California Academy of Sciences

Save
California Academy of Sciences

Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

🎨 Museum · San Francisco

4 hours · $$$ · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 4.0
1–3 yrs
★ 5.0
3–5 yrs
★ 5.0
5–10 yrs
★ 5.0
  • 🚗
    About 55 min drive
    From Sunnyvale · Parking: Music Concourse underground garage about $6-8/hour; spots available if you go early
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Lots of shade
    Rain-OK · Handles heat · Good on cool days
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 4 hours
    Best seasons: Spring · Summer · Fall · Winter

An aquarium, a four-story rainforest dome, penguin feedings, and a planetarium all under one roof — a rainy-day lifesaver and the best-value stop in Golden Gate Park.

💡 Tips
Tickets are a bit cheaper online; head straight to the rainforest dome at opening (entry is limited); Thursday nights are adults-only, so skip those.

What this place offers

✓aquarium
✓rainforest dome
✓penguins
✓planetarium
✓living roof
✓coffee
✓restrooms

Featured in these guides

This weekend's weather in San Francisco

Forecast at the destination itself (coast and hills often differ from home)

☀️
Sat 10/17
Sunny · 59–76°F · 0% rain
☁️
Sun 10/18
Overcast · 56–62°F · 0% rain

Location

San Francisco, California

More like this

Children's Discovery Museum
Kid favorite

Children's Discovery Museum

5.0

San Jose · 20 min drive

3 h · stroller-friendly

$$ · Parking: Museum lot off Woz Way, about $10

Bay Area Discovery Museum
Kid favorite

Bay Area Discovery Museum

5.0

Sausalito · 75 min drive

3.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed

$$ · Parking: Free parking at Fort Baker

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Kid favorite

Monterey Bay Aquarium

5.0

Monterey · 80 min drive

4 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed

$$$ · Parking: Cannery Row garages about $20-30/day

Lawrence Hall of Science

Lawrence Hall of Science

4.0

Berkeley · 55 min drive

3 h · stroller-friendly

$$ · Parking: Garage at the entrance, $2/hour