5 Socially Distant Outings with Kids in the Bay Area

If you’re like us, you’ve been cooped up in your house for way too long. After adhering to shelter-in-place guidelines for months, we safely began exploring earlier this summer when restrictions began to be lifted. In our adventures, we have found several places to visit where we have been able to distance ourselves from other groups while still having an enjoyable time. Read on for some of my favorites and be sure to tell me about other places you have found in the comments.

1. Windsor Family Farm (San Martin, CA)

Whether you visit for a few hours or overnight, you will have a blast at Windsor Family Farm. This cheerful family farm has animals galore and so many interactive experiences for the kids. Between feeding the alpacas and goats to holding chickens to jumping on the trampoline and climbing the play structure, my kids would have happily moved in. We did the overnight experience (more details here), which was a much needed change of scenery in the one bedroom cabin that is in a corner of the property.

$125 per night to stay over – book through HipCamp (affiliate link which gives you a $10 credit)

$15 per family for a tour with crafts (minimum $75 so find a few other families in your bubble and plan a day). Book by emailing windsorfamfarm@gmail.com.

2. Whirlygig Private Play (San Jose, CA)

When the outdoor temps skyrocket, a nice air-conditioned spot is ideal but, with some many indoor things closed, it is difficult to find anything. Here is where Whirlygig comes in – you can rent out the entire place for private play and be assured the place has been thoroughly cleaned in between visitors. We have now visited twice and the kids have loved it! On our last week, we booked an evening time, got takeout from a nearby restaurant and enjoyed our meal while the kids played.

$100 for one hour of private play; $130 for an hour and a half. Book through the Whirlygig website.

3. Blue Banner Stables (Gilroy, CA)

Did you know the horseback riding was one of the first activities allowed under county regulations? As soon as that was announced, I booked a ride for my daughters. We were able to safely distance from others at the stable. Each of my daughters were able to help brush Gigi, the friendly Icelandic pony, and then did a ride in the arena before venturing out on the property with an instructor alongside.

$35 for one kid (30 minutes), $65 for two kids (60 minutes) – we booked directly with Kayla Fewkes (contact info here).

4. Harley Farms Goat Dairy (Pescadero, CA)

As you can probably tell, animal adventures are definitely popular in our household. The Harley Farms Goat Dairy in Pescadero is set just off of Highway 1, north of Santa Cruz. They welcome visitors daily to explore the grounds, meet the goats (and a few other types of animals) and check out their small shop selling products made from goat milk. We have visited in the past but they have recently added some experiences which allow you to extend your visit and enjoy some space in a beautiful setting. We did the “Scones by the Pond” which consisted of a generous helping of homemade scones served with your choice of tea or coffee as well as some other treats like goat cheese and fruit. They also offer a “Farm Lunch in the Secret Garden” featuring soup, salad, sandwiches, dessert and lavender lemonade.

$100 for “Scones by the Pond” (served 2 adults + 3 kids just fine) and $300 for “Farm Lunch in the Secret Garden” (serves 4). Both picnics can be booked online on their website.

5. Uvas Canyon County Park (Morgan Hill, CA)

For something outdoorsy, Uvas Canyon County Park is the way to go as they are limiting entry by requiring reservations ahead of time for parking. Additionally, this park has a ton of trees giving shade and a creek running through it that is the perfect size for kids to splash around in. We did the relatively easy Waterfall Loop trail which only had a slight grade and was manageable for kids. We did one of the earlier time slots on a weekend day and only saw a few other cars in the parking lot and only one other group on the trail.

$6 for a pre-reserved parking pass available here.

What other spots have you discovered to safely distance while still having fun in the Bay Area?