I brought my nephew and niece to this museum for the museums's temporary bubble and foam event, and…read morethey had a blast. I really appreciated all of the different areas that were available for kids. Even though it was packed on the day we went, it never felt too crowded because of how many activities there were! There was never a moment that we waited for anything, if one area felt to dense, we would hop to the next area. It was perfect. You could honestly spend all day here. The bubbles and foam integrations were so cool. I'd like to give a huge shoutout to the people that coordinated the foam party. Every kid that I saw looked like they were having so much fun. My nephew did not want to leave. This place is also nice for adults because of the beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Just being able to see such beautiful views made the day so much better, it felt like it was an outing for me as well. Parking is horrible so plan to arrive early or you might be looking for parking for quite a while, however we did go during the last weekend of the bubbles and foam event so that may not always be the case. Overall, the entire family had a great time and we would definitely visit again if in the area.

I had seen this place advertised on Instagram, and I'm happy that it lived up to the hype!…read more ATTRACTIONS: This museum is perfect for toddlers through early elementary aged kids. My kids had a delightful time exploring the vast offerings: playgrounds, musical instruments, arts and crafts, bubbles, etc. We spent a few hours here and didn't get to explore everything, so I think that means we will have to return! PARKING: Parking is free and right by the entrance. There are several good spots for a family photo in front of the GG Bridge. OTHER: -there is a restaurant/cafe with better than expected prices and better than expected food. However, the line gets long and online ordering didn't work when we visited this month. -There is a gift shop with fair prices and lots of unique toys/art supplies. I was able to get a birthday gift for a friend. -Check in staff was really friendly and polite, but other staff was not as approachable.

Many areas where kids can hang out and have fun. My class went there for a field trips. They liked…read morethe build your own animation area. Museum staff was friendly and knowledgable. Tickets are expensive.

Had so much fun here with my 3- and 5-year-old children. We'll definitely be back on another day…read moreoff.

For the price, it's definitely a little gem in Palo Alto. Having a little young, I didn't even know…read morethat Palo Alto had this zoo but we decided to take a trip one day to come check it out. You have to make a reservation I'm guessing so it doesn't get overpacked. As soon as you enter, there's a ton of indoor activities for the little. There's a dino area right outside and then on the other side is where the zoo part is. There's not a ton of animals but the animals that are there were pretty active when we were there. There was a tortoise, birds, rabbits, fish, flamingos that we actually got to feed and a few others that I'm forgetting. Again, not huge but it was enough that we probably spent about a good 2 hours there. After that, there's also a park right behind it so if your kiddos aren't tired already, they can burn off some energy there. If we lived closer, I would consider getting a pass but for now, we'll do some day trips there

Admission I've visited a couple of times - once for a…read moreregular visit and birthday party. During my first visit in May 2026, the admission was $14 per ticket for both an adult and toddler for the 10:00 a.m. reservation. If you're planning a birthday celebration or picnic, there are first-come, first-served tables at Rinconada Park next door. Venue The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is exactly that - it's a smaller, toddler-friendly museum and zoo. Plan to visit for an estimated 1.5 - 2 hours, as this should be plenty of time to explore everything. There are both indoor and outdoor experiences, including interactive activities for little ones, an outdoor zoo, complimentary flamingo feeding sessions, and a treehouse-style playground. Animals available included meerkats, flamingos, raccoons, fish, a tortoise, and macaws. Location / Parking The museum is right next to Rinconada Park and there's a dedicated parking lot. It can fill up quickly during popular reservation times and street parking is also available nearby. Customer Service The front desk staff scans admission tickets upon arrival and provides a stamp for in-and-out privileges, which is helpful if you plan to visit the neighboring Rinconada Park.

Took my grandson there and he loved it. Fun for all ages and we spent hours there exploringread more

We were walking to lunch when our toddler spied the red fire engine inside Habitot on Bay Street…read moreEmeryville, and refused to leave. Literally we bought a ticket on Eventbrite on the spot because he loves children's museums - tot registers with tot-sized grocery carts, fire trucks with hoses and tot-sized fire fighting outfits. There's also build-your-own-pizza station, wiggle wall, rocket launcher, plenty of crafts, and infant zone. Delighted with the option to buy 5 visits for $75 (saves you $5 a trip, now tickets are $20/kid and worth half a day of entertainment.

I feel very lucky to have a place like the Children's Museum of Sonoma County right here in Santa…read moreRosa! There are so many fun, hands-on activities and special events for kids, which makes a membership absolutely worth it. We especially love the extra-large Light-Brite, water play area, and art room, but there is SO much more to explore. Totopia is also fantastic if you have little ones under 3--it's such a great space for them to play and explore. My only complaint is that the museum can get pretty crowded, so I definitely recommend getting there early if you want a little more space to enjoy everything. I'm also really excited and grateful that they are planning to expand the museum, which will create more exhibit space and hopefully help with the crowds.

