Traveling with children can be difficult. While adults may enjoy relaxing, sightseeing and shopping, children tend to get bored with these activities. However, the city of San Francisco has plenty of activities that children will enjoy. There are many family friendly activities to try while visiting the Bay Area.
Not many children would resist the opportunity to learn how jelly beans are made. The Jelly Belly factory is located in Fairfield, which is about an hour's drive north of the Bay Area. In addition to the free factory tours, guests can visit the Jelly Belly Shop, a chocolate shoppe where old fashioned chocolates are made in front of the guests and the Jelly Belly Cafe.
Jelly Belly Candy Company
One Jelly Belly Lane
Fairfield, CA 94533
(800) JB-BEANS
Golden Gate Park is a vast park with many activities. Located in the park are various museums, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the de Young Museum of Art. The Japanese Tea Garden offers park visitors a chance to experience a Japanese garden, including streams and bridges, right in the city. There is also a playground that includes a 1912 carousel for children to enjoy.
Fisherman's Wharf is one of San Francisco's major tourist attractions. It offers shopping, dining and entertainment. Located at Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 has rides that children will enjoy. There are also various street shows. At the edge of the pier, sea lions frequently sun bathe which makes for an interesting sight. Fisherman's Wharf also offers boat tours of San Fransisco Bay and ferry rides to Alcatraz.
The San Francisco Zoo offers guests a wide variety of animals including lions, tigers, monkeys, gorillas and zebras. There is also a miniature train ride and a carousel. The zoo has a neat storybook/zoo key feature that allows children to put their "zoo key" into the various storybook stands throughout the park and listen to stories and fun facts while they view the animals.
San Francisco Zoo
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 753-7080
www.sfzoo.org
A visit to San Francisco wouldn't be complete without a ride on a cable car. However, as of July 2009, the cost for a one-way ride is $5.00, which means that for families, this 20-minute ride can get costly. To make the most of it, take advantage of some of the great city views and photo ops. The front of the cable car allows for brilliant city views, including an unobstructed view of Alcatraz.
