Muir Woods National Monument

We hadn't been here in years! Before we had kids, this was one of our favorite places to take family and friends when they came to visit us. It was really inexpensive and was just a good way to give visitors a taste of the redwoods. It used to be only a $2 entrance fee, now the price has gone up to $5. Still affordable, but thats quite a jump in price! Anyway, we decided to bring my husband's grandma here since she hadn't been to California before. It was still a great place to visit, but a little trickier with the kids....for some reason, although it is an outdoor park, it was so quiet and our kids aren't quiet! So we had a bit of a hard time keeping the noise level down as it seemed like everyone was trying to enjoy the quietness. The walking paths here are pretty level and best if you have a jogging stroller, although a regular stroller would work just fine. Again, the redwoods are just amazing and there is a ton of history in this park as it was declared the 10th national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. There is also a nice stream running through this park which is fun to watch. It gets pretty busy on the weekends and especially in the summer at this park, so be aware of that. Parking can be an issue. Stinson Beach is right nearby which is also a good stop.
There was a Dad here with his 3 young active boys, so it was good to see that we weren't the only ones with little ones, but it was still a bit awkward. I felt sorry for the Dad as you could tell he was a little worn out and these boys were just all over the place. We didn't stay as long as we might have before, but we still had a nice time and it did get pretty cool so be sure to bring jackets.

Mt. Diablo State Park

So I hadn't been to Mt. Diablo for years and when we had family visit, we decided to head up the hill! One thing to keep in mind: if you are scared of heights, this is probably not the place for you! I did not remember how high up this park goes and how steep the drive is! There is a $9 fee to enter the park if you don't have a park pass, so that is also something to keep in mind. I've heard that Rock City is a good place to take the kids to go rock climbing and my husband has taken the kids there, but this time we just drove about halfway up the hill to Copper Peak. There was a great flat path that we followed for a little ways. I'd like to take the kids back to just kinda spend the day and wander around. This is a fabulous place to go in the winter as there isn't much shade; just a great wide open space to get lost in and discover!

Oakland Zoo

Ok, so this one is kinda obvious, but I cannot emphasize how wonderful the Oakland Zoo is, especially in the winter!!! If you have children under the age of 5, I would definitely recommend getting a family pass. Its totally worth the money. The Oakland Zoo has reciprocity with other cool places like the Lindsey Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, so you can definitely put that pass to good use.
So we hadn't been to the zoo in months, and my playgroup leader put it on the calendar and I was ecstatic! It had been kinda rainy, but we decided to go anyway and I was so glad we did! I hadn't really been to the zoo in the spring and it was just gorgeous! There were flowers blooming everywhere! What else was so great was that there was hardly anyone there. We pretty much had the place to ourselves. This zoo is great because the kids can get up close and see the animals really well. The giraffes are my favorite, but the lions, elephants, tigers, and alligators are cool too. The children's play area is perfect for kids to climb and explore. The hills also give everyone a good workout and are sure to tire everyone out which is always a plus.
The rides at the zoo are always a blast. During the winter not all the rides are open, but the kids don't seem to mind. The price has gone up a quarter since we had been there, but I give my kids a limit and we stay within that limit, or we'd be there all day! What was so cool about this day in particular was that there was so little activity that we got to ride a couple of rides for free! The workers just let us on which was really cool. I wouldn't go expecting this, but just be aware. A "bonus" of going during the off season. Of course, during the summer there is more activity, but going during the winter definitely has its pluses! Enjoy!