This is a non-profit children's museum in Sonoma county in Santa Rosa. It's fun for all ages…read moreespecially if you're a kid at heart. It's centrally located in town and very close to the Charles Schultz (Peanuts/Snoopy) museum which is pretty well known. Pluses: - fun for all ages, but especially the littles both indoors and outdoors. - pretend play areas indoors including a dentist office and a medical clinic and a fast diner. All 3 were a hit w/my kids. - lots of other hands on activities inside to include a treehouse where kids can load apples and send them up and down baskets, my kids love that when they were little. - very popular air launchers to shoot wind spinners. - a huge manual pinball machine that is super fun, my kids never tired of making the pinball launch over and over. - a miniature train set that goes around, it's on the 2nd floor. - plenty of outdoors activities and play areas. - a little stream for water play, little kids love that. - a real life former medical helicopter (a bit random, but still cool). - a climbing structure, and a few other play areas also. - so many ways to tire your kids out, guaranteed a good nap on the way home and they'll prob sleep a lot that night. Minuses: - The building indoors is really quite packed. The different features are each thoughtfully designed and very nice and colorful, but it can get crowded here. - Pretty expensive admission. We got a discount, but I think their prices have increased. All in all, a great little place and good for creative play for kids maybe up to like 5th-6th grade at most, but best for 9 or younger probably.

A little zoo + a little science museum. Such a great combination! Our kid could easily spend half a…read moreday here. The zoo has both indoor and outdoor areas, with amphibians, birds, bobcats, raccoons, and more. They also had an otter, but sadly it recently passed away. There is also a playground that feels like a mini version of Magical Bridge Playground. The indoor science museum is full of hands-on, interactive exhibits. Everything is designed for kids to touch, explore, and play with, so they can easily spend a long time here. In the back, there is also a beautiful view of the bay with telescopes to look through. If you have a membership from another participating zoo, you may be able to get 50% off admission. There is an $8 parking fee to enter the park. There are lots of picnic tables nearby with a great view of the bay. You can watch the boats on the water and planes flying overhead while having lunch. Definitely a great place to spend a few hours with kids!

My 4yr old and 19m old enjoyed the playground, zoo, outdoor eating/ play area, and the hands on…read morescience activities. The little souvenir shop is quite small. If you're traveling with little ones, know there is no cafe or option to buy coffee other than a little refrigerator in the little shop so make sure you pack a lunch and snacks.

My 7-year old LOVED this place, so that alone makes it 5 stars. For me personally, I'd say 3…read morestars, when factoring in its easy location and not having to wait in lines. So let's preface this with, my daughter corresponds with her "very own fairy" (aka. me--a very involved parent who also celebrates her half birthday, commits to elaborate elf on the shelf surprises for a prolonged period each year, is her Girl Scouts troop leader, etc.). She's been asking her fairy to take her to Neverland. The fairy responded "not yet", and instead supplied what my daughter referred to as "free" tickets" (online $20/pp, or $139/annual which includes an adult and 3 kids) to Fairyland the next day. We took the Bart to 19th St Oakland from San Francisco, which was SUPER convenient (daughter loves the train, and I hate driving in traffic), thought a bit of a walk in the Oakland heat/humidity. Also the lake that it's located on, absolutely reeks of sewage--I don't understand how people purposely walk/jog along the edges; but at least you can't really smell it from Fairyland. Just walk on the upper sidewalk or across the street if you share in my disgust. You'll get plenty of cute photos. The few rides they have (4 rides total) are very cute, had no lines on a summer weekday, and only accommodate heights between 36"-54" (except for the Jolly Trolley train which is all heights though adults need to watch their heads when squeezing in and out). The height restriction is very important to know before you go, to ensure your kid isn't disappointed. Wear sunscreen. No mosquitoes, which I was concerned about given the standing lake water and humidity. There are outdoor sinks with soap and antibacterial to wash your hands periodically, which I appreciated. As expected, a high priced gift shop, though it's stocked primarily with smaller toys, so if you're roped into purchasing something it won't break the bank. The single restaurant counter is actually quite perfect! Imaginibbles serves super cute, kid friendly healthy food that is reasonably priced at ~$7/entree. Smaller portions, but in my opinion, perfect for a theme park. The reusable cup ($8, includes one refill) is color changing when cold, very sturdy for a plastic cup, and you can fill with strawberry, white peach or watermelon lemonade that isn't overly sweet. You are also allowed to bring your own food, and there were plenty of folks picnicking on the large grassy area. Attractions are definitely old (paint missing throughout), and not cleaned well. Spiderwebs galore, particularly in areas that are meant to only be looked at, such as the Alice statue that you can see through a window in the Alice in Wonderland tunnel. A quick broom sweep would do wonders! There are a number of cute smaller animals, like chickens, a bearded dragon, 2 donkeys, and a land tortoise. These areas conversely appear relatively well maintained, which is fantastic for both the animals and to keep smells minimal. There is also a pressed wood town area with a slide where the kids can run around and climb into the different buildings, which seemed to be a favorite of many kids. There is a long ~30min puppet show (daily ~11am, 2pm) that changes seasonally, and somehow manages to keep most kids' attention. Magic key ($3) is an easy souvenir (colors change each day, so theoretically you can collect them), and used to hear music/stories through various boxes around the park. Though boxes are staticky (older), and some have bolts sticking out that prevent your key from being turned and thus the stories/music to play. My daughter quickly tired of them anyway, but she loves treasures like the "magic" key, so it was money well spent. There is also a hand-crank penny presser (51 cents) in the gift shop, so bring some change. One disappointment of Fairyland, is that there are literally no "fairies" anywhere to be found. You'd think they might have a few tiny fairy houses situated out of reach, or even fairy lights in trees to simulate fairies. Overall, fun filled and worth the ticket price. Just be sure your kid is in the height range for rides!

