Thrive City: Kid-Friendly Fun Near San Francisco’s Chase Center

Our sponsor, Chase Center hosts tons of fun events in Thrive City, the plaza surrounding the stadium. Read on to learn what’s on the Thrive City calendar this summer, plus our favorite spots in the nearby Mission Bay neighborhood.

Thrive City Happenings

Thrive City is the plaza surrounding the indoor arena of the Chase Center. Year-round, cool things are happening. Thrive City loves to throw a party. In the summertime, there are outdoor movies for kids to enjoy, a farmer’s market with kid activations, and a 3×3 basketball tournament. Autumn celebrations include a big festival for Halloween. The Christmas season includes Santa Claus, dancing, and snow.

See upcoming events here >

family and balloon artist — Seasonal events at Thrive City at the base of the Chase Center include lots of family-friendly entertainment. | Photo: Joshua Leung

Cheering on the Warriors, attending an event at Thrive City, or watching a cool performance at the Chase Center might be 100% enough activity for your family, but if you have time to kill or energy to burn, check out any of these seven fun things to do with kids around the Chase Center. (The Chase Center is less than a mile from Oracle Park where the Giants play.)

Entertaining Kids Around Mission Bay

Mission Bay Kids’ Park & Play Area

About a half-mile from the Chase Center (or a 9-minute walk on adult legs), Mission Bay Kids’ Park is a must-see in the Mission Bay neighborhood and is especially friendly to mixed-age families. The sunny, modern park has two playgrounds, one for toddlers and another for grade schoolers, a sandbox, a nature area, and lots of picnic tables.

playground bouncing horsey and child — The toddler area at Mission Bay Kids’ Park is sweet with lots of activities, see the massive slides and climbers in the background for big siblings with more energy. The equipment is new. | Photo: Maureen Burke

The space offers an overwhelming amount of play elements: slides, climbing walls, swings, seated spinners, hammocks, and bouncy things. I’ve never seen a playground with such a variety of features. The bigger kid area seemed to have some features that were geared toward older grade schoolers. A fence around the park keeps runners at bay.

willow houses at the playground — Mission Bay Kids Playground has some lovely willow houses in the City | Photo: Maureen Burke

We visited on a weekday morning and the play area was filled with about two dozen toddlers and preschoolers. It seems like a well-loved park. The only downside is limited shade and no restrooms on site (though public restrooms are available down the street at Mission Creek Park).

Location: Long Bridge Street & China Basin St, San Francisco
Website >

Mini Golf with Food Trucks and Green Spaces

Between Mission Bay Kids’ Park and the Chase Center, you’ll find two food truck/green spaces: SparkSocial SF and ParkLab (which has a mini-golf course we love, Stagecoach Greens).

kid in a dragon's head — Stagecoach Greens has this cool dragon at the end of the course. Say cheese! | Photo: Heather Flett

This video gives you a sense of the space from an overhead perspective.

SPARK Social SF Location: 601 Mission Bay Boulevard North, San Francisco | Website >

Parklab Gardens Location: 1379 4th St, San Francisco | Website >

Cool Place to Shop for Swag

Families can bring their kids to Warriors Shop at Thrive City to pick out gear and souvenirs. A 10,000-square-foot store offering the largest selection of Warriors apparel and the latest Nike gear on the plaza.

Location: Warriors Shop, 151 Warriors Way Suite 106, San Francisco at Thrive City

Ferry Ride to Mission Bay!

Make a trip to the Chase Center more special with a ferry ride to and from. Chase Center ferry service is available to and from Oakland and Alameda for all Golden State Warriors home games. Reservations are strongly encouraged. The SF terminal is at Pier 48 ^1/2, a half-mile north of Chase Center off of Terry A. Francois Blvd. The walk takes most passengers about 12-15 minutes. Plan your trip.

As you walk along the waterfront and look back at the Bay Bridge. Try to find your home on our side of the Bay. That should take some time.

SF Bay water and Giants stadium at Oracle Park in San Francisco — Take the ferry to see the Warriors or Giants play in San Francisco | Photo: San Francisco Bay Ferry

Location: Pier 48 ^1/2 Lot #39, Shed A, off of Terry A. Francois Blvd, San Francisco

Room to run around

Right next to the basketball arena, adjacent to the waterfront is Bay Front Park. With rolling hills, basketball hoops, and chess boards, my family could happily touch all the things. It is still a work in progress.

If your family needs to run out some ya-yas before or after a show, Crane Cove Park might fit the bill. With seven acres of Bayfront park with a beach, it has a large lawn area, landscaped areas, a picnic area with grills, a lookout deck with views of the city and surrounding San Francisco Bay, and a beach area with direct access to the water for wading and kayak launching. No playground, though.

Crane Cove Park Location: 18th street and Illinois St, San Francisco

Museum of Craft and Design

About a mile from the Chase Center is the Museum of Craft and Design, MCD. MCD hosts a wide variety of visually stunning exhibits that showcase designers, makers, and artists through a distinctive series of craft and design-focused exhibitions and public programs. See if the current exhibits might be a good fit for your family.

Location: Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third Street (between 22nd and 23rd), San Francisco

More Food and Treats for Families

If you need to power up for a walk to the game or to make it back to your car, you’ll want to keep a few ideas in your back pocket. My kid loves cake pops at Starbucks. We also love to share a vanilla milkshake at Gott’s Roadside right at the base of the Chase Center in Thrive City. For more of a meal, check out Dumpling Time or the giant burgers and sandwiches at Gott’s.