Megan's Guide to SF with Kids
Favorite park + coffee combos
For that early morning wake window
Kimbell Park + Jane the Bakery (Western Addition)
This is our neighborhood park but I also think it's a great one for young toddlers. There's a "baby" section but the big kid section isn't as perilous as some I've seen. Jane the Bakery is delicious and right across the street. Also, if you cross Geary, there is Hamilton Park, the Hamilton Rec Center, and the Western Addition Library. So, I'd recommend checking the library website to see if there are any music/storytime classes you can pair with park time.
Upper Noe Park + Noe Cafe (Noe Valley)
My husband and I lived in Noe pre-kids, and find ourselves going back because we love the neighborhood (and 30 mins roundtrip in the car is sometimes a good way to kill some time, not gonna lie). Noe Cafe is on Sanchez Street (a slow street) so you can park near there and bike/scooter/stroller walk about 5 blocks to the playground. (If you're doing a late afternoon playdate, Noe Cafe also serves wine and beer.)
Presidio Heights Playground Park + As Quoted (Presidio Heights)
*Note that As Quoted is closed on Sundays* I love this gluten-free cafe for a more robust healthy breakfast, or the famous banana muffins. The playground is a few blocks away and has a basketball court, communal toy cars for the kids to ride, and a gated off baby playground which is always clutch for younger toddlers.
Alamo Square Park + Lady Falcon Coffee Truck (NOPA)
This is one of the few parks I know of where the coffee is actually *in* the park. It's not my favorite playground because the big kids structure is a little too big/open for my kids and they're bored of the baby playground, but it's a good one to visit with out-of-towners because the views are great and you can knock out in a tourist attraction in one fell sweoop. Lady Falcon is only there on the weekends, but Third Wheel is nearby and also has great coffee (and the sandwiches at Lucinda's are delicious).
Koret Children's Playground + California Kahve (Inner Sunset/Golden Gate Park)
Another great one for slightly older kids; this coffee truck is right next to the carousel and a stone's throw from this huge playground. Right in the heart of GGP so another good one to take visitors and/or pair with a trip to Cal Academy of Sciences.
Favorite kid classes + activities
Not all are created equally
Cal Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences is always a go-to for our family, especially with fantastic outdoor exhibits like the animals during the holiday season and Dino Days. Our membership has been incredibly well worth it; some days we'll just pop in to say hi to the fish, play outside for 30 minutes, and then the kids want to run around the fountains in the park.
Art Barn Mill Valley
Art Barn Mill Valley is a mom-owned gem. In addition to crafts and sensory activities galore inside the "barn," there's outdoor space with a climbing wall, mud kitchen, and fairy corner. It's very thoughtfully designed and the hour long session goes by quickly when the kids have so much to do.
SF Gymnastics
Our favorite for drop-in classes. You have to book in advance but can typically get a spot if you're at least a few days out. SF Gymnastics has saved me during school holidays!
SFPL Classes
Nearly every Saturday morning for the first year of my twins' lives, we went to our local SFPL storytime. They're so well done, free play afterward, my kids loved them, and...free! I especially recommend these classes pre-walking (we've tried to bring them to toddler storytime and it's not *quite* as easy/enjoyable as baby storytime).