Places to Go with Children in the Bay Area

Castro Valley

  • Carlos Bee Park, 1905 Grove Way
    Secluded play area, need to hike in a short distance

  • Castro Valley Community Center, 683 Quail Ave.
    play area, sand, water play

  • Cull Canyon Park, near the junction of Heyer and Cull Canyon
    Swim lagoon, hiking trails

  • Dearview Park, 5780 Thousand Oaks
    play area,, basketball courts, a par course

  • Earl Warren Park, 4660 Crow Canyon
    play area, dog run

  • Golden Tee Golfland, Castro Valley Blvd
    miniature golf

  • Greenridge Park, 6108 Greenridge Road
    play area, hiking and riding trails, tennis courts, a beautiful view

  • Palomares Hills Park, 7050 Palomares Hills
    play Area, soccer fields, snack bar, an open lawn area, a par course

  • Parsons Park, junction of Almond Road and Walnut Road
    play area, picnic and game tables, open turf area, a perimeter walking path
    the whole park is fenced, but does not have a restroom


Hayward

  • East Avenue Park
  • Garin Park
  • Hayward Plunge (indoor swim center)
  • Hayward Regional Shoreline and Interpretive Center
  • Japanese Garden
  • Kennedy Park, 19501 Hesperian
    play area, tennis courts, horseshoe courts, open lawn area, petting zoo, rides, train

  • Mission Park
  • San Felipe Park
  • Sulphur Creek Nature Center
  • Weekes Park

San Leandro

  • Halcyon Park
  • Marina Park
  • Memorial Park
  • San Leandro Main Library story time
  • Washington Manor Park

San Lorenzo

  • San Lorenzo Library play area in front

Oakland

  • Chabot Science Museum
  • Children's Fairyland
  • Lake Merritt
  • Museum of Children's Art
  • Oakland Museum
  • Oakland Zoo children's zoo, rides, train
  • Play Cafe, 4400 Keller Avenue, (510)632-4433
    pretend play, dramatic play, art area, train table, cafe

  • Yoshi's Restaurant
    jazz for children some Sunday afternoons

Dublin

  • Barnes & Noble Bookstore train table
  • Chuck E. Cheese

Berkeley

  • Campanile, UC Berkeley bell tower, head of Telegraph Ave bell concerts at noon
  • Habitot
  • Lawrence Hall of Science
  • Tilden Park
    historical carousel, pony rides, nature areas, farm, trains, swimming

  • Totland

Alameda

  • Crab Cove
  • Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
  • USS Hornet

San Francisco Area

  • Cliff House Museum
  • Explorium
  • Ferries boat rides to Angel Island, Sausalito, Jack London Square (Oakland)
  • Golden Gate Park
  • Josephine Randall Jr. Museum
  • San Francisco Zoo
  • Stern Grove

San Jose Area

  • Children's Discovery Museum
  • Great America Theme Park
  • Happy Hollow Park and Zoo

Others

  • Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 E. Fort Baker, Sausalito
  • Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo
  • Dennis the Menace Park, Monterey
  • Discovery Zone, Milpitas, Redwood City
  • The Jungle, Concord, San Jose
  • Kids Castle, Newark
  • The LIndsay Museum, Walnut Creek
  • Marine World, Vallejo
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. (408)648-4888
  • Point Reyes National Seashore
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz