Family-Friendly Things to Do & Places to Go Around the Bay and Sacramento Areas

This list is in no particular order--just jotted them down

as I thought of them. 

There are activities for every interest and every budget.

I'm already working on a second list, so I welcome any and all suggestions and reviews.

California Academy of Sciences
http://www.calacademy.org/

Aquarium of the Bay
http://www.aquariumofthebay.com/

Oakland Zoo

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/

San Francisco Zoo
http://www.sfzoo.org/

Micke Grove Zoo

http://www.mgzoo.com/

Stockton Ports

http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t524

Monterey Bay Aquarium

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

Lindsey Wildlife Center
http://wildlife-museum.org/

Winchester Mystery House
http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/

Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz
http://www.mysteryspot.com/

Old Sacramento
http://www.oldsacramento.com/

Ride the Steam Train along the Sacramento River
http://www.csrmf.org/

Placerville’s Gold Bug Mine
http://www.goldbugpark.org/

Exploratorium
http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Small World Park
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Small-World-Park/117718394981801
http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/index.aspx?page=586

  


Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
http://www.beachboardwalk.com/

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/index.aspx

Great America
http://www.cagreatamerica.com/

Sacramento Zoo
http://www.saczoo.org/

Fairytale Town
http://www.fairytaletown.org/

Children’s Fairyland
http://www.fairyland.org/

Napa
http://napavalley.com/

Calaveras Big Trees
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=551

 

Pier 39

http://www.pier39.com/


Fisherman’s Wharf
http://www.fishermanswharf.org/

Alcatraz
http://www.alcatraztickets.com/

Oakland A’s
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=oak&sv=1

San Francisco Giants
http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=sf&sv=1

Big Break Regional Trail
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/big_break

Angel Island State Park
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468

Sky High Sports
http://con.jumpskyhigh.com/

Pixieland Amusement Park
http://www.pixieland.com/Home.html

John’s Incredible Pizza
http://www.johnspizza.com/

Chuck E. Cheese
http://www.chuckecheese.com/

Folsom Zoo
http://www.folsom.ca.us/depts/parks_n_recreation/zoo/

Water World
http://www.waterworldcalifornia.com/

Brentwood Water Park
http://www.brentwoodca.gov/department/pr/cob_par/parks/aquatic_complex_info.cfm

Prewett Water Park
http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citysvcs/prewett/

Hagan Community Park
http://www.crpd.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=38&Itemid=86

SF Bay Cruise
http://www.redandwhite.com/
http://blueandgoldfleet.com/

Renaissane Faires
http://www.renfaire.com/

The Jungle
http://www.thejunglefun.com/

Mount Diablo
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517

Bass Pro Shop
http://www.basspro.com/

San Jose Sharks
http://sharks.nhl.com/

Pool Carlos Pool Hall
http://poolcarlos.com/

Pacifica Beach
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=524

Stinson Beach
http://www.stinsonbeachonline.com/

Fuddruckers
http://www.fuddruckers.com/

Chabot Space and Science Center
http://www.chabotspace.org/index.htm

Oakland LDS Temple Visitor's Center
http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/oakland/

Tilden Regional Park
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden

Redwood Valley Railway
http://www.redwoodvalleyrailway.com/

Jelly Belly Factory
http://www.jellybelly.com/visit_jelly_belly/california_factory_tours.aspx

Stockton Children’s Museum
http://www.childrensmuseumstockton.org/

Lawrence Hall of Science
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/

Oakley Pier
http://www.pierfishing.com/pier_of_the_month/2001-04.html
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/antioch_oakley

Harvest Park Bowl
http://www.harvestparkbowl.com/

Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond

Contra Loma Regional Park
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/contra_loma

Berkeley’s Adventure Playground
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground/

Super Franks
http://www.superfranks.com/

Sherman Island
http://www.msa2.saccounty.net/parks/Pages/ParkDetails.aspx?pn=Sacramento%20River/Delta&pnd=Sherman%20Island%20Public%20Access%20Facility
http://www.sacramentoriver.org/access_site.php?access_site_id=172

Brentwood Farmer’s Market
http://www.pcfma.com/market_home.php?market_id=25
http://www.harvest4you.com/

