We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This helps support what we do and in no way costs you a thing.
San Francisco is known for world-famous tourist attractions such as the Golden Gate Bridge, famous cable cars and Fisherman’s Wharf. However, San Francisco is different from many other cities in that it offers so many things to do outside of these locations that are well within a teens budget. Other than tourist attractions, teen visitors will find many local venues, events, and activities that make San Francisco bay area an enriching environment.
Museums Are A Great Place To Start Your Family Trip
San Francisco’s museums feature exhibits across different fields, and the Exploratorium is a notable example. Located at the Palace of Fine Arts near the Golden Gate Bridge, the Exploratorium is renowned for its science exhibits; the Encyclopedia Brittanica called the Exploratorium the “archetype of the experiential hands-on science center.”
At the California Academy of Sciences, teens will find a large compound with multiple museums in biology and history and an on-site lake that is open to the public for picnics and light sports. Admission to these museums is relatively cheap with additional discounts for students.
North Beach Is One Of The Best Things To See
North Beach is accessible from many locations, and in the area, teenagers can find a wide variety of restaurants. At The Stinking Rose, the menu is based completely on garlic and is affordably priced at an average of $15 per meal. The beach is within walking distance where teens can host their fire-pit parties. Just a short bus ride away, you can shop for bargains in Chinatown.
Cycling Every Time Of Year
San Francisco is a bike-friendly city; almost all of the main roads have bike lanes. The steep hills make cycling an efficient means of transportation, and many students travel to and from school using bikes. Public transportation is very accommodating to cyclists as well since the buses have reserved space in front of them for bike storage. The subway system allows cyclists to carry on their bikes.
Public Events For A Unique Experience
San Francisco is home to multiple landmark events throughout the year, ranging from live concerts to cultural events, and public rallies. One particular landmark event is the annual gay pride parade on Market Street in which both straight and gay individuals rally and show support for the community.
Some events are usually held in venues such as the Cow Palace, but others are traditionally held in open spaces like the Civic Center Park or along the North Beach streets. Admission for most of these events is low-cost or free, with attractions such as contests, giveaways, shopping, and celebrity appearances.
Kiteboarding For Kids Of All Ages
San Francisco’s windy bay makes kiteboarding a popular sport among locals. Teens new to kiteboarding can take lessons from one of the local kiteboarding businesses. Lessons not only teach the basics of how to use the board and sail through the air but also teach how to safely participate in the sport, as boarders share the water with hundreds of boats that also use the bay for recreation.
Almost all kiteboarding schools teach lessons on a one-on-one basis for levels beginner through advanced. Boarders tend to take off at Crissy Field and Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
Disc Golf Is Great For Younger Kids
As the more relaxed cousin of traditional golf, disc golf is an easy sport to pick up and play. In San Francisco, teens can use the free course at Golden Gate Park. The 18-hole urban course has weekly tournaments on Sundays that are open to the public and is available for regular play the rest of the time.
During the sport, golfers try and sail their discs, with the least amount of attempts, into metal baskets that are placed at different elevations throughout the course. Golfers have to bring their discs, but the park has permanent baskets available on the course. Discs are sold at various sporting goods stores throughout the city and can be purchased for as little as a few dollars.
Urban Hikes Are Great For Young Adults
For teens who like to walk, San Francisco is the ultimate city. Leave the car behind and take to the streets to explore the city on foot. Urban hikes take travelers throughout the city, up remote staircases, hills, and through city groves throughout the various neighborhoods.
Take a fairly flat walk across the 1.5-mile Golden Gate Bridge or endure a harder hike from Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower where, if you can conquer the hundreds of stairs, you’ll be rewarded with dramatic views of the city. Volunteers associated with the San Francisco Parks Trust also offer free one-and-a-half and two-hour walking tours of the city.
Bike Riding In The Great City
San Francisco is a very bike-friendly town, with many residents using bikes as their primary mode of transportation. According to the city of San Francisco’s tourism site, teens can explore the city with a rented bike from one of the many businesses throughout the city that rent cycles.
The bicycle outfitters offer guided tours of the city, but teens can also take a provided map and traverse the city by themselves. Most rental companies offer electric bikes, tandem bikes, and mountain bikes to choose from.
The rental companies provide helmets and bike locks and are available at many locations throughout the city; however, most have a station at Fisherman’s Wharf and downtown Union Square.
Surfing On A Sunny Day
If the cold water isn’t a problem, teens can take up surfing in San Francisco. There are many surf shops in the area that rent boards and wetsuits and offer lessons, but most are located near Ocean Beach.
Beginners should stick to surfing off the Great Highway at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, while advanced surfers may want to join the crowd at Fort Point on the southeast side of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The currents at Fort Point can be strong and there are many rocks to get through to enter the water, but the view of the Golden Gate Bridge is worth it for many advanced surfers.
Exploratorium For Young Kids
Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Situated in the Presidio of San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium offers exhibits based on life sciences and human perception. The museum was founded in 1969 and its rotunda-like exterior structure has become an iconic presence in the Bay Area.
Exhibits include the Tactile Dome-a three-dimensional maze where visitors must rely on their sense of touch to escape-and cutting-edge art exhibits, which are composed of paintings and bizarre metal sculptures. The museum is open all year.
Alcatraz Island Cruises Are A Great Great Way To Spend The Day
Alcatraz Island is in the heart of San Francisco Bay, approximately two miles from the city of San Francisco, where locals commonly refer to Alcatraz Island as “The Rock.” The island’s various uses since the 19th century include a lighthouse station, military fort, and federal prison.
Alcatraz Island is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is open to the public. Cruises from San Francisco’s Embarcedero ferry station to Alcatraz Island occur every day of the week. Night cruises run Mondays through Thursdays.
Fisherman’s Wharf Is A Popular Destination Filled With Fun Things
505 Beach Street Ste 110, San Francisco, CA 94133
The Fishermen’s Wharf neighborhood is on the northeastern shoreline of the San Francisco Peninsula. This area of the city was a major fishing and boating port in San Francisco’s early days but developed into a major tourist hub during the 1970s and ’80s.
Tourist attractions include seeing sea lions on the rocks at Pier 39, exhibits at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and the shops and restaurants at Ghirardelli Square.
Fishermen’s Wharf is also home to historic marine vessels, such as the Balcutha, a whaling ship from the 1800s, and the U.S.S. Pampanito, a retired World War II-era submarine.
Cable Car Rides For The Whole Family
The cable car lines transit system in San Francisco is the last manually operating cable car system in the world and it offers rides daily. Founded in the 1870s, the system was one of the first public transit in the United States. The system has three lines. The east-west California Line runs from the Financial District to Van Ness Avenue, passing through Chinatown and Nob Hill on its way.
The Powell-Hyde Line starts in Nob Hill, passes through Russian Hill, and ends near Ghirardelli Square, while the Powell-Mason line runs from Market Street to Fishermen’s Wharf. Tourists can see the mechanics of the cable car system at the Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse on Mason Street.
Golden Gate Bridge Is The Perfect Place To See The City
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic landmark in San Francisco and allows traffic to pass from San Francisco proper to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Marin County. The historic bridge was built in 1937 and, during that time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at nearly two miles in length.
Final Thoughts on Things to Do in San Francisco With Teens
Millions of visitors travel to San Francisco each year to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities in the public parks, water activities on the bay, and some of the best urban hiking around. Along with a world-class natural history museum and entertainment, there are many outdoor activities for teens to experience during their stay in the city.
