5 Laguna Beach parks to visit while waiting for the fog to clear

Laguna Beach California is a mecca for sun, surf, and sand. It’s casual while still offering luxurious hotels and fine dining, relaxed while still upscale. The only downside? Families can find themselves with time to kill during spring and summer Laguna Beach mornings, waiting for the fog to clear. Where to play while you wait? Our top five park picks for Laguna Beach:

Bluebird park Laguna Beach

Bluebird Park:

A hidden gem used by the locals, Bluebird Park is located on the hillside, where it’s almost always sunnier. From Hwy 1, take Cress Street up the hill (directions). Through the Bluebird gate, kids will find new play structures (big and little), bike and scooter paths, a three-story rocket ship with slides, more slides built right into the hillside, and fun concrete tunnels and bridges. The local Boys and Girls Club is located adjacent, and the kids often use the park space, but are always supervised. There are no food services, so bring a snack! Parking is on the street.

Main Beach:

Main Beach park is easy to located–you guessed it–right on Main Beach. You’ll see it as you stroll the boardwalk, down by Greeter’s Corner. The small play area features swings and a play structure, but there’s always sand play as well. In the mornings, keep your eyes peeled for dolphin pods swimming off the shore, especially in summer. The toy store across the street is a great place to pick up fun beach gear for later in the day. Parking is on the street (and metered). You may need to walk a few blocks.

Aliso Creek:

This public beach features the nicest beach-side playground in the area. Parking is ample (and overflow parking is available across the street. Located a short distance south of Laguna Beach, directly on the PCH, Aliso Creek is easy to spot with plenty of signage. You’ll see a large play structure next to Aliso Creek. Grab a spot early on the beach and play at the park until the weather clears. The Montage Laguna Beach is located at the other end of Aliso Creek beach, and families can walk through its grounds to see the beautiful gardens and views.

Laguna Terrace area park:

We don’t even know the name for this park! (If you do, please let us know in the comments!) It’s another great one for the younger set, and it’s located directly off the PCH across the street from the Montage Laguna Beach and next to a shopping center with Albertsons, Starbucks, and more. Take the street south of the Albertson’s entrance and go up the hill one block. Turn into the parking lot for the park (a primary school will be on your left). You’ll find lots of play structures with a rubber padded ground covering, swings, basketball courts, and fun hills to roll down. You can see the ocean from the park, so you’ll be ready to hit the beach when the fog clears.

Heisler Park laguna beach

Heisler Park:

These walking trails and open spaces above Main Beach are often overlooked, but are a great place for kids to burn off energy in the mornings, or in the evenings after dinner with an ice cream to watch the sunset. The paths are not terribly steep, and the views are magnificent. Look for whales migrating in the spring and fall! You’ll encounter lots of wedding parties and other people taking portraits here, so it can get crowded (though rarely in the mornings.

What parks do you love in Laguna Beach? Let us know! Photo credit.

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits has a Kidscore of 80. What’s a Kidscore?

If you have any natural history lovers in your family, you can’t miss a stop at the Page Museum (home of the La Brea tar pits) during a visit to the Los Angeles area. I’m going to go ahead and fill you in now, although you’ll hear it a hundred times at the museum: there are no dinosaurs in the La Brea tar pits! This is a common misunderstanding (Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, and these tar pits formed about 40,000 years ago), and from the number of times this information is posted, it’s clear that many kids come to the museum hoping for dinos and are greeted instead by a woolly mammoth. Also very cool, but no dinosaur. You heard it here first.

La Brea tar pits

The actual Page Museum is a nice, relatively small, natural history museum with some good exhibits, and a “fishbowl” window where you can look into a lab and watch scientists and volunteers working on the bones and fossils found most recently in the tar pits. The really interesting part of the museum, though, is outside at the actual tar pits. Walking around the grounds, you can see bubbling lakes of tar, smell the sulfur and methane, and even look into an actual dig site and see the current excavation work. This is the part that makes the Page Museum unique: you can move a sabertooth cat skeleton from one city to the next, but you can’t move a tar pit. And the fact that these huge pits are bubbling away right in the middle of downtown LA makes the whole experience even more fascinating!

page museum la

Date last visited:

July 29, 2012

Distance from the interstate:

The Page Museum is about 3 miles off I-10 near downtown Los Angeles. The museum parking lot is located at the rear of the building, on the corner of Curson Ave. and 6th St. and is a flat rate of $7 (bring ticket in with you Monday–Friday for validation).

