Events & What’s Happening
Iconic 12K footrace from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach, famous for costumed runners and a festive street-party atmosphere along the route through Golden Gate Park.
💡Watch from Hayes Street Hill for the best costume-watching; kids love the creativity but be aware the route gets crowded and loud.
Beloved annual festival at the Civic Auditorium celebrating Greek culture with traditional food, live music, folk dancing, and a marketplace of artisan goods.
💡Kids love the live folk dancing demonstrations and the pastry tables — arrive hungry and grab a spot on the lawn for dancing performances.
One of the world's largest LGBTQ+ pride events, featuring a massive parade down Market Street and a two-day festival in Civic Center Plaza with music, vendors, and family programming.
💡The family-friendly zone near Civic Center has activities for younger kids; the parade itself is very family-welcoming and starts mid-morning.
Major three-day music festival held in Golden Gate Park featuring top national and international headliners alongside local food vendors, wine, and art installations.
💡Kids 10 and under are free with a paying adult; the park setting is beautiful but lines for food can be long — bring snacks.
Annual event honoring the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard with dramatic Blue Angels air shows over the bay, ship tours, and waterfront activities at the Marina.
💡Crissy Field and the Marina Green offer the best free viewing spots for the air show — bring ear protection for young children as it gets very loud.
Vibrant community celebration in the Mission District honoring the Mexican tradition with a candlelit procession, elaborate ofrendas, face painting, and street performances.
💡The procession through the Mission begins after dark so plan for a late evening; the community altars along 24th Street are family-friendly and educational earlier in the day.
Two-weekend celebration in Japantown featuring traditional Japanese performances, food, crafts, and a grand parade through the Western Addition neighborhood.
💡The grand parade on the final Sunday is a highlight for kids — arrive early on Post Street to grab a good viewing spot.
Year-round Saturday market along the Embarcadero featuring over 100 local farmers, artisan food producers, and prepared food vendors in and around the iconic Ferry Building.
💡Arrive before 10am for the best selection and smaller crowds; kids enjoy the bay views, the bread samples, and watching the ferries come in.
Free weekly storytime sessions for children ages 2–5 held at branch libraries across the city, featuring picture books, songs, and simple craft activities led by librarians.
💡Sessions vary by branch so check the SFPL website for your nearest location; the Main Library on Larkin Street has a dedicated children's center with additional drop-in programming.
Rotating monthly event that closes major neighborhood streets to car traffic, opening them up for walking, biking, skating, and community activities in districts like the Mission, Tenderloin, and Chinatown.
💡Bring bikes, scooters, or a stroller — the car-free streets are perfect for young riders; each neighborhood route offers different cultural food and activity booths.
San Francisco's oldest and most affordable farmers market, held every Saturday in Bernal Heights, with an emphasis on fresh produce, flowers, and local specialty items at accessible prices.
💡Far less crowded than the Ferry Building market and significantly cheaper — great for a relaxed weekend outing with a wagon or stroller.
Planning Your Visit
Neighborhoods & Areas
Local Tips for Families
- 💡Book Alcatraz ferry tickets at least 3–4 weeks in advance on alcatrazcruises.com — the night tour sells out fastest and the daytime last entry ferry (around 3:30pm) is the least crowded departure of the day.
- 💡The California Academy of Sciences offers free admission for San Francisco residents every third Wednesday, but for visiting families, Sunday morning right at the 9:30am opening has the shortest lines for the planetarium dome shows.
- 💡Ride the Powell-Hyde cable car rather than the Powell-Mason line — it gives you a direct drop to Ghirardelli Square and offers the famous rollercoaster descent down Hyde Street toward Aquatic Park that the other line skips.
- 💡The Ferry Building farmers market runs Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, but Saturday from 8–10am before the tourist crowds arrive is when locals shop — kids can taste fresh Dungeness crab, Cowgirl Creamery cheese samples, and watch the bread vendors from Acme Bread Company pull loaves.
- 💡Golden Gate Park's Koret Children's Quarter playground is free and one of the most ambitious playgrounds in California, but the adjacent carousel ($3/ride) closes at 4pm — plan to arrive before 3pm if you want to combine both.
- 💡Avoid renting a car in the city if at all possible — SFO has direct BART service ($10.65/person) into downtown, and car break-ins are so common near tourist spots that the SFPD distributes formal warning flyers at Fisherman's Wharf parking lots.
- 💡The Warming Hut at Crissy Field serves Blue Bottle Coffee and decent kids' hot chocolate and is the closest café to the Golden Gate Bridge on the city side — pack a picnic blanket and eat here with a direct bridge view instead of paying for a tour bus stop photo.
- 💡Musée Mécanique at Pier 45 is a free-admission arcade of working antique fortune machines, player pianos, and carnival games from the 1890s–1960s — individual machines cost 25 cents to $1 and kids are consistently more fascinated here than at Pier 39's commercial shops.