Out & About Lil’ Kid: Outer Sunset

We're in for a beautiful summer weekend in San Francisco, and a perfect opportunity to round up the family for a day of exploring the Outer Sunset. Whether you've got a sweet tooth to feed or a shell collection that needs work, Suzanne Barnecut has some helpful tips for how to best enjoy our city's seaside neighborhood.

A great tactic for exploring the Outer Sunset is to pick one of the main arteries—Judah, Noriega, or Taraval—for a quick bite or a sweet treat before hitting the sand at Ocean Beach. There’s easier beach access at the foot of Judah Street, but a wealth of sand dollars to be collected closer to Noriega.

On a weekday or off hours, Beachside Coffee Bar & Kitchen (4300 Judah St.) is a casual spot to grab breakfast or lunch. A thick slice of cinnamon sugar toast from Trouble Coffee (4033 Judah St.) is also a kid-pleaser, along with their driftwood parklet. Moms will want to stop into General Store (4035 Judah St.) before the sugar rush hits.

On Noriega, try Devil’s Teeth Baking Company (3876 Noriega St.) for lunch, pastries, or shark-shaped cookies. You’ll pass Sunset Shapers (3896 Noriega St.) for a peek at surf boards and will be dangerously close to Polly Ann Ice Cream (3138 Noriega St.). Alternatively, Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream (1447 Taraval St.) offers classic gelato flavors as well as unusual options like guava, mango, and red bean.

Finally, while Kingdom of Dumpling (1713 Taraval St.) is not the easiest (or largest) place to take kids, that’s no reason to miss out. You can visit their factory on Taraval (2048 Taraval St.) to pick up frozen dumplings for later.

Suzanne Barnecut is mother to a 6 year old girl and a writer and editor at Zendesk. Find her on Twitter @elisesuz. 

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue of GGMG Magazine.