Muir Woods
http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

Pump It Up
http://www.pumpitupparty.com/

Heather Farm Park
http://www.walnut-creek.org/citygov/depts/ps/parks/heatherfarm/default.asp

Smith Family Farm
http://www.smithfamilyfarm.com/

World of Wonders (WOW) Science Museum
http://www.wowsciencemuseum.org/

Elk Grove Regional Park
http://www.yourcsd.com/parks/facts/elkgrove.html

Strauss Festival – Elk Grove
http://www.straussfestival.com/

Ocean Beach
http://www.sftravel.com/beach-san-francisco.html

China Beach a.k.a. East Beach
http://www.sftravel.com/beach-san-francisco.html

Point Reyes
http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/pt_pinole

San Francisco Warriors
http://www.nba.com/warriors/schedule/

Moaning Caverns
http://www.caverntours.com/MoCavRt.htm

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=485

Apple Hill
http://www.applehill.com/

Uvas Canyon County Park
http://www.everytrail.com/guide/waterfall-tour-of-uvas-canyon-county-park

Brentwood Corn Fest
http://www.brentwoodcornfest.org/

Contra Costa County Fair
http://www.contracostafair.com/

California State Fair
http://www.bigfun.org/

Vasco Cave
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/vasco

Pan for Gold in Coloma
http://www.coloma.com/recreation/gold-panning.php

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at Moss Beach
http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/

Happy Birthday Barbie!

At Christmas time my mom gave Samantha a Barbie calendar.  On it marked March 9th as Barbie's birthday.  So, of course, Sam has been looking forward to it with so much excitement.  She wanted to have a birthday party for Barbie, so I told her she could have a friend over to play Barbies and I'd make them cupcakes or something like that. 

But then my girls got sick--the flu and strep throat.  I had to cancel the "party" and Sam was so sad.  So I told her she could still play Barbies all day and have her own little party.  She didn't know that I also had a few little things up my sleeve.

First thing in the morning Sam dragged out all the Barbies and started playing with them.  She chose this one to be the official birthday girl and even made a hat for her.



Alison wasn't feeling very well, but still wanted to play.

Sam made a little birthday sign.

 

 For lunch I set up a little surprise "party" for the girls. 

They LOVED it!

They were so excited for their Barbie tattoos.



Books

Jake LOVES books these days!

But here are some funny pages I thought I'd share.

Anyone wanna guess why he loves this double-page spread?

But on the other hand, he is terrified of this page. 

Kinda makes me chuckle.

Every time Jake turns to this page,

he raises his arms in the air, mimicking the boy in red.

Jake + Dirt = Happiness

End of February ~ Beginning of March

Turkeys

Okay, so these pictures are kind of crappy, but it's with my

 phone and they had run kind of far away.

But hey, it was pretty cool to see these two big

turkeys hanging around in the vineyard behind my house.

I was gobbling at them and they'd gobble back at me. 

Is that the right word?  Gobbling?

Shoes

Sam needed new shoes about a week ago and picked

this sparkly pink Hello Kitty pair.

She wanted Barbie, but once your feet are this big,

they don't usually offer charcters, so she was happy to find something she still kind of liked.

I couldn't convince her to get something without a

character on them.

She insisted I take a picture of them.

Then Alison had to jump on board and wanted me to take a

picture of her shoes too!

These are actually hand-me-downs from

when Sam was Alison's age.

I think they're pretty cool!

Jake's Cozy Coupe

Jake LOVES this cozy coupe!  Thanks Taunya! 

And sweet Sammy pushes Jake around in it everyday.

"Smile!"

I told Jake to smile and this is what he did.

SO CUTE!!!

He loves to sit at the table and draw. 

Goats and Sheep

My neighbor across the street came over and invited the girls to come over and see the goats and sheep.

Sam loved feeding this guy grass and weeds!

 Alison was afraid of them and kept her distance most of the time. 

In this picture, standing at the fence,

is about the closest she ever got.

 Look at the babies!  They were so cute!

The white one kept jumping around. 

Jake loves animals, so we had to bring him too!   

He would climb his front feet up the fence and stand on

just his hind legs.

Jake loved it, but this terrified Alison.

Good times!

Jake's a Funny Boy

I asked Jake if he could wipe his nose with his toes.

Yup!  I guess he can!

 Funny kid!  Loves to laugh and smile!