25 Best Things to Do With Kids in Berkeley

Kid Favorites By the Berkeley Waterfront

West Berkeley is that glorious stretch of the Bay that has views of San Francisco, walking paths, and birds. Slightly inland, you’ll find the flats with shops and great places to eat.

1. Berkeley’s most unique playground, the Adventure Playground has a zip line and the tools and freedom to build structures. Wear close-toed shoes. Open on weekends.
2. Cesar Chavez Park. Find a three-bridge view as you enjoy the miles of walking and biking paths. Fly a kite! It’s almost always windy so you can practice your kite-flying skills year-round.
3. Bird watching on the shore. The Berkeley Marina is a prime location for third graders to collect data for the annual Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Count. Shorebird Park is great for little kids, and the small beach just down from the playground is fun for finding little crabs at low tide.
4. Sailing at the Berkeley Marina. Your family try Cal Sailing Club’s monthly Open House to get a feel for the sport. It can get crowded in the summer, but still super fun.
5. Walk or bike the Bay Trail from Emeryville, through Berkeley, to the Richmond Marina. This path offers great views along the water’s edge the whole way. Best for more experienced bikers.
6. Take a tour of Berkeley’s world-famous bagel factory, Boichik Bagels in West Berkeley. Free tours are on Saturday mornings. Fun fact: Boichik founder, Emily, is a Berkwood Hedge alum.

Downtown Berkeley & the Cal Campus

Central Berkeley and the UC Berkeley Campus have more great things for little ones to do. Look at the different architecture, dabble in the creek, and climb trees. Curl up with a large pile of books or visit the coolest art museum for free.

7. Central Library –  The elevator has giant kick buttons kids love. With a giant children’s section, storytime, and artist-led sessions, the big library is the best free destination in town. Check the schedule.
8. Go to the Symphony for FREE! The Berkeley Symphony welcomes all K-12 Students to their Symphonic Series Concerts free of charge. Adult tickets are only $15. Purchase here >
9. The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) has a variety of family events with frequent hands-on, drop-in art workshops. Kids and their accompanying adults are FREE.
10. The UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (free for children under 6) has native plants, lizards, and spiders
11. Take a ride up (or walk up!) the Campanile Bell Tower  (open daily, hours vary) and visit the Cal Falcons. Kids 2 and under are free. Bell tower tunes play hourly.
12. Enjoy a show at Zellerbach Hall. Cal Performances hosts some great programming for families, including acrobatic dance performances and a recent sing-along concert to Encanto.
13. Cheer on Cal at a family-friendly sporting event! Football (fall), Baseball games (spring), soccer (home games start in August), or basketball games are loads of fun. Check the Women’s Hoops schedule for Kids Days. Find out more about Cal sporting events for kids to enjoy >>
14. Lawrence Hall of Science. High in the hills above campus, your little ones won’t want to miss the outdoor nature lab not to mention all the great science exhibits, simple machine investigations, outdoor stream, and double helix climber.

Find more fun things to do with children at Cal >>

Family Favorites from Berkwood Hedge

Berkwood Hedge School is a leader in social and environmental justice issues with a hands-on curriculum that promotes deep and intuitive learning. In addition to our Berkeley favorites, the staff and families at Berkwood Hedge suggested some more.

