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!