This place is strategically built so that there's shade everywhere on those hot summer days. Even…read morethe slides have covers over them so that the metal doesn't get too hot. It's this attention to detail that sets it apart from other amusement parks. And the food. Let's talk about the food. This is not your overpriced, cheap-quality, greasy carnival junk. It's actually healthy fruits and veggies with milk or other house-made stuff. Fun shapes, like a rocket quesadilla. Even my fussy eater wants to eat here. Do we need to talk about the rides or value? The kids come here all day and never want to leave!

So today I was here for my 1st graders field trip…read more Funny story, I found this amazing science center, while googling the words, "inexpensive science field trips." Lo and behold the science center was super cheap to attend for two classes, and the exhibits are very engaging and fun! Anna, Bradley, and David, made our experience fun and exciting! I've done a lot of field trips, in 27 years of teaching, but this one is one of my absolute favorites! I feel like their spot is totally slept on and underrated, we need to usher in more educators to take their kids here for their field trips! They're a non-profit and need our help to stay open! So spread the word and let's keep this learning gem, open longer! Science Exhibits: 20/10 Customer Service: 20/10 Quality of the Programs: Amazing! Overall: 20 out of 10!

We are members and absolutely love this place. My kids have taken camps here over summer and…read morethroughout the school year and we also had my five year olds birthday party here...they always want to return for more. They recently re did the science center and it is such a well done space. The kids enjoy all the interactive stuff as well as the animals. The membership is really great bc you get access to free events - like private times, meet Santa / holiday party, and discounted birthday parties and camps.

I visited this museum on a whim and didn't have much time, but it is definitely on my list to…read morerevisit before summer ends! General admission is $25, but they participate in Museums for All, which is a great perk. I brought my 20-month-old and was thrilled to find so many age-appropriate activities for him to explore. The absolute highlight was the moving dinosaurs outside, set against a beautiful backdrop of the bay, a view that adults will definitely appreciate even if the toddlers don't notice! Definitely a great place to snap some photos. The bottom floor features animals and exhibits, and I noticed a cafe that I'd love to try for lunch next time. My only critique is the customer service. Some staff members, including those at the front desk, weren't very welcoming or acknowledging. Since this is such a family-oriented space, a simple smile would go a long way! It didn't ruin my experience, but better service would prevent it from taking away from anyone else's visit. Highly recommend overall!

$5 on a Sunday? I think, yes! I may have gone to the Lawrence Hall of Science for a field trip when…read moreI was younger, but coming back as an adult and now a mom, how fun! The views while parking are incredible and if ya know, ya know. While they do have a new cafe located on the bottom level ('ammatka Cafe; Ohlone-forward food), we did notice a lot of families and people bringing their lunches and sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and Bay Area picturesque stunning views. Speaking of parking, you do have to pay to park. Pro tip for those with a stroller: drop off one parent/group with stroller at the entrance and have the other park/pay. There is a distance/stairs pending where you park. Remember your license plate number to pay-by-machine. There's a parking app you can download too. I wish we checked out the website ahead of time to know all the hands-on exhibits and fun that we could embark on, but we were there on a spontaneous whim, and explored so many things! From electronic dinosaurs outside, to exhibits currently about making music, the future of food, and an animal discovery zone, there is so much ground to cover and truly a little something for everyone to enjoy. We will definitely be back! For littles, the downstair floor (there's elevators) has a super cool room that provokes shadow play, dance, and magna-tiles. This floor also has the animals!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! We started H&G in September for my…read moreson who just turned 4 and have been happy ever since. It's been a great 1st school experience. I am new to the idea of parent co-op and was scared I may not have the time or energy to be able to fulfill my duties. I have learned that it is not hard at all and have actually found that I love to be so involved with my son's school. It is so rewarding! My favorite part of H&G besides the other parents(!) are all the excursions we go on. So far we have gone to the following: El Sobrante Fire Department Pinole Police Station El Sobrante Apple Orchird Marine Mammal Center California Pizza Kitchen Bay Area Discovery Museum Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Factory the Pumpkin Farm MOCHA and so many more! I'm telling you it has been such a great experience! If you don't know where to start when it comes to Preschools... Hansel and Gretel is a great place to check out!