Nothing can burn a whole day with kids like a beach. Luckily this weekend we were close to Santa Cruz and so, with grandparents, we headed to the sand. Santa Cruz is well-known for its boardwalk. Frankly with young kids who likely don’t meet the height requirement for any ride there, I was hesitant to go within viewing distance of any roller coaster. There are other beaches to choose from, but since our...

The Tech Museum has more exhibits than we had time to see. All of this, plus a free IMAX movie which comes with your price of admission, makes it a great way to spend several hours in downtown San Jose. There are two parking garages nearby that you can get validation on your ticket at the front desk of the museum.  The younger kids should start on the lower level. You can get there by stairs and escalator,...

Deer Hollow is a 150 year old farm in Mountain View that still stands to connect kids and adults to the environment. There are rabbits, goats, pigs, sheep, and a cow to view. You can bring a picnic, but you must carry your trash out as there are no garbage cans.  Deer Hollow Farm is located in the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, nestled in the foothills of Los Altos. As there is no address that I can...

The Children’s Discovery Museum is my favorite place to go in San Jose. The building itself stands out and is easy to find. Parking is across the street under the freeway. When you enter you are greeted with a (nearly) life- sized fire truck that you can climb on, an intersection with actual stop lights and crosswalk, and an ambulance that you can also climb through.  There is a whole section on bubbles,...

This Los Gatos park sits near a stocked lake where my husband says he learned to fish.  There is a historic carousel, a train you can ride on, and a water play area. Map powered by MapPressCloseClose Share / Save / Send