de Young Museum

The oldest public Japanese garden in the country: a steep arched drum bridge kids insist on climbing, koi ponds, and tea and mochi at the house.

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

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.

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

Fifty-five acres of gardens inside Golden Gate Park with a children's garden and lawns to eat lunch on. Wide flat paths the whole way.