This tour offers enough activities to fill multiple days, with meals, shopping, and side trips. Thanks for joining us on a few days of fun in Rockridge!
The first stop on our tour of kid-friendly Rockridge is Market Hall. The bakery has amazing chocolate chip cookies for a little pick-me-up, or pizza by the slice makes a great lunch for kids and adults alike. Don’t forget to order an espresso drink at Highwire Coffee, which sits next to the bakery. If you’re struggling with meal prep, check out the refrigerated case of prepared foods – great for new parents.
Stop by the floral department at Safeway and pick up a balloon to tie around your little one’s wrist. ($1.49!) Then head down to the Rockridge Branch Library and borrow a copy of Emily’s Balloon by Komako Sakai. Take a moment to remember the pure joy of balloons through the eyes of children.
Pop into Bella Vita for a look at a great selection of adorable children’s clothes, toys, and accessories. (And great women’s clothes too!)
Spend a few hours at the FROG park with a picnic lunch. In the hottest weather, the shallow stream will be “swimming” with bare-footed kids, cooling off under the shade of the trees. I recommend wearing a pair of water shoes or flip-flops in the stream to protect sensitive feet from the rocks at the bottom. Stash an extra towel in the car in case you get wetter than expected!
Pay a visit to Pegasus Books and pick up a copy of Cars and Trucks and Things that Go by Richard Scarry. Read it on a BART ride from the Rockridge station to SF’s Powell Street Station. Then jump on a cable car! (PRO TIP: do this on a weekday to avoid the crowds on the cable cars)
If you’re not ready to head into the city, simply dawdle at the entrance to the Rockridge Bart station. There are rocks to climb on and an escalator that you can go up and down!
One of the best East Bay farmer’s markets is in the DMV parking lot on Sundays. Be sure to visit Tomatero Farm for amazing deals on organic bunched greens in the cooler weather and her fantastic strawberries in the summer. There is almost always live music as well. Sit down with the kids to enjoy it while you munch on your fresh goodies.
Kevin the peacock lives on Oak Grove, the street that crosses College Avenue next to Trader Joe’s. He’s lived there for 3 years and roams wild, climbing up a huge tree at sunset to sleep. If you get lucky, you might spot him!
Dinner at the Ramen Shop (5812 College Ave.) is a favorite for many families. PRO TIP: We get there when they open at 5 pm to be seated quickly. We love their kids’ ramen bowls and also their fried rice and rice bowls. The food always comes out quickly which is perfect for our “window of patience” when dining with the kiddos. A new parklet offers outside seating, too.
Other (510) Families Faves in Rockridge
The readers in our Facebook group named these favorite finds in Rockridge.
- Cole Hardware is fun to browse, look at the toys and gifts and all the paint chip colors
- Bird and Bean sells adorable apparel and gifts
- A tiny ten manicure/pedicure at Saunders and James followed by a “fancy” meal at Wood Tavern (they have a perfect nosh menu between lunch and dinner on weekends!)
- See’s Candies gives out free samples
- Oori Rice Triangles make for a portable, kid-friendly snack
- Some families love refilling household supplies at ReUp. One reader says, “My four-year-old gets six gummy bears as a reward for helping pour, measure etc. They even brought out the ladder once so she could reach items stored up high.”
- Kumon offers after-school reading and math programs
- Bad Walters ice cream store
- East Bay Booksellers has a delightful collection of books for kids and teens
- Boba Guys and Rare Teas both sell milk tea drinks are fun for older kids and teens
- Rockridge Cafe is a classic diner for families, and they hand out coloring sheets to pass the time.
[All photos by Whitney Moss unless otherwise mentioned; all rights reserved]
