The 15 best things to do with kids in Vallejo

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is, overall, a nicely designed park that offers an interesting mix of thrill rides, family attractions, and animal exhibits – somewhere between a zoo and a theme park. 🎢🦓 The park is clean, well laid out, and has something for everyone. Up until about 5 PM, I had a really good time – great atmosphere, nice weather, and a fun day overall. One big plus was the Oktoberfest event that happened during my visit. 🍺 Of course, it doesn’t quite reach the level of a real German Oktoberfest, but I have to give them credit – they put a lot of effort into making it feel authentic with themed decorations, music, and matching food and beer. It was a really fun and well-done touch that added to the experience. 🎶🥨 And I say that as a German. Unfortunately, things went downhill later in the evening. I went across the street to check in at my hotel and tried to re-enter the park at 6:10 PM for the Halloween event, but was denied re-entry because of a park policy stating that guests can only re-enter until 6:00 PM. The park wasn’t even close to being full, so the rule felt unnecessary and inflexible. Even after speaking with a supervisor, there was no exception, no understanding, no real effort to help. That’s sadly the kind of poor customer service Six Flags is known for – sticking rigidly to rules instead of showing flexibility or basic guest consideration. It’s especially disappointing because I would have gladly spent more time (and money) in the park that evening, especially with the Halloween and Oktoberfest activities going on. On top of that, the ride operations were, as usual for Six Flags, very slow and inefficient – dispatches often took five to seven minutes per train, which kills the pacing of the day and causes unnecessary waits. Bottom line: A nice park overall, with an interesting mix of rides and animals and a well-organized Oktoberfest that showed real effort and heart. But the lack of flexibility and poor customer service left a bad impression. With better operations and a more guest-friendly attitude, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom could easily be a top-tier park – unfortunately, this visit left me with mixed feelings and just two stars.

We got the Great America season pass with the all park add on. Visit the park for the first time in at least 5 years. Still as I remembered it. Not too much has changed from the last time. The bus ride from the parking lot is a lifesaver since we know we will be walking around the park a lot. The security at the entrance was a quick and fairly high tech, which was nice to see. Most of the rides are fairly quick since there are not of lot of people at the park on a Sunday afternoon. We waited about 30 minutes for Medusa, which was a great ride. Very smooth and super long. Best ride in the park. We got the season drink bottle for $36 which was nice to keep the kids refreshed throughout the day. The animal shows and interactions were quite a nice break from the rides. The whole group had a blast at the park. Great rides and animal exhibits for the whole family.

The rides were great and almost all of them were open, except for Boomerang. It was pretty busy, but the lines moved fast, which was nice. On the downside, the food was ridiculously expensive. And the haunted houses? Honestly, pathetic. They’re not worth the extra money at all. If you’re visiting, just stick to buying regular tickets, enjoy the rides, and skip the haunted houses. The crowds at the haunted houses were so low that employees actually stopped checking tickets just to make it look more popular and hype it up. Total waste

Fright Fest was fun and the Halloween decorations were really good! They turned on fog machines as soon as it got dark and had scary characters walking around. My son had soo much fun it was like being in a real haunted graveyard. It was a long walk from the parking lot to get to entrance I suggest dropping people off by the front. They have great roller coasters. We rented a locker for $22 which was soo helpful. The average wait for all rides was 45 min to 2 hours so that was tough for a group of boys under 12 yo. If the lines were quicker I would give it 5/5. It's a long walk back to the parking lot.

I had a great time at Six Flags even though a lot of the reviews I see are negative. Good: - We got the FLASH Premium pass and it was absolutely the right call - we barely waited in line, and when the Batman ride opened at night we got on after about 15 min in line instead of 90 minutes - We went for the Fright Fest as well, and the mazes were well done! I liked the haunted mansion the best, club fear wasn't that great since it was very empty and not as many actors inside. The spooky vibes were great and the actors seemed to have a good time - My favorite rides were the Joker, Batman, and the Wonder Woman Lasso ride, that's definitely the longest ride. Superman was also high thrill. - The park wasn't super busy on a Saturday, and parking was easy as well. Very walkable - Dolphin show had cool tricks, but the talk track is definitely for kids Bad: - Food is really expensive, $20 for basically a single slice of pizza and salad - Gets really hot during the day, but cool during the night so bring layers Overall this was a really great experience and would come again

What a mighty park for its size! Good variety of roller coasters and friendly park staff. Lines are long as usual but if you can afford a flash pass it makes the day that much more enjoyable. The cool thing is they have a mini zoo in the back of the park. The animals were so cool to look at and offered a nice change to the loud and hectic front of the park.

