San Francisco has a reputation for being expensive, and for good reason — but the city's free activity roster is genuinely outstanding. You can build an excellent family day here spending almost nothing, or keep a full afternoon under $50 by knowing which paid options are actually worth it. Here's exactly what costs what.
Completely Free Activities in San Francisco
The best free anchor is Golden Gate Park. It's bigger than Central Park, free to enter, and loaded with free sub-attractions that would be ticketed in any other city. Start at Koret Children's Playground — the famous 60-foot cement slide requires a piece of cardboard to go fast, which is its own adventure. The Bison Paddock at the park's western end has actual American bison: completely free, always shocking to first-time visitors. The Moon Viewing Garden is a hidden Japanese garden within the park most people walk right past — free and genuinely beautiful. Garden of Fragrance and Regional Parks Botanic Garden are both free admission. A full day in Golden Gate Park with a packed lunch costs $0.
Visitacion Valley Greenway Children's Play Garden is a free community nature play space — nature-inspired design, rarely crowded, 5.0 stars. One of the best free playgrounds in the city.
Outpost Playground at Presidio Tunnel Tops: $0 admission, some free Presidio parking. The playground structures evoke the natural Presidio landscape, and the Golden Gate Bridge views are free whether you're playing or just watching. Pair it with a walk to the overlook.
Tilden Nature Area in the Berkeley Hills: $0 entry, free parking. Real trails, a nature education center with live animals, and the adjacent Little Farm where kids feed goats with lettuce leaves — also free.
Free SF neighborhood playgrounds: - Helen Diller Playground — Mission Dolores, near Dolores Park food vendors - Joe DiMaggio Playground Park — North Beach, near gelato and Italian restaurants - Alamo Square Playground — Fillmore, near the Painted Ladies - Mission Bay Kids Park — waterfront neighborhood, $0 admission - Yerba Buena Children's Garden — SoMa, $0 with food trucks nearby - Crane Cove Park — Dogpatch waterfront, $0 - Lafayette Park — Pacific Heights, free with Fillmore St restaurants adjacent - Mountain Lake Playground — Richmond District, free with lake views - McLaren Redwood Playground — McLaren Park, free in a redwood grove - Kid Power Park — Mission District, $0 - Presidio Wall Playground Park — Presidio, $0
Under $20 Per Person — The Sweet Spot
Leroy King Carousel — $15–$25 for a family of 4. Rides are $3–$5 each. The most affordable ticketed activity in SF, and a genuinely lovely carousel in SoMa. Great as an add-on to Yerba Buena Gardens.
Conservatory of Flowers — $30–$50 for a family of 4. Adults $9–$14, children under 5 free, SF residents discounted. Victorian greenhouse in Golden Gate Park, 1–2 hours.
Japanese Tea Garden — $30–$50 for a family of 4. Adults $13, ages 5–17 $9, under 5 free. One of Golden Gate Park's most photographed spots.
Explorit Science Center — $30–$50 for a family of 4. Significantly cheaper than Bay Area science museums and worth the drive to Davis. Hands-on science exhibits, 1–2 hours.
HaPPi Hands — $30–$50 for 2 children. Parents typically free for open play. Oakland-based indoor play with a strong toddler-to-early-elementary sweet spot.
Bay Play — $30–$50 for 2 children + 2 adults. Adults often free or reduced. Class-based play sessions, Oakland location.
Peek-a-Boo Factory SF — $40–$60 for 2 adults + 2 kids. Beloved Richmond District indoor playground. Memberships available for local families.
WOW Kids Playground — $40–$60 for 2 adults + 2 kids. Polk Gulch indoor playground.
Peek-a-Boo Factory Daly City — $30–$50 for 2 toddlers + 2 adults. Siblings often free or reduced. Cheaper than the SF location.
Worth Paying For (Best Value Paid Attractions)
Half Moon Play — $60–$80 for a family of 4. Coastal indoor playground where the scale is right for toddlers and young kids. Weekday sessions are cheaper than weekends.
University of California Botanical Garden — $50–$60 for 2 adults + 2 kids. Children under 3 are free. Thursdays free for UC affiliates. The carnivorous plant collection is the guaranteed highlight.
CuriOdyssey — $70–$90 for a family of 4. Live animals plus hands-on science exhibits. Strong value for school-age kids.
Children's Fairyland — $60–$80 for a family of 4. Classic Oakland attraction, open since 1950. Worth every dollar for ages 3–8.
Immersive Gamebox — $100–$140 for a family of 4. 5.0 stars. The per-person cost drops when the room has 4–6 people. Book directly on their site, not third-party platforms.
Great Big Game Show Fisherman's Wharf — $80–$140 for a family of 4. Perfect 5.0 stars across 1,598 reviews. The best single-experience value in SF for families who want something truly different.
Money-Saving Strategies for San Francisco Families
- Golden Gate Park first. Koret Playground, Bison Paddock, Botanic Garden, and Moon Viewing Garden are all free. A full-day park visit with a picnic is legitimately one of SF's best family experiences.
- Cal Academy membership pays for itself in 1.5 family visits. SF residents under 18 get free admission to the museum year-round.
- Bay Area Discovery Museum membership includes reciprocal benefits at children's museums across the country.
- SF Zoo membership: Covers all exhibits, pays for itself in 2 visits.
- Book Activate and Immersive Gamebox on weekdays — lower pricing, less crowded.
- National Parks Pass ($80/year): Covers Presidio and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Worth it if you visit any other NPS sites.
- Bring food to Fisherman's Wharf: Restaurant prices in the Wharf area are the highest tourist markup in the city. Eat one neighborhood removed or pack food.
- Sibling discounts and memberships: Peek-a-Boo Factory, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Half Moon Play, and multiple indoor playgrounds offer membership pricing that pays off quickly for local families.
Seasonal Free Events to Watch For
San Francisco's free event calendar is strong year-round. The Outside Lands area hosts free weekend events in Golden Gate Park throughout the year. The Presidio Trust runs free family programming at Presidio Tunnel Tops. San Francisco Recreation and Parks runs free outdoor movie nights in the summer at parks throughout the city. Golden Gate Park's free Shakespeare in the Park is an August tradition. Check the SF Rec and Park event calendar before any visit — free programming appears constantly.
Bottom line: A great San Francisco family day at $0 is genuinely achievable, not a compromise. The city's park system and free attractions rank among the best in the country. When you do spend, the $30–$60 range (Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, Explorit Science Center) hits the best value. Save the $100+ splurges for Great Big Game Show or Cal Academy, where the experience quality clearly justifies the price.