Lake Merritt and Children’s Fairyland
add photos29 Reviews for Lake Merritt and Children’s Fairyland
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00 families found this helpful
"Dilapidated- Needs TLC"
I was SO excited to take my son here. I was picturing a mini Disneyland. This was entirely the opposite of Disneyland. The themes and ideas are creative and cute, however, the themepark is very dilapidated and in dire need of a facelift. Some of the key boxes do not work and I was EXTREMELY disappointed when I went into the giftshop. They were selling books for $35+. I felt that at the end of the day, we spent far more money than the excitement my child got out of the trip.
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'11, '12
0 families found this helpful
"Cute for the Little Ones"
This is a cute amusement park for kids 5 and under. Everything is their size. The rides are not scary at all. They have puppet shows everyday and a nice party area. Everything is storybook related. My kids loved that they could point out which ride went with which fairytale. They loved playing in the little steeple and the 3 little pigs house. Very cute and inexpensive.
0 families found this helpful
"Fairyland"
This place is bittersweet for me. It brings back tons of childhood memories, I used to go here with my grandma when I was young. However, it just isn't that great of a place anymore for my children. They didn't really enjoy it as much as I thought. This place was great when i was little but it just didnt have the same appeal for my children. The attractions are run down, they do have a small train that my little girl loved. Older children might like some of the newer attractions but not any older than 10.
0 families found this helpful
"Great for young kids"
You have to buy your kids these colored keys. Once they get the key they can turn the key in the box and unlock the story to the fairytale they are visiting. This is a really fun place to take little kids who are just getting to know their fairytales. I still remember all of the fun :-)
0 families found this helpful
"So playful!!"
i went here a couple of times when i was a kid, and i recently took my daughter here, and she loved it. theres so many fun and authentic things and it makes you feel like a kid again, and your kids will love it as well!! I would recommend taking younger kids as older ones might not enjoy it as much, but, hey, they might, its pretty dang fun!!!!
0 families found this helpful
"Cute amusement park for preschoolers"
My daughter really enjoyed this amusement park. The park has quite a lot to offer: some cool slides, animals (i.e. goats, sheep, rabbits, etc.), a scheduled puppet show, rides for the little ones, etc.
Overall, the park is OK priced (I think it was $7 per person) and we spent there about 2 hours. My daughter had a blast inside the Alice's in Wonderland house. She kept running through it over and over.
Overall, it's a very cute amusement park. I would not go there very often because there is a limited amount of things to do for the kids, but it's definitely a treat we will have once in a while.
0 families found this helpful
"Fairyland - Fairytales, puppets and more"
The park is located on the shore of Lake Merritt at Grand Avenue and Bellevue. There is lots of entertainment for the kids including puppet shows, storytelling, plenty of rides, a petting zoo and much more. This is an ideal park for kids 3-7. Kids under 2 don't have a lot of ride options and older kids might get bored.
Parking can be scarce so be sure to come early. There is no parking fee on the weekdays, only on weekends ($2).
The admission fee is $7/person for ages 1 and up. If you have a group of 10 people coming you can get a group day pass for $60. The group pass is a little complicated because each pass is for 10 people, not more. For example, if you have more than ten but less than 20, you get the discount for the first 10 but have to pay regular price for the additional people. They should have a discount for any number over 10 but for some reason they don't.
For more info about the park, visit: www.fairyland.org
0 families found this helpful
"Children's Fairyland"
I took my 15 month old to Children's Fairyland for the first time. I had never been there before but I heard good things about it. I thought there would be more rides for us to ride. There were only 2, the train and a small carousel. The other rides they had were for kids that were older and can ride by themselves without their parent. Overall this is a good place to take the kids for a stroll. We bought the magic key so we could listen to the Nursery Rhymes when you put it on the box.
1 family found this helpful
"Great place for those with small children"
Fairyland is a park centered around nursery rhymes and fairy tales. There are many dioramas through out the park with speaker boxes that tell the rhyme or story when activated by a turn of a key (available for purchase in the gift shop) There are rides and the ever popular dragon slide. The puppet shows are a must see. I recommend the park for 8 and under.
0 families found this helpful
"Children's Fairyland"
I took my daughter here last year. It was a very nice peaceful day. Things were being painted and refurbished, so I would like to go back. She loved the bunnies the best and being able to run around. Alexis and another little boy ran around at the entrance and played with the bubbles floating around.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun escape from fast paced city life!"
So much for the kids to explore! This is a small place, so it works well for the kids to explore out of the stroller. The key used to play stories can also be used at the Oakland Zoo! Lake Merritt's close proximity makes for a great transition for heading home. The kids especially loved the little shore area...the water is calm and very shallow.
1 family found this helpful
"Children's Fairyland"
As a four-year-old girl, my mother took me here; now 37, I find myself returning to this magical, just-right playland with my four-year-old son.
Not exactly fancy, and slightly rundown, Children's Fairyland provides just enough fun for my son. From the moment you enter through the giant boot, you know you're in a special place. My son's eyes light up again and again each time we visit this destination. Tickets under $10, this is a far-cry from other amusement parks, such as Six Flags or Gilroy Gardens. My son enjoys riding on the pastel-colored trolley, which goes back and forth down a short route two times, then he is off to the little ferris wheel, often wanting to ride it "just one more time." He enjoys feeding pellets to the goats, and likes the rabbits and the ducks. Another cool spot is the Alice in Wonderland tunnel, where my son enters through a small toddler-sized slide, then we run through the cave-like tunnel, replete with old mural paintings of the accompanying story, and exit through a poker-card maze.
