Ride the ferry - Ride the Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero to Sausalito. On the bay, you'll see the great container ships coming in through the Golden Gate Bridge, sail boats galore, tug boats pulling barges, pilot boats, and more. On the ferry trip to Sausalito, the ferry goes right next to Alcatraz Island, with super views. The ferry ride is inexpensive, and one of our favorite things to do in San Francisco. Here's the schedule.

Picnic area - Just north of the ferry landing is a grassy area with picnic tables in the shade and benches, with views of the bay. Grab a sandwich from the local delis and sit out.

Playground - On the corner of Locust and Caledonia St., little kids will enjoy this playground (Robin Sweeny Park) with swings and climbing structures, and lots of grass to run around.

The Bay Model - The Bay Model, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is a huge three-dimensional model of the tides and water movements of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. The model, spread out in a 2 acre building, has 343 square miles of water (fresh and saline), bridges, roads, cities, parks, shipping channels, man-made islands and levees in the Delta, all labeled by land use. Watch the short video "Beneath the Bay" to find out what goes on under the Bay.

Bay Area Discovery Museum - Just over the Golden Gate Bridge, this is a super museum just for kids (10 and under). In the Bay Hall, kids can catch crabs at Fisherman's wharf, crawl through an underwater tunnel, or unload containers the port of Oakland. Toddles will have fun splashing in the Totspot. Outside, play on a fishing boat, explore a shipwreck, learn about tide pools, hike to a lookout with views of the bay and bridge.