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California Academy of Sciences

California Academy of Sciences: Our most recommended tours and activities

San Francisco: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

1. San Francisco: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

Hop aboard a sightseeing bus for a tour of the City by the Bay and delve into the fascinating history of San Francisco and its legendary landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf. The hop-on-hop-off route stops at the main points of interest all around San Francisco.  Experience the diverse culture, beautiful parks, stunning architecture, and picturesque views from the top of an open-air sightseeing bus. Hop off anytime and create your customized itinerary at your leisure. Explore 3 routes depending on your ticket purchase and enjoy photo stops at the Golden Gate Bridge on each route. Sit back and enjoy the ride as you cruise through the city on an open-top bus. Learn about the unique history of San Francisco while passing through Chinatown, Union Square, Civic Center, and Alamo Square. Enjoy the hop-on hop-off service at your leisure for a full day. Choose the 48-hour ticket to choose either a free bike rental or admission to the USS Pampanito. Take a deep dive into the history of this WWII submarine or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito. You have the freedom and flexibility to choose your own San Francisco adventure.

San Francisco: Go City All-Inclusive Pass 25+ Attractions

2. San Francisco: Go City All-Inclusive Pass 25+ Attractions

The San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass is an all-access sightseeing pass that offers the ultimate in convenience, cost savings, and flexibility for visitors to the Bay Area. Customers choose 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7-day passes at a low, pre-paid price. Use the pass to gain access to any and all of the 25+ included attractions, saving up to 55% off compared to full retail admissions. The California Academy of Sciences, Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium, bay cruises, theme parks and rides, bike rental, and much more are all included! See below for the complete list. The free digital guide helps you decide what to do, where to go, and how to get there. With the San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass, you’ll spend your time in the Bay Area collecting memories instead of credit card receipts. Attractions and activities included with the San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass: Tours and Cruises • Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off San Francisco: 1-day Classic Tour • Escape from the Rock - Cruise around Alcatraz • San Francisco Bay Cruise • Scenic Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour • Go Car San Francisco 30-min Rental • One All-Day Comfort Bike Rental by Blazing Saddles • Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour • Fisherman's Wharf Walking Tour • Tiled Steps Urban Hiking Tour • Golden Gate Park Bike Rental by Unlimited Biking Museums and Places of Interest • Aquarium of the Bay • Exploratorium • Madame Tussauds • California Academy of Sciences • The Walt Disney Family Museum • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom • The Flyer - San Francisco's Flying Theater • California's Great America • San Francisco Zoo & Gardens • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) • Legoland Discovery Center • de Young Museum and Legion of Honor • USS Pampanito • Asian Art Museum • USS Hornet Museum • The Contemporary Jewish Museum • The Beat Museum • California Historical Society Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check your included digital guide for an up-to-date attraction line-up including opening times and instructions on how to access each attraction with your pass before you go.