Hours of operation:

9:30am–5pm, 7 days a week. Open every day except July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Admission:

$11 for adults, $8 for youth 13–17, $5 for children 5–12, and children under 5 and free.

Food services:

There are no food services at the Page Museum, but across the grounds at the LACMA there was a café with breakfast/lunch items.

Directions:

The Page Museum and tar pits are located at 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles.

A stay at Disneyland Resort’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

The best Disney theming never seeks to replace what you know and love. It simply taps into it to touch you on an emotional or visceral level. Disneyland Resort’s Grand Californian does this for me. A lover of wilderness lodges (the real ones), I know what they should look like, feel like, and smell like. While the Grand Californian is clearly the romanticized version, its magnificent six-story lobby (called the Great Hall) and wide, thick-beamed corridors succeed in making me nostalgic for those places I’ve experienced in my past while making me ridiculously happy to be where I am at the same time.

grand californian

What makes the Grand Californian so great as a Disney resort pick for families (and specifically, worth its hefty nightly rate)? Whether you, too, have a connection to historic national park lodges or just want a great home base for your family Disney trip, the Grand Californian will deliver on convenience, location, and perks.

Amenities:

Everything you need in a theme park resort is on-hand at this hotel. The Grand Californian offers two restaurants, including signature dining at Napa Rose, which I highly recommend, and character dining at the Storyteller’s Cafe. There’s also a poolside snack venue, and the cozy Hearthstone Lounge. In-room dining is available, as is a convenient express menu for breakfasts.

grand californian

If you’d like to have an adult evening out or a spa treatment at Mandara Spa, Pinocchio’s Workshop is open from 5 pm to 12 am daily, and costs $13/hour per child. Alternatively, free staff-organized poolside activities are ongoing on the Children’s Pool deck. Speaking of pools, the Grand Californian has three of them: the Redwood Pool, Children’s Pool, and Mariposa Pool, as well as two hot tubs and a decent-sized slide. The pool deck area is spacious and shaded, and includes a vast army of well-padded lounge chairs perfect for an afternoon park break.

grand californian

In addition to the perk of Magic Mornings for all Disneyland Resort guests, guests staying at Grand Californian can take advantage of the opportunity to grab World of Color FASTPASSes prior to all other park guests. (Available at the Grand Gate between Napa Rose and Mandara Spa prior to regular park hours.)

Location:

All the above amenities are nice, and yes, you will crane your neck to look up into the Grand Hall’s impressive architecture more than once, but the #1 reason I’d recommend a Grand Californian stay is its ideal location. I can’t emphasize enough how convenient it is to be literally steps from the action in California Adventure: a short path and tunnel, and you’re there. No busses to hassle, no monorail to wait for, no dragging kids with tired feet. I love the Disneyland Hotel as well, but can’t tell you how tired we got of the walk between the theme parks through Downtown Disney. Guests at the Grand Californian could go from riding California Screamin’ to jumping in the Grand Californian pool for a much-needed afternoon cool-off swim in under 10 minutes.

grand californian

You’d have to have a pretty perfect room to see all of World of Color from the Grand Californian, but I was able to see most of the water and colored lights and hear all of the music from my 5th floor pool view room. It made for nice ambiance while I wrote this review. Just down the hallway from my room, the Fifth Floor Parkview Terrace is an ideal location for taking a load off, seeing just a bit more of the World of Color than I could from my room’s balcony, and getting away from crowds.

room in Grand Californian

Immersion:

As with all Disney does, total emersion, in this case into the world of wilderness lodges, is promised. The rooms feature warm wood tones, ‘lantern’ style lamps, mission style dressers, and muted colors. Huge stone fireplaces reside inside and out and rocking chairs dot the many decks and garden outdoor spaces.

