# Kid-friendly places in Berkeley

73 listed places in Berkeley: 35 playgrounds and things to do, 34 restaurants, 2 cafés and 2 hotels. Each lists high chairs, changing tables, kids' menus and wheelchair access where known.

Last updated 2026-10-18, from the newest confirmation among these places.

## Narrower lists

- [Kid-friendly restaurants in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/restaurants) (34)
- [Playgrounds and things to do with kids in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/playgrounds) (35)
- [Places with high chairs in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/with-high-chairs) (22)
- [Places with a changing table in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/with-changing-tables) (13)
- [Restaurants with a kids' menu in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/with-kids-menu) (15)
- [Wheelchair and stroller accessible places in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/wheelchair-accessible) (6)
- [Parks and playgrounds with restrooms in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/with-restrooms) (21)
- [Free things to do with kids in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/free-to-visit) (7)
- [Shaded playgrounds and parks in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/with-shade) (4)
- [Places to order at the counter with kids in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley/order-at-the-counter) (13)

## Guides

- [Indoor places for a rainy day in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/berkeley/indoor-places-for-a-rainy-day): Indoor places for kids in Berkeley on a rainy day: a hands-on science museum, the library’s kids’ section, climbing gyms, pottery and a board game café.
- [Easy meals out with kids in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/berkeley/easy-meals-out-with-kids): Easy places to eat with kids in Berkeley: garden-patio pizza, a taqueria, a brewery with a play area, a board game café and a waterfront spot.
- [Toddler playgrounds in Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/berkeley/toddler-playgrounds): Toddler playgrounds in Berkeley: fully fenced tot parks, tot lots beside bigger-kid playgrounds and a gated accessible one.
- [Up in the hills above Berkeley with kids](https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/berkeley/up-in-the-hills): Places for kids in the hills above Berkeley: a working little farm, a carousel, a steam train, a science museum and a botanical garden.

## Itineraries

- [A weekend in Berkeley and Oakland with kids](https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/berkeley-and-oakland/a-weekend-in-berkeley-and-oakland): Two days in Berkeley and Oakland with kids: Tilden, a famous concrete slide and tacos on Fourth Street, then Lake Merritt, the zoo, the harbor and six hotels.