San Francisco: SF City Tour plus Muir Woods & Sausalito

3. San Francisco: SF City Tour plus Muir Woods & Sausalito

This combo tour consists of 2 parts: A tour to Muir Woods and Sausalito and San Francisco City tour. Two different tours are run by either one or two different drivers and usually, there is a 30-minute break between them. It can start with either Woods or the city depending on the number of bookings. On the way to the Woods, you will cross the Golden Gate bridge and make a short stop at Vista Point near the Lone Sailor Monument to take pictures of the bridge, the bay, and downtown San Francisco. Then we will drive you to the Muir Woods where you will spend 1hr 20 minutes walking and seeing the tallest trees in the world. Muir Woods is one of the last remaining ancient redwood forests on Earth. Some of the redwoods are nearly 1,200 years old and reach heights of more than 400 feet or 130 meters. Trails wind among the sequoias to Cathedral Grove and Bohemian Grove, and along Redwood Creek. Then we will take you to Sausalito where you will spend 1 hour strolling the waterfront, visiting art galleries and souvenir shops, or having lunch. Major attractions include HOUSEBOATS, Bay Model Museum, hand-painted mailboxes, yachts, and VIEWS! We will take you back and you will enjoy city tour that lasts about 3.5/4 hours. You will see all the major attractions of this World Class city with one of our experienced tour guides. He will make 4-5 stops to take pictures and use the restrooms. Here is the list of places visited: Union Square: Major hotels and Department stores, Apple store - largest glass panels in the world, First underground Garage in the world, Dewey Monument Chinatown: Dragon's Gate, Grant Avenue Nob Hill: Big 4, Fairmont, UN, Pacific Union Club, Grace Cathedral Financial Center: BofA, Transamerica Pyramid, Montgomery Street, Wells Fargo SOMA: Salesforce Tower, Transbay Center Embarcadero: Ferry, Bay Bridge, Market Street Levi Straus: Jeans Broadway: NightLife North Beach: Little Italy, restaurants, Peter & Paul Church Telegraph Hill: Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Berkeley, Alcatraz, Lombard street, Coit Tower, Industries of California, and SF city life murals by students of Diego Rivera Pier 39. Seals and sea lions Fisherman's Wharf. Boudin Bread, street food and restaurants, Jeremiah O'Brian, WW2 Hyde Street Pier and Aquatic Park. Buena Vista, Irish Coffee, Ghirardelli Chocolate Ice Cream Galileo High School: Joe Di Maggio, and OJ Simpson Fort Mason: Embarkation Point during WW2 Marina District, Yachts Palace of Fine Arts Golden Gate Bridge Presidio of San Francisco, Baker Beach, Ocean Views Palace of Legion of Honor, Thinker by Rodin Richmond District and Golden Gate Park, Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, De Young Museum Haight-Ashbury, hippies, Jerry Garcia, and Jimmy Hendrix houses Alamo Square, Painted Ladies Twitter District Civic Center All our tour guides have at least 20 years of experience. It is up to them to create a route. Ask if there is something special you want to see the most!!!

San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Bike or eBike Rental w/ map

4. San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Bike or eBike Rental w/ map

Pedal your way through San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, soaking in tons of sights and landmarks along its bike paths, or choose a longer bike rental or day pass to see both the Park and the Golden Gate Bridge on a 9-mile (14.5 km) bike ride. Start at the rental shop and get geared with all you need for your adventure, including a helmet, a map, a bike bag or basket, and a bike lock, all included in the bike rental. Glide past the highlights of the Golden Gate Park including the Stow Lake Boathouse, California Academy of the Sciences, de Young Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Dutch Windmill, and more. Follow a paved trail of around 4 miles (6.5 km) from one end of the park to the other. After your ride, you can return back to the rental shop, or head towards the Golden Gate Bridge to take in its 746-foot tall towers, sweeping cables, signature orange color, and Art Deco styling.  Upgrade to a pedal assist electric bike (16+) to boost your ride!

California Academy of Sciences Thursday NightLife Admission

5. California Academy of Sciences Thursday NightLife Admission

Explore the nocturnal side of the California Academy of Sciences, the only place on Earth with an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum. Experience these exhibits and more during Thursday’s festive 21+ only NightLife event, and sip on wine, beer, or a unique specialty cocktail available for purchase at bars throughout the museum. Get the party started with cool science and new unique themes every month. With live DJs, bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 60,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude, our alligator with albinism), the night is sure to be wild. Meet the newest African penguin chicks, Pogo and Ozzie and the rest of the colony of playful penguins in African Hall. Catch the latest immersive show in the 75-foot planetarium, taking you on a spectacular journey to the far reaches of the universe, featuring different themes at varying times throughout the night. Step inside a lush, four-story rainforest teeming with life—from free-flying birds to exotic reptiles, amphibians, and more.

Golden Gate Park: Full-Day Self-Guided Bike Tour

6. Golden Gate Park: Full-Day Self-Guided Bike Tour

On this full-day self-guided bike tour you’ll ride through the historic Haight Ashbury neighborhood, once home to peace, love, and the Grateful Dead! Check out the gorgeous Victorian homes you’ll see throughout the area before heading into Golden Gate Park. Inside the thousand-plus acre park, the opportunities are endless. Visit the Conservatory of Flowers, Arboretum/Botanical Gardens, Shakespeare Garden, and Japanese Tea Gardens. Lock up your bike and visit 2 world-class museums, the California Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung, before circling around Stow Lake. Head to the beach, and ride along the oceanfront bike path. Real adventurers can continue on to the zoo before heading back past the Bison paddock and Spreckels Lake. Other options include riding north along the coast by the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Land’s End to the Golden Gate Bridge. You could decide to explore Alamo Square, the Civic Center area, the Mission, and the Castro. You’ll ride with maps mounted on the handlebars, clearly detailing 3 different routes to choose from! 

GoCar 3-Hour Tour of San Francisco's Parks and Beaches

7. GoCar 3-Hour Tour of San Francisco's Parks and Beaches

Let a GPS-guided, talking GoCar be your guide through the beaches and city parks of San Francisco during this 3-hour tour. GoCar lets you experience the beauty of San Francisco and visit places tour buses cannot go – all at your own pace. Zip around in a cute, yellow, storytelling GoCar as it takes you on your own GPS-guided tour. The GoCar is easy and fun to drive and, since it's GPS-guided, the car knows where you are – even if you don't. With you in the driver's seat, it not only tells you where to turn, it tells stories that bring San Francisco to life. Let GoCar guide you to San Francisco's lesser-known beaches such as China Beach and Baker Beach, infamous for a deadly shark attack. Wind past the Cliff House as you descend the cliffs, opening up the dramatic expanse of Ocean Beach. Next, you can visit famous Golden Gate Park and all its attractions, including live buffalo, the Japanese Tea Garden, the M. H. de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Conservatory of Flowers. If you are a fan of the 1960s and 70s, you can extend your tour to Haight-Ashbury, made famous by Janis Joplin, the Grateful dead, and Jefferson Airplane during the Summer of Love.

San Francisco: Small-Group City Highlights & Sausalito Tour

8. San Francisco: Small-Group City Highlights & Sausalito Tour

How do you get to really know a city? Have an SF native, show you the way in this nearly-private tour! (6 Guests max). This well-crafted, intimate, & flexible, tour is designed to provide the you with the greatest exposure to SF's culture, history, and recommended spots in the least amount of time. As you travel with a local guide, You'll be introduced to the History & Current events of San Francisco in the form of an unscripted narration/conversation that is guaranteed to engage and amuse. Route/Attractions: 1.Fisherman's Wharf The tour begins and ends at Fisherman's Wharf, an iconic and vastly entertaining neighborhood, with a rich history, and a great spot to grab lunch after the tour! 2.Pier 39 Almost immediately, we take a turn around Pier 39, the second most popular attraction in California, and home to the City's loudest residents - the sea lions! 3.Ghirardelli Square Once home to a sprawling Chocolate Empire, Ghiradelli Square is now a prime shopping spot, and one of the best places in SF to get a proper Ghiradelli Hot Fudge Sundae. 4.Lombard Street This point of interest is one of the City's most popular: the famous "Crookedest Street in the World". In addition to being generally very crowded, Lombard is closed to most tour vehicles, but we will take a quick spin down the 8 hairpin turns (though maybe not at "Bullitt" speed). 5.Pacific Heights As we make our way towards the Golden Gate Bridge, we take a quick swing through Pacific Heights, home to some of the biggest mansions, the best views, and a home made famous by a nanny named Mrs.Doubtfire. 6.Yoda fountain Upon entering the Presidio, we are treated to a brief photo stop at the statue of legendary Jedi Master Yoda, which is located at the Letterman Digital Arts Center (Lucasfilm): Paul, your guide has a lot to say about this - he worked there for years! 7.Palace of Fine Arts Our last point of interest before the bridge is a drive-by viewing of a majestic relic of the 1915 World's Fair, the Palace of Fine Arts. Featured in countless movies and TV shows, this icon is truly a breathtaking feature of the SF landscape. 8. Golden Gate Bridge Once we cross the most-photographed bridge in the world, guests will have the opportunity to stretch their legs, and take some photos of the world class views! 9. Sausalito From the Golden Gate Bridge, we drop into the quiet beauty of Sausalito, the Bay's own Mediterranean-type enclave of houseboats, hillsides and some of the most scenic views of the Bay, generally sunny, even on the foggiest of days! 10. The Legion of Honor Museum We do a brief photo stop just outside the museum at what is possibly the most stunning vista of the Golden Gate Bridge, literally between holes at the Presidio Golf Course. And More: 11. Lands End 12. Golden Gate Park 13. California Academy of Sciences 14. de Young Museum 15. The Japanese Tea Garden 16. Haight-Ashbury 17. Painted Ladies 18. Japantown 19. Nob Hill 20. Chinatown 21. North Beach

