Al’s Big Burger

Brewery taproom with a giant Connect Four and a whole collection of toys and games, and panini and hot dogs from the kitchenette next door.

Bouldering gym with 8,000 square feet of walls and 18-foot boulders you top out on, plus a kids climbing club, camps and a parents' night out.

Deep dish is the headliner at this outpost of the Little Star family, though the thin crust holds its own. A consistent first pick with kids.

The school district's aquatic center, with open rec swim hours alongside swim lessons.

North Indian and Pakistani cooking since 1999, known for its tandoori and curries, with oversized naan and paratha.

Albany's community living room: a fenced tot lot with sandpit, a big-kid playground with a corkscrew slide and ADA swing, redwood shade, summer concerts, and Solano Avenue takeout two blocks away for an outdoor dinner.