## Places

1. [Virginia-McGee Totland](https://ourplayday.com/places/virginia-mcgee-totland-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). A community-built tot lot, fully fenced, with a wooden play structure, a mural-covered clubhouse and a steady rotation of shared sand toys.
2. [Adventure Playground](https://ourplayday.com/places/adventure-playground-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). 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.
3. [Codornices Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/codornices-park-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). Home of the 40-foot concrete slide big kids bomb down on cardboard, plus a creek, a fenced toddler area, and a tunnel under Euclid to the rose garden.
4. [Strawberry Creek Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/strawberry-creek-park-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). West Berkeley's go-to: a long hillside slide, a restored creek older kids migrate to, and the Hidden Cafe right in the park. Basketball and tennis at the south end.
5. [Dream Land at Aquatic Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/dream-land-at-aquatic-park-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). 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.
6. [John Hinkel Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/john-hinkel-park-berkeley) (playground, Berkeley). The one with the secret staircases. Rock formations to scramble on and enough tucked-away corners that older kids will disappear for a while.
7. [Picante](https://ourplayday.com/places/picante-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Mexican kitchen with a drive-through for carry-out and dining spaces inside and out.
8. [Claremont Resort & Club](https://ourplayday.com/places/claremont-resort-club-berkeley) (hotel, Berkeley). The big white hotel in the hills, with pools heated all year, a kids' pool and a Kids' Club with childcare for guests.
9. [DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina](https://ourplayday.com/places/doubletree-by-hilton-berkeley-marina-berkeley) (hotel, Berkeley). 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.
10. [Skates on the Bay](https://ourplayday.com/places/skates-on-the-bay-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Seafood restaurant on the water at the Berkeley Marina since 1984, with a raw bar for shellfish and sushi and big Bay views.
11. [Tacubaya](https://ourplayday.com/places/tacubaya-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). Festive Fourth Street taqueria where the decor absorbs kid noise and outdoor tables let sound escape, plus trainspotting on the adjacent tracks.
12. [Jupiter](https://ourplayday.com/places/jupiter-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). Wood-fired pizza on a big two-level garden patio that forgives kid volume, with downtown Berkeley bustle all around. The grown-ups get good beer; the kids get room to be kids.
13. [Triple Rock Brewery & Taphouse](https://ourplayday.com/places/triple-rock-brewery-taphouse-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). A Berkeley brewpub since 1986 with a rooftop deck and a Sunday Family Day deal: kids 12 and under eat free with each adult meal.
14. [Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen](https://ourplayday.com/places/angeline-s-louisiana-kitchen-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). Jambalaya, mac and cheese, and beignets drenched in powdered sugar, at a downtown Berkeley staple.
15. [Cesar Chavez Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/cesar-chavez-park-berkeley) (park, Berkeley). Miles of flat path right on the water at the Berkeley Marina, and it's the kite spot, thanks to the wind.
16. [Lama Beans](https://ourplayday.com/places/lama-beans-94710) (café, Berkeley). Pancakes and French toast, wraps on lavash and pizza, with a big stack of shared coloring books on hand for kids.
17. [Lawrence Hall of Science](https://ourplayday.com/places/lawrence-hall-of-science-berkeley) (science center, Berkeley). Design Quest for building and testing things, an Animal Discovery Room, and one of the best views of the bay from the terrace. Open Wednesday to Sunday; $20 covers everyone from three upwards.
18. [Vik's Chaat House](https://ourplayday.com/places/vik-s-chaat-house-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). A vast, cafeteria-style Indian institution where kids point at what looks good and food lands fast. An Indian market is attached for browsing after the meal.
19. [Cafe Leila](https://ourplayday.com/places/cafe-leila-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Fresh, high-quality food on a spacious patio with room for strollers, though service is slow.
20. [Homeroom](https://ourplayday.com/places/homeroom-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Mac and cheese in every version from plain to Kogi Short Rib Mac, with salads, sides and sweets alongside.
21. [La Mission](https://ourplayday.com/places/la-mission-94702) (restaurant, Berkeley). Small Mexican grill with friendly service, outdoor seating and tacos.
22. [Little Farm at Tilden Regional Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/little-farm-at-tilden-regional-park-berkeley) (park, Berkeley). Cows, goats and chickens at the end of a short walk from the Canon Drive car park, and it costs nothing. Feeding is no longer allowed; the animals are still there to visit.
23. [Live Oak Park Playground](https://ourplayday.com/places/live-oak-park-playground) (playground, Berkeley). An enclosed toddler area and a play pad for bigger kids, under big oaks with a seasonal creek running through and old stone fireplaces at the picnic spots.
24. [Oceanview Diner](https://ourplayday.com/places/oceanview-diner-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Landmark neighborhood diner with house-made breakfast and sandwiches all day, inside or at the outdoor tables.
25. [Redwood Valley Railway](https://ourplayday.com/places/redwood-valley-railway-berkeley) (attraction, Berkeley). A scaled-down steam train that loops along the ridge in Tilden, $4 a ride or five for $16. Weekends and holidays year round, 11 to 6, closing at nightfall in winter.
26. [San Pablo Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/san-pablo-park) (playground, Berkeley). Two playgrounds cover different ages, including a fenced tot lot with water play and a bigger climber with a long tube slide.
27. [The Butcher's Son](https://ourplayday.com/places/the-butcher-s-son-94704) (restaurant, Berkeley). All plant-based deli and bakery that calls itself California's original vegan butcher, with sandwiches like the Killer BLAT.
28. [The Station](https://ourplayday.com/places/the-station-94705) (restaurant, Berkeley). Smashburger spot that started as a backyard pop-up during the pandemic, with fries, shakes, salads, and an Impossible burger.
29. [Tilden Merry-Go-Round](https://ourplayday.com/places/tilden-merry-go-round-berkeley) (theme park, Berkeley). A restored Herschell-Spillman carousel with hand-carved animals, with a snack stand, a restroom and parking right there.
30. [Becky Temko Tot Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/becky-temko-tot-park) (park, Berkeley). Fully fenced and built for toddlers, with stone cats, a two-level slide, a spinning teacup and a sand pit with water.
31. [Berkeley Public Library, Central Branch](https://ourplayday.com/places/berkeley-public-library-central-branch-berkeley) (library, Berkeley). A giant children's section downtown with storytime and artist-led sessions, and it costs nothing.
32. [Cancun](https://ourplayday.com/places/cancun-94704) (restaurant, Berkeley). Simple Mexican cooking built around fresh ingredients and fire-roasted salsas made by hand, with lots of them to choose from.
33. [Children’s Club House](https://ourplayday.com/places/children-s-club-house-94703) (indoor play space, Berkeley). Small play space for kids 6 months to 4 years, with a climbing structure and climbing wall, ride-on toys, a little swing, and shelves of books and puzzles.
34. [Game-On](https://ourplayday.com/places/game-on-94710) (attraction, Berkeley). Seven custom-built game rooms you play through in teams of two to six, a bit like an escape room, recommended for ages 10 and up.
35. [Headlands Brewing](https://ourplayday.com/places/headlands-brewing-94702) (restaurant, Berkeley). Beer garden with fire pits, a kitchen menu, and a semi-enclosed turf play area behind a KIDS ONLY sign.
36. [Juan’s Place](https://ourplayday.com/places/juan-s-place-94710) (restaurant, Berkeley). Traditional Mexican comfort food like beef tacos, and beer on draft.
37. [La Peña](https://ourplayday.com/places/la-pena-94705) (attraction, Berkeley). Cultural center founded in 1975 behind a big painted mural, with Puerto Rican bomba and plena drum and dance workshops open to all ages.
38. [Platano](https://ourplayday.com/places/platano-94704) (restaurant, Berkeley). Salvadoran restaurant with pupusas and a kids' menu.
39. [Taqueria Talavera](https://ourplayday.com/places/taqueria-talavera-94707) (restaurant, Berkeley). Taqueria next to a tot lot, with outdoor tables, sopes with mushrooms and fried plantains, and burritos that come close to feeding a whole family.
40. [University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/places/university-of-california-botanical-garden-at-berkeley-94720) (garden, Berkeley). Under-6s get in free, and the draw for that age is not the plants so much as the lizards and spiders they will find along the paths. Lots of climbing up and down.
41. [Victory Point Cafe](https://ourplayday.com/places/victory-point-cafe-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). A board game cafe with games to play at the table before the food arrives.
42. [Willard Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/willard-park) (park, Berkeley). A big lawn, two tennis courts, and an enclosed playground with a tire swing, talk tubes in the ground and a tree deck for toddlers and older kids.
43. [Almare Gelato](https://ourplayday.com/places/almare-gelato-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). Gelato made daily downtown, with dairy-free in the case too.
44. [Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center](https://ourplayday.com/places/ashkenaz-music-dance-community-center-berkeley) (attraction, Berkeley). Classes for children and family performances, with dancing at the front encouraged.
45. [Brushstrokes Studio](https://ourplayday.com/places/brushstrokes-studio-berkeley) (attraction, Berkeley). Paint-your-own pottery with drop-in studio time, so you do not have to commit to a class or a date.
46. [Fatapples](https://ourplayday.com/places/fatapples-94709) (restaurant, Berkeley). Family-style restaurant and bakery known for breakfast, burgers and desserts, with fresh apple pie and cheese puffs by the baker's dozen.
47. [Hashtag Poki](https://ourplayday.com/places/hashtag-poki-94705) (restaurant, Berkeley). Poke bowls built the way you want with sushi-grade fish, plus vegetarian and gluten-free choices.
48. [King Yen](https://ourplayday.com/places/king-yen-94705) (restaurant, Berkeley). A Chinese restaurant in Elmwood, across from Jin Ling, friendly toward families with young kids.
49. [Kirala](https://ourplayday.com/places/kirala-94705) (restaurant, Berkeley). Japanese restaurant open since 1989, with robata-grilled skewers like ume-glazed chicken alongside sushi, sashimi and rolls.
50. [La Méditeranée](https://ourplayday.com/places/la-mediteranee-94705) (restaurant, Berkeley). Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking since 1982, with meza plates, hummus, kebabs and fillo made from scratch every day and outdoor tables.
51. [Saul’s Deli](https://ourplayday.com/places/saul-s-deli-94709) (restaurant, Berkeley). Big Jewish deli open since 1986 in a 1930s produce depot by the railroad tracks, known for matzo ball soup and potato latkes with applesauce.
52. [Shorebird Park Nature Center](https://ourplayday.com/places/shorebird-park-nature-center-berkeley) (park, Berkeley). A Marina stop with a small beach where you can hunt for crabs at low tide.
53. [Top Dog](https://ourplayday.com/places/top-dog-94720) (restaurant, Berkeley). Counterculture hot dog stand on Durant since 1966, with a board of griddled sausages from kosher-style franks and bockwurst to lemon chicken and a veggie wienie.
54. [Toss Noodle Bar](https://ourplayday.com/places/toss-noodle-bar-94701) (restaurant, Berkeley). Noodle bar with mixed Asian flavors, where you dress your noodles or rice however you like, to eat in or carry out.
55. [BAMPFA](https://ourplayday.com/places/bampfa-94704) (museum, Berkeley). Art museum and film archive where kids 13 and under get into the galleries free, with exhibitions that change regularly and a drop-in art lab.
56. [Berkeley Rose Garden Playground](https://ourplayday.com/places/berkeley-rose-garden-playground) (playground, Berkeley). Terraces of 250 rose varieties with views to the Golden Gate Bridge, and a tunnel under Euclid to the concrete slide at Codornices Park.
57. [Breads of India](https://ourplayday.com/places/breads-of-india-94703) (restaurant, Berkeley). Indian kitchen with a menu that changes every day, breads from aloo paratha and cheese herb kulcha to garlic and methi naan, and mango lassi.
58. [Cal](https://ourplayday.com/places/cal) (attraction, Berkeley). University campus with paths to scooter on, lawns to run around, and Strawberry Creek running past Sather Gate and a eucalyptus grove, for dipping toes in.
59. [Games of Berkeley](https://ourplayday.com/places/games-of-berkeley-94720) (attraction, Berkeley). Game store stocked with games, puzzles, D&D and miniatures, plus open gaming and rooms to rent for a group to play.
60. [Indian Rock](https://ourplayday.com/places/indian-rock-94708) (attraction, Berkeley). Big rock formations for early climbers, with steps carved into the stone up to a summit that looks out across the Bay.
61. [James Kenney Park](https://ourplayday.com/places/james-kenney-park) (playground, Berkeley). Two playgrounds: a fenced tot area with low slides and swings, and a big climbing structure with ropes, bridges and a tall slide for older kids.
62. [Mr. Mopps' Children's Books & Toys](https://ourplayday.com/places/mr-mopps-children-s-books-toys-berkeley) (attraction, Berkeley). A Berkeley toy shop and kids' bookstore, the one people send you to for the thing you cannot find anywhere else.
63. [Benchmark](https://ourplayday.com/places/benchmark-94709) (attraction, Berkeley). Climbing gym with a relaxed youth climbing club for ages 7 to 15 and an advanced youth bouldering team for kids 9 and up, coached at local competitions.
64. [Boichik Bagels](https://ourplayday.com/places/boichik-bagels-94710) (café, Berkeley). The bagel company's factory on Sixth Street, which is also one of its stores, with bialys alongside the bagels.
65. [Casa Latina](https://ourplayday.com/places/casa-latina-94710) (bakery, Berkeley). Family-owned since 1998, a pan dulce bakery inspired by a small town in Jalisco, with a kitchen making tacos, tamales and mole and aguas frescas every day.
66. [Cheese Board Pizza](https://ourplayday.com/places/cheese-board-pizza-berkeley) (pizzeria, Berkeley). One vegetarian pizza a day from a worker-owned co-op, with live musicians playing while you eat.
67. [East Bay Vivarium](https://ourplayday.com/places/east-bay-vivarium-94710) (attraction, Berkeley). Reptile shop open since 1970 that doubles as a working vivarium, with snakes, lizards, tortoises and spiders to look at and no ticket needed.
68. [Gypsy's Trattoria Italiana](https://ourplayday.com/places/gypsy-s-trattoria-italiana-berkeley) (restaurant, Berkeley). Big, cheap plates of pasta you build at the counter, a long enough menu for picky eaters, and tables outside.
69. [Manga Manga Japanese Bistro](https://ourplayday.com/places/manga-manga-japanese-bistro-94704) (restaurant, Berkeley). Japanese bistro on Shattuck decorated with comic-book art, fun for kids to look at while waiting for food.
70. [Mel's Diner](https://ourplayday.com/places/mel-s-diner-94701) (restaurant, Berkeley). Classic diner downtown serving milkshakes and fries, a casual choice for a family meal.
71. [Ohlone Park Playground](https://ourplayday.com/places/ohlone-park-playground) (playground, Berkeley). Five blocks of green with a fenced tot area in the middle and, at the east end, wooden logs and ropes to climb, tall towers and metal slides.
72. [Sticky Art Lab](https://ourplayday.com/places/sticky-art-lab-94702) (attraction, Berkeley). Art studio where kids and grown-ups make things together out of reuse materials, with open lab time, after-school classes and camps.
73. [The Oaks](https://ourplayday.com/places/the-oaks-94707) (attraction, Berkeley). Kids of any age boulder here alongside a grown-up, and older ones can join camps, a climbing club or youth teams.

## About this list

Every place here is a listing on Play Day, and a place is listed only when something positive is known about it for kids. Any page linked above is also served as markdown by adding .md to its address.

Page: https://ourplayday.com/united-states/california/berkeley