Very cool spot. This place is probably best for school-aged children. They do have one wall with…read moreconnector toys for the toddlers but that's about it. It's small but a nice spot to spend under an hour. Also finding the entrance was hard because google maps takes you to the wrong main gate.

I almost got into the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory! Yes, the Lawrence Livermore National…read moreLaboratory is self-described as "a premier research and development institution for science and technology applied to national security." Because they are working with important stuff pertaining to national security, nuclear materials and other top secret stuff, they won't let the average Yelper in there. But, right outside their front gate is the Discovery Center. The Discovery Center is a small museum that gives you a brief introduction to the lab and what they do. They have hands on and interactive exhibits for children to play with. Most of the exhibits were well maintained. It is an interesting way to spend an hour. The staff, at least on the day were there, was fantastic. Since we were the only ones there, she almost gave us a personalized tour to explain some of the exhibits and talk about the lab and what they do. They have an easy scavenger hunt for children with a nice t-shirt as a prize. They are pretty generous with the scavenger hunt and let children of all ages play. The museum is priced just right for most Yelpers. It is free! It's a nice place, with not a lot of visitors.

10/10 -- Worth Every Penny (Parlor/Dome Car Experience)…read more If you're considering the Niles Canyon Train of Lights, do yourself a favor and splurge on the Parlor Car or Dome car. It completely transforms the experience. From the moment you board, you're treated like a VIP: dedicated seating in a fully enclosed caboose, attentive service throughout the ride, and complimentary warm drinks and sweets that are perfect for a cold, wet winter night. Being waited on while rolling through a glowing canyon? Yes, please. One of the biggest perks is having your own reserved space, while still being free to explore the rest of the train--knowing your seat is secure and shared only with fellow Parlor Car Riders. It strikes the perfect balance between comfort and adventure. I've done both the 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm departures, and while both are enjoyable, 4:30 pm is the clear winner for me. You get to take in the scenery before the sun fully sets, which adds a magical transition from daylight to twinkling lights. The 7:30 pm ride feels more social and cozy--great for lingering conversations with family and friends--but the earlier ride lets you truly appreciate your surroundings. As for the cost, it's important to note that this railway is 100% donation-funded and entirely volunteer-operated. Knowing that every dollar goes directly toward preserving the historic railway, maintaining the trains, and supporting the volunteers who make this experience possible makes the price feel even more justified. You're not just paying for a ride--you're supporting a piece of living history. Bottom line: Cozy Thoughtfully curated For a great cause Perfect for winter evenings If you're on the fence about the Parlor Car or Dome Car upgrade--it's absolutely worth it.

All aboard! If you…read moreare looking for a low key outing that's suitable for all ages then consider booking a ride on Niles Canyon Railway. Enjoy a slow ride Sunol to downtown Niles and back, approx 1.5 hours. A docent will share tid bits of history during the ride. There are snacks for purchase and you can bring your own. I prepared a simple charcuterie for me and mom, gotta have something to nosh on as we enjoy the view. It's June and the hills are brown already but oh well it's still pretty. I was a little worried about whether my mom would struggle boarding the train as I didn't book ADA as she is not in wheelchair. The steps are slightly deeper than ours at home but she made it up without difficulty, there is a railing for support. Conductor did offer us to go to the car with the lift if we wanted. My next anxiety was holding up the boarding as mom navigated the stairs slowly and there quite a few people behind us. Everyone was patient thankfully and no one scoffed. Would love to do their holidays lights ride sometime but I haven't been successful in last few years to get tickets, they go fast.

Fantastic hidden gem! The downstairs nature exhibit was worth the price of admission alone!…read more Each sub-section was displayed beautifully so that the pieces of art, be it Western, Asian, African, Nature or Automobile, could be appreciated.

