Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids
Explore the best free & cheap things to do with kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
Hands-on science & nature exhibits. Child-oriented venue with animals like birds & turtles, plus interactive educational exhibits.
Baylands Observation Deck and Boardwalk
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Baylands Nature Preserve
Marshland with trails & bird-watching. Vast marshland with 15 mi. of trails for walking, running & biking, plus bird-watching & kayaking.
The Museum of American Heritage
Exhibitions on inventions & technology. Charming museum in a 1907 home showcasing technology & inventions from the 1750s to the 1950s.
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
Public garden & historic home. A 2.5-acre plot encompassing herb & rose gardens, a historic home, a carriage house & a tearoom.
Bedwell Bayfront Park
Oceanside park with trails & fields. Large bayside park with expansive open spaces for flying kites & several hiking trails.
Arizona Garden
Stanford University's cacti garden. Historical cacti garden with artful views & unusual plants on Stanford University grounds.
Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
Fine art museum with a sculpture garden. Classic & contemporary art museum with an outdoor sculpture garden featuring Rodin bronzes.
Mitchell Park
Recreational activities for all ages. Grassy park with tennis/handball courts, horseshoe pits, playgrounds, splash pad & a fenced dog run.
Magical Bridge Playground
Play structures around a grassy mound. Slides, swings & climbing frames around an artificial hill, plus a treehouse & bridge.
Bair Island Wildlife Refuge & Trail
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Red Morton Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Habitat for native & migrating animals. Large nature preserve housing various migrating birds, as well as native flora & fauna.
Mariposa Park
Neighborhood park with a playground. Compact, butterfly-themed park with a playground, seasonal water-play sandbox & picnic tables.
Coyote Hills Regional Park
Picnicking, hiking & biking trails. 1,266 acres of rolling hills for picnicking, bird-watching, biking, hiking & nature exploration.
Eagle Park
Grassy field, outdoor pool & playground. Community hub featuring a huge grassy field, a playground & an outdoor pool with swimming lessons.
Pioneer Memorial Park
Quaint green space with benches & paths. Small, serene park located next to the library featuring ample benches, walkways & shaded areas.
Redwood Grove Nature Preserve
Redwood forest with a boardwalk. This 6-acre Redwood forest features a boardwalk, observation decks, picnic tables & a rose garden.
Ardenwood Entrance and Tickets
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve
Woodland hiking & grassland wildflowers. 467 acres of woodlands & grasslands known for its hiking, wildflowers, bird-watching & scenic views.
Foothills Nature Preserve
1,400-acre nature preserve with trails. Miles of trails guide visitors through woodlands & fields, past streams & lakes in this vast park.
Ardenwood Historic Farm
Living museum with horse-powered farming. A working farm with a train & crops grown using historic methods, plus volunteers in period attire.
Seven Seas Park
Family-friendly recreation & a dog park. Neighborhood gathering place offering a dog park & lots of kid activities including a spray pool.
Huddart Park
Forested area with trails & picnic spots. This 900-acre, forested park offers hiking & riding trails, plus picnic areas & an archery range.
Baylands Grove
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Baylands Park
Wetlands, trails & recreation areas. Developed park of 70+ acres on San Francisco Bay with playgrounds, trails & a wetlands preserve.
Alviso Marina County Park
Popular hiking & bird-watching site. Hiking, biking & bird-watching are popular activities at this bayside park with paths & boardwalks.
Children's Natural History Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve
Hiking area featuring a working farm. Rural nature preserve with 25 miles of hiking trails, plus a working farm & a model plane launch.
Pulgas Water Temple
Scenic beaux arts monument with a pool. Beaux arts monument with a reflecting pool celebrating the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct completed in 1934.
Imagination City
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Safari Run, Sunnyvale
Visit this great place for kids and families!
California's Great America
Thrill rides & waterslides. Family-friendly theme park with thrill rides, water attractions, live entertainment & food options.
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area
Lakefront park offering water activities. Lakefront park offers 471 acres of space for picnicking, swimming, fishing & non-motorized boating.
Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center
Ecology center with exhibits & events. Ecology center offering exhibits, programs & activities relating to the region's estuary.
Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum
Park with gardens & a historic house. Small green space featuring scenic gardens & a 19th-century house open for occasional group tours.
Central Park
Land & water activities in a scenic spot. Lakeside park with a golf course, 4 playgrounds, boat rentals, a fishing area, picnic sites & paths.
Aqua Adventure Water Park
Family-friendly waterslides & pools. Recreational facility featuring waterslides, pools, swimming lessons & an on-site eatery.
California Nursery Historical Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Always Dream PlayPark
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Train of Lights
Visit this great place for kids and families!
McClellan Ranch Preserve
Former horse ranch with a nature museum. Former horse ranch from the 1930s featuring a nature museum, community garden & historic buildings.
De Anza College Planetarium
Venue for astronomy & laser shows. This large planetarium offers educational astronomy shows & entertaining laser displays.
