraction when you are visiting San Francisco.
The California Academy of Sciences boasts of being "the only place on the planet with an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and a 4-story rainforest all under one roof." Explore the academy's many exhibits and attend a wide range of daily programs, activities, events and shows including dive shows, sleepovers and penguin feedings. The academy is open daily, and admission is free for children 3 and under.
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-379-8000
calacademy.org/
The de Young Museum is a landmark art museum that was founded in 1895. View priceless collections of American art and art of the native Americas, Africa and the Pacific. The museum has a public sculpture garden and terrace, a children's garden, a store, a café, an auditorium and a tower observation floor. Choose from three different tours to see the permanent collection or special exhibition galleries. The de Young Museum is open daily, and children 12 and under are admitted free.
de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara South Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-750-3600
famsf.org/deyoung/
Built in 1894, the Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States, according to its website. In the garden, you can view monuments, bridges and native Japanese plants and ponds. Don't forget to visit the tea house and gift shop. The Japanese Tea Garden is open daily including holidays. Admission is charged for adults and children ages 5 to 11. Enter the tea garden before 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, however, and admission is free.
Japanese Tea Garden
7 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-666-3232
japaneseteagardensf.com/directions.php
Visit the San Francisco Botanical Garden and view over 8000 plant varieties from all over the world, the horticulture library and the bookstore and participate in educational programs. View the Coast Redwoods, some of the oldest trees in the garden, or tour the Garden of Fragrance, designed especially for the visually impaired to experience plants through smell and touch. Free daily tours are available as well as family activities. The 55-acre sanctuary is open 365 days a year.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
1260 Ninth Avenue at Lincoln Way
San Francisco, CA 94122
415-661-1316
sfbotanicalgarden.org/
