The entertainment centers below provide activities and entertainment geared especially for families and children. At some entertainment centers it makes sense for adults to play along. At others (those with small climbing tubes and ball jumps) bring a magazine to read while your child plays.
A word of caution – some entertainment centers are more expensive than you might expect. Check their web sites for current rates and discount coupons.
Visit our Amusement Parks page for more Bay Area fun.
Featured Entertainment Centers
Pixieland Amusement Park ~ Concord
Fun for young children ages 1 to 10 with a miniature train, carousel, roller coaster, tea cups, airplanes, frog hopper, antique cars, games, a duck pond and great food! Always free admission and parking. Just buy tickets for the rides. A great place for a school field trip or to host your child’s next birthday party at reasonable package rates.
Peek-a-Boo Factory ~ Daly City, Livermore, San Francisco
Peek-a-Boo Factory is Bay Area’s premier indoor playground and birthday party destination. We offer 3 different play areas for children age 0 – 10 with a separate toddler area for kids age 0 – 3. We even offer a toy library with the best children books, a train table, legos station, and a play kitchen if your child just wants some quiet time. We are equipped with cafe seating and a snack bar in case you forget to pack a snack. We also offer parents a workspace to catch up on emails with our free Wi-Fi or just socialize and relax while the kids have fun!
Kids Play Zone ~ Oakland
Yes, we love making memories with you! Come to Kids Play Zone and host your kiddos party with us! With access to our entire facility, you will have private use of the party room and space all to yourself! We have a party package option for everyone! Our goal is for parents to enjoy their child’s special day with family and friends. Questions? Call 510-817-4384 or email info@kidsplayzoneoakland.com.
Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery ~ Capitola
Float a boat. Take a look at a bug. Make it rain. Build something with your imagination! The nonprofit Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery has 8,000-plus square feet of exhibits, classrooms and store space. Its hands-on exhibits showcase the wonders of Santa Cruz County. Located at 1855 41st Avenue in Capitola, the Museum is open 7 days a week. Admission is $7 adults, $5 ages 2-17, and free for younger than 2. www.sccmod.org
Entertainment Centers
High Score Arcades – Alameda
Game On – Berkeley
Urban Air – Concord
Trivium Games – Emeryville
Scandia Family Fun Center – Fairfield
Kidtopia – Fremont
Boomers – Livermore
Kids Play Zone – Oakland
La Petite Playhouse – Redwood City
House of Air – San Francisco
Pier 39 – San Francisco
Yerba Buena Carousel – San Francisco
San Jose Batting Cages – San Jose
Golf Land – San Jose, Sunnyvale, Castro Valley, Milpitas
Imagination City – San Mateo
Safari Run – San Mateo, Sunnyvale
Sky High Sports – Santa Clara
Mystery Spot – Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Santa Cruz
Fun Zone Arcade – Vacaville
Chuck E Cheese – Several locations
Bowling
Southshore Lanes – Alameda
Clayton Valley Bowl – Concord
Homestead Lanes – Cupertino
Strike – Cupertino
Classic Bowling Center – Daly City
Danville Bowl – Danville
Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl – Dublin
Bowlero – Milpitas
Boulevard Lanes – Petaluma
Pinole Valley Lanes – Pinole
Yerba Buena – San Francisco
300 San Jose Lanes – San Jose
Bel Mateo Bowl – San Mateo
Pinstripes – San Mateo
Bowlero – Santa Clara
Escape Rooms
Trivium Games – Emeryville
Ryptic Escape Rooms – Mountain View, San Mateo
Escapelogy – San Francisco
The Escape Game – San Francisco, San Jose
Factory Tours
Jelly Belly Factory Tour – Fairfield
Ice Skating
Dublin Iceland – Dublin
Sharks Ice – Fremont
Ice Center – Oakland
Winter Lodge – Palo Alto
Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center – San Francisco
Sharks Ice – San Jose
Ice Oasis – San Mateo
Snoopy’s Home Ice – Santa Rosa
Vacaville Skating Center – Vacaville
Laser Tag
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Santa Cruz
Q-Zar Laser Tag – Concord
Miniature Golf
Sub Par Miniature Golf – Alameda
Scandia Family Fun Center – Fairfield
Urban Putt – San Francisco
Stagecoach Greens – San Francisco
Golf Land – San Jose, Sunnyvale, Castro Valley, Milpitas
Neptune’s Kingdom – Santa Cruz
Movies
New Parkway Family Classic Movies & Monday Night Baby Brigade – Oakland
AMC Theaters – Bay Area Wide
Century Theaters – Bay Area Wide
Regal Cinemas – East Bay, Santa Cruz
Drive-In Movies
Solano Drive-in – Concord
Capitol Drive-in – San Jose
Paintball
Paintball Jungle – American Canyon
Santa Clara Paintball – Santa Clara
Midway Paintball – Vacaville
Pinball
Pacific Pinball Museum – Alameda
The Flipper Room – Concord
Play Places
Rockin’ Jump – Dublin, San Carlos, San Jose
Kids Play Zone – Oakland
Kindergym at Temple Beth Abraham – Oakland
Bay Play – Oakland
BounceU – Pleasanton
Peakadoodle Kidsclub – San Francisco
Peek-a-boo Factory – San Francisco
Recess Urban Recreation – San Francisco
Silver Creek Sportsplex – San Jose
Swings and Wings – Alameda
Little Wonders – San Mateo
Gymboree Play Centers – Several Locations
Little Gym – Several Locations
Pump It Up – Several Locations
Roller Skating
Paradise Skate – Antioch
Aloha Roller Rink – San Jose
Silver Creek Sportsplex – San Jose
Golden Skate – San Ramon
Cal Skate – Rohnert Park
Train Rides
Steam Train at Tilden Park – Berkeley
Pixieland – Concord
Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad – Felton
Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad – Los Gatos
Wine Train Family Nights – Napa
Little Puffer at San Francisco Zoo – San Francisco
Market Street Railway – San Francisco
MUNI Cable Cars – San Francisco
San Francisco Cable Cars – San Francisco
CalTrain – San Francisco to Gilroy
Santa Clara County Light Rail – San Jose
Bianchi Railway at Central Park – San Mateo
Train Town – Sonoma
Niles Canyon Railway – Sunol
BART – Bay Area
Capitol Corridor – Bay Area to Sacramento
Amtrak California – California