Great park! Grab a flash pass if you're visiting for the day, they have some fantastic coasters that you'll want to ride multiple times! Scare Feat was meh, I wouldn't pay for any of the mazes again, but it was great to ride their iconic coasters at night.

amazingly dense museum, right in the heart of historic Vallejo! the curator impressed us with his stories and personal ties to the history in the region--forth generation resident!

The museum is very small. Heritage chamber, To the left of entrance, is used for community events, concerts and educational programs. Research library is open on Tuesdays noon- 4pm. All other days it's only by appointment. Every 3rd Saturday of the month is free. Restrooms are on the lower floor and second floor( we used these. They are separated for both genders and the Ladies restroom is so beautiful with the sitting area outside the restroom). Periscope offers the Panoramic view of the city and Mare Island when rotated. Second floor has an auditorium and artifacts from the ships. The Captain's cabin on the the lower floor is beautiful. We were excited when we saw the old manual telephone exchange and cylinder talking machine.

Absolute Peak Cinema 👾 I love this place with all my heart. I'm a huge Naval nerd and love how peaceful and calm this place is. Such a beautiful experience full of historical events and artifacts. 10000/10

Only $5 to see a marvelous exhibit of the history of Vallejo and its Naval/military years. The puppets are very unique and they did alot of effort to recreate a ship's beak.

It was free to get in ,but a donation was given. It was not many people there which was fine. We had time to enjoy each section.

Very cool spot! Learned about the city of Vallejo and Mere island and the surrounding navy bases. The museum staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and were happy to share their wealth of knowledge with us. Definitely a smaller museum and a bit more scattered, but so much history that it shares, and a great spot to check out!

I love attending the annual Kwanzaa there. The museum is always beautifully decorated for the holiday season. Jim Kern is a local treasure.

Lots of stone fruit-peaches, plums nectarines, melons, watermelons , vegetables to shop from. Vendors also have samples.Yellow watermelon and St. Claus are so sweet, Not forget grapes, strawberries.😋😋no awkwardness; Lots cohorts using food insufficiency supplements =August 2024 season 4/5🛒Cornucopia scrumptious delight for the season has flooded with stone fruit delights, peaches, apricots, plums, pluots, melons galore . If you trying to meet your fruit requirements this is the grazing destination More over the vegetable crops are in squashes, cucumbers and several Asian vegetable farmers. Unique is Dim sum food vendors. Excite yourself explore what our local farmers produce surpass variety that the Big Box grocery stores overlook, Farm to table. Not to overlook your purchases have a even longer shelf life less transportation distance. Purchasing power is wonderful for those managing grocery wallet very economical compared to SF farmers M. (5 grocery 🛒 rated out of 5 grocery🛒} July 2024

This market is great! I sometimes dont get here until an hour or two before closing and theres a lot available.

Great place to get fresh organic vegetables! And much more. Great live music. Lots of great food vendors to choose from.

What a blessing for Vallejo! Great, diverse vendors, chill vibe, great food and fair prices.

I visit the market every Saturday. I love all of the vendors!!

Very nice Farmer's Market. Bought cherries, blueberries, strawberries. Very sweet. Saw the alibi clock as well.

Good selection of about a couple of blocks, I got some strawberries and mushrooms during my short visit of a few days to Napa. It didn't take long to shop here however, and ended up driving to the Napa Farmer's Market which was 10 times the size and had tons more selection.

I bring my grandkids here from time to time and the main thing I like about this park is that it feels safe. The whole place is fenced in, so you don’t have to worry about kids running off into the street. The play areas are made with softer surfaces, which helps with the usual trips and falls. It’s not a park that will wow adults, but that isn’t the point. The kids have fun, and parents or grandparents can relax a bit knowing the environment is secure. For young children it works well, and I appreciate that Vallejo has kept it maintained.

