Documenting Lovely Moments
Fun Family Activities and Things To See in San Francisco
Every time we visit San Francisco, we might have left a piece of our hearts behind. It’s one of our favorite cities to visit with family. In our recent California trip, we visited Muir Woods and Muir Beach Overlook, both of which we had not been to before. You can read a separate post about our experience at Muir Woods National Monument. Of course we could not skip our favorite San Francisco spots, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Chinatown, and Lombard Street. We also stopped in Alama Square to visit The Painted Ladies, the House from Full House, and Mrs. Doubtfire’s house. Another highlight was biking and watching sea lions in Fisherman’s Wharf. Lastly, for foodies like us, San Francisco is like a culinary haven. Check out our favorite food finds during this trip.
Muir Woods and Muir Beach Overlook
Our day began at Muir Woods National Monument. It is a must-visit place for nature lovers. Walking the trails early in the morning was peaceful since it wasn’t too crowded yet. Muir Beach Overlook, only a short car ride away, was also worth visiting. The main viewpoint was only a short and easy hike from the parking lot. It offers great views of the Pacific Ocean, rocky cliffs, and sweeping vistas that stretch for miles.
Sea Lions at Pier 39
The sunbathing sea lions at Pier 39 were too adorable. Their squeaky sound and playful behaviors were fun to watch. Some fought for a spot and knocked each other off the dock or snuggled on top of each other. We could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.
Love Locks at Pier 39
Near the area where the sea lions were, there were many personalized love locks secured on the bridge. Couples lock a padlock with their names and throw away the key to symbolizes their forever love. Alcatraz Island was visible in the distance. We did not plan a tour to Alcatraz in this trip but thought that it would be a cool thing to do next time.
Musée Mécanique Museum
For this trip we stayed at Hotel Caza in Fisherman’s Wharf and took advantage of the complimentary bike rental from the lobby. Biking around Fisherman’s Wharf was so much fun. We enjoyed delicious chocolates at Ghirardelli, crepes at Crepe Cafe, clam chowder at Boudin, and locally-made ice cream at Norman’s. In the afternoon, we decided to check out the Musée Mécanique museum. We ended up spending quite a bit of time in this museum. Our old-soul kids loved seeing the antique arcades and instruments. They also loved the many varieties of pressed-penny machines, and added a lot to their collections.
Golden Gate Bridge
No trip to San Francisco would be complete without seeing the iconic red color of Golden Gate Bridge. When we visited San Francisco a few years ago, we biked to the bridge, crossed it all the way to Sausalito and took a ferry back. Our kids were around 7 years old at the time and they were able to complete it. We did not have enough time to cross the Golden Gate Bridge on this trip. However, we highly recommend it since it was one of our most memorable activities with the kids. We learned a fun fact about the Golden Gate Bridge during this trip. The red color was originally the primer paint that was supposed to be painted over. However, the red color looked so good that they decided to leave it.
Palace of Fine Arts
“The Rock”, starring Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery, is one of our favorite action movies. There is a scene where Sean Connery’s character met up with his daughter (Claire Forlani) after escaping custody. It was filmed at Palace of Fine Arts and we always thought the place looked pretty cool. We made a stop here to walk around the unique structures and took some great pictures. There is no fee to enter Palace of Fine Arts, so the more reasons not to skip it.
Mrs. Doubtfire House
One of our all-time favorite family movies is “Mrs. Doubtfire”, starring Robin Williams and Sally Field. How fun it was to find the iconic Mrs. Doubtfire House in Alamo Square. What a pleasant surprise when a cop drove by, opened his window, and loudly put on the movie soundtrack “Dude Looks Like a Lady”.
House From Full House
My husband and I loved the show Full House when we were growing up. Our kids watched all episodes and loved them too when they were younger. Standing in front of the House from Full House in Alamo Square felt very nostalgic. The red door was repainted black and the house next to it is under construction when we were there.
Alamo Square and The Painted Ladies
The Painted Ladies, displaying pastel-colored Victorian houses with a view of the city on the back, is one of the most photographed sites in San Francisco. Parking could be challenging, but we lucked out since a car just left when we got there.
Lombard Street
Driving through the winding Lombard Street in San Francisco is a fun activity to do with family. Lombard Street is famous for its steep, winding design with eight sharp turns. It’s a popular attraction known as the “Crookedest Street in the World” due to its unique appearance and scenic views. Just remember to be respectful to the residents living there.
Union Square
Union Square is another spot in San Francisco that’s fun to walk around in. There are many restaurants and shops in the area, and we recommend taking an Uber there.
Chinatown
We had to visit Chinatown not only for the amazing food options, but for the rich cultures. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory was a big hit. We were able to make fortune cookies with our own handwritten message, and the cookies were fresh and crispy.
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About Us
I'm a happily-married mom of two. Our family enjoys an active lifestyle and spending quality time together. We love creating memories through travel, learning about different cultures around the world.