Our favorite part of Fairyland is the elaborate puppet show. We have watched 'The Fisherman and His Wife,' 'Hansel and Gretel,' as well as many other childhood stories here. Recently, a newly-remodeled area where children's plays are shown, has been put into place. When my son and I come here, we are always sure to partake in the lunch area, where we can grab a hot dog, or chicken nuggets, or even cotton candy!
I've heard that Walt Disney himself was inspired to build Disneyland based on his visit to Fairyland. Every time I visit Disneyland, I am reminded of his original inspiration. Not to be missed if you are visiting the Bay Area, or just live here and have never gone.
0 families found this helpful
"Good for smaller children"
I went with my children when they were toddlers and they really enjoyed it. They went again when they were older and not so much that time....
The area around the Fairyland is a really nice area and you can take a nice walk around the lake after your visit to the park.
1 family found this helpful
"A fun afternoon for younger kids"
We got the opportunity to go here with grandma a few years back. It is a neat little place, but definitely suited to younger kids. I think 7 and under would really enjoy it.
You will want to arrive fairly early as parking fills up quickly. There is free parking, though, near the entrance of the park. You can bring a picnic lunch in the park, as well, so if you are looking for a cheap outing, this is a good bet.
The park is themed around different fairy tales. There are a few "rides" and lots of play areas. Some of the rides are only for taller kids, so be sure you prep your kid in advance that they may not be able to go on everything - especially if your kid is as short as mine. Otherwise, the kids will have fun exploring and running through the play areas. There is a cool western-themed area where the kids can run up and down the buildings and play saloon, sheriff and bank if they want. Very fun.
There are food stands inside with fairly inexpensive food (by theme park standards), but the lines are terribly slow. Don't wait until you're very hungry if you are going to be buying food - and go at an off time to avoid even bigger crowds.
All in all, my kids really enjoyed the park. They keep asking grandma if they can go back.
1 family found this helpful
"Run and Explore"
Oh my, I am so glad to have found such an amazing place in the area. It is well hidden - at least from all the people that I know :)
My son did not stop running around and trying every single thing: he was on the train ride 3 times, climbed in the old town several time, went into the whales mouth I don't know how many times :) it was great to watch him enjoy like that.
The park is probably appropriate for kids up to 7 and my son is 2 and a half. It is most definitely worth the trip to Oakland and the park is scenic so you can go on a picnic or just enjoy the view.
1 family found this helpful
"For the younger crowd"
I used to love going here as a child myself, its still the exact same as when i was little. They could definitely use a lot of upgrades, its fun for a little while. The younger crowd i feel would appreciate it best. They have rides, train etc. And sometimes if your lucky they will have their puppet show, which is quite cute!
2 families found this helpful
"Children's Fairyland is missing its magic"
The exhibits show their age, the facility is small, and every family we encountered was cranky. There's usually at least one fun thing about every outing we go on, but the only highlight we found here was leaving. Our 2 year old son was bored, didn't find much to interest him, and we weren't particularly interested in trying to engage him in the dull and aging exhibits. Other children appeared bored, and they and their families didn't seem to want to be there either. Families would be better off taking a picnic and strolling around Lake Merritt, and skipping Children's Fairyland altogether.
0 families found this helpful
"Great deal!"
I can't believe that I got such a great deal! Spending the day at Fairyland cost us less than $50 for a family of four! The take-out window for grub is very affordable...pb & j was only $3.50 as well as the one dollar ice cream sandwiches. I love the mini-ferris wheel because each "cage" closed so that my two year-old and four year-old could go alone. They loved it...even the attendant let them go twice because no one was in line. Everyone was absolutely great! The souvenir shop wasn't stocked but it did have nice things to look at...I just wish they had more t-shirt sizes for toddlers.
1 family found this helpful
"A Blast from the Past"
I have a certain nostalgia for this Oakland institution. My grandparents used to take us to Fairyland when we were kids, just like they took my dad. Yes, it's that old. My kids enjoy it, too, but they probably won't for much longer.
Yes, Fairyland is a little run down and it shows its age. But it's a fun, safe place to wander around with kids who are learning nursery rhymes and will enjoy recognizing the characters. It also has small rides that are just the right size for pre-schoolers, including a mini-carousel and a tiny ferris wheel.
The "big green monster" climbing structure outside of Fairyland near the lake is fun, too. It's basically a randomly-shaped cement blob with holds for climbing, and it's been there forever.
If you go, just watch out for the Canadian geese. They -- and their droppings -- are all over the park.
And if you're in the Lake Merritt area, head over the Lake Shore Ave for some excellent food at Arizmendi, a co-op bakery that is amazing.
1 family found this helpful
"Love Fairyland!"
We love fairyland! All the old storybook characters, a magic key, puppet shows and lots of places to run and explore. It's small enough that you don't need to spend all day there and it's easy to keep track of smaller children. You can bring a lunch as they have picnic areas or they also sell food. It's been there a long time so it's a bit old but they recently did some renovations and it's looking cleaning and nicer.
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