This is a wonderful place for family! There are so many cute play areas: train, train station, tea pot, tea cups, pumpkin cart, pirate ship, dinosaur sand area and slides! My kid really likes this place!! Surprisingly, it is not crowded at all!! Highly recommend it!!

great playground worth the money to visit even with a toddler

Sweet, lovely park for young kids. The play structures are pulled from fairy tales. Clean, well kept - it's a hidden delight.

One of the best children’s parks I’ve ever seen! My only wish is that they opened up a little earlier than 11, but still an unbelievably amazing venue. The fact they sell ice cream is icing on the cake. Parking is safe, the area is basically the park, a nursery, and tennis courts. All in all, amazing. Go check it out!

Best park in Vallejo, the gem of the city. Great Party location for your kids birthday party or just to get the kids running around. Several different spaces and playgrounds. Such a classic location, clean and safe and very friendly staff.

Cute little park just for the little ones. Seating and play structures are nicely divided along the park. For cash there are some snacks and ice cream in the main entrance. Parking is okay. You can reserve a gazebo for birthday parties. There are no bbq pits or anything around to cook your food so please be aware everything you want needs to be prepared in advance. There are bathrooms on-site as well.

What a great area, so much to see! Parka and walk around, great old buildings.

Lots of military history it's a nice beautiful place it's quiet most of the time not a lot of people but sometimes there's quite a lot going on it's a win-win

Its fun to look around and see the old buildings whips on display and other art. the brew house was good but everything outside it is an extreme trip hazard you have to constantly watch your step

St. Patrick's Chapel is very impressive with great docents to talk about the history.

Went during maker faire. Had an amazing time

Our first time here it was not noisy and crowded. It's a small place at the back of the naval shipyard. They have several choices of local micro beers. I had the bright cider and I find it light and good. My husband had the Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Mexican lager. I ordered the vegan black bean chili and it was good. I had to pick it up at the food truck outside. It came in quickly less than 10 minutes. The service was quick and friendly. It's good to bring in the family as the space is large enough to accommodate groups of family or friends. Overall, this was a good place to hangout and enjoy some drinks & food.

This island has soooo much potential!! Nice houses with very few residents. The Vino Godfather Tasting room (Tom is great, the wine is yummy🍷) and Mare Island Brewery are musts to visit!

There is A LOT of info here. It's a self guided museum so you can spend as little or as much time as you desire but be sure to check their hours of operation. The staff are all volunteers and have stories to tell from their day on the Island. It's absolutely fascinating to learn all that happened right here on Mare Island. First Naval Base on the West Coast, first to receive notice about Pearl Harbor attack, real life Rosie the Riveters and welders worked here, oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River, and so so so much more. It is a must see!!!

We frequently visit Mare Island. We love the history and all its beauty. We have enjoyed the Chapel at Christmas and the museum several times. My husband lived on Mare Island for the first five years of his life on Quarters 131 Walnut Avenue. We were wondering why this house still remains ? My husbands Grandfather, William Wiley lived there from 1931 to his retirement in 1948 after 47 years of employment and in charge of dry dock operations for the last 17 years of service.

They have done so much with this museum. There are so many artifacts, pictures, etc that it is very moving to the soul. I miss no longer working at the best Naval Shipyard on the west coast! It was a great place to learn while supporting your country. Thank you Mare Island.....

Take a once-in-a-lifetime visit back into the history of Mare Island the roots go as far back as the Civil War believe it or not this place Documents the original United States Naval porch on the Pacific ocean it is nothing less than amazing to see the history right in front of your eyes many ships including the Nautilis submarine we’re both here Rick over the father of the nuclear navy was on base and even has a Street named after him don’t miss historic Admiralty roll with the mansions are lined up like the pink ladies in downtown San Francisco stunning...

Although navigating the maze of Mare Island and finding parking for the museum isn't particularly easy, the museum is worth it for anyone with an interesting in local or naval history. The museum is extensive and covers the history from the Gold Rush to the present. The displays tend to be collections of "old stuff" without as much interpretation as one might expect from museums these days. Nevertheless, from shipbuilding to the technical aspects of naval machinery to modern naval weapons the museum offers a tremendous array of artifacts and learning opportunities. There's a special emphasis on submarines from the 1930s to the 1990s that I found particularly fascinating. (At the time of my visit in 2016, the museum was building a replica of a ballistic missile submarine control room out of actual submarine parts complete with operating periscope. So, I need to revisit the museum and see how that final product turned out.) You can also walk around the area and visit a number of historical buildings using a map available from the museum. There are officer's quarters, sure, but the shipbuilding facilities were much more interesting to me. Make sure to save time to check out at least one of the dry docks where ships of all sorts were build over the past century (also the site of several episodes of Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" TV show).

