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New & Improved! 100 Best Adventures in the Bay Area for Families
100 things to do around San Francisco and the Bay Area that showcases the beauty, originality and downright fun that makes our city a great place to not just visit, but also live. We’ve revamped our epic list of 100 best Bay Area activities the whole family will love, and...
The Bay Area’s Best Corn Mazes & Hay Mazes to Visit This Fall
Get lost (and found again) at one of these epically fun corn mazes all located in the Bay area. Getting lost in a corn maze or a hay maze is practically a childhood rite of passage (along with a road trip to leaf peep some nearby fantastic fall foliage) and with these locations in the Bay Area, there’s so many fun mazes to choose from. Try your navigation skills at a world-record holding maze that (might) take you and the kids hours to find your way out. Or, for something a little less intense, check out the assortment of mini mazes created especially for shorter legs. And don’t forget, there are night mazes and a minotaur maze that will increase the fall fun factor. A bunch of these spots also double as u-pick fruit and veggie spots, pumpkin patches as well as your go-to source for festive fall activities so if you want to get your fall fix all in one spot, these family-friendly farms featuring corn mazes and hay mazes were made just for you.
The Best Yurts to Book When You Want an Elevated Camping Experience
When you’re looking for a weekend getaway that’s a level up from tent camping, these are the best book-worthy spots in CA. Got a hankering to leave city life and go camping nearby, but not convinced that braving the elements and setting up your own sleeping quarters with just a piece of nylon between you and whatever wanders around outside is your idea of fun? Let us introduce you to the good old yurt. “What’s a yurt?” you ask? Well, unlike pitch-a-tent camping, yurts are already constructed structures, adorably, in the round. Yurt means “home” in Mongolian so for those that don’t want to give up some creature comforts (like a good set of walls and an off-the-floor bed) but also want to feel at one with the great outdoors (whether it’s beach camping or perhaps a touch of a luxe campsite), this could be the camping answer you’ve been looking for.
Our Definitive Guide to the Best Pizzerias in the Bay Area
Whether you prefer sourdough crust, deep dish, Detroit-style, or topped with Indian flavors, the Bay Area pizza scene really delivers. Fresh dough, gooey cheese, and just the right amount of sauce—pizza is a recipe for deliciousness for parents and kids alike. The Bay Area pizza scene offers lots of options for little foodies like the curry chicken masala pizza of Curry Pizza House and the potato-topped pizza from Escape from New York Pizza. We won’t say which is our ultimate favorite (because that’s like choosing a favorite child) but you’ll find top spots from Point Reyes to San Jose, perfect for a lazy night with no cooking needed.
The Best Bay Area Apple Picking Orchards
These u-pick farms are the perfect way to welcome the fall season. Fall is around the corner, and aside from the beautiful colors and autumn hikes around San Francisco, it’s also apple season! Apple picking is one of our favorite fall activities, as the fruit is mostly within a kid’s reach and there are no thorns to deal with (looking at you, blackberries). Bring home a basket or two and make yourself a pie or homemade applesauce (snag yourself this apple peeler—you’ll thank us later).
Road Trip: Morro Bay
Set your sights southward and head down the 101 to Morro Bay. Right where the 101 hooks up with Highway 1 you’ll find this small town that offers the perfect spot for a long weekend with the kids that’s full of beach days and a totally chill vibe. Slow down, get to know the welcoming locals and enjoy some of the best seafood that the Pacific Ocean provides. We checked it out and have your next road trip all planned for you!
11 Hidden Gems in San Francisco We’re Pretty Sure You’ve Never Visited
A water-playing organ and a park in the sky are just some of the hidden gems we’re uncovering around San Francisco. You know when you feel like you’ve been there, done that? Us, too, which is why we dug super deep into the quirky, wonderful hidden gems around San Francisco that surprised and delighted us to uncover—some of which have been hiding in plain old sight! These are just the sort of places and experiences that confirms why we love living here (and for rainy day suggestions, check out our SF guide to some of our favorite kid-friendly museums). Certify your street cred. and see if you’ve ever been to these hidden gems in SF.
11 Hidden Gems in San Francisco We’re Pretty Sure You’ve Never Visited
You know when you feel like you’ve been there, done that? Us, too, which is why we dug super deep into the quirky, wonderful hidden gems around San Francisco that surprised and delighted us to uncover—some of which have been hiding in plain old sight! These are just the sort of places and experiences that confirms why we love living here (and for rainy day suggestions, check out our SF guide to some of our favorite kid-friendly museums). Certify your street cred. and see if you’ve ever been to these hidden gems in SF.
Best Themed Restaurants for an Epic Night on the Town
If you are looking for that extra-special spot to celebrate a birthday or an impressive report card, look no further: These restaurants bring more to the table than your average burger and fries joint. Mini-golf, rain showers, cat company and more—the kids will be entertained and you’ll get a fun family night out without having to resort to digital bribery. Win-win!
8 Great Family Date Night Activities in the Bay Area
Take advantage of later bedtimes and go out as family on the town (bonus: no sitters needed for these family-friendly adventures!). Of course, if you are looking for a kid-free adventure, you can check out our list of parent-only date night ideas around San Francsico as well. But for now, we’re hanging with the kids—from mirror mazes and mini golf, to a nighttime Ferris Wheel ride, we are sure these special outings with entertain the entire squad.
Best Brunches with Early Opening Hours
When you are on the tot clock, the earlier the better for brunch and thankfully, long-gone are the days when an early brunch spot opened at 11 a.m. We’ve pulled together our favorite local breakfasts that offer kid-friendly favorites like pancakes, waffles and scrambled eggs for families whose morning routines might begin with the sunrise. Hit up one of these and then head to a local favorite playground—or better yet—one of our favorite museum exhibits—to burn off all that good-for-you energy.
Must-Go: Bay Area Museums that Deliver Epic Fun (& Learning)
We are so happy that museums are now open and ready to greet families back into their exhibits all over the Bay Area to explore and discover more about the world around us as well as learn more about themselves. As one of our favorite ways to spend the day with our kids—you really can’t beat the educational programming, play areas, creativity workshops and events galore. And, really, they’re just plain fun to boot. To really maximize the day, we’ve pulled together our ideal itineraries including, must-eat neighborhood restaurants and cafes to visit before the museums open, as well as a must-go playground to take the kids post-museum exploration to get any lingering wiggles out before bedtime.
16 Kid-Friendly Day Trips Worth the Time & Effort
This list has everything from amusement parks to train rides to beach days. Life has been a lot lately—and planning an epic summer vacation may have taken a back seat. We get it—between tracking down the must-dos in any given area, and finding the just-right hotel that both kids and parents will adore (plus the cost of flights), it’s all overwhelming…until now that is.
The Best Beach Camping near San Francisco
Want to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean and fall asleep to the soothing sound of crashing waves with a beach camping trip? Thankfully we don’t have to go far to check off all those glorious camping boxes. And the best part (besides the soothing sound and Instagram-worthy snaps), camping at one of these close-to-home spots is a full of outdoor adventures where kids will be too busy playing in the ocean, flying kites, toasting s’mores and exploring tidepools to ask for screen time…maybe.
14 Bay Area All-Abilities Playgrounds That Welcome Everyone
Let’s face it, the one-size-fits-all approach does not work for kids. Not for parenting and certainly not for play but we do know all kids need to play. We’ve gathered up a list of Bay area playgrounds where children with sensory needs and physical challenges can play along with their peers. These all-abilities playgrounds are definitely worth the drive, no matter where you live in the Bay Area!
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