Millions of visitors travel to San Francisco each year to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities in the public parks, water activities on the bay and some of the best urban hiking around. Along with world-class museums and entertainment, there are many outdoor activities for teens to experience during their stay in the city.
Kiteboarding
San Francisco's windy bay makes kiteboarding a popular sport among locals. Teens new to kiteboarding can take lessons from one of the local kiteboarding businesses. Lessons not only teach the basics of how to use the board and sail through the air, but also teach how to safely participate in the sport, as boarders share the water with hundreds of boats that also use the bay for recreation. Almost all the kiteboarding schools teach lessons on a one-on-one basis for levels beginner through advanced. Boarders tend to take off at Crissy Field and Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
Disc Golf
As the more relaxed cousin of traditional golf, disc golf is an easy sport to pick up and play. In San Francisco teens can use the free course at Golden Gate Park. The 18-hole urban course has weekly tournaments on Sundays that are open to the public and is available for regular play the rest of the time.
During the sport, golfers try and sail their discs, with the least amount of attempts, into metal baskets that are placed at different elevations throughout the course. Golfers have to bring their own discs, but the park has permanent baskets available on the course. Discs are sold at various sporting good stores throughout the city and can be purchased for as little as a few dollars.
Urban Hikes
For teens who like to walk, San Francisco is the ultimate city. Leave the car behind and take to the streets to explore the city by foot. Urban hikes take travelers throughout the city, up remote staircases, hills and through city groves throughout the various neighborhoods. Take a fairly flat walk across the 1.5-mile Golden Gate Bridge or endure a harder hike from Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower where, if you can conquer the hundreds of stairs, you'll be rewarded with dramatic views of the city. Volunteers associated with the San Francisco Parks Trust also offer free one-and-a-half and two-hour walking tours of the city.
Bike Riding
San Francisco is a very bike-friendly town, with many residents using bikes as their primary mode of transportation. According to the city of San Francisco's tourism site, teens can explore the city with a rented bike from one of the many businesses throughout the city that rent cycles. The bicycle outfitters offer guided tours of the city, but teens can also take a provided map and traverse the city by themselves. Most rental companies offer electric bikes, tandem bikes and mountain bikes to choose from. The rental companies provide helmets and bike locks and are available at many locations throughout the city; however, most have a station at Fisherman's Wharf and downtown Union Square.
Surfing
If the cold water isn't a problem, teens can take up surfing in San Francisco. There are many surf shops in the area that rent boards and wetsuits and offer lessons, but most are located near Ocean Beach. Beginners should stick to surfing off the Great Highway at San Francisco's Ocean Beach, while advanced surfers may want to join the crowd at Fort Point on the southeast side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The currents at Fort Point can be strong and there are many rocks to get through to enter the water, but the view of the Golden Gate Bridge is worth it for many advanced surfers.
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