Kid-friendly places in Walnut Creek

A big Walnut Creek park with two playgrounds, a duck pond, wide lawns and restrooms. Easy parking, and shade in the right spots.

Tot and big-kid playgrounds plus a gated spray ground with a small water slide and a lifeguard. Lindsay Wildlife Experience and the model railroad share the grounds.

Downtown Walnut Creek's playground: a train play structure, roller slide, climbing 'rocks', four baby swings, and a sand-and-water play area, steps from the library, Creek Walk, and Iron Horse Trail. The natural pairing with a downtown errands-and-lunch day.

26 quiet Northgate acres with dual playgrounds: a truck-shaped structure and twisty slide for littles, a roller slide and multilevel climber for big kids, plus an orchard 'jungle' trail behind it all that older kids turn into a fort-building adventure.

Grass-fed burgers with a proper kids' menu, counter-service speed, and a free-kids-meal deal good for dine-in, takeout, or delivery.

All-suite layout with a door between the grown-ups and the kids, free cooked-to-order breakfast, an evening reception, and an indoor pool that works in any weather.

The toddler-and-preschool playground of Walnut Creek: small structures close together, shaded benches under three big oaks, and paved loops for trikes and scooters.

The fenced-in Walnut Creek playground for runners and toddlers: the whole play area is enclosed, mostly shaded, with a tot-safe structure, a two-story slide for bigger kids, a multi-seat teeter totter, and a 'secret caves' rock hill next door for young explorers.

Piadine, pizza, and pasta on Main Street with gluten-free options, beer and wine for the adults, and a Thursday kids-eat-free deal.

Walnut Creek hotel whose guests get access to the attached Bay Club's pools, tennis and kids' club programming, the closest thing the county has to a resort.

The Napa-born roadside burger stand at Broadway Plaza: burgers, salads, and shakes at outdoor tables where nobody minds a loud toddler, close to Heather Farm Park.

A family breakfast house and weekend pancake institution, with a just-for-kids menu of silver-dollar pancakes and chicken strips.

A maximalist eat-and-play spot for all ages, with over-the-top bites and games built into the concept.

Made from scratch since 1981, with house-baked coffee cake, big biscuit sandwiches and scrambles.

The full-service downtown-adjacent Marriott with an outdoor pool and easy walks to Broadway Plaza, a solid base for a Walnut Creek weekend with kids.

Brazilian steakhouse where servers carve meat off skewers at the table and kids use the tongs to grab their own slice, plus a big salad bar.

Ice cream made fresh in the store, with more than 40 flavors including Blue Monster and Birthday Cake, next door to the movie theater.

A coffee shop with vegan and gluten-free food options.

Burgers and shakes on two floors, with extra seating upstairs.

Brewery with lots of picnic tables in a big blocked-off lot, food trucks on weekends, and Calicraft Upstairs, a rooftop bar.

VR escape rooms with themes from a pirate plague and ninja trials to a runaway Old West train and a dragon tower.

Wildlife hospital and museum with live owls, a porcupine, snakes and turtles, an interactive raptor exhibit and the Hive Alive bees.

Cacti and succulents from around the world, planted on an old orchard, with a children's tour book and garden bingo, and a nursery to take plants home from.

Micro-roaster with espresso, pastries and smoothies, and a plant wall in the back that makes a good photo spot.

A big children's wing with its own patio, and a café in the building.

Plenty of family shows on the stage, the Summer Sounds concert series, and art exhibitions in the Bedford Gallery.

A mini-golf course in downtown Walnut Creek.

Boba tea across Ygnacio Valley Road from Heather Farm Park.

Year-round market on Locust Street with fresh fruit and vegetables, coffee and pastries, local vendors and live music.

The huge model railroad has thousands of feet of track and an hourly night scene show. Go on a public open house weekend.