If you want to be in the tourist hustle bustle, this is a great location. Besides the above mentioned activities there is also the Maritime Museum which is indoors and outdoors. My favorite place to eat in that area is pretty fancy...Ana Mandara at 891 Beach St. Their cuisine is fusion Vietnamese and the decor is dramatic.
Kids will enjoy the seals and sea lions that lay about the wharves and there is an aquarium at Pier 39....and lots of shops!
A fun day trip would be to catch a ferry ride to Angel Island or Sausalito. There's nothing like seeing the Golden Gate from a boaters perspective.