Cal Sailing Club Free open houses held once a month; children must be at least 5 years old.
Chabot Space and Science Center
Crab Cove Visitor Center Located at Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda; features aquariums, educational exhibits including one that lets visitors "build a crab from the inside out"
Children's Fairyland Located in Oakland
Cordornices Park Has an underground tunnel to the Berkeley Rose Garden
Coyote Hills Regional Park Located in Fremont; features exhibits portraying the Ohlone way of life
Golden State Model Railroad Museum Located in Point Richmond; currently closed until April 2014
Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center
Jelly Belly Factory Tours
Lake Chabot Located in Castro Valley; features fishing and boating
Lake Elizabeth (also called Central Park) Located in Fremont; features boating, picnics, playground and walking path
Lake Temescal Kid-friendly fishing; planted with trout
Larkey Park Located in Walnut Creek; features a wildlife museum, and a swim center
The Lawrence Hall of Science
Lindsay Wildlife Museum Located in Larkey Park in Walnut Creek
Niles Canyon Railway Located in Sunol
Matteo's Dream: A Playground for Children of All Abilities Located in Concord
Oakland Public Library, Main Branch Multiple branches feature family storytime
The Oakland Zoo
Pacific Pinball Museum Located in Alameda; Admission includes play on machines; have step stools for kids
Play Cafe Located in Oakland
Pixieland Amusement Park Located in Concord
Rankin Park Located in Martinez; features a swimming center, horseshoe pits and playground
Redwood Regional Park Located in Oakland; hiking, camping, picnics; features a forest of coast redwoods
Richmond Art Center Features art classes, camps and exhibits
San Pablo ReservoirLocated in Orinda; good fishing – season opens in February
Sienna Ranch Located in Lafayette; Family Days one Sunday each month
Silliman Family Aquatic Center Located in Newark; features water slides, a lazy river and a children's activity pool
Strawberry Canyon Rec Area Located in Berkeley; features an outdoor swimming pool
Sulphur Creek Nature Center Located in Hayward; wildlife rehabilitation and education facility
Super Franks Located in Pleasanton
Tilden Park Features a steam train, botanical garden, merry-go round and small farm
UC Botanical Garden
USS Potomac Located in Oakland
Watching all the comings and goings in Jack London Square
North Bay
Bay Area Discovery Museum Located in Sausalito
The Bay Model in Sausalito
Duxbury Reef Located in Bolinas; great for tidepooling
Laguna de Santa Rosa Wildlife habitat featuring walks, storytelling, classes and movie nights
Lagunitas Lake Located in Marin
The Marin Headlands
Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Factory Located in Petaluma; reservations required
Muir Beach
Muir Woods
Old Saint Hilary's Located in Tiburon; part of Marin County open space preserves; good for picnics, hiking and views
Phoenix Lake Located in Marin
Sonoma State Historic Park Includes the Mission San Francisco Solano, Sonoma barracks and General Vallejo's home
Ragle Ranch Regional Park Located in Sebastopol
Train Town Located in Sonoma
Tule Elk Preserve at Tomales Point Located in Point Reyes National Seashore
San Francisco
California Academy of Sciences
Crissy Field
The Exploratorium
Family Dance Class at ODC Dance School Offered the last Sunday of every month
Family Storytime at San Francisco Public Libraries Offered at multiple branches; bilungual storytime offered
Fort Funston Dog and child friendly hiking and beaches
Free concerts from San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Concerts are held around the Bay Area and last 20 minutes
Lands End Great hiking, walks and a beach
Randall Museum Science, natural history exhibits and classes
SS Jeremiah O'Brien A fully functional Liberty ship from WWII
Visiting the animals at the SPCA
Watching the San Francisco Police Mounted Unit
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Features a bowling alley, a kids museum, ice rink, bowling alley and carousel
SF Zoo Features a newly remodeled playground, giraffe feedings, and a stream train
South Bay and the Peninsula
Bay Badminton Center Locations in Burlingame, South San Francisco and Milpitas
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
Children's Musical Theater San Jose
Coyote Creek Trail Located in San Jose; great for bike riding
CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point Located in San Mateo; formerly called "Coyote Point Museum"
Deer Hollow Farm Located in the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Emma Prusch Farm Park Located in San Jose
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Located on Moss Beach; great for tidepooling
Frontierland Park Located in Pacifica
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
Guadalupe River Trail Located in San Jose; 11-mile bike and pedestrian trail
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo Located in San Jose
Hidden Villa Farm tours, themed hikes; Located in Los Altos Hills
Hiller Aviation Museum Located in San Carlos
Japantown in San Jose Located a few miles from downtown
K1 Speed Indoor go kart racing in South San Francisco
Kelley Park Located in San Jose
Market Street in downtown San Jose Fun water fountains for children to play in
Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory Guided walks and birding outings
San Jose History Park Located at Kelley Park
San Jose Museum of Art
Shoup Park Located in Los Altos
Tech Museum of Innovation Located in Downtown San Jose
Vasona Park Located in Los Gatos