Family Friendly in San Francisco?

Also, walking on Market street, where you can catch the trolley, is interesting with street musicians, and folks playing chess, and all sorts of people for watching. Golden gate park is awesome too, and I think most hotels are just fine with children. Is there something specific you need for family friendly?

Burlingame is 20++ minutes away (from Kate below) and that means you would need to rent a car, and then try to find parking in SF and parking $$ is atrocious. I live 35 min away from SF and its a great place to take a 3 yo. My son is 2 1/2 and loves it.

First Note that you need to have a Jacket at ALL times!!

Pier 39 (Fishermen's Wharf) is great. There's a merry-go-round and the seals. And ghiridhelli chocolate factory is a power walk away. fun little shops and stuff to go into. And there's the aquarium at Pier 39

The Exploratorium at the Palace of the Fine arts is a fun place too (closed Mondays). It's all hands on science experiments (bring hand sanitizer!)

Chinatown is neat to go buy little knick-knacks and try dim sum together (Its the cheapest there too!)

If its a nice day you can take a ferry to Angel Island and rent bicycles.

Walk the golden gate Bridge!

The Basic Brown bear factory (like a build-a bear but privately own and has been there since I was a kid)444 DeHAro St. @ Mariposa on Potrero Hill

Go on a cable car ride (I hear it's better to catch near the wharf and not at Market)

rainforest cafe is a cute place for lunch, as is hard rock

At Forst Mason is the Children's Art Center where she can draw, paint, explore

Golden Gate park and the academy of the sciences is fun - the Academy has a planetarium, rainforest, and aquarium. Very cool!

San Francisco Zoo too, Remember a Jacket!

As far as hotels, I'm not entirely sure. Since we live so close we just go home. But if you out exploring during the day and only there to sleep I don't see why there would be any issue.

I have a son who is almost three and we visit my mom in San Francisco quite often. Here are some of the top things I recommend for a three year old:
Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park (besides the impressive exhibits, there is a large child's indoor play area that has a boat and tree house for imaginative play)
Take the cable car and have an ice cream sundae at Ghiradelli Square (my son thinks it is definitely worth it)
Go to the San Francisco zoo and then walk along Ocean Beach
Try some authentic Spanish food at a taqueria in the Mission
Check online at sfgate.com to see if there are any free music festivals or other kid-friendly events during that time
Hope that helps!

We alway stay at the Embassy Suites in Burlingame. Free parking, free full breakfast, right on the water, and it is a true two-room suite which helps so that you don't have to go to sleep at the same time as your daughter.

Definitely visit Fisherman's Wharf, where your daughter can see dozens of harbor seals basking in the sunlight on floating docks. Take a trip to the Ghiradelli factory for some yummy chocolate. There is an aquarium at Fishermans Wharf as well. Visit Golden Gate park for some beautiful scenery and a nice walk. I know that SF has much more to offer, but so far that is all we have done when visiting there.

Send a request to San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Also, you DO NOT WANT A CAR in San Francisco.
Public transportation is not only ubiquitous but is entertaining in itself.
Trains, trolleys, cable cars, buses.
You can get transit passes for 3 days or for a week,
easy on+off all systems.
As for family-friendly hotels . . . .
any good hotel will accommodate your requests . . .
OH!! If you've never been to an FAO SCHWARTZ,
it's an amazing experience.
You'll need to tell your child ahead of time
that you're not going to buy anything, you're just visiting, like a museum.
Of course, you can change your mind once you've seen the place.
Someone below had a marvelous list of places to see.
The EXPLORATORIUM is a must.
Best if you can all go together (when Dad isn't busy).
Enjoy!!
=====================
ADDING:
SERIOUSLY. YOU DO NOT WANT A CAR IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Your husband's meetings/conferences will all be accessible to him
wherever you stay . . . . either shuttles to/from the hotel or using
public transportation. Even though the recommended hotels may not seem family-friendly to you, I think you'd still be better off in one of the downtown
places 1) for your husband's comfort, and 2) what features or services do you think they wouldn't have? They may surprise you.
YES YES YES. You MUST have layers . . . shirts, jackets, coats.
Ambient temp can change in a few seconds.

My sister lives in SF, and we just went there this August (with our almost-3 and our 6 year old) to visit her with her newborn twins. We did not rent a car, which was difficult only because a) I'm pregnant b) we stayed in a vacation rental rather than with them, which was a very steep hill away from their apartment and c) my nephew wound up hospitalized, which meant hauling luggage to the airport via bus. BUT...I can imagine the hassle of parking would have been an even bigger (and more expensive) hassle. Public transit there is not the easiest thing in the world, but it's far from impossible, too, and we found people and drivers to be friendly and helpful. My sister wound up finding us a nice vacation rental in the Castro district, and it worked well for us. They live in Cole Valley. The next "area" over is actually something she calls Stroller...Valley? Or something...because there are SO many families with small children. (This is all IN SF proper, not outside of the city.) Since the hotels close to her are all pretty small, we couldn't find a room, and her suggestion--and my sister travels a LOT and is very thoughtful of us traveling with our boys--was to stay downtown. HER biggest concern was simply that it would be expensive, but assuming this is business, that's probably not an issue. You will probably find hotels with breakfast and pools there more easily, which would be nice if you're alone days with a 3 year old. I have stayed at business hotels in Chicago with my two very rambunctious boys, and while they're not the BEST options for kids, we got by just fine. Anyway--my kids LOVED the sea lions, on several occasions. They loved ice cream at Ghiradelli square. My kids are inclined to walk, so the hills and the trekking all over didn't bother them; if it will not suit your daughter, be sure to bring an easily folding stroller with you. My kids just had a blast seeing the palm trees, the water, the big city, the differently styled houses--they love to travel and just being someplace new appealed to them. They also LOVED the cable cars, Lombard street, the parks, the buffalo in Golden Gate Park, Muir Woods...I love traveling with my kids; it is tiring, but it's so fun to see things through them, and they are so willing to see even things that are not kid-themed--like museums and National Parks and animals, and it just makes me appreciate my family so much--take her, and have fun!!!

Not sure about the hotel situation.Downtown is not the best place to set up camp if there is an option. The Marina district (Lombard street) is walking distance to Exploratorium and over the hill past Fort Mason to GHiradelli area. And there is the beach handy (Chrissy Field).

Most of the other places I would suggest have been mentioned. Across the Golden Gate is The Bay Area Discovery Museum, which is perfect for a 3 yo.

Transportation within the city is pretty easy and fun (cabs and cable cars, mainly - not sure if you want to do the bus). The embarcadero has trolleys and you can also get a bike cab (the bike has a trailer and is pulled by a driver).

The hotels downtown are your usual hotels you find in a city. .the pros.. you are in walking distance of shopping and things of that nature. as for the kids..down near the Moscone center, they have the ZEUM.. which is a place with a Merry-go-Round << it has all the vintage merry-go-round horses from what was Playland down at the beach.. I think it cost about 2 to 5 bucks to ride.. and there is also a playground which has a BIG slide.. what's nice about that place is the ground has some sort of spongy like surface so that if kids fall, they aren't too hurt..
Additionally, in and around there is the Museum of Modern Art ... (for adults) not sure the kids would like it...
From downtown, you can get to the Ferry Building which has a nice walk along the water and eventually leads to Fisherman's Wharf.. OR you can take the F line down to the Wharf. Your kids are young so I don't think the usual tourist things would be for them. in which case, let me just say, you aren't missing much if you pass on Ghirardelli Square... The wharf can get COLD... always layer............ it can be cloudy and then clear or vice versa..
From there.. North Beach and Chinatown are nearby..
P.s... in my opinion.. Chinatown is nice for little trinkets.. but a bit dirty looking.... not sure I'd eat there......
If you decide to go to upper Market street, near the Castro... on Church At Market is a restaurant called, Chows.. decent food and staff is usually nice to kids.. over the hill is Noe Valley.. (a kid friendly part of town I might add)
here you have a few shops and restaurants.. can get a cup of coffee..
Parking on the main strip gets tough, try a side street...
and look out for street sweeping.. not to mention, carry quarters.. San Francisco is pretty much metered the streets out... especially near tourist areas......... they make it tough to park.. so bring your quarters..
oh there is a lot down on 4th street... although, your husband's hotel might have a lot for free...or not..
best of luck

We recently moved away from SF (sniff) where we had lived with our toddler. It is a great city for kids! I don't know so much about hotels, but I would stay in the city if possible because public transportation makes it very easy to get everywhere.

Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 is definitely worth a trip for the sea lions. (Stop in at the Ferry Building for lunch.)

The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is pricey but very awesome. Great aquarium, indoor rainforest, etc. Across the street, the botanical gardens are a great place for a stroll and a picnic weather permitting. (The nearby neighborhood has GREAT restaurants and bakeries - try Park Chow, Peasant Pies, and Arizmindi Bakery.)

The SF zoo is small but pretty great for small children, very manageable. As someone else mentioned, bring a jacket. The zoo is right off the ocean.

Across the Golden Gate Bridge is the Bay Area Discovery Museum, mostly outdoors (so again chilly) but highly entertaining for small children. Also over the bridge are the Marin Headlands and Muir Woods - great places to get outdoors and hike.

Crissy Field is also a fun place for kids to run around on the beach with great views of the bridge. It is close to the Exploratorium, another fun stop for small people.

Oh, I'm so jealous. Have fun!

Fisherman's wharf is fun. The zoo is great. China town has lots of stuff to buy for kids (although I don't know if you want to shop) and it's kind of nice sightseeing. Walking on the beach is fun. Look into taking a boat ride. just beware it's going to be very chilly and windy, even in spring. The aquarium is nice too. I like pier 39 (which is down the street from fisherman's wharf, they have a lot of locations to watch the sea lions.
You really don't want to rent a car in SF. Renting a car costs money, then on top of paying for parking, everywhere you go. Forget trying to get a space. I think I have only been lucky once to get a street space, and even then had to keep feeding the meter. There are a million ways to get around, and if you get stressed about bus routes/trolly routes, just take a cab. Most of the time it's still cheaper then paying for parking.
Have fun!