The little island of Alameda in the San Francisco Bay Area is a great place to explore with your little kids, for locals and visitors alike. It is known for its majestic Victorian-era homes, its bike-friendly streets, 25 mph city-wide speed limit, and its kid-friendly beaches.
Curious about the island city? I’ve got 5 of my favorite things to do on-island with kids to share with you.
Top 5 kid-friendly activities in Alameda, California
Go to the beach
Most of Alameda’s south shore is lined with beach. Alameda’s beaches are lined with sand, with tiny waves, and shallow bay water for a long distance from the shore.
In addition, you get to enjoy the views of the San Francisco city skyline from the comfort of your beach blanket!
Click here for a list of recommended beaches and tips to have the best day at the beach in Alameda.
Stroll down Park Street
Park Street is one of the two main business districts on-island and is lined with adorable small businesses and tasty restaurants.
Click here for a self-guided walking tour of the historic buildings that still line Park Street today. Or, spend some time window shopping and supporting small businesses along your stroll.
See our blog post about our favorite kid-friendly stops on Park Street for tips and recommendations. If you plan ahead, you may get a chance to visit Park Street during a street fair!
Bike down Alameda's flat and slow streets
With an elevation of a mighty 33’ and a city-wide speed limit of 25 miles per hour (“Slow Down In Town” is the city’s motto), you can enjoy a safe bike ride with your kids anywhere in Alameda.
Click here for a list of our top 3 favorite bike routes in Alameda.
Visit Alameda's wineries and breweries at Alameda Point
Spirit Alley is Alameda’s hub for great kid-friendly breweries and wineries.
Alameda was the home to the a US Navy base for many years. Now, the many of the old naval base airplane hangars have been repurposed for a variety of companies, including many alcohol manufacturers, and the area has been renamed “Spirit Alley.”
The run-down naval base is picturesque and feels like you’re being transported through time into an old abandoned 1950’s movie set, except for all of the new development popping up here and there.
Check out our blog post with our favorite kid-friendly locations for adult libations, all within walking distance from each other along Spirit Alley.
Visit one of Alameda's fun and updated parks
The city of Alameda has beautiful parks throughout the island, each one with ample parking, grass for running, and opportunities for endless fun.
See our blog post for our top 7 favorite parks across the island for biking, playgrounds, and picnics.
BONUS - Holidays in Alameda
Alameda is where it’s at for holidays! If you find you’re in the area on the holidays below, make time for these activities:
4th of July
Every year on the 4th of July the city of Alameda goes BIG. They boast the 2nd longest 4th of July parade in the nation (3.3 miles), complete with floats, marching bands, and firetrucks. It is tradition for families to return to the same spot on a street every year to watch the floats go by, and we do the same!
Check here for updated information.
Halloween
Anyone who grew up in Alameda County, California knows that the city of Alameda is one of the best places for trick-or-treating and for Halloween decorations.
One of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, called the Gold Coast, goes all out for the holiday – with skeletons climbing old boarded up Victorian houses and one or a house dressed up to look like it is coming alive!
Come and walk around in the month of October to explore the decorations and bring a clipboard and pen for your child to enjoy a scavenger hunt for Halloween-themed fun. Then, come back dressed up on Halloween night to enjoy a busy, happening, crazy trick-or-treating scene.
Park somewhere north of Encinal avenue to avoid the crowds and walk a block down to San Antonio Ave, anywhere between St. Charles Street and Grand Ave.
Christmas
Every year in December, the 3200 block of Thompson Ave in Alameda turns into Christmas Tree Lane. Just about every house on the block decorates for the holidays, complete with coordinated music and flashing lights, character cutouts and photo ops, and on weekends Santa sometimes shows up in the street median for photos next to his mailbox. It can get crowded, so plan accordingly!
Park along High Street and enjoy the decorations on foot. Bring warm clothes and maybe a few dollars to buy hot cocoa.
See our post with more tips to visit Christmas Tree Lane here.
As you can see by the length of this post, I had trouble listing just 5 things to do in our little city.
I hope you come on over and explore with your kiddos. If you see me in my cargo bike, please say hi!
What are some of your favorite things to do on the island? Share in the comments below!
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
