Habitot is an award-winning non-profit children's museum with hands-on, educational play areas geared towards the preschool crowd. Kids can pretend to be a veterinarian or a fire fighter, paint their own faces, and watch silk flowers fly through the air at the kid-safe wind-tunnel. Early walkers can even roam safely in a special gated area. Special classes and camps are offered for children aged 2-5 and also for their caregivers. Additionally, Habitot also has a toy and book-lending library. There is an elevator at their Allston Way entrance, and a lift for strollers and wheelchairs at the Kittredge entrance. Visit the website for parking suggestions, as street parking can be difficult.

This Berkeley museum doubles as a research center at the University of California at Berkeley. Its evolutionary history collections and exhibits include invertebrates, microfossils and paleobotany. The free museum is also known for its accomplishments in technologies such as environmental scanning electron microscopy and molecular paleontology. You will find the latest cutting edge research here. After a trip to the museum, take a walk through the university's beautiful campus.

The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, a natural history museum in the University of California, was established by philanthropist Annie Montague Alexander. Founded in the year 1908, it has grown to be one of the best centers of study of for vertebrae evolution in the West Coast. It also has one of the most extensive collection of specimen including different living forms like reptiles, mammals, birds, amphibians etc with other informative factoids like notes, photographs, maps and records. The museum has become a center for all researchers interested in evolutionary biology.

Located in North Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto, Masse's has provided Berkeley residents and visitors with the most tasty and beautiful tartes, cakes, macarons, and more. Their delicate morsels are crafted lovingly and stylishly, and often look far too pretty to eat. Luckily, their traditional and seasonal offerings taste just as good as they look. Pair your dessert with a fresh cup of coffee, and take a seat inside the tiny bakery, or at one of the sidewalk tables.

A popular recreational venue in the community since 1914, Live Oak Park is a city park that acts as a prominent space for community festivals, fairs, and more. Measuring an impressive 5.52 acres (2.23 hectares), this park comprises tennis courts, lighted basketball courts, playgrounds, a theater, and picnic areas, among other facilities. Being the home of the Berkeley Art Center and the Live Oak Theater, the Live Oak Park is buzzing with life. An ideal spot for a family outing, or just an evening stroll, Live Oak Park fulfills its role as a community recreation venue.

This unusual establishment consists of three shops within the same block (2901, 2903 and 2921) of College Avenue in Berkeley. The two neighboring shops are independent toy stores with a whimsical atmosphere that invites children and adults to shop to the sounds of Beatles tunes on a children's tape player. The third store is part candy store and part home accessories and gifts (notecards and candles) outlet. The back room is filled with women's clothing, such as fuzzy leopard slippers, slinky XOXO dresses and Hawaiian board shorts.

The East Bay Vivarium is the number one destination for anyone interested in buying a reptile, or for the supplies you need for the pet you have already. Snakes, lizards, iguanas and other cold blooded creatures are waiting for you to take them home. You can also buy the small, live critters your scaly friend eats.

This is a hands-on science museum. Walk in past a full-scale fiberglass model of a fin whale and indulge in earthquake simulations, dice-rolling games of probability, a planetarium and hundreds of other exhibits for both kids and adults. The younger set will particularly appreciate the Wizard Lab. The view from here (day or night) is about the best you will get in the Bay Area.

This state park, which spans the shorelines of several cities, features a landscape characterized by wetlands, sandy shores, landfills, and marshes. The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities for nature and outdoor enthusiasts and serves as an ideal outdoor destination for all ages. Trails winding across the expanse enable visitors to admire the picturesque environs of the area, and vantage points scattered along the paths afford splendid views of the San Francisco Bay. Those inclined to wildlife viewing and hiking will relish a visit to this scenic state park.

University of California Botanical Garden is located within the campus of University of California Berkeley. Open to the public since 1890, this is no less than an outdoor living museum that boasts over 12,000 species of flora and fauna. The garden can be rented for private events, wedding receptions, twilight tours, summer walks and concerts.

This park provides a charming, secluded nature getaway, mostly utilized by locals in the warmer months. There are two parts of the lake, one smaller area used for swimming, equipped with a lifeguard on duty in the summer, and a larger part that is open for fishing year-round. Situated in Tilden Park, the lake features a sandy beach, grassy knolls, a refreshment stand, a nearby parking lot and picnic tables.

This popular park is a 2,077-acre ( 840.5-hectare) wilderness wonderland with a variety of attractions for the sports enthusiast, naturalist, or anyone in need of some recreation. Popular activities include swimming, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, sunbathing, exploring, golf, picnicking, fishing, pony rides, train rides, and bike rides. It also features a lake, golf course, petting zoo, a mini steam train, a carousel, and endless trails to explore. Do not miss the Regional Parks Botanical Garden, home to the world's most complete collection of California native plants.