Shorebird Park Nature Center

A staff-run playground where kids get real hammers, saws and paint to build forts out of scrap lumber, earning tools by turning in stray nails first.

Seafood restaurant on the water at the Berkeley Marina since 1984, with a raw bar for shellfish and sushi and big Bay views.

The only Berkeley hotel with an indoor pool, right on the Marina with kite-flying lawns, the Bay Trail, and Adventure Playground nearby. Warm cookies at check-in.

Miles of flat path right on the water at the Berkeley Marina, and it's the kite spot, thanks to the wind.

Festive Fourth Street taqueria where the decor absorbs kid noise and outdoor tables let sound escape, plus trainspotting on the adjacent tracks.

A bright, gated, accessible playground at Berkeley's Aquatic Park with structures sized for little kids, then lagoon paths and duck-watching when the structure loses its grip. Good wind-sheltered picnic spots nearby.