I visited this museum on Mother's Day with my family while 21 weeks pregnant. I had been here once…read morebefore and previously had a wonderful experience, which made this visit especially disappointing. Shortly after arriving, I noticed a water bottle refill station inside the museum and refilled my water bottle there. While quietly viewing an exhibit with my family, we were suddenly approached in a very loud and confrontational manner by a female staff member who stated, "Ma'am, ma'am! There is no food or drink allowed in the museum. You either need to leave or throw your water bottle away." I was surprised by both the tone and the interaction, especially considering the museum itself provided the refill station inside the building. I explained that I had filled the bottle there, but was told that people are apparently expected to "refill their bottles and then leave the museum to drink from them," which honestly made very little sense. Because I am pregnant, I asked if I could simply keep the bottle closed while inside, rather than repeatedly separating from my family whenever I became thirsty. She reluctantly agreed, but after that interaction, staff members continuously followed my family throughout the museum for the remainder of our visit, seemingly monitoring whether I drank water. What should have been an enjoyable family outing became extremely uncomfortable and unenjoyable. Being closely followed from exhibit to exhibit over a closed water bottle felt excessive and unnecessary, especially under the circumstances. Unfortunately, the experience left my family and I not wanting to return. I truly hope future guests are treated with more kindness, professionalism, common sense, and dignity.

A fun way to celebrate the Halloween season with an historical ghost walk along Main Street in…read morePleasanton. This events ticket sales goes towards the museum. I was guided down Main Street with stops along the way of ghost sightings with a historical narrative of the town. I love hearing about the ghost viewings and learning about the history of the town I live.

We enjoyed checking out the current exhibit, From Earthquakes to Epidemics, showcasing and…read moreeducating visitors about the history of natural disasters and its impact on California and its people. Photos of candlestick park in SF just prior to the 1989 earthquake, displays about livestock epidemics as well as early epidemics in California missions, flooding in Sacramento in 1861-1862, the covid-19 pandemic, and even burnt and rusted items from the Camp Fire of 2018 shown behind glass casing. The main collection in the museum included a plethora of documents and objects representing the local area and surrounding cities, displays about transportation like bart, technology in the 1800's, and several antique musical instruments including a hearst organ, with tablets available for interactive learning. The digital exhibit of the Alameda County Fair especially captured my attention, presenting various aspects of its history, photos and descriptions of early fairs, food vendors, entertainment, exhibits, livestock and more... it gave me some ideas, as we were heading to fair after our visit to this museum :D We had zero interaction with staff while we roamed around at our own pace through several different rooms. The small gift shop had items unique to Pleasanton, like books, stationery, puzzles, and even a Pleasanton-opoly board game. Admission to the museum was free, and street parking was easy to find on a Saturday morning.

We came here for their Holiday on the Farm event and were so pleasantly surprised by how much there…read morewas to do there: - arts and crafts in the Boone house - Glass Museum hours - Santa meet and greet and pictures - Magic show - brass band - face painting - kettle corn, cotton candy vendor - sheepdog/sheep demonstrations - chicken coop - tractor rides - tractor barn - lawn games - gift shop The best part about it all was that it was free (with the exception of tips for the face painter, food for purchase, tractor ride donations)! Love that we came here by chance and left so happy, overjoyed, and full of Christmas spirit. We would definitely come back for their other Saturday events and sheep shearing in April! Lots of parking, and staff are so welcoming. Had an issue with unruly kids and parents, but other than that, it was a pleasant experience all around.

Our family had the best time here. We attended the fall fest last weekend and there was great…read moremusic, we learned more about East Bay Parks and rec Association. We learned a little bit about the history of the farm and we got to do a scavenger hunt. All around we really liked it Unfortunately with the parking somebody dinged your car left their car paint on our car with no cameras around, which was unfortunate for us because now there's a dent and paint from somebody's white car. All in all, the weather was great, the wine was incredible, we wish there was more options for food, but at least the children were able to eat lunch and have fun.

We were fortunate enough to tour the Glass House. Tours are only available on Saturdays and not…read moreconsistently. When we showed up, there was no docent as promised, but we were able to ask a nice lady to give us the tour. There is a video online worth watching about this property prior to visiting the house; it will give you more context and understanding. Great historical experience but they need more docents and support.