Beautiful, interesting, and informative island rich with Bay Area history of working shipyards and Navy stewardship. I would like to know more about the indigenous roots, did not specifically look for those exhibits.

Great museum with lots of exhibits! Models of ships, uniforms, equipment and tools for shipbuilding. Photos and articles on Mare Island and the many "first" things accomplished there. Look through a real periscope!

Came here for the first time and was in awe of the scenery. It was absolutely beautiful. It was packed with people but we honestly had no idea because it was quiet and so large it felt secluded. I wasn’t here long enough to really get to enjoy it because we were just taking pre prom photos for a friend (these pics are just in attempts to show the landscape). My only complaint; You do have to pay for parking. Plus, it’s cash only. Which meant we had to leave, get cash and come back. Other than that it was paradise in Vallejo!

Nice park to stop at to have a meal or just have a wide open space. Just busy enough to feel lively but not overwhelming. Plenty of grass space to run and trails to walk on. Could really use a bathroom upgrade, incredibly filthy, and the other one was closed. Hard to tell what the buildings are from a distance so it could be good to add clearer signs, too.

Maintained park with plenty of room to picnic, set up a game or two, let the kids play on the playground, or BBQ. It has multiple shady areas, restrooms with flush toilets, and grills for public use. I came for a work get together, and another company had the same idea, but we had plenty of space to accomodate everyone. We enjoyed the Peacock Roost picnic tables, complete with glorious peacock!

Took some pictures here with my daughter and they turned out so beautiful. Good parking lot area, very nice scenery. I haven't had any issues.

My family and I were looking for Hiddenbrooke park for a trail and Google Maps took us to a private road that whose entrance had a do not enter sign, but said to go a 1/4 mile down the road. The blue rock springs park is nice. The only problem is there is a gate on the trail that you have to sort of sneak through so it's hard to tell where the path is supposed to go with all of the fences and things. Beautiful view.

Beautiful park lots of squirrels and they also had peacocks. They do charge $5 on weekends and holidays, free during the week. Only down was the restrooms were closed but it could be because of Covid-19.

Did not spend any time in the park/picnic area here. We hiked up the hill. (* Warning the trail up to the hill is currently surrounded by nettles - where long pants! *) It is a very short hike to a wonderful view spot just above the park. Or you can head up the trail a mile or so to where the paragliders take off from. The start of the hike is pretty steep, but after that it is mostly level. Not many different trails to take but a nice walk. We just went back yesterday, and the Peacocks where back. There were at least 6 males and 2 females.

If you happen to visit there... Don't leave anything in any of their buildings... You will never get it back. I worked a gun show there... I left a cell phone charger and cordless charging base... I called twice, spoke to a person both times, and left my phone number, attempting to retrieve my property... No one ever called me back... Just horrible customer service...

Easy to get to from the south bay using MAPS, 680 north to 780 north. Another 6 miles or so north. Took the offramp and crossed back over the freeway. Then paralleled the freeway on a very uneven road to the next signal light. They had road construction going on there. Right turn and I was in the parking lot. I went there for a trade show so I only saw one of the halls, none of the other parts. Parked out front in an unmarked dirt lot. There was an unmarked driveway to the right that led to a paved lot next to this hall (note for when it rains and you don't want get your car muddy). Parking was free.

Not really that fun and EXTREMELY expensive, parking $15, adult $10, kid $8 and then when you're inside you have to BUY TICKETS for the rides or $35 for an unlimited wristband...there's only 11 janky rides in the whole fair and many of them were down while we were there. I saw workers taking pieces from one ride and attaching it to another...seemed unsafe. Taking 3 kids here really drained my fun money for the month. Food wasn't good. Only things I enjoyed were the live animals and live music....but I won't be going back ever. There's way better county fairs.

