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Bay Area Places To Hang With Dad

Hanging out with your kids is the best feeling. Be it to the movies, going on a drive, to the beach, it doesn't matter, wherever you go with your kids, its priceless. It's the time spent together that makes it memorable, let it be a short trip or a long one...as long as they're happy, you're happy. We surveyed some awesome parents and put together the best places in the Bay Area Dads love to hang out with their kids.

AT&T Park
24 Willie Mays Plaza
San Francisco, CA
(415) 972-2000

The most frequent response by most Dad's of where they love to hang out with their kids, is to a sporting event. What better place to take your kid than to a baseball game. Especially when it's with the Oakland A's at the Coliseum or with the World Champion San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park! Now this park has it all. You can't beat catching homeruns at the bleachers or running around and underneath the huge glove at the Coca-Cola Fan Lot! And for the huge plus, you get to watch a great game with your favorite team!

Golden Gate Park Carousel
Children's Playground
320 Bowling Green Drive
San Francisco, CA 94101
(415) 831-5500

More Bay Area Carousels:
Yerba Buena Carousel (San Francisco)
Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round (Berkeley)

The Merry-Go-Round is a fixture at most theme parks, like the King Arthur Carrousel in Disneyland or the Columbia Carousel in Great America. In San Francisco, we have the Golden Gate Park Carousel, inside of Children's Playground. According to the National Carousel Association, the carousel was built in 1914 and originally called the Herschell-Spillman Carousel. It includes jumping & stationary horses, a menagerie of animals, tubs and chariots. Easy to find, it is located at the east end of the park and is open daily.

Crissy Field
1199 E Beach
Presidio
San Francisco, CA
(415) 561-7690

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the Crissy Field restoration! Once covered with asphalt and debris, Crissy Field was restored as a park, natural area, and historic site. As part of the restoration, over 100,000 native plants representing 110 species were planted or seeded around the site. Since the restoration, biologists have identified over 17 fish species and 135 bird species in the tidal marsh. Herons, egrets, ducks, gulls, and other marsh-loving wildlife abound.
Crissy Field also makes for a perfect spot to have a picnic with the kids, play catch or simply to just run around. Surrounded by the beauty in every direction, Crissy Field makes for a perfect spot to spend time with your family.

great_america
(California's Great America | Photo credit by: yelp.com)

Great America (Theme Parks)
4701 Great America Pkwy
Santa Clara, CA
(408) 988-1776

More Theme Parks:
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

No Father or parent can do no wrong than by going to California's Great America. First opened in 1976, Great America has become a tradition with families all over the Bay Area. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Great America attracts the masses with thrill rides like 'Vortex', 'Drop Tower' and classics like 'The Demon' and 'Grizzly'. Great America also caters to the very young with 'Planet Snoopy' and their very own waterpark 'Boomerang Bay.' Park open daily.

Westfield Metreon
(Westfield Metreon)

Metreon (Shopping Centers)
101 4th Street # 2045
San Francisco, CA
(415) 369-6000

More Shopping Centers:
Stonestown Galleria (San Francisco)
Hillsdale Shopping Center (San Mateo)
Santana Row (San Jose)
Stoneridge Shopping Center (Pleasanton)

Men have been stereotyped as non-shoppers, they really hate going to mall. Not true. Men love to go to the mall. Just the spending of money becomes a little uncomfortable. But for some, the mall or shopping centers (the chique terminology) has become a total haven for men, especially fathers. It's a great place to keep their kids indoors and away from the hazards of the streets and filthy playgrounds. Tam bark can get really nasty. But a mall is a place where the kids can run around, play in most shopping area play areas, safe and secured in an enclosed environment. Plus, food is just a stones throw away. And yes, mom has her 'me' time…shopping of course!

sf_zoo
(San Francisco Zoo)

San Francisco Zoo
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco, CA
(415) 753-7080

More Bay Area Zoos:
Oakland Zoo

The San Francisco Zoo is a local favorite amongst fathers. You can enjoy watching your kids as they feed the goats and sheep. Feeding times are normally posted in front. Noticeably clean and well maintained, the SF Zoo is considered a great deal amongst many Bay Area attractions. Kids love Kachina and Kiona, the SF Zoo's stars in the Grizzly Bear exhibit. They'll also love watching the penguins "fly" through the water in Penguin Island. The SF Zoo has a comfortable layout, not too big like it's behemoth counter-part in San Diego, but easier to maneuver and very educational. Open daily, 10am-5pm

California Academy Of Sciences (Museums)
55 Music Concourse Drive
(Golden Gate Park)
San Francisco, CA
(415) 379-8000

More Bay Area Museums:
The Tech Museum (San Jose)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey)

Just like the zoo, museums are a big hit with the young. The newly remodeled California Academy of Sciences is definitely a place to bring the kids. You & your family will be able to roam around the energy-efficient & green museum with complete fascination. Check out the Indoor Rain Forest, the Living Roof, visit Claude, the Albino Alligator and so much more! You & your family can rediscover the Steinhart Aquarium full of jelly-fish, anemones and rare & exotic fishes from the Philippines. Over all, you & your family will love the new California Academy of Sciences. Visit the California Academy of Sciences every 3rd Wednesdays when building admission is FREE to the public. Open 7 days a week.

House Of Air (Bounce Houses)
926 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 345-9675

More Bay Area Bounce Houses:
Bounce U (San Carlos)
Sky High Sports (Concord)

In just a short time, bounce houses has become a huge trend in children amusement. Some have taken bounce houses to the next level and made them adult size. House of Air in San Francisco is one of many to spring up all over the Bay Area. House of Air is a great place to bring the kids for an hour at $16 or 2 hours for $28. Helmets are available for children under 10 years. It's a great cardio workout too, but play in the realm of caution and safety. Otherwise, the bounce houses with Spiderman and Castles may be best at your level and still be a great place to bring the kiddies!

Mitchell's Ice Cream (Ice Cream Shops)
688 San Jose Avenue
San Francisco, CA
(415) 648-2300

More Bay Area Ice Cream Shops:
Fentons Creamery (Oakland & Vacaville)
Bi-Rite Creamery (San Francisco)

Now if you and your family were able to take on everything on this list in just one day, we applaud you! What a great Dad! Now, what better way to end the day than a visit to your local Ice Cream Shop! With the sun out warming things, cool down with a delicious and refreshing ice cream cone from Mitchell's Ice Cream in San Francisco. Located on the outskirts of the Mission/Dolores District, Mitchell's Ice Cream has been a local favorite for over 50 years. Families have enjoyed their exotic tropical flavors like Coconut Pineapple, Mango and Ube (Purple Yam). They also have the standard vanilla and chocolate, but they also have so much more! You can't go wrong with kids and ice cream! Open Daily 11:00am to 11:00pm.

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