San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Private Segway Tour

9. San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Private Segway Tour

Experience Golden Gate Park from a different perspective on a private Segway tour. Glide through the urban park by personal transporter, and stop to spend time at its many treasures. Get a fascinating commentary through a compact single earbud sound system as you follow the designated trails. Journey along streets of light traffic at low speed for your comfort and safety. First, benefit from a personal, 1-to-1, 30 to 35-minute safety briefing to ensure you feel confident on the self-balancing vehicles. Then, set off to discover the many landmarks, museums and gardens of Golden Gate Park, such as the Japanese Tea Garden, Shakespeare Garden and Conservatory of Flowers. Encounter hidden gems along the way! Golden Gate Park is larger than New York's Central Park, and once consisted of sand dunes now covered with more than 75,000 trees. The 7-mile (11.2-kilometer) route you will take explores the eastern section of the 1,017-acre (411-hectare) park. See highlights such as the De Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Music Concourse and Temple of Music, Lily Pond and much more. Experience the beauty of the park’s trees, flowers and plants as you traverse the winding trails and bike paths past sites such as the Fern Grotto, San Francisco Botanical Gardens and Rose, Rhododendron and Dahlia Gardens.

San Fancisco: Golden Gate Park Surrey Rental

10. San Fancisco: Golden Gate Park Surrey Rental

Pedal through the designated surrey route in the majestic Golden Gate Park. Your two-person surrey will fit two adults and one or two small children in the front child seats, and the four-person surrey will fit four adults and one or two small children in the front child seats. You'll enjoy your hour-long surrey rental by traveling on a designated route in Golden Gate Park. Starting from the music concourse, you'll ride down JFK drive, passing the botanical gardens and Japanese Tea Garden and exploring the beauty this 1,000-acre park has to offer. Later, circle around the Stow Lake Boathouse, where you can see boaters paddling and birds nestling by the lake. The ride concludes past the museums back inside the Golden Gate Park. Particular points of interest that you will encounter include Kezar Stadium, Sharon Meadow, the Conservatory of Flowers, the California Academy of Flowers, the Shakespeare Gardens, the De Young Museum, and the Stow Lake Boathouse.

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What people are saying about California Academy of Sciences

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 1,417 reviews

Get your guide tickets worked well. We enjoyed the planitorim shows, rain forest and many other exhibits. Worth the price, family enjoyed it, kid is happy. Parking is 33$(max) but very convenient.

Great for kids, teens and adults. There is much to see and do. The food court area has a very good selection of food (even for my picky eater) Overall, it was a fun time with the family.

Great way to see everything. Was a bit cold on top but cozy downstairs. Definitely recommend. Staff friendly & helpful

If you only have a day to spend, this is the best way to see a little bit of everything.

We loved it. It was a perfect afternoon with our 9 and 11 year old kids.