The Bay Area’s toddler stops spread across three hubs: San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.
The places we go back to all year. Where to eat with a toddler, where to burn off energy when it rains, where to splash, what’s worth the admission, and where to spend a night without going far.
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
The zoo’s main café, with grill food and flatbreads and indoor and outdoor seating, open every day.
The museum’s grab-and-go café, with the Terrace Restaurant next door.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour. For toddler classes and every indoor playground we’ve checked, with prices and sock rules, see indoor play in Bay Area.
Free story times, music and Saturday playtimes at the Main Library and neighborhood branches.
Free story times and family events at more than 20 branches.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
A storybook park on Lake Merritt with small rides, puppet shows and farm animals, built for kids under 8. On 510 Fridays, Oakland residents walk up for $5 a child.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
A big oceanside zoo with a miniature steam train and a carousel, open every day of the year.
A hillside zoo with a gondola up to the California Trail and a children’s zoo near the entrance. Prices change by date, so buy ahead.
A museum for kids under 10 at Fort Baker, under the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, with a toddler-only area and a lot of outdoor play.
The big purple museum by Guadalupe River Park, with hands-on play spaces for babies through grade school. Weekday hours end at 1pm during the school year.
A small zoo and amusement park for little kids, with gentle rides and a puppet theater.
The waterfront science museum, full of hands-on exhibits. Most are pitched at older kids, but toddlers love the water and light tables.
An aquarium, a four-story rainforest and a penguin colony under one roof. The planetarium doesn’t admit kids under 4.
A space museum among the redwoods with telescopes, a planetarium and hands-on exhibits.
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . Hours and prices change, so check the place’s own site before you go. Know a spot we missed? Tell us at hello@littlesweekly.com.
Where a family can go in Bay Area without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Bay Area.
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Oakland, 699 Bellevue AvenueChildren’s FairylandFree for kids under 1, and the rides are tiny.Kids $18Adults $20under 1
Sausalito, 557 McReynolds RoadBay Area Discovery MuseumA space just for toddlers.$25 eachunder 1Downtown San Jose, 180 Woz WayChildren’s Discovery Museum of San JoseFree for kids under 1.$22 eachunder 1Indoor
Sunset District, Sloat Blvd. at the Great HighwaySan Francisco Zoo & GardensKids under 2 get in free.Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar. For every weekly storytime by day and branch, see library storytimes in Bay Area.
Most weekday mornings, plus Saturday playtimesFree story times and playtimes at the Main Library and branches.
Schedule ↗Weekday morningsFree story times at the Main Library and neighborhood branches.
Schedule ↗Weekday morningsFree baby, toddler and family story times across the city.
Schedule ↗Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.
Wednesdays at 10:30am · Main Library Children's RoomWednesday mornings in the Main Library Children’s Room.
Storytime calendar ↗Wednesdays at 11:45am · Temescal BranchLate-morning Baby Bounce on Telegraph Avenue.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 11am · Seven TreesThursday lapsit for babies and a grown-up.
Storytime calendar ↗Tuesdays at 10:30am · BelmontSongs and rhymes, then open play.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 10:30am · Cupertino LibraryFor babies 0–12 months, with stay-and-play after.
Storytime calendar ↗Tuesdays at 12pm · Walnut CreekTuesday songs and play for babies.
Storytime calendar ↗
under 1
Admission page ↗under 1
Admission page ↗under 1
Admission page ↗Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices. For holiday and indoor rinks with season dates, prices and skate aids, see ice skating with kids in Bay Area.
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in San Francisco Bay Area right now.
Yes. Children’s Fairyland, the Bay Area Discovery Museum and the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose are all built for kids under 8.
Library story times and playtimes in every county. Most museums and zoos let babies under 1 or 2 in free.
Go indoors: San Francisco Public Library and San José Public Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.
Children’s Fairyland: Free for kids under 1, and the rides are tiny. Bay Area Discovery Museum: A space just for toddlers. Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose and San Francisco Zoo & Gardens are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose (under 1). See best for under 3s.
San Francisco Public Library: Most weekday mornings, plus Saturday playtimes. Oakland Public Library: Weekday mornings. San José Public Library: Weekday mornings. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See library storytimes, and this week’s dated sessions are on the Bay Area weekly list.
Every one of the 13 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 4 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we choose and check.
Under 1; kids 1 and up: $25; adults: $25. We checked this on its official site on Oct 29, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
One short email every Thursday evening with the five things we’d leave the house for in Bay Area.
