Kid-friendly places in Richmond

A west-county base with an outdoor pool, right off I-80 for hopping between El Cerrito parks, Point Richmond, and Berkeley.

Breakfast-for-dinner always lands with kids, and the Richmond IHOP's 4-10pm kids-eat-free window makes it one of the cheapest family dinners in the west county.

Richmond's outdoor gathering yard with a food truck, live music and room to roam: kids move around in the open air while adults get a beer.

Beach park on the bay where kids hunt the sand for sea glass.

Harbor restaurant with outdoor tables over the bay and boats, seasonal seafood like fish and chips, and mac and cheese.

A dirt biking spot in Richmond for knobby-tire riding.

Bluffs and beaches on San Pablo Bay, with trails through meadows and eucalyptus woods that shelter deer, owls and monarch butterflies.

A free visitor center on the old shipyard waterfront, with exhibits on the women who built ships in the war and a junior ranger program.