Where to Have a Special Day with Dad in the Bay Area

Dads who are puzzling about what to do on an outing with the kids won’t have much trouble finding something memorable in the Bay Area. Here are some great options to consider for Father’s Day or when Mom is looking for a day off.
Marin
Bay Area Discovery Museum – This children’s museum includes both indoor and outdoor experiences for kids ages 6 months to 10 years old. Among the highlights is Lookout Cove, which includes tide pools, gravel pits, fishing boats, shipwrecks and more. 9am-4pm Tue.-Fri., 10am-5pm. Sat. and 9am-5pm. Sunday. $14.95. Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900.
Marine Mammal Center – This nonprofit rescues and rehabilitates marine mammals and offers educational programs for the public. Open daily 10am-4pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. FREE. 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronhkite, Sausalito. 415-289-7325.
San Francisco
California Academy of Sciences – One of the largest natural history science museums in the world, this gem includes an aquarium, planetarium and a living roof. Mon.-Sat. 9:30am-5pm., Sun. 11am-5pm. $35.95 adults, $30.95 youth 12-17, $29.95 children 4-11, under 4 FREE. Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. 415-379-8000.
Children’s Creativity Museum – This museum promotes creativity, innovation and critical thinking through its animation studio, music studio, innovation lab, robot coding exhibit and more. It’s geared for kids ages 2-12. Wed.-Sun., 10am-4pm. $12.95, under 2 FREE. 221 Fourth St. 415-820-3320.
Exploratorium – This science museum is designed to make you think while having fun.  Galleries focus on human phenomena such as thoughts, feelings and human behavior; tinkering, living systems and more. Mon. closed except select holidays, Tue.-Sun. 10am-5pm.  Thur. 6-10pm. $29.95-adults, $24.95 youth 13-17, $19.95 youth 4-12, under 4 FREE. Pier 15, Embarcadero and Green Street. 415-528-4444.
San Francisco Giants Game – Bond with the kids over hot dogs while cheering for the home team. Games start at 1:05pm or 7:15pm. Through Sept. 30. Tickets start at $34. AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza. 
Spreckels Lake – Watch members of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club try out their toy-sized boats.  This is also a great spot for picnicking. Golden Gate Park, near 36th Avenue.
Walt Disney Family Museum – Learn about Walt Disney’s childhood in the Midwest, his move to Hollywood and his experiments with animation and more. Open 10am-6pm daily except Tuesdays and some holidays. $25 adults, $15 kids 6-17, under 6 FREE. 104 Montgomery St. in the Presidio. 415-345-6800. 
Urban Putt – Visit this unusual indoor miniature golf course that takes you through miniature San Francisco landmarks like the Transamerica Pyramid. Mon.-Thu. 4pm-midnight. Fri., 4pm-1am. Sat. 11am-1am and Sun. 11am-midnight. $12 general, $8 ages 6-12, under 6 FREE. 1096 S. Van Ness Ave. 415-341-1080.
East Bay
Chabot Space and Science Center – Learn about the universe by checking out rotating exhibits, planetarium shows and visiting three telescopes. Mon. and Tue: closed. Wed.-Sun. 10am-5pm. 1000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. $18 adults, $14 youth ages 3-12, $15 student. 510-336-7300.
Father & Daughter Dance – Presented by the Young Lives Matter Foundation, this event features a DJ and a special guest. Sat., June 9. 6-10pm. $60 per couple; $30 for each additional daughter. 2939 Ellis St., Berkeley.
Habitot Children’s Museum – Dads can take their infants, toddlers and young children to this center, which includes a water play area, a little grocery store and café, an infant-toddler garden and more. Check website for hours. $12; under 12 months FREE. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. 510-647-1111.
Peninsula
CuriOdyssey – The San Francisco Dads Group loves taking its members and their kids to this center, which includes interactive science experiments and an animal sanctuary. 10am-5pm Tue.-Sun. $12.50 adults, 9.50 children 2-12. 1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo. 650-342-7755.
Dad and Me at the Library Puppet Show – Take the kids to this annual performance by Art Gruenberger’s Puppet Art Theater Co. This program is sponsored by the Fatherhood Collaborative of San Mateo County. Mon., Aug. 6. 4-5pm. FREE. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane. 650-328-2422..
Silicon Valley
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose – This center includes an art gallery featuring the work of people from many cultures, an art loft where children can create, an outdoor play space, a bubble blowing, area, replicas of mammoth fossils, a kid-sized play grocery market, a theater, a water play area and more. Tue.-Sat., 10am-5pm. Sun., 12-5pm. $15. 180 Woz Way. 408-298-5437.
K1 Speed Indoor Go Karts – These high performance electric carts can approach speeds of 45 miles per hour. The indoor track will give you an authentic racing experience for both kids and dads. All junior racers must be at least 48 inches tall. Mon.-Thu., 12pm-10pm. Fri., 11am-11pm. Sat., 10am-12am. Sun., 10am-9pm. No junior races after 8pm on Fri. and Sat. $19.99 for one race. 2925 Mead Ave., Santa Clara. 408-338-0579.