Where to go with kids when it's hot in the South Bay
On a 95°F day in the valley, the move is shade, air conditioning or the coast. This list mixes all three: deep-shade redwood groves like Henry Cowell and Big Basin, cool indoor spots like libraries and museums, and shady parks close to home.
In town, Serra Park in Sunnyvale has great shade and a stream to splash in, and Cuesta Park in Mountain View keeps its playground and picnic lawn under big trees. In the foothills, Sanborn County Park and Alum Rock Park have shady lawns and creeks. If you can drive an hour, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Santa Cruz redwoods are often much cooler than Sunnyvale.
- 42 places
- 21 free
- 38 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
42 places
Drive times from Sunnyvale
Serra Park
5.0Sunnyvale · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot and street parking
Mountain View Public Library
5.0Mountain View · 8 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot behind the library
Mitchell Park Library
5.0Palo Alto · 12 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Mitchell Park lot
Children's Discovery Museum
5.0San Jose · 20 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Museum lot off Woz Way, about $10
Milpitas Library
5.0Milpitas · 20 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free underground garage
Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch
5.0Morgan Hill / South San Jose · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free field parking
Henry Cowell Redwoods (Redwood Grove Loop)
5.0Felton · 45 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $10 parking (main entrance)
Roaring Camp Redwood Steam Train
5.0Felton · 45 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$ · Parking: $10 parking at the Felton depot
California Academy of Sciences
5.0San Francisco · 55 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$$ · Parking: Music Concourse underground garage about $6-8/hour; spots available if you go early
SF Main Library (Fisher Children's Center)
5.0San Francisco · 60 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Civic Center garage, about $3-4/hour
Monterey Bay Aquarium
5.0Monterey · 80 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$$ · Parking: Cannery Row garages about $20-30/day
California State Railroad Museum
5.0Sacramento · 120 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Old Sacramento garage about $2/hour
Safari Run Indoor Playground
4.0Sunnyvale · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free at 1180 Kern Ave
Ride Caltrain (Sunnyvale ↔ Mountain View / Palo Alto)
4.0Sunnyvale · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Station parking about $5.50/day, free at some stations on weekends
Sunnyvale Public Library
4.0Sunnyvale · 5 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Civic Center lot
Cuesta Park
4.0Mountain View · 8 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free along Cuesta Dr
Cupertino Library Children's Area
4.0Cupertino · 8 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Civic Center parking garage
Santa Clara Central Park Library
4.0Santa Clara · 10 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Los Altos Library
4.0Los Altos · 12 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot shared with the Hillview Community Center
Rinconada Library
4.0Palo Alto · 15 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot shared with JMZ and Rinconada Park
Saratoga Library
4.0Saratoga · 15 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library
4.0San Jose · 20 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: 4th St garage, about $5-10 (the library can validate for a discount)
Redwood City Public Library
4.0Redwood City · 20 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Downtown garage, first 90 minutes free
Los Gatos Library
4.0Los Gatos · 22 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free Civic Center parking
Sanborn County Park
4.0Saratoga · 25 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $6 parking (main entrance)
Fremont Main Library
4.0Fremont · 25 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Alum Rock Park
4.0San Jose · 30 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $6 inside the park; free spots before the entrance
San Mateo Main Library
4.0San Mateo · 30 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Underground garage, first 2 hours free
Crab Cove (Alameda's Shallow Beach)
4.0Alameda · 40 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: $5 lot / free street parking nearby
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
4.0Gilroy · 45 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$$ · Parking: Paid parking (free for premium members)
Oakland Main Library
4.0Oakland · 45 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Street meters or nearby garages
Berkeley Central Library
4.0Berkeley · 50 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Downtown garages, about $2/hour
Lawrence Hall of Science
4.0Berkeley · 55 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Garage at the entrance, $2/hour
Casa de Fruta
4.0Hollister · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free large lot
Muir Woods National Monument
4.0Mill Valley · 75 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$ · Parking: Parking must be reserved online in advance ($9.5), or take the shuttle
Jelly Belly Factory
4.0Fairfield · 80 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free large lot
Hakone Estate & Gardens
3.0Saratoga · 15 min drive
1 h · carrier recommended
$ · Parking: $10 parking inside
The Tech Interactive
3.0San Jose · 20 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Downtown garages about $10-20
Purisima Creek Redwoods (Higgins Canyon Entrance)
3.0Half Moon Bay · 45 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Small lot at the end of Higgins Canyon Rd, fills up on weekends
Uvas Canyon Waterfall Loop
3.0Morgan Hill · 45 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended · reservation needed
$ · Parking: $6 plus an entry reservation required every day of the week
Exploratorium
3.0San Francisco · 60 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$$ · Parking: Garages and meters along the Embarcadero near Pier 15, about $20-30
Big Basin Redwoods (Redwood Loop)
3.0Boulder Creek · 70 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended · reservation needed
$ · Parking: Reserve parking online for $8 (guaranteed spot); limited first-come $10 spots; summer weekend shuttle available
💡 Good to know
- Do outdoor spots before 11am, then switch to a library or museum for the afternoon.
- Pack water and hats even for redwood groves — parking lots and trailheads are in full sun.