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Old 06-01-2008, 05:59 PM
 
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Just barely moved out to the Bay Area. I'd love to hear from the locals themselves about the best things to do in the area for young families.

(We're a family of 4 -- 2 boys, ages 5 and 2.)
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Old 06-01-2008, 10:46 PM
 
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You don't say where in the Bay area, so some of these may be a drive for you, but here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Bay Area Discovery Museum - Sausalito
Coyote Point Recreation Area - San Mateo (a personal fave with my 2 yo)
Oakland Zoo (I prefer it to the SF Zoo actually for younger kids, but the SF Zoo is great as well)
Exploratorium - San Francisco. Better for your 5yo but your 2yo would still have fun walking around and looking at the exhibits
Roaring Camp Railroad - Felton (near Santa Cruz)- kind of a drive, but the kids love it!
Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo- San Jose (one of my favorites)

I'm sure I'll think of more. I just moved away and I'm missing all of the great places in the bay area!
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Old 06-01-2008, 11:56 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanjd22 View Post
Just barely moved out to the Bay Area. I'd love to hear from the locals themselves about the best things to do in the area for young families.

(We're a family of 4 -- 2 boys, ages 5 and 2.)
Totally agree with Libby -- Oakland Zoo is much better than SF for young ones -- it's smaller so you can get around the whole thing in a few hours before the kids start fussing, and has rides to break up the day.

Tilden Park in Berkeley has a little railroad with rideable steam engines and a great old carousel with brass rings and everything. Cheap, too.

And the Musee Mechanique -- cool really old mechanical coin operated gizmos... that still work. It's fun for kids because it's sort of slow and charming... like a big farm scene. Put in a quarter and the chickens peck, the cow kicks over the milking stand, farm workers play guitar....

Musée Mécanique - San Francisco's Collection of Mechanical Wonders
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Old 06-02-2008, 12:05 PM
 
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Those sound like great suggestions! You're right, I didn't say where I'm living -- I'm on the border between Concord and Walnut Creek on Treat Blvd.

I feel like I'm pretty central to a lot of things throughout the Bay Area, not too sure though until I really get out and explore it all.

Regardless, I don't mind an hour or an hour-and-a-half drive for a fun excursion.

My five-year-old is a train fanatic, so I'll definitely have to check out those attractions with trains. Regarding trains, I seem to remember hearing about a train museum in Sacramento -- is this so? I don't think Sacramento's too far of a drive for a Saturday trip (?)
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Old 06-02-2008, 12:22 PM
 
Location: Northern California
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Millions of Memories at California's Beachfront Amusement Park The Santa Cruz boardwalk has an amusement ride area just for little kids that won't overwhelm or scare them. Also north of Santa Cruz in Felton is Roaring Camp railroad with steam engine rides through the redwoods Roaring Camp Railroads | Felton, California.
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Old 06-02-2008, 01:09 PM
 
Location: San Jose, CA
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The Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo hasn't been mentioned yet - don't know if that's just too obvious.
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Old 06-02-2008, 02:18 PM
 
Location: Northern California
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Other places to see trains:

California State Railroad Museum
Western Railway Museum - Solano County - California

The Western Railway Museum also has some old streetcars that were used in the bay area before 1950.
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Old 06-02-2008, 04:39 PM
 
Location: THE USA
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Originally Posted by humboldtrat View Post
Other places to see trains:

California State Railroad Museum
Western Railway Museum - Solano County - California

The Western Railway Museum also has some old streetcars that were used in the bay area before 1950.

There are an abundance of trains around here.

Niles railroad between Sunol and Union City has a real train.

Tilden Park in Berkeley has a little train.

Oakland and SF Zoo have little trains.

Kennedy Park in Hayward has a little train.

Hyde/Powell Cable Car

Other things to do?


Half Moon Bay- tide pools.

Alameda- Crab Cove

Fremont- Ardenwood Farm has a Horse pulled train.

San Jose- Discovery Museum.

SF/Castro- Randall Museum (childrens)

Sausalito- Childrens Museum.

Oakland- Fairyland

Concord- Pixieland

Gilroy- Bonfante gardens

San Jose- Happy Hollow Zoo

Walnut Creek -Lindsay Museum

Hayward- Sulphur Creek

Santa Rosa - Safari West

Santa Clara _ Great America
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Old 06-03-2008, 11:39 AM
 
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The Bay Area consists of 9 counties with just under 8 million people. There's a little bit of everything and a lot of some things. When it comes to kid's stuff, you will find there's so much for kids that you won't have much time for the grownup stuff.

If your kid happens to be into outdoor stuff, the East Bay has a LOT of great things to do. Tell us a bit more about what you and your kids enjoy and we can point you in all sorts of directions.

The East Bay Park system is massive. Sailing, Camping, hiking, kayaking, etc. It's all here. Do a search for East Bay Regional Parks. I would post a link but links tend to be deleted by the mods. I'm not sure which aren't allowed but a search will get you there quick. You also have the Mt. Diablo State Park practically in your back yard.

You are in a great location close to lots of different water sports too.

You might even try a ferry ride. I love the ferry. Though it's mainly for commuting, it's still a great way to get around. My son loves it. You can sit out on the deck or stay inside and have a cup of coffee or a snack and enjoy the scenery. It's a lot cheaper than the tour boats and you don't have to listen to the droning of a tour guide on the loud speaker who's clearly recited the same stuff way too many times.
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Old 06-23-2008, 07:52 PM
 
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All the suggestions here have been great. My wife and I have explored many of these listed here in this thread since moving in a couple weeks ago. Tilden Regional Park, for example, has been a blast for us, and we live very close to it. Diablo Foothills has been fun as well.

What are everyone's opinions on the best day hike to bring two small boys on? Preferrably something alongside water, maybe ends at a lake, etc. And ideally something in East Bay (I live off Treat Blvd in Walnut Creek). If anyone knows of a specific trail by name that'd be great!!

Everyone's suggestions have been extremely valuable!
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