How to take your Little Kids to Children’s Fairyland in Oakland this Year

Children’s Fairyland is a storybook-themed park located on Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, built in 1948 and is beloved to many East Bay Area families.

Why? Well, it is a place of joy and magic! Fairyland is full kid-friendly activities like play structures, carousels, a puppet theater, and farm animals, with a much cheaper ticket price than Disneyland.

I guarantee your family with kids under six years of age will love every minute at Fairyland. Read on for the best tips to make the most of your trip.

We acknowledge the Native Lisjan Ohlone people who have been stewarding Huchiun (the land in the East Bay) for thousands of years.

Before you go

Purchase tickets online
Plan ahead so you can grab a seat for a puppet or magic show by checking the performance schedules

What we packed

Standard diaper bag essentials
Fairy key (see below)
Snacks and a bagged lunch or lunch money
Sunscreen and hats
Stroller
Baby carrier

TOTAL TIME: 1-4 hours

BASE COST

$15 for anyone 1-100 years old and FREE for kids under 1 (Annual memberships cost $149 for a family of two adults and three children)
$5 parking

ADD-ONS

$3 fairy key
$2+ per ticket for holiday events (even for members)
Additional cost for tickets to see special performances throughout the year at Aseop’s Playhouse.

Tips & tricks to get the most out of your trip

1. Arrive close to when it opens to find parking

Fairyland gets crowded fast, and parking is hard to come by in this area of Oakland.

First option – Pay $5 (cash/credit) to park in the lot right next to Fairyland. After you past the pay kiosk, parking is along the right and left side of the road. If you arrive after 10am, it is likely that you will have to drive far down the road to find a spot.

Second option – Find street parking. Be aware that meter times max out at two hours. Unless you plan on only being at Fairyland for two hours, this time constraint is a challenge. I have been that single parent hauling a toddler and baby out of the park to refill the meter before I got a ticket – it was not fun.

2. Be prepared to walk, a lot

Bring a stroller or a wagon. You may be parking far away and need to walk your kid plus all of your kids’ gear a long 10-minute walk from your car to the entrance, and then still have to walk throughout the park.

Then at the end of the day, you’ll need to walk back with tired and hungry children who may or may not cooperate unless snacks are involved (see tip #3).

3. Pack food for the day

And snacks. Lots of snacks! There is food at the park, but it is mostly fried fare. I would recommend bringing some food you know your kiddos will eat so you’re not spending $10 on some chicken fingers they may or may not even try. Yes, that was me

There are recommended eating areas throughout the park. Most families have a picnic on the grass near the puppet theater or sit down on a bench for a snack break.

4. Buy a fairy key ($3)

Kids walk through the park, carrying their key with pride and love to turn the keys in the box, even if the boxes are old and jammed and adults end up having to take over the key turning activity.

Pick up a fairy key at the gift shop on your left when you enter for $3. If you’re planning ahead, purchase one online. A fairy key is also included in the membership fee! Colors are rotating, and some are considered “collector items.”

5. Check out the calendar for story time, puppet show, and magic showtimes

Be sure to check the schedule so you can plan your day around the shows you would like to see. Puppet shows are usually twice per day, and seats fill up quickly. Get there a few minutes early to grab a spot for your family.

Occasionally there are other performances at the Emerald City stage. We caught a hilarious magic show once that our preschooler enjoyed. Shows are listed with suggested ages of participants so you can determine if it is appropriate for your kiddo.

6. Ride the Jolly Trolley first

The line for the Jolly Trolley fills up fast. If you plan to ride the trolley that day, I recommend you head their first.

Your kid will be tempted by all of the magical stuff around them – don’t fall for it! Keep walking all the way to the Jolly Trolley. You will have plenty of time to go back and explore the rest of the park after the ride.

By mid-day, the wait for the trolley could be an hour long for a five minute ride. Since the trolley is a slow ride around the trolley route twice, and the passengers are slow to board and slow to disembark toddlers, what seems like a short line of 10 or so people can be a 20-30 minute wait.

7. Save time to say "Hello" to the animals

Did you know that Fairyland also has live animals? Donkeys, sheep, rabbits, ducks, and so much more.

Make sure to spend some time on the east side of the park visiting the animal exhibits and reading the fairytales and stories that accompany them.

Oh how we love Children’s Fairyland!

I admit that initially as an adult, Fairyland did not impress me. I saw the peeling paint, older and somewhat clunky rides, and I thought, “What is the big deal?”

After having kids, I saw the way my toddler’s eyes lit up when we would visit and I was sold. Ok Fairyland, you have my heart now, I get the magic.

Fairyland has many fundraising events to provide opportunities for all families to have access to the park. They have sponsored days for local Head Start and other community programs to bring more families to enjoy the magic.

Their COVID-safety protocols are excellent, with hand sanitizer and beautiful hand washing stations throughout the park.

Majority of staff and Fairyland guests are BIPOC. There is a mix of local residents wandering the park as well as out-of-town tourists.

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend the day in Oakland, I highly recommend that you take a trip to beautiful Lake Merritt and a step back into the 1960s as you remember the magic of being “3-feet tall.”

Any tips we missed? Share in the comments below.

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Angel

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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.

How to take your Little Kids to Children’s Fairyland in Oakland this Year