Fun place for the family. The food is good and fairly inexpensive. Good music to relax to. Safe environment nice police presence. Really inexpensive. Even though the size of the fair has shrunk it still offers good fun for the family. Nice place to take kids to expose them to farm animals.

A common venue for Dog Shows where you can see and pet 200+ dog breeds without much walking. Usually very well organized, parking $0-$10 with free entrance. Mix of shade and sun, restrooms, taco truck(s) and a Sheriff's substation on the grounds. A great place to spend half a day for the whole famy.

This experience is for multiple visits to this place. I have win here for car shows and other events. My most recent visit was for the cove vaccine. The staff was generally organised and I did feel relatively safe. Overall this is a good environment and plenty of parking. Make sure you bring extra clothes if you have to sit as it may get chilly inside tents.

Great experience here, great packing spaces, wonderful food vendors and they animals were so cool to look at! And one lady let me pet her pig! I cried when I pet the pig lol (there my favorite animal 😄😄😄) and my fiance one me a stuffed giraffe that kinda looks like an obese giraffe but I love it! Sorry I don't have any other pictures I'm kinda selfish when it comes to pictures lol

It wasn't crowded. I was able to have my own lane from 5pm to 7pm when I left. Very refreshing water. Lifeguard on duty. Showers to rinse off the pool water also. I wish the sold snacks and drinks there though. 5 dollars for adults, 4 dollars for seniors over 55 years. I will definitely be going back to test out the diving boards!

Great pool. Most lanes are in the deep end. Lanes run sideways. No showers in the locker rooms, just outdoor rinse-off showers for pre-swim. Otherwise fantastic. Changing rooms. Clear water. $6 day pass.

They did a great Job teaching. I was super skeptical, especially with it only being 30 min -which I still think is fast- but my little one got a great progression from their teachings and ill be back if there's room.

My son and he's Friends enjoy swimming .I like being at Oeace and stress free

Swimming lessons were perfect for my 3 grandchildren. After 6 weeks of group lessons, they were no longer afraid of the water and learned a few life saving techniques. Took them to family functions this summer that involved swimming pools and they weren't perfect swimmers, but knew enough to participate and have a great time. Can't wait to enroll them next summer. If they lived closer, I would have them swim year round as offered. Thank you Cunningham!

Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! My favorite pool off season but horrible in the summer, especially this year. The pool got so dirty that I feel discussed to return. When I rinsed off my swimsuit yellow water came out. I don’t have to tell you what that was. The pool is full of kids.

The activities they offer here for the kids are awesome, they have an abundant staff including guards. I haven't swam in the pool in a long time but the pool itself is amazing because the floor raises and lowers according to what function it needs to serve. They used to have a wake-boarding contest in the pool that was pretty good.

This is a wonderful place to stay with great people who work at this location. They are very helpful and accommodating. There are only three spots for overnight camping and you can only stay one night. Then you can be gone for two nights and come back into our night. Also, when you pay the $12 for the overnight that you get the next day from 9:00 a.m. until sunset. This is something I did that though until they told us so I figured I would post it. Thank you again. Enjoy your stay if you'd end up at this beautiful waterfront park in Benicia

There is a $6 entry fee per car. I am attaching a current map for your convenience. Do try to go all the way to the lookout point and then hike down to the water and then continue by the water until you see the carquinez bridge to your right. It's beautiful! Though I would suggest the park management promptly start working on the dried grass to prevent wildfires and to please get the out-of-service bathrooms running. But overall, it's a good place for a family picnic, a jog, or a hike!

Nice park with trails and plenty of picnic tables to stop and enjoy the beautiful views. Plenty of friendly wildlife, including squirrels that come up to you possibly to get some food. Porta-potty’s available throughout the park. Nice park to get away for a day, cast a line or two, have a picnic, and just enjoy nature.

Went to visit park in order to plan for an event. Met Nancy at the entry booth, she was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the park. I told Nancy the date we were considering our event and she state it might be booked. She asked for my phone number and said she would confirm with the other party for the date in question. We'll, I was pleasantly pleased that Nancy did just what she said she would do and called me with the information. Although it was confirmed the party would be there for the reserved date, I appreciate the reliability and professionalism Nancy exhibited. Thank you Nancy, you're awesome!

