Best Family-Friendly Attractions
Explore the best best family-friendly attractions options for kids and families in San Carlos
Stafford Park
Open space for picnicking & play. Small community park with picnic tables, playground equipment & a separate play area for toddlers.
Laurie Meadows Park
Large lawn with a path & a playground. Bordered by a path, this 7.5-acre park features a lawn with a softball backstop & a playground.
Paddock Park
Lawned local park with a playground. Small neighborhood park with a modern playground, lawns, picnic tables & restrooms.
Filoli Historic House & World-Class Garden
Historical estate & botanic garden. An early-20th-century country estate & botanic garden, open for docent-led tours.
Laurelwood Park
Hiking trails to Sugarloaf Mountain. The city's largest park (225 acres) offers trails leading to Sugarloaf Mountain & scenic picnicking.
Mariners Island Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
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.
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.
Flood Park
Oak-filled park with a baseball field. Green space with many oak & bay trees, plus a baseball field, tennis courts & several picnic areas.
Seal Point Park
Bayfront windsurfing area with dog park. Waterfront area featuring windsurfing, a biking trail, dog park & outdoor classrooms led by rangers.
Ryder Park
A playground, splash pad & picnic area. Neighborhood park with striking, modern picnic pavilions, BBQs, a playground & seasonal splash pad.
Coyote Point Recreation Area
Large playground, trails & picnic areas. Bayside park offering a sizable playground with 6 slides, as well as trails & picnic areas.
CuriOdyssey
Science & wildlife center for kids. Museum for kids focusing on environmental science & wildlife with indoor exhibits & an outdoor zoo.
The Museum of American Heritage
Exhibitions on inventions & technology. Charming museum in a 1907 home showcasing technology & inventions from the 1750s to the 1950s.
Washington Park
Playground, ball fields & courts. City park with baseball & soccer fields, tennis & basketball courts, plus a playground.
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.
Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
Hands-on science & nature exhibits. Child-oriented venue with animals like birds & turtles, plus interactive educational exhibits.
Rinconada Cultural Park
Public swimming, sports & playground. City's 19-acre park with live oaks & redwoods, hosting a swimming pool, playground & sports fields.
Village Park
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.
Byxbee Park
Public park with earthworks & art. Birdwatching, cycling & walking are popular at this park with sculpted earth & conceptual art.
Coyote Hills Regional Park
Picnicking, hiking & biking trails. 1,266 acres of rolling hills for picnicking, bird-watching, biking, hiking & nature exploration.
Magical Bridge Playground
Play structures around a grassy mound. Slides, swings & climbing frames around an artificial hill, plus a treehouse & bridge.
Shoreline Park
Park with a golf course, lake & trails. Park with a golf course, a lake with boat rentals, walking/biking trails & a Victorian house museum.
Junipero Serra Park
Park with impressive views of city & bay. Park offering picnic areas, a creek & walking trails plus scenic views of the city, bay & mountains.
Shoup Park
Play areas, a teen center & event spaces. This 4-acre community gathering place features a playground, drop-in teen center & rentable venues.
Mariposa Park
Neighborhood park with a playground. Compact, butterfly-themed park with a playground, seasonal water-play sandbox & picnic tables.
Frontierland Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Pioneer Memorial Park
Quaint green space with benches & paths. Small, serene park located next to the library featuring ample benches, walkways & shaded areas.
Lakeshore Park
Waterfront area with fishing & trails. Spacious park surrounding a lake, featuring walking trails & fishing.
Cuesta Park
Public green space for active locals. With wide-open spaces & shaded parts, this park has a playground, tennis courts & BBQ facilities.
Kennedy Park
Green space with many amenities for kids. Big, popular park with a playground, petting zoo & train, plus greenery, trails & picnic areas.
Sánchez Adobe Park
Adobe home on a former mission outpost. This 19th-century adobe home on a former mission outpost offers tours & living-history programs.
Sign Hill Park
Open space with short hiking trails. A 30-acre hilltop preserve featuring several short hiking trails & habitat for birds & butterflies.
Meek Park
Mansion grounds with gardens & play area. Landscaped grounds of a historic mansion with play structures, picnic space with grills & open lawn.
Alta Loma Park
Park with tennis & basketball courts. Open city park with a basketball & tennis court, playing fields & a playground.
Garin Regional Park
Hills, fields, streams & farming history. This natural area with hills, fields & streams houses a seasonal visitor center on ranching history.
Seven Seas Park
Family-friendly recreation & a dog park. Neighborhood gathering place offering a dog park & lots of kid activities including a spray pool.
Sam's Castle
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.
California Nursery Historical Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Carlos Bee Park
Secluded spot for play & picnics. Small, tucked away park offering a playground, barbecue & picnic shelter with many tables.
Baylands Park
Wetlands, trails & recreation areas. Developed park of 70+ acres on San Francisco Bay with playgrounds, trails & a wetlands preserve.
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.
Oakland Aviation Museum
Display aircraft & historical exhibits. Museum housing an extensive aircraft collection & various aviation exhibits in a historic hangar.
Serra Park
Tennis courts, ball fields & open lawns. Nature area with tennis courts, ball fields, playground & picnic areas, plus manicured & open space.
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.
Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum
Center promoting local history & culture. Local-history museum with rotating exhibits in a replica home of the area's founding family.
Aqua Adventure Water Park
Family-friendly waterslides & pools. Recreational facility featuring waterslides, pools, swimming lessons & an on-site eatery.
Always Dream PlayPark
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Lake Chabot Regional Park
Scenic park for hikes, boating & fishing. Parkland featuring a 315-acre reservoir for canoeing & fishing, plus trails, picnic areas & a cafe.
Mussel Rock Park
Coastal park with scenic vistas & trails. Known for its rocky coastline, this park boasts sandy beaches, scenic ocean vistas & hiking trails.
California's Great America
Thrill rides & waterslides. Family-friendly theme park with thrill rides, water attractions, live entertainment & food options.
Five Canyons Park
Green parkland with miles of trail loops. Over 300 acres of lush outdoor space, offering hiking trails with canyons, scenic views & wildlife.
Cupertino Memorial Park
Vibrant park with a baseball diamond. Big, popular park featuring a baseball field, tennis courts & amphitheater, plus various festivals.
Linda Vista Park
Small park with 2 playgrounds & lawns. Small recreation space with grassy fields, children's play equipment & a picnic area.
Explore More Activities
Discover more events and activities happening in San Carlos.