• Best Slide: Codornices Park – The 40-foot-long concrete slide is the fastest around!
• Best for Mixed Ages and Abilities: San Pablo Park – with separate areas for big and little kids to play, large fields, sports courts, and features designed to increase accessibility for children of all abilities, San Pablo Park is a favorite for families with multiple children.
• Favorite Book Shop: Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts Bookstore is a Berkwood Hedge School favorite. Stop by for the latest staff and customer recommendations and stay for their regular author visits.
• Favorite Toy Store: Mr. Mopps’ Toys and Books specializes in unique, hard-to-find toys that inspire creativity (owned by Berkwood Hedge alum, Devon).
• Easy, Fun Party Spot: Victory Point Cafe. Families love to host gatherings and birthday parties at this board game cafe with full menu for their game-loving friends.
• Favorite Challenging Hike: The Claremont Canyon Trail starts behind the Claremont Resort & Club and climbs the Berkeley Hills to Stonewall Panoramic Ridge. This challenging climb provides a spectacular view
• Favorite Lunch Stop: Vik’s Chaat is a favorite lunch stop after a morning ride or walk at the Marina. Great Indian street food and tasty mango lassis with a bustling market and plenty of seating! Oaktown Nursery is across the street, wander around while waiting for food.
• Go-To-Treat: Almare Gelato is an old-school gelateria right downtown by the YMCA. They make their gelato daily and have amazing coffee and dairy-free treats.
• Best Deli: Saul’s Restaurant and Delicatessen – Berkwood Hedge families love this New York-style deli with a Berkeley ethos—locally sourced bread, meat, and produce make it a special experience!

Find More Places to Play in Berkeley

In no particular order, we love living in Berkeley and take regular advantage of these local treasures.

15. Tilden Park  has many incredible features from a working farm to a miniature railroad and acres of wilderness, hiking trails, and biking paths. You’ll also find a 100-year-old carousel, a botanical garden packed with California native plants, and stunning wildflowers in season. Find more free & cheap things to do with kids in Tilden Park >>
16. Find an awesome playground around town. There are so many fun Berkeley playgrounds. And of course, you must try one of the iconic cement slides.
17. Explore a creek. There are at least five creeks running through Berkeley depending on the season. The most accessible creeks are Codornices and Strawberry Creek. Live Oak Park surrounds its creek and is a block away from the North Shattuck area (formerly Gourmet Ghetto). Grab a pizza from Cheeseboard and have lunch by the creek.
18. Scramble up Indian Rock Park (just off the Arlington and up from the Fountain) is a favorite place for families to climb on the rock formations, have a picnic, or take in the amazing sunsets. Find the “secret staircases” hidden paths, and rock parks throughout the neighborhoods of the Berkeley hills. The Berkeley Path Wanderers Association has them mapped for you to explore.
19. Go Swimming: Berkeley has a bunch of great pools, from West Campus to King Pool, and of course the beautiful Strawberry Canyon Pool up on campus.

20. Ride your trikes and bikes along the Ohlone Greenway. The Ohlone Greenway is a wide, safe sidewalk that runs along or under the BART tracks, from Ohlone Park in North Berkeley to the Richmond Greenway.
21. Check out the wildlife indoors. Kid favorites are Your Basic Bird on College (parrots, cockatoos, and finches!) and the East Bay Vivarium (turtles, snakes, and frogs!). Don’t bring balloons inside – they scare the animals. Wander around Fourth Street when you’ve had your fill of snakes.
22. Ashkenaz, Berkeley’s cultural center for world music and dance, offers classes for children and youth, and performance events for kids! The Gilman District also has lots to offer families, from a skate park and soccer fields, to paint your own pottery and family-friendly restaurants.
23. Live Oak Park is an expansive place for outdoor running around right near the North Shattuck food shops and restaurants. Climb a tree, splash in a creek, and enjoy the best food around.
24. Dance on over to La Peña. Your kiddo will love the kids’ sing-alongs, dance classes, and workshops. They also have performances for the whole family at this beloved Berkeley institution.
25. Find all 80 murals in Berkeley. Yes, there are that many! You can see them pictured here. Think of it as a treasure hunt. While you’re at it, check out Quirky Berkeley by Tom Dalzell for even more artistic gems hidden in Berkeley.

Upcoming Events for Berkeley Kids

Thank you again to Berkwood Hedge School, for sponsoring our guide to Berkeley family favorites.

Berkwood Hedge Locations

Lower School (K to 4th): 1809 Bancroft Way Berkeley CA 94703
Middle School (5th to 8th): 1798 Scenic Ave Berkeley CA 94709