Payne Avenue Friendship Park

Mini burgers, chicken bites and child-size pizzas, and local parents of two-to-fours say it handles a toddler dinner well.

Neighborhood park with a playground for all ages.

Park with playgrounds for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12.

Over-the-top donut shop (also downtown San Jose) where the donuts look like cartoon characters and kids get 'donut doctor' vibes from the asylum theme. A treat stop, not a meal - and it lands every time.

A Victorian mansion of stairs to nowhere and doors that open onto walls, with house tours ($25-40) and a garden tour that works with a stroller. The house tour is all narrow stairs - better for ages 6+ and kids who like spooky.

Downtown Campbell breakfast house famous for a deep pancake roster (banana macadamia, blueberry wheat germ) and fast turnover. Expect a weekend wait; weekdays are the move with small kids.