Orinda Attractions. Orinda Tourism and kids attractions

Circuits: Get your party on Any reason is a good reason to throw a party, but every year, the When, Where and How of party planning can prove to be the trickiest part. Circuits in Alameda is a great discovery, the kind one parent happily recommends to another. It’s not a crazy, overcrowded Chuck E. Cheese, but a convenient party rental space where the kids can unleash all their energy and the parents don’t have to worry about a thing. Read More >>

Morcom Rose Garden: An Oakland Oasis On the cusp of the Oakland-Piedmont border, the 30’s-era Morcom Rose Garden is a pleasant walk from the shops of Grand Avenue. The park is dedicated to mothers, and the rose garden here is a great place to set the little ones loose. Enclosed on all sides within a formal, path-strewn landscape covered with flower beds, the rose garden is an easy place to keep new walkers close while relaxing on a park bench. Thousands of roses are in bloom from Mother’s Day through the end of October. Read More >>

Habitot Children’s Museum: Time to get messy! Parents love it when their kids can get their creative energies flowing, whether it’s with watercolors or simply water. Sometimes, they just wish it wasn’t on their living room carpet. That’s where a place like Habitot saves the day. Read More >>

Studio Grow: Drop-in play for Berkeley-area preschoolers What springs to mind with the enchanting words, “Story Time,” “Music Time,” and “Parachute Time”? No doubt it is the sparkling image of children, all of them having a blast and actively engaged. Studio Grow in Berkeley was created by educators whose goal is to encourage this level of participation and engagement in children, time and again. Why else would they offer Story Time, Music Time, and Parachute Time each weekday in their nifty little play space? Read More >>

Bay kayaking: Where to paddle in paradise Thanks to a climate conducive to outdoor activity in all four seasons and an outdoor sports-mad populace, kayaking in San Francisco Bay has been popular for decades. Fortunately you don’t need to invest in another big piece of sports equipment to cram into the garage to take up kayaking. Not just tourists, but many locals regularly rent kayaks at seven locations on San Francisco, Richardson and Tomales Bays; Corte Madera Creek and the Pacific Ocean. Read More >>

Cable Cars: Halfway to the stars (and a cable car museum) If you’ve ever tried walking or even driving up San Francisco’s steepest hills, you know that even today, cable cars fill a need. But they’re also an exhilarating blast of fun, whatever your age, especially if you sit on or stand above the outward-facing benches on the edges of the cars. Read More >>

Asian Art Museum: 2,500 treasures from India to Indonesia The Asian Art Museum is an architectural masterpiece — and the repository of one of the largest collections of Asian art in the Western world. Inside the Beaux-Arts edifice, amid marble columns, bas-relief embellishments, vaulted ceilings and inverted skylights, is no less than the story of the Asian continent as told by thousands of years of art. Read More >>

The Exploratorium: A carnival for curious kids As the name suggests, the Exploratorium is a place where kids can explore and learn. Since opening in 1969 it’s been a “must” field trip for Bay Area schoolchildren, but far from being boring, this science museum puts the fun in learning—not just for kids, but the adults who bring them. Read More >>

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Family thrills down on the boardwalk They don’t make amusement parks like this anymore. Oh, sure, there are modern theme parks with scarier rides, but the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has charm, history, a huge beach and a unique mix of rides and attractions for all ages. Read More >>

RocketBoat: Are you ready to rumble? Many vessels prowl San Francisco Bay, but none are even remotely like the RocketBoat. Fast? Sure, it hits a top speed of 50 mph. But better than fast, it’s FUN in ALL CAPS, with lots of weaving, swerving and U-turn “donuts,” much of it around the bay’s slower boats. And the entire half-hour, open-air ride is accompanied by a loud, classic rock-and-roll soundtrack. Read More >>