The rooms themselves are spacious, feature tubs as well as showers, mini-fridges, and quite large tables/desks with two chairs. As with most Disney properties, lots of storage space is available, and the housekeeping staff was prompt and attentive every day.

park view deck

Date last visited:

June 13, 2012

Room rates:

Disney resort rack rates vary greatly between seasons, room type, and more. Families can keep track of it all online. Check room categories and rates here. Keep in mind: you do need separate park tickets to gain entry; even from the Grand Californian private entrance.

Dining:

See above. The only thing the Grand Californian does not have that I wish it did: a quick service breakfast option. Room service is available, but expensive.

Directions:

The hotel is located at 1600 S. Disneyland Drive in Anaheim, CA. Follow signage from I-5.

Manzanar National Historic Site

If you’re driving along US Highway 395 through California, take an hour or so to stop at the Manzanar National Historic Site, the site of a World War II Japanese-American Internment Camp, outside of Bishop, CA. Built only in 2004, this National Park Service site is wonderfully well run and free for visitors.

Manzanar internment camp

When you enter the site, you’ll be struck by the stunning high desert views and stark isolation, and the first thing you’ll see is the ominous guard tower. Visitors have the option of a three mile driving tour of the barrack areas, or a stop at the interpretive center. I recommend starting at the latter, especially with kids, as this center does a great job of explaining Japanese internment during World War II. Start with the 22 minute film, then wander the auditorium (once a dance hall for the interred), looking at all the fantastic exhibits. Kids are immediately drawn to the display of what a barrack looked like inside, complete with kids’ toys and clothing, and the descriptions of school in the camp (you’ll even find a year book for middle schoolers).

manzanar

The National Park rangers on-site are friendly and very knowledgable, and there’s a Junior Ranger option for kids. We walked part of the driving tour afterward, to experience a bit of the scenery (the Sierras are stunning) and camp-life of the Japanese-Americans at this time in history.

Date last visited:

July 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Right off Hwy 395.

Hours of operation:

The outdoor sites are open every day, dawn to dusk. The interpretive center is open 9:00 am to 5:30 pm in the summer season, and 9 am to 4:30 pm in winter (November 1-March 31). Closed Christmas Day.

Admission price:

Free

Dining options:

None. And most times of year, it’s either too hot, too windy, or too cold to picnic here. There are nice bathrooms and water fountains for drinking and filling up water bottles.

Directions:

Manzanar is located nine miles north of Lone Pine CA (and just south of Bishop, CA), right off Hwy 395.

A stay at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, CA with SPG Kids’ Pass

The desert oasis of the Westin Mission Hills is located adjacent to Palm Springs, CA in Rancho Mirage, CA. While it may seem slightly on the crazy side to visit this part of the California desert in summer, we had a wonderful stay here, even in July. Our plan of action: tackle Palm Springs family attractions in the morning, then spend every afternoon near the pools! The Westin Mission Hills is a Starwood Preferred Hotel, which means families can earn SPG points here and kids can take part in the Starwood Kids’ Pass program during their stay.

Westin Mission Hills

SPG Kids’ Pass:

The Starwood Kids’ Pass eases parent vacation stress by putting the kids on an all-inclusive dining plan for the duration of their stay. Kids 6-12 are eligible (kids under age 6 usually eat free anyway), and for one daily price (which varies by property), they are entitled to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks and drinks throughout the day. At the Westin Mission Hills, we found the program to run smoothly for the most part, with hotel employees understanding how it works. The only confusion came at poolside, where we’ were told Kids’ Pass requests of smoothies or sodas needed to be accompanied by a food purchase (not so). It was straightened out easily. At the Westin Mission Hills, the Kids’ Pass price is $29/day. After some calculations, I concluded this is a good value for families planning to eat three meals per day on property.