This is a gem for people who need a good night's sleep. Even though there are only 3 RV camp sites, it's a beautiful place with lots of lavender bushes. Smells pretty. The park is huge and closes at dusk. I think across from the 3 spots you could probably park an rv if not too big and leave by 9am. Lots of health addicts doing runs, jogs, walks and some on skateboards. We drove all the way to the end and saw day use fishing and picnic tables. Use a national parks pass for free. Otherwise it's 12 bucks.

Met up with some friends here with our 7 year old boys to get some outdoor time and picnic. Parking is cash only. Can get windy and we were warned to be aware of the tide when walking along the shoreline. Easy trail hiking and rocky beach play for kids - glad we came here!

Great place to do short hike...trail runs from Vallejo to Benecia. Family friendly recreation area. A lot of picnic tables. Also, popular place to fish.

I really enjoyed this area. Definitely can get in a nice walkout to see the sunset near Pebble Beach or the loop trail. I saw a couple of coyotes on my trek. All sorts of birds. Very peaceful area and has limited parking, though.

A hidden gem of a place for nature and bird lovers. Parking is limited. We visited the place when there were some drizzles on and off, so we’re able to spot a rainbow. Spotted a variety of birds feeding during dawn. There is a flat 2-2.5 mile loop trail covering the Glass beach, but it also connects with the much longer San Francisco Bay trail.

Great nature walk to check out the marshes and it’s right near the so called Glass Beach. Come check it out with friends or family it’s got great views and scenery. Pretty views and cool birds. 🦅🙏🏼

Beautiful 360° wetlands views. It's quiet and you will see lots of wildlife.

It is a beautiful, accessible walking trail with wide trails, ample bird watching. Benches are scattered about the property if you need a break or want to sit and watch the wildlife. The only problem is the lack of parking. I started walking here in 2020. Back then you could park on the street when the parking lot was full, but they have since installed a lot of no parking signs on the adjoining streets. There’s only about a dozen spots in the actual lot which causes people to park in the lanes next to the parking spots. Since the trails go on for miles the folks who do manage to snag a spot will be parked here for a long time, and it’s difficult to get a spot. This has caused me to just turn around and leave several times. If the parking issue could be fixed then this place easily deserves 5 stars.

There is one porta potty. Decent parking. There are so many hiking/walking trails I need to go back several times to do them all, love it there.!!! Just beautiful all natural, and untouched. You must go see for yourself.☺️👍🌼🌻🌸💮🏵️🌿🌳🍃🌱🌾🪺🌞 ❣️💯

So much fun! Pumpkin patch was great and all the cildren had fun! I wish I kenw about the park before. Anyway I definitely recomend a walk at this park, especially during sunset hours. The view is ineffable.

One of the MOST STUNNING 😍 parks in the Bay, let alone the East Bay! This is a gorgeous trail along the shore that overlooks coves, has big trees, everywhere, and lots of lush landscape to delight in while you’re walking or hiking 🥾. Perfect for dog walking and easy parking situation. Millions of detoured walking trails that go in different directions.

Pleasant picnic area and start or finish of a portion of the San Francisco Bay Trail. Popular with dog walkers, hikers, joggers.

A charming area that's quiet and has a small beach. I enjoyed a quiet day here alone.

I wasn’t really impressed. This park is on the waterfront but the water is too far away from the trails for me to really enjoy. We found one area that has steps down to the water but the ground is muddy not sandy, and filled with tall grass and weeds….. marshland. There are plenty of trails and the ones we walked were not difficult to navigate. We could see the water from all of them . The park is clean. There is a small parking lot with maybe 5 spaces at the entrance to the park but there is plenty of parking on the street right outside the entrance. There are picnic tables throughout the park. Dogs are welcomed but please clean up after your fur baby.

There is nothing better than to share the natural joys of life that lots of us people forget about while being busy in this productive world. Going here with my little man reminds me to stay in the present. The combination of fresh air and sunshine brings me back to Childhood outdoor memories. You can go here on a positive note or negative and always come back feeling refreshed!

Beautiful day. Cute little park was driving through and my friend had to put her feet in the sand. Was perfect, highly recommend.

Love this place. Walking the dog has never been so fun. Please pick up after you dog though! The park provides doggie trash bags in the parking g lot in case you forget. Its unpleasant to step in your dogs do, so be responsible even if they do it off path!