Unique & Hidden Gem Activities for Families

Explore the best unique & hidden gem activities for families options for kids and families in South San Francisco

Grundy Park

Grundy Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Junipero Serra Park

Junipero Serra Park

Park with impressive views of city & bay. Park offering picnic areas, a creek & walking trails plus scenic views of the city, bay & mountains.

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Central Park

Central Park

Sports field, tennis courts & playground. This 13-acre recreational area features tennis courts, a playing field, picnic spots & a playground.

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Sam's Castle

Sam's Castle

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Mussel Rock Park

Mussel Rock Park

Coastal park with scenic vistas & trails. Known for its rocky coastline, this park boasts sandy beaches, scenic ocean vistas & hiking trails.

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Village Park

Village Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Shelldance Orchid Gardens

Shelldance Orchid Gardens

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Frontierland Park

Frontierland Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Billy Goat Hill

Billy Goat Hill

Hilltop natural area with views & trails. This modest neighborhood green space offers a small trail network & wildlife viewing opportunities.

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Magic Mountain Playground

Magic Mountain Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Sánchez Adobe Park

Sánchez Adobe Park

Adobe home on a former mission outpost. This 19th-century adobe home on a former mission outpost offers tours & living-history programs.

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CuriOdyssey

CuriOdyssey

Science & wildlife center for kids. Museum for kids focusing on environmental science & wildlife with indoor exhibits & an outdoor zoo.

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Coyote Point Recreation Area

Coyote Point Recreation Area

Large playground, trails & picnic areas. Bayside park offering a sizable playground with 6 slides, as well as trails & picnic areas.

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Pedro Point

Pedro Point

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Randall Museum

Randall Museum

Children's museum on 16-acre park. Museum with wild-animal exhibits & hands-on experiences for exploring science & the arts.

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San Mateo Central Park

San Mateo Central Park

Japanese gardens & an ice-skating rink. Vibrant, 16-acre park featuring Japanese gardens, a mini train ride, playground & ice-skating rink.

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San Mateo Japanese Garden

San Mateo Japanese Garden

Asian-inspired gardens with a koi pond. Spring blossoming Japanese gardens with a koi pond, pagoda & teahouse in a 16.3-acre city park.

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Gray Whale Cove State Beach

Gray Whale Cove State Beach

Sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs. Cliffs surround this sandy beach, where whales are often spotted close to the shore.

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Huntington Falls

Huntington Falls

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Children's Creativity Museum

Children's Creativity Museum

Interactive arts & technology museum. A place for kids to explore arts & technology by making music videos, animating short films & more.

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Murphy Windmill

Murphy Windmill

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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EscapeSF

EscapeSF

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Mountain Lake Playground

Mountain Lake Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Laurelwood Park

Laurelwood Park

Hiking trails to Sugarloaf Mountain. The city's largest park (225 acres) offers trails leading to Sugarloaf Mountain & scenic picnicking.

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Imagination City

Imagination City

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Camera Obscura & Holograph Gallery

Camera Obscura & Holograph Gallery

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Lands End Labyrinth

Lands End Labyrinth

Artist-created labyrinth with bay views. Artist Eduardo Aguilera created this labyrinth with views over the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004.

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Museum of 3D Illusions

Museum of 3D Illusions

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove

Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove

Aquarium & marine life exhibits. Bayfront education center with an 800-gallon aquarium & interactive exhibits about marine life.

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Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

Colorful maze of mirrors & archways. Arched doorways & columns form the basis for this colorful mirrored maze for adults & children.

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Pacific Pinball Museum

Pacific Pinball Museum

Historic & playable pinball machines. Museum displaying rare & vintage pinball machines, which are also playable, amid colorful local art.

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The Busy Bee Activity Center

The Busy Bee Activity Center

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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The Meyers House and Garden

The Meyers House and Garden

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Jack London's Cabin

Jack London's Cabin

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Swings and Wings

Swings and Wings

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment - (The MADE)

The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment - (The MADE)

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Pardee Home Museum

Pardee Home Museum

Museum in a 19th-century Italianate home. Built in 1869, this Italianate mansion houses a museum with period furnishings & decor.

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Pulgas Water Temple

Pulgas Water Temple

Scenic beaux arts monument with a pool. Beaux arts monument with a reflecting pool celebrating the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct completed in 1934.

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Bay Area Discovery Museum

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Interactive kids' museum. Indoor/outdoor museum inspiring kid creativity via interactive exhibits, a play space & art classes.

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The Gardens at Lake Merritt

The Gardens at Lake Merritt

Destination known for its scenic gardens. Tranquil destination with 7 acres of scenic, themed gardens plus occasional gardening workshops.

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Children's Fairyland

Children's Fairyland

Storybook-themed amusement park standby. Vibrant, longtime amusement park pairing a storybook motif with rides & theatrical performances.

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Bay Play

Bay Play

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Filoli Historic House & World-Class Garden

Filoli Historic House & World-Class Garden

Historical estate & botanic garden. An early-20th-century country estate & botanic garden, open for docent-led tours.

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Richardson Bay viewpoint

Richardson Bay viewpoint

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

Ecology center with exhibits & events. Ecology center offering exhibits, programs & activities relating to the region's estuary.

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Shorebird Park

Shorebird Park

Picturesque setting with a nature center. Scenic marina park offers picnic sites, play areas & a nature center with fish & wildlife displays.

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Lyford's Stone Tower

Lyford's Stone Tower

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Adventure Playground

Adventure Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt

Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt

Playground & creek amid redwood groves. Urban greenbelt offers a playground, climbing wall & creek amid butterfly gardens & redwood groves.

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Old St. Hilary's Historic Preserve

Old St. Hilary's Historic Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Old St. Hilary's Preserve

Old St. Hilary's Preserve

Natural area with rare wildflowers. Windswept 122-acre natural area with rare wildflowers, a historic church & bay views.

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Meek Park

Meek Park

Mansion grounds with gardens & play area. Landscaped grounds of a historic mansion with play structures, picnic space with grills & open lawn.

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Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary

Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Explore More Activities

Discover more events and activities happening in the city.