Family-friendly activities on the Westin Mission Hills property:

The Westin Mission Hills hosts a handful of outdoor pools, including a few adult-only and their Las Brisas Family Pool, located adjacent to the main dining and lobby spaces. This pool features a waterside (kids need to be 48″), two hot tubs, and a free-form pool with volleyball net, plenty of floaties, and organized poolside games. Food service is available from the snack bar and bar, and if families are overheating, they can dip into the Oasis Den, a sports-TV media room broadcasting the latest games as well as foosball and pool.

Las Brisas pool

While you’re enjoying the Kids’ Pass at Westin Mission Hills, also consider entering kids ages 4-12 in the Westin Discovery Room. This kids’ club is open in three-hour segments throughout the day (usually a morning and evening session), but parents can pay less for one hour sessions as well. The club utilizes an interior space filled with games, arts and crafts, and computer games, and occasionally ventures outdoors as the warm weather permits. Toby (age 7) and Homer (age 4) enjoyed an hour in the club while we packed up and sat poolside sans kids, and weren’t ready to leave when we returned to pick them up!

Westin Mission Hills

Golf and tennis at Westin Mission Hills:

The Westin Mission Hills is a golf resort, though you certainly don’t need to golf to enjoy the property. If you do golf on the Gary Player Signature Course, you’ll want to make an early morning tee time during the summer months (it can be uncomfortably warm by noon even as early as March in the Palms Springs area). Tennis lessons and court time are also available, and a full-scale fitness center is located near the lobby.

westin mission hills

Date last visited:

July 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Right off I-10.

Room rates:

At the time of our visit, rates for our 1 bedroom suite started at a reasonable $159 (depending on season). Suites include kitchenettes to allow for in-room dining. Villas are also available, as are standard hotel rooms. When making reservations, bear in mind that buildings spread out from the main lobby, dining, and pool areas: you’ll want to snag rooms in Buildings 1-5 to walk to the main pool (more distant buildings are connected to the main hub by free shuttle).

Dining:

The Bella Vista restaurant is open for all meals. We ate a wonderful (but pricey) dinner and breakfast here (the breakfast buffet is included for kids in the Kids’ Pass). The staff is very family-friendly, and it’s lovely to eat out on the warm patio with views of the mountains and golf course. Should you want something more casual, the Season’s Grill and Fireside Lounge are open for lunch and dinner, and the poolside snack bar has some nice (and healthy) dishes to see you through the day.

Directions:

The Westin Mission Hills is located at 71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA. It’s only a few miles from Palm Springs on I-10, or two hours from Southern CA beach cities.

Rancho Mirage on Dwellable

Downhill mountain biking with Northstar Bike Academy

In the process of soaking up all the summer ski resort activities on offer at Northstar California this July, the whole family took part in the Northstar Bike Academy Bike 101 package. Bike 101 includes a full day lift ticket, half-day bike and protective equipment rental, and Bike 101 lesson, and is perfect for families new to the sport of downhill mountain biking.

Families sign up for Bike 101 at Plaza Bikes in the Northstar Village (reserving ahead of time is recommended). We arrived at Plaza Bikes at 9:30 am the day of our adventure, and were outfitted with full protective gear before meeting with our Bike 101 instructor Luke Sheppard.

Bike 101

Note: there isn’t a set minimum age for Bike 101, but size does matter. Toby, age 7, was able to participate, but just barely…meaning that he barely fit onto the smallest available bike, and he was too small for the protective chest plate and full-face helmet. He was outfitted appropriately to participate, but kids must be able to maneuver their bike, listen to instructions, etc.