Live Oak Park
Grass field surrounding a playground. Park grounds with a large grassy area surrounding a sand-floor playground set well off the street.
San Mateo Japanese Garden
Asian-inspired gardens with a koi pond. Spring blossoming Japanese gardens with a koi pond, pagoda & teahouse in a 16.3-acre city park.
Tennyson Park
Play area, skate park & baseball field. Public green space with amenities such as a playground, skate park, lawn & baseball field.
San Mateo Central Park
Japanese gardens & an ice-skating rink. Vibrant, 16-acre park featuring Japanese gardens, a mini train ride, playground & ice-skating rink.
Portal Park
Picnic facilities & recreation center. Small park offering a large, reservable picnic & barbecue area, playground & recreation building.
Safari Run, San Mateo
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Round1 Bowling & Arcade Southland Mall
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Washington Township Museum of Local History
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Coyote Point Recreation Area
Large playground, trails & picnic areas. Bayside park offering a sizable playground with 6 slides, as well as trails & picnic areas.
Central Park
Picnicking, a pool & recreational sports. 52-acre park with 2 playgrounds & athletic courts/fields, plus a swimming pool, picnic area & BBQs.
CuriOdyssey
Science & wildlife center for kids. Museum for kids focusing on environmental science & wildlife with indoor exhibits & an outdoor zoo.
Aardvark Beach
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Pershing Park
Neighborhood park with a playground. Tree-dotted neighborhood open space with a playground, basketball courts & a picnic area.
Washington Park
Playground, ball fields & courts. City park with baseball & soccer fields, tennis & basketball courts, plus a playground.
Kennedy Park
Green space with many amenities for kids. Big, popular park with a playground, petting zoo & train, plus greenery, trails & picnic areas.
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
3,000 mountain acres for recreation. Vast mountain preserve popular for biking, hiking, horseback riding, R/C flying and hang-gliding.
The Escape Game San Jose
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Immersive Gamebox - San Jose, Santa Clara
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Japanese Gardens
Tranquil botanical garden with teahouse. This 3+-acre botanical garden features traditional Japanese arrangements, a teahouse & a koi pond.
Meek Park
Mansion grounds with gardens & play area. Landscaped grounds of a historic mansion with play structures, picnic space with grills & open lawn.
City of Burlingame Shorebird Sanctuary
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
Exhibits featuring mummies & artifacts. Museum with displays on Egyptian burial practices, plus artifacts including jewelry & bronze tools.
Village Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Washington Manor Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Marina Park
Shoreline park with mile-long trail. 30-acre park along the shore with picnic tables, a mile-long workout trail & large group shelters.
Rotary PlayGarden
Accessible children's playground. Interactive & accessible children's playground with slides, climbing equipment & seating areas.
Bayfront Park
Waterside park for airport watching. Small bayside park next to the airport, with a walking trail & benches for watching the planes land.
Other Things to See
Best Sports & Fitness Activities for Kids
Explore the best best sports & fitness activities for kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Top Public Schools & School Districts
Explore the best top public schools & school districts options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best After-School Programs & Activities
Explore the best best after-school programs & activities options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants & Cafes
Explore the best best kid-friendly restaurants & cafes options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Language Classes for Children
Explore the best language classes for children options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Parks for Outdoor Fun
Explore the best best parks for outdoor fun options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Music Lessons & Performing Arts Programs
Explore the best music lessons & performing arts programs options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Things to Do with Kids at Night
Explore the best things to do with kids at night options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Things to Do with Toddlers
Explore the best things to do with toddlers options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Top Private Schools for Kids
Explore the best top private schools for kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Tutoring Centers & Academic Support
Explore the best best tutoring centers & academic support options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Family-Friendly Attractions
Explore the best best family-friendly attractions options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Unique & Hidden Gem Activities for Families
Explore the best unique & hidden gem activities for families options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Places for Birthday Parties
Explore the best best places for birthday parties options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails & Nature Walks
Explore the best kid-friendly hiking trails & nature walks options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Kids Camps & Summer Programs
Explore the best best kids camps & summer programs options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Indoor Play Areas for Kids
Explore the best best indoor play areas for kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Theaters & Live Shows for Kids
Explore the best best theaters & live shows for kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Camping Spots & Outdoor Adventures
Explore the best best camping spots & outdoor adventures options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Top Amusement Parks & Fun Centers
Explore the best top amusement parks & fun centers options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Museums & Educational Spots for Kids
Explore the best best museums & educational spots for kids options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Water Parks & Splash Pads
Explore the best best water parks & splash pads options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Sports Leagues & Youth Athletics
Explore the best best sports leagues & youth athletics options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Science Centers & Discovery Zones
Explore the best best science centers & discovery zones options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Best Zoos, Aquariums & Animal Encounters
Explore the best best zoos, aquariums & animal encounters options for kids and families in East Palo Alto
Explore More Activities
Discover more events and activities happening in the city.