Chabot Space and Science Center 10000 Skyline Blvd. Oakland, CA 94619

510-336-7300

Hours: Open Friday, 5pm – 10pm, Saturday, 10am -10pm, Sunday, noon – 5pm, Wednesday – Friday 10am – 5pm

Admission Charged The 86,000-square-foot center houses one of the largest public telescopes in the United States, a 230-seat planetarium, and the large-screen Tien MegaDome Theater. There are also numerous hands-on science and technology exhibits.

Children's Fairyland 699 Bellevue Ave. Oakland, CA 94610

510-452-2259

Hours: Summer: Mon. - Fri., 10am – 4pm, Sat. and Sun. 10am – 5pm. Other seasons: hours vary, call for additional information

Admission Charged Young children will enjoy this enchanting, three-dimensional fantasy world where popular nursery rhymes come to life, set in picturesque Lakeside Park.

Jack London Square Broadway and Embarcadero 510-814-6000 Admission Free

This busy site at the water's edge has dining, entertainment, shopping, and more than a few spots for daydreaming. Take a ferry ride, stroll the scenic boardwalk, catch a movie, or just relax at a sunny sidewalk café.

Lake Merritt/Lakeside Park Grand and Bellevue Aves. 510-238-7275

Admission Free This large saltwater lake, one of the largest in the country, and the adjoining 122-acre park are home to wildlife, formal gardens, and a children's amusement park, all of which draw scores of walkers, joggers, bikers, rowers, sailors, and windsurfers. See also Children's Fairyland and the Rotary Nature Center.

Oakland Zoo 9777 Golf Links Rd.

Oakland, CA 94605 510-632-9525

Hours: Open daily, 10am – 4pm

Admission Charged Nestled in the 525-acre Knowland Park in the Oakland Hills, the zoo houses more than 400 native and exotic animals. The exhibits are organized geographically and reflect the ecosystems of the animals' native habitats. Visitors can enjoy rotating cultural exhibits in the education center, and kids will love the new butterfly garden and the "rides area," with a roller coaster, an "endangered species carousel," and a train.

Jack London Water Taxi Foot of Broadway, Jack London Square 510-839-7572

Hours: Call for additional information

Admission Charged Take a relaxing ride on the estuary on this pontoon boat and see the city from a unique perspective. Enjoy views of the waterfront, harbor facilities, and estuary wildlife.

Western Aerospace Museum 8260 Boeing St. (Oakland International Airport, North Field)

Oakland, CA 94621 510-638-7100 Hours: Open Wednesday – Sunday, 10am -4pm

Located in a vintage hangar at Oakland International Airport, this museum houses aircraft displays, artifacts, a giant flying boat, and an Electra similar to the one flown by Amelia Earhart, who took off from this airfield and disappeared over the Pacific Ocean.

Grand Lake Theater 3200 Grand Ave.

Oakland, CA 94610 510-452-3556

Hours: Call for additional information A mainstay of the community since its construction in 1926, this first-run movie theater is graced with a colorful, lighted marquee and a sweeping staircase in the main hall. Look for the ornately decorated walls, brass chandeliers, and faux opera boxes. Prior to curtain on Friday and Saturday nights, an organist serenades the audience on a Wurlitzer.

USS Potomac

540 Water Street

Oakland, CA 94607 Located at the foot of Clay St. Jack London Square 510-627-1215

Hours: Call for additional information