We rode Northstar’s Big Springs Gondola up to the Bike Academy, where we picked up our bikes and got started. First up was an orientation on our bikes: these aren’t your average dirt bikes you’re used to! Less than 10 minutes later, we were on our way. Luke took us up to the top of the Zephyr lift, which the boys loved: straight to the cool stuff! The trails are marked as easy (green circle), intermediate (blue square), and expert (black diamond) just like during ski season, so we were able to cruise along easy runs for our lesson period. The terrain was challenging, but Luke stopped us often to give technical advice, point out different elements in the terrain, and watch us handle our bikes (again, just like a ski lesson). The session was part instruction, but part mountain tour: had we not joined Luke for Bike 101, we would have never found lots of fun elements and trails that were perfect for our ability level. (Though the trails are marked, it’s possible to start out on one thinking it looks easy, only to become quickly overwhelmed.) Did we fall? Yes, a few times (Toby more than the rest, given his smaller size). The protective gear did its job, however, and mostly we had dusty clothes and dirty faces to show for it by the end of the day. While we were riding the chair or resting off to the side of the single tracks, we loved watching the expert riders bump their way down the mountain; just be sure to yield to them! By the end of our 2 hour lesson, we had ridden all the way back down to the village, where we were given the option of upgrading our package to a full day rental. I like that this option is offered at this point in the day: families don’t need to decide whether they’ll want to ride all day until after the Ride 101 lesson. In our family, Toby decided he was done by lunch, but Nate (13), Calvin (11), and Charlie and I wanted to continue. After a quick lunch at Big Springs Day Lodge, we were off again, armed with our helmets and Luke’s advice on new trails to try. (Tip: you’ll want to pick up a trail map and refer to it!)

bike 101

We had a blast exploring the bike trails all afternoon, and didn’t call it a day until almost chair closing time. Of particular fun for the boys was the small elements on the ‘bike terrain park’ (our words…I think mountain bikers call it a jump park) and the intermediate single track runs (of which there are many). Is it tough? Yes! Downhill mountain biking is much harder than it looks. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you can ride a bike, you can downhill mountain bike. New mountain bikers definitely need Bike 101. For return visits, or if you’re already experienced, the Bike Academy also offers ‘Bumps and Bends’ for the intermediate to expert rider.

bike 101

If you have young kids not ready for mountain biking: consider buying a hiking lift ticket for the adults in your group (just $10, kids are free) and try one of the hiking-specific trails at the top of the lifts. Young kids will enjoy watching the expert riders along the single tracks while they hike.

Rates:

The Bike 101 package is $80 on weekdays and $139 on weekends. This is actually a very good deal, as half-day bike rentals alone are as much as $112. If you already own your own bike, Bike 101 is an even better deal at just $15.

Hours of operation:

Read up on Northstar summer lift and park hours. Generally, the Bike Academy Bike 101 package and other lesson offerings are available while the lifts operate: June 29-August 19.

Directions:

To reach Northstar-at-Tahoe, take I-80 to Highway 267 to Northstar Drive. Drive up to the village, then find Plaza Bikes in the center of the village by the skating rink.

As I disclose whenever applicable, Northstar hosted our Bike 101 experience, as well as bike rentals for the remainder of the day, for the purpose of review. While we appreciate this opportunity to inform our readers, it came with no expectation of a positive review.

Northstar on Dwellable

Best Beach Towns: Monterey CA

There are so many things to do in Monterey, CA with kids, it’s hard to know where to begin. Families can enjoy beaches, biking, nature walks, shopping, world-class educational attractions, nature, and fine (or fun) dining, all in a few square miles of stunning coastline. I can’t guarantee you won’t need a sweater at times (average summer temperatures are in the 60s), but the typical California coastline fog can be just as pretty as the sunshine.

monterey bike path

Monterey is within a day’s drive of anywhere in California, but you’ll want to stay for at least a weekend, and as much as a week if you’re planning a day trip to the Salinas Valley or explore Big Sur beaches. A popular tourist destination, Monterey boasts over 250 lodging options, but you’ll still want to get reservations far in advance for the summer months.

Monterey CA seals

Where to play:

Families will want to start on famed Cannery Row to take in the general atmosphere, and to visit the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. We recommend touring the former via bike, which can be rented downtown at Adventures by the Sea. Once on wheels, families can connect with the town’s easy-accessable bike paths, and avoid the crushing crowds on the street. Even young kids can cover more miles this way on the flat, paved trails, giving families a great overview of the area. While biking, be sure to stop at Lover’s Point to play on the protected beaches perfect for toddlers and babies, climb a tree or two overlooking the Pacific, and explore the lengths of a pier or two. (Tip: Our favorite is the Coast Guard Pier south of Cannery Row, where the seals congregate.)

