Fairyland Hill

If you haven’t taken your little ones to Fairyland yet, you’re missing out on one of Oakland’s best-kept open secrets — though honestly, it’s not that secret. Sitting right on the edge of Lake Merritt, this place has real history behind it, reportedly the inspiration for Disneyland back in the day. The puppet shows are genuinely good, the enclosed play area keeps the under-5 crowd contained without feeling like a cage, and the water feature is basically guaranteed to soak at least one kid. Pack a blanket and claim a spot on the grass field for a picnic with the lake view — it doesn’t get more Oakland than that. Best for the 0-8 crowd; older kids will probably tell you they’re too cool for it, but they’re wrong.