My family has spent many a great day at Tilden Park. There is so much to do, from swimming in Lake Anza (which should be its own review) to biking, to feeding the animals at Little Farm. I highly recommend checking out the farm and make sure you bring lettuce or celery to feed the animals (that is all you can feed them). We are also big Lake Anza fans. It is inexpensive and the kids love it. It is similar to Lake Temescal (see my review of that) in that it is not crystal clear water and the beach area is a bit dusty. The steam trains are fun too. Tip: If you are going in the winter months, you cannot cross through the main road in the park due to the newt migration path- I love Berkeley! It is a LONG way around the outside of the park so plan accordingly. Tilden is a Bay area treasure.

Lake Temescal is a great place for kids. There is plenty of shallow water to wade and play in and sand (albeit dusty sand) to build with. The lake is decent sized so even when it is crowded it doesn't feel overwhelming. It is very family friendly and it generally attracts a mellow mom's group type crowd. I would avoid it on exceptionally hot days though because there is virtually no shade to speak of. It kind of has a comfortable old summer camp kind of feeling to it. If you are easily grossed out by lake/pond water this may not be your cup of tea. I figure, I certainly breastfed long enough-it's time to test those immunities! For me it's certainly worth a trip over the bridge!

We have been to Seascape several times and my family absolutely loves it there. We have a friend with a condo there so it makes it affordable, otherwise it is pretty pricey for a family. Two bedroom condos run about $350-500 a night, although it might have gone down lately given the economy. Service everywhere is fantastic. There are golf carts that can take you all over the resort (the kids love this). The pools are always clean and there are plenty of towels available. My kids beg to order food by the pool. The kid meals come in a great bucket which are very useful at the beach. The food is great, although pricey. They make a killer mojito for grown ups. The beach there is wonderful; we almost always see dolphins in the water. The only issue is that there are no bathrooms at the beach so you need to plan ahead. Other cool things are the outdoor fireplaces. It is a great family resort!

This is a great place for pick your own berries. They have delicious strawberries and other yummy treats in their store. The folks there are very nice as well. Take note, they do not accept credit cards. It is a bit of a drive from SF but the scenery on Highway 1 is gorgeous. Make a day of and and stop at Bean Hollow Beach for a picnic!

I have visited Phipps Ranch many times for berry picking, etc. To avoid frustration, I highly recommend calling ahead to find out what is ready to be picked. They also have a wonderful selection of dried beans in the country store. They have an aviary of sorts there which I have mixed feelings about. At times there are WAY too many birds (specifically roosters and ducks) crammed in one pen. Other times I have been there it is totally fine and humane. I still enjoy picking there and we always love going to Duarte's for soup and pie afterwards.