Point Lobos State Park

Once kids have experienced the town proper, be sure to reserve time to visit Monterey Bay’s best hikes. Our pick: Point Lobos State Reserve. Comprised of miles of hiking trails (most in a loop or connecting from trailhead to trailhead) overlooking the bluffs and beaches of this particularly wild and scenic section of the Pacific, Point Lobos gives kids plenty of opportunity to view wildlife. While we visited, the harbor seals were ‘pupping’, so we could check out the babies with their mothers, and the tide pools offered glimpses into life in the shallower waters.

Older kids will appreciate 17 Mile Drive, just outside of Monterey on Highway 1, but little ones might get restless. Better to take them to the Dennis the Menace Playground, located in Monterey (any local can give you directions) where they’ll play for hours on the inventive play structures. Everyone can enjoy the Historic Walking Tour, which starts at the Custom House by the historic pier (see link below) and weaves in a self-guided tour across the city.

adventures by the sea

Where to eat:

The Historic Fisherman’s Wharf pier offers a dozen or more clam chowder vendors (no exaggeration…the samples handed out alone could feed a family), traditional fish and chips, and the like. On Cannery Row, families will find the larger chain restaurants like Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, but beware: these get crowded! For a quieter option just a few blocks off the main drag, consider Peter B’s Brew Pub, with a cozy outdoor fire pit overlooking the harbor and a nice menu of fresh California cuisine that’s still kid-friendly.

Where to stay:

We loved our stay at the Portola Hotel and Spa, located just off the Historic Fisherman’s Wharf Pier. The Portola offers families several dining options, a heated outdoor pool, spacious rooms, and warm chocolate chip cookies upon arrival. Kids will enjoy their fun Portola Pirate Program, which leads them on a scavenger hunt of the hotel when they check in.

Other options range from the super spendy in Carmel and Pebble Beach to the bare bones at one of the many state parks and beaches in Los Padres National Forest. Every price range is represented, making Monterey a good fit for anyone.

Hearst Castle State Park

Families traveling on a California Highway 1 road trip will want to stop at Hearst Castle State Park, especially if their car-load comprises of school-aged kids, tween, and teens. Visible (and impressive!) even from the highway, Hearst Castle is a half-day stop right outside San Simeon, CA. From the visitor’s center located near the coastline, guests can choose from several tour options before taking a bus up the winding hillside to the estate (approximately 15 minutes). The rangers suggest families start with the Grand Rooms Tour, which takes you through just that…the main rooms of the main house.

hearst castle

This tour takes 45 minutes from the time you depart the bus, and kept everyone from the seven-year-old to the adults entertained. (Children younger than five might be bored, but the tour is still do-able, because of its short length.) Our guide did a good job of giving us details on how William Randolph Hearst entertained his guests in these visually opulant rooms, and the kids enjoyed eying all the fancy tapastries, silver, and oranate decor. I enjoyed learning which of the articifacts had actually been procured from Europe and Asia, and which had been made on-site (both equally amazing). We learned how long it took to build the estate (over 15 years!) and quite a bit about the remarkable architect, Julia Morgan. After the tour, families are set loose to explore the rest of the grounds (outside) at their leisure. We took another hour or so to explore (you definitely want to check out the Neptune Pool and views from the guest houses!). I was also anxious to see the indoor pool, and thought I had lost my opportunity until we were funneled into it en route to the departure buses (so don’t worry, you won’t miss it).

neptune pool hearst castle

The Hearst Castle staff recommends getting to the visitor’s center 20 minutes before your tour time to catch the bus, and we recommend getting there an hour before that, in order to view the 45 minute IMAX-style movie prior to seeing the estate. It’s very well done, and gives kids a much better sense of who the Hearsts were before they see the rest. (I was in need of the refresher myself.) For our 1 pm tour, we arrived at 11:30, and had just enough time to see the movie and line up for the bus before 1 pm.

