MUSEUMS:
Note: Check out Discover & Go or Museums on Us by Bank of America for ways to get a free ticket to local museums.
Bay Area Discovery Museum - Sausalito
Great museum for younger kids with lots of play opportunities.
Free the first Wednesday of the month.
California Academy of Sciences - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Unique museum with a walk through Rain Forest, Aquarium Exhibits, Planetarium, Natural History room, Living Roof, Albino Alligator, penguins and more.
Chabot Space & Science Center - Oakland
Charles M. Schulz Museum - Santa Rosa
A museum dedicated to the life and works of the Peanuts comic strip creator.
An interactive museum for children focusing on art and technology with a mission of nurturing children to learn the skills of "creativity, collaboration and communication".
Children's Discovery Museum - San Jose
Exploratorium - San Francisco:
Hands on museum that your kids will enjoy so much they won't realize they are learning.
Habitot Children's Museum - Berkeley
Hands on exhibits for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
Lawrence Hall of Science - Berkeley
Lindsay Wildlife Museum – Walnut Creek
Oakland Museum of California - Oakland
First Sunday of the Month Free
Pacific Pinball Museum - Alameda
The Tech Museum - San Jose
Lots of hands-on science and technology exhibits. Cool machine that will draw a picture of you. IMAX theater.
USS Hornet - Alameda:
ZOOS, AQUARIUMS & MORE:
Safari West - take a safari in the California Wine Country
California State Railroad Museum - take Amtrak from Martinez for an extra special ride to this great museum in Old Sacramento!
Jelly Belly Factory Tour - in Fairfield
Monterey Bay Aquarium - jellies, otters, penguins and more
Oakland Zoo (also see above for ZooLights)
San Francisco Zoo
TrainTown Railroad - Sonoma