Conservatory of Flowers

Thought to be the country's first public playground, with the old concrete slides, a wave-shaped climbing wall and a 1914 carousel of 62 painted animals.

Rainforest dome, planetarium, aquarium and a penguin colony under one Golden Gate Park roof. The one to spend a whole wet day in.

The aquarium inside the Academy of Sciences: a coral reef tank, a swamp with an alligator, and a touch tide pool. Included with Academy entry.

An easy energy burn between museum stops, with blue play structures right near the big cultural attractions in the park.

Fully renovated two-level playground with an indoor pool, two baseball diamonds and bocce in the same park.

A small walled garden in Golden Gate Park planted with everything Shakespeare mentioned. Quiet, benches, and a good pause between the museums.