Note: You can’t bring food or drinks with you to the estate grounds (only bottled water), so leave the picnic in the car, and be sure to give everyone snacks beforehand. It does get hot on the hill, so bring water!

hearst castle bus

Date last visited:

May 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Right off Highway 1.

Admission price:

The Grand Rooms Tour is $25 a ticket for adults and $12 for children (under five are free). Most of the additional tours are the same price, with the exception of the Evening Tour, which is pricier. The ticket price includes the bus ride, movie, and exhibits at the visitor center. Parking is free. Purchase Hearst Castle tickets ahead of time during busy seasons!

Hours of operation:

The visitor center is open whenever tours are offered. (Most days, tours begin at 9 am.) See tour schedule for exact times.

Food services:

The visitor’s center offers a museum cafe next to the gift shop, but it was such nice weather, we opted to picnic at one of the tables dotting the parking area. (This was more appealing than it sounds…the parking lot overlooks the ocean.)

Directions:

Signage from Highway 1 in San Simeon takes visitors right to the park, or click for detailed directions to Hearst Castle.

How to spend a day in Golden Gate Park with kids

Families looking for things to do in San Francisco will want to devote at least one day to exploring and enjoying Golden Gate Park. In fair weather or foul (San Francisco gets a few of those, you know), Golden Gate Park offers indoor and outdoor fun for families in a unique San Francisco environment. How to spend a day in Golden Gate Park with kids? Read on for our itemized Golden Gate Park itinerary for families (with rainy weather alternatives and age-by-age guides). All attractions are located on the east side of the park, and all are easily accessed by MUNI bus:

Japanese tea garden

1. Start your day at a museum.

First off, be sure to grab or download a Golden Gate Park map. If you have school-aged or preschool kids, head straight to the California Academy of Sciences, where you’ll experience a planetarium, life sciences museum, and aquarium all in one. Located directly across from the Music Concourse (right through the park entrance at the Felton and Park Presidio MUNI stop), the academy could fill a whole morning for school-aged kids (and at least a few hours for toddler and preschoolers). If the weather is nice, be sure to visit the top floor’s Living Roof. Note: if you’re driving to the park for the day, use the underground parking garage right next to the academy, and plan to park there all day.

living roof

If you have tweens or teens (or kids interested in fine art) you might opt for the DeYoung Museum instead. It’s located directly across the street from the California Academy of Sciences, so it’s entirely possible for families to split up. If you decide to take all ages of kids, there is an art studio located in the De Young where an artist-in-residence provides hands-on activities, but that will be offered in the afternoons, so be sure to check the schedule. The museum’s permanent exhibits include all manner of fine art, sculpture, photography, fashion, and texture.

Best of all, both the academy and the museum are included on the San Francisco CityPASS and can be selected on the Go San Francisco Card.

2. Eat lunch on the Music Concourse or at local food trucks.

If it’s raining, families may opt to eat at one of the museum cafes (both have one), but if the sun is shining, it’s far nicer to eat on the concourse. (We were lucky enough to settle down with our picnic right as a school band was beginning an outdoor concert.) A number of food trucks (we saw Indian food and hot dogs on our visit) park on the end of the concourse next to the Japanese Tea Garden.

children's playground golden gate park

3. Spend the afternoon at the Children’s Playground or Conservatory of Flowers.

If you have young children (really, anyone 12 or under), head east to the first children’s playground to be build in the U.S. (according to locals), which you can access via foot from the Music Concourse area. The playground, located on your park map at Koret Playground, features lots of nice climbing equipment, a huge ‘spider web’ net, and the original concrete slides build into the hillside. (These look a tad dangerous by today’s safety standards, but we didn’t see any injuries. Kids slide down on pieces of cardboard…of which there’s plenty laying around for this purpose.) Next to the play area is the historic carousel, which is a real deal at $1 for kids and $2 for adults (adults can also help kids on and take photos without paying for a ticket).

carousel at children's playground

If it’s raining, walk just past John F Kennedy Drive to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers instead, which is much more fun for kids than it sounds. Not only will you be warm and dry, but the huge arborium is beautiful winter or summer, and features temporary exhibits such as ‘Plant-o-sorus’, which teaches kids all about prehistoric plants from the dino days. Hours are 10 am to 4:30 pm, closed Mondays, and tickets are economical: most families can visit for under $20.

