• Amusement Parks in the San Francisco Area
• Beaches in San Francisco
• Family Activities in San Francisco
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• Sights and Landmarks in San Francisco
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Amusement Parks in the San Francisco Area

While San Francisco is far too compact to hold any large amusement parks, there are several big ones in neighboring cities. If traveling out of city limits is not an option, there are some low-key alternatives to try in the fun arena, which are usually more affordable than the astronomical ticket prices of the gargantuan parks. 

Cheap amusements: The city holds both modern and vintage play spots for kids and adults alike. The Musèe Mècanique at Pier 45 is a wonderland of antique arcade games — think the creepy fortuneteller from the movie Big — and photo booths, perfect for a lighthearted date. Entry is free, but arm yourself with a roll of quarters, as it will be impossible to resist playing a round or two once inside.

For a more high-tech feel, walk a few blocks to Pier 39, where the Riptide Arcade offers over 100 modern video games, virtual reality machines and other amusements. The arcade features both coin games and ticket games, like skee-ball. Some games can go as high as $1.50 each, so be sure to have plenty of play money with you. For a change in scenery that’s just as fun for kids, stroll past the arcade and hop on the carousel, also at Pier 39. The structure features San Francisco landmarks including Coit Tower and Chinatown. Rides are $3 each. 

If you’re doing some shopping around the downtown area and suddenly find yourself in need of an amusement fix, hop over to the Sony Metreon on 4th Street and explore the Tilt Arcade. The setup was recently changed from a less-user friendly format where only cards were accepted. Now dollars can be exchanged for tokens and tickets can be used for the typical silly prizes such as stuffed animals and candy. 

Big-Time Parks: If you have access to a car and a hankering for some major thrills, there are some major amusement parks available for your enjoyment. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, east of San Francisco, used to be known as Marine World Africa, USA. It’s kept some of its animal attractions, such as the whale and dolphin shows and the Animal Outpost, where you can feed exotic animals like macaws and anteaters. Much of the park is now dedicated to traditional roller coasters.  There are plenty of huge and very scary rides for adults and big kids as well as tamer ones for the little guys. 

California’s Great America is another large amusement park, this one located south of the city in Santa Clara. The park is huge and holds the traditional thrill rides and arcade games, as well as KidZville, an area set aside just for younger kids. Nickelodeon characters like Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants also wander the grounds to greet kids and take pictures. The crowd at these parks seems to stay consistent with most large amusement parks across the country: excited kids, tired parents and gloomy looking teenagers lingering in huge groups. 

During the warmer summer months, you may want to get out of the fog of the city and head to San Jose to Raging Waters. The huge water park gets packed during hot days, and for good reason — it’s one of the only water parks in the Bay Area.