This white two story Italianate Victorian farm house build in 1877 has long been visible from busy…read morehighway 680; standing near the freeway and busy San Ramon Valley Blvd. it's a vivid reminder of the Valley's past. I always wanted to visit the house, but it only recently opened to the public has a house museum. I was fortunate to be able to join a small group for a private tour. As soon as we were met by a Docent in period dress the mood was set. Walking over the bridge to the house she started to tell the history of the Glass Family and the Valley as it was in 1877. Stepping though the door is really a step back in time. The nine room house is decorated as it would have been when the Glass family lived there. Everyone of the nine rooms was clean and not a bit of dust could be seen on the many knickknacks that the Victorians adorned their homes with. Everything in the house is original to the period. While the rugs, wallpaper, and some of the fabrics on furniture are new, they are all period reproductions. The knowledge that the two docents, Pat and Kim, shared was amazing. In addition to the story of the Glass family and the San Ramon Valley, they peppered their talk with some CA. history. I came away with even more of an appreciation of women in the 19th century working in those long dresses There is a connection between the Glass family and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. You will have to take a tour with either Pat or Kim to get the rest of the story.

This place is a hidden gem in Palo Alto, in an industrial area surrounded by factories. It is a…read moremuseum of the work of Tony Foster, an artist from UK who paints beautiful watercolor landscapes. It's free, and a nice place to visit for an hour or so ... highly recommended.

We tried Story Time with Anna on Sunday. It was an hour experience that our grandson enjoyed. We…read moresigned up ahead of time and street parking was easy. There was also a sign that there is additional parking behind the museum. After checking in there was a craft/art activity with stickers and tempera paint sticks. Low mess :). Adjacent was a play area with colored scarves, a pretend campfire, felt board for the children to explore, and books. Before entering the museum area Anna gave an introductory talk describing what to expect. She made it interactive which was very nice. They also did a song to get their wiggles out. She then guided the group through the museum to the carpeted area with cushions for the kiddos. Ana talked about and asked questions about the art on the walls. She read Under the Same Sky to the children and made this an interactive experience also. It was just the right length of time, thirty minutes. This was just right for our 18 month old grandson.

Every year during the holidays at the museum, there is a huge Lego display by the Bay Area Lego…read moreUser Group (BayLUG). For 2025, the theme is "road trip." It's $4, and definitely worth it; You can easily spend an hour looking at all the detail. For 2025, it runs Saturdays and Sundays, 11-3, from December 6 until January 10.

Came Here On A Beautiful Warm Saturday & What I Liked Most While Visiting The Museum Of America…read moreWas The Old Items That People Had Used In The 20 Century Like The Old Cash Registar, Before When There Wasn't Cell Phones U Would Have To Use The Pay Phone Booth!!!!!

Was in the area, and got some free time plus we visited 5-6 missions in California so far so might…read moreas well visit this one. Very nice and grand looking. It's not original since the original was burned down back then. We came around 3-4pm so not much of visitors. Parking is easy and staff are nice and accommodating. Grand service area with high ceiling. Good & glad that we visited.

As a 4th grade teacher, I unfortunately would not return for another field trip. The mission itself…read moreis historically interesting, but the tour structure was not well suited for elementary students. Much of the experience involved long lecture segments in a quiet, echo-heavy church environment, and many students struggled to remain engaged or even follow portions of the presentation clearly. The larger issue was logistics and time management. Our tour was scheduled to end at noon but was still actively running around 12:30, which compressed lunch into only a few rushed minutes before buses needed to depart. Departure became chaotic because the gift shop remained fully active during bus loading, making it extremely difficult for teachers to regroup students and leave on time. I appreciate the historical importance of the site, but future elementary field trip groups should be aware that the pacing, scheduling, and transition management may not align well with the realities of supervising large groups of 4th graders on a tight school schedule.

Location is great! Close to freeway right off of 580. We…read morelove coming here because parking is easy and free and there is no entrance fee. There's also plenty of photo opportunities throughout the place and a good selection of pumpkins. We'll be back every year :)

Our favorite pumpkin patch and corn maze! I've come here for many years and have enjoyed the…read morevarious activities this farm has to offer. It gets crowded on the weekends so be prepared for lines. When you arrive there is a ticket booth near the parking lot to get ride tickets but if you walk further into the venue there are other ticket booths with much shorter lines. We took our 1 1/2 year old son on the cow train and he loved it. The corn maze is super fun and nice they have trivia questions along the route so you can answer questions to see which way to go.