Bonus: read about additional botanical gardensadditional botanical gardens to visit across the US.

slides at children's playground

4. If you still have time, visit the San Francisco Botantical Garden or Stow Lake.

Walking west past the baseball diamonds, families will reach the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Similarly priced to the concervatory, the gardens are open longer hours as they’re out-of-doors, and provide more paths for kids to stretch their legs. If more gardens aren’t your thing, continue west to Stow Lake, where you’ll find picnic grounds, a boat house, and plenty of ducks to feed. In nice weather, families can rent pedal boats ($14-19/hour at the time of our visit), or can otherwise walk along the shore or rent a surrey bike.

Head back to your car, or if you didn’t drive your own vehicle, catch a ride back to your San Francisco hotel from MUNI along John F. Kennedy Drive or near the De Young (at Park Presidio and Felton)!

Exploratorium Museum of Science

A short MUNI bus ride from just about all points in the city, the Exploratorium is a wonderful activity for kids in San Francisco. Located conveniently at Pier 15, the Exploratorium is a hands-on science mecca for preschoolers through teens.

Exploratorium san francisco

We love how this cavernous building is set up to encourage kids (and their parents) to really let loose: explore its exhibits in any order, for any length of time. It’s set up in sections by field of science (life science on the second floor loft, magnetics and engineering next to it, cognitive science and ‘thinking and feeling’ at the back, etc) but each exhibit stands alone. More than simply hands-on, almost all the exhibits challenge families to work with a partner or in teams, conducting experiments or field testing (aka challenging) their hypothesis.We especially loved the ‘sound and hearing’ section, where we took a auditory journey with a blind man through a BART station.

We spent three hours in the Exploratorium, which I thought would be enough, but I had to drag everyone out (including my husband) in order to keep our evening plans. Younger kids may need less time (the scope of the museum may feel daunting to some), but if you have school-aged kids, plan to be here a long while! The museum is very well contained (really just one huge room), so we felt comfortable letting the older kids roam at will.

Tip: One of the museum’s most popular exhibits, the Tactile Dome is experienced by scheduled appointment (and separate ticket) only. To grab a time slot (set throughout the day), plan to be at the museum in the morning, or order tickets online in advance (the ticket price is slightly more than regular admission, but includes admission to the rest of the museum as well). We visited in the afternoon, and by the time we arrived at 1 pm, the earliest Tactile Dome time available was 6:30…too late for our schedule.

Of note: In case you own an older guide book, the Exploratorium is now located at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero. While this location is certainly be more convenient for tourists visiting the Fisherman’s Wharf area, I encourage visitors to still take the time to see the lovely Presidio area of San Francisco.

palace of fine arts

Date last visited:

May 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Located (currently) in the Presidio, just moments from the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway 101.

Admission prices:

Adults are $15, youth (13-17) are $12, and children (4-12) are $10. As with most San Francisco attractions, the best deal for visiting the Exploratorium is to use a CityPASS or Go San Francisco Card card. Free admission the first Wednesday of each month!

Hours of operation:

10 am to 5 pm Tuesday-Sunday (closed most Mondays)

Dining options:

A large, open cafe with snacks, drinks, and light meals is located on the main floor and is lit by nice skylights and provides seating where parents can see most of the action. Otherwise, picnics can be taken outside on the Palace of Fine Arts grounds or nearby duck pond.

Directions:

The Exploratorium is located at 3601 Lyon Street in the Presidio. It will soon move to Pier 15. For now, from Park Presidio, follow the signs for the Highway 101 Detour. Then turn right on Geary Boulevard, left on Van Ness Boulevard, left on Lombard Street, and right on Lyon Street.