Teens would love to bike the Golden Gate Bridge and take the ferry back! Read how my nephew Jack (age 18) enjoyed the day with his family!

At some point, you’ll likely end up in the heart of Sonoma at the historic Sonoma Plaza (largest of its kind in California) shaded by graceful oak trees. There are shops, nationally renowned restaurants and wine-tasting rooms surrounding the entire plaza. But take a few minutes to take in the history that made this town what it was: Go to the Sonoma State Historic Park and find out more about the northernmost mission in California. Different from other parks, it is a series of attractions near and on the plaza .....(which is where the California State Bear Flag was born). After wandering through the mission, the barracks and others, don’t miss the home of General Vallejo about ¾ of a mile down the street (a great picnic venue too). Show less

No trip to San Francisco would be complete without hopping on a cable car! My son absolutely loved hanging off the side of the cable car – made some great photos, too! We took the cable cars just about everywhere. Did you know that the San Francisco Cable Cars are the only moving National Monuments in the entire country?

It takes less than 2 hours to get from the big city to the laid-back surfer town of Santa Cruz (with no traffic of course) on Highway 1, so you’ll be able to make a handful of stops in a short period of time. And thankfully, nothing is too far from each other! However, of course you’ll plan to stop (as I’m guessing you came across this blog post to find some stops along the way), so while it’s not a lot of driving, the stops do of course add some time.

The Commonwealth Club of California, 595 Market, SF. 6pm, $20 non-members, $12 members, $7 students (with valid ID). Join David Baker, energy reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle, and John Cushman, author of Keystone & Beyond and former New York Times reporter in this discussion on a controversial national pipeline project that’s given rise to one of the biggest political fights over energy in decades. With American oil production increasing and domestic demand in decline, does it make sense to build the Keystone XL pipeline?

You’re bound to have walked up an appetite right now, so walk or catch a street car about 500 metres north to Pier 39, also known as Fisherman’s Wharf. There are plenty of lunch options to choose from here and some are better than others. I’ll recommend one lower priced option and another that’s a little more fancy and has a killer view.

You can literally go in any direction for a day trip from the city. Day trips to the town of Sausalito and just beyond it in Marin are a must. Take a trip via Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building in San Francisco directly to Sausalito where you will have a unique vantage point water view of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Area. 

Chinatown is one of San Francisco’s most notable neighborhoods, but often overlooked by travelers visiting San Francisco. San Francisco’s Chinatown is actually North America’s first and largest, so it carries a unique history worth exploring!

Chinatown is one of San Francisco’s most notable neighborhoods, but often overlooked by travelers visiting San Francisco. San Francisco’s Chinatown is actually North America’s first and largest, so it carries a unique history worth exploring!

Arguably one of San Francisco’s most famous landmarks, Alcatraz Island is a must-do excursion when visiting San Francisco with teens. The infamous prison once housed Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and the Birdman of Alcatraz. Today, it is run by the National Park Service and you can tour the old prison and the island’s grounds.

Murray Circle is the fine-dining option at Cavallo Point. Dine on site to enjoy the full details of the setting. Murray Circle emphasizes Northern California cuisine, strong on Marin and Sonoma farm contributions, with both fresh ingredients and the nearby stunning view of the Golden Gate.

Thanks to the TV show Fuller House and Netflix reruns, the Painted Ladies may be something everyone in your family will love. Our girls became fans of this hit TV show set in San Francisco thanks to Fuller House.

There were plenty of things to do in San Francisco with kids it was the first port of call for us and first taste of America. The place is etched in our brains from so many movies and sitcoms we have come to love over the years. San Francisco feels a bit like Melbourne, bit more laid back than Los Angeles as Melbourne is to Sydney.

Follow the sounds of barking sea lions to Pier 39, where you can sail the bay on one of their many water excursions, ride the carousel, shop, dine and more. Enjoy free daily shows by local street performers and musicians or explore a variety of attractions. Yes, it is touristy, but you can’t visit San Francisco without checking the area out! Walk out to the end of the pier for some of the best views of Alcatraz, Angel Island and the bridge.

Carmel is only fifteen minutes south of Monterey so you can stay in either. You’ll find more budget accommodations in Monterey and better views in Carmel.

Take a late lunch in La Taqueria (open 11AM to 8:45PM except Mondays and Tuesdays) in the Mission District – personally one of my favorite areas for food in San Francisco. The area has changed so much since I first visited it some 12 years ago. Back then, it was a semi-seedy place with cheap food and nightlife. When I returned last year, I found the place filled with hipster cafes and independent boutiques (not to mention sky high rents). You’ll find the bulk of the nice cafes, restaurants and .....boutiques at Mission Street stretching from 18th Street down to 24th Street. Similarly, Valencia Street which is parallel to Mission two streets away, is also filled with shops. Show less

Follow the sounds of barking sea lions to Pier 39, where you can sail the bay on one of their many water excursions, ride the carousel, shop, dine and more. Enjoy free daily shows by local street performers and musicians or explore a variety of attractions. Yes, it is touristy, but you can’t visit San Francisco without checking the area out! Walk out to the end of the pier for some of the best views of Alcatraz, Angel Island and the bridge.

Arguably one of San Francisco’s most famous landmarks, Alcatraz Island is a must-do excursion when visiting San Francisco with teens. The infamous prison once housed Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and the Birdman of Alcatraz. Today, it is run by the National Park Service and you can tour the old prison and the island’s grounds.

Check out these other guides to San Francisco, local weekend getaways and road trips.

It is so fun getting up close and personal with the jellyfish at Aquarium of the Bay. They have great Japanese Sea-nettle, and moon jellyfish exhibits. If you didn’t know, these underwater creatures are made up of 95% water. So they don’t have any organs, bones, a brain or a heart. This makes them look otherworldly as they float just few inches away from eye level! Thousands of other marine life also call the aquarium home including a number of sharks, star fish, eels, rays, and colorful fish.

Biking across the bridge was the thing I was most looking forward to on our trip, and it did not disappoint! We took a tour with Unlimited Biking, which is located at Ghirardelli Square. The tour includes lots of stops and photo ops, and it made such a difference to have a knowledgeable guide along for the ride to point out landmarks and share some interesting facts.