Loading...
Unable to display in this view. Please rotate your device.
Archive
Menu

Share

Text Size

Article View
Help
Search
Tools
Share
Print
Archive
Download PDF
Zoom Out
Zoom In

Table of Contents

Articles
Editor's Note
6
On The Web
8
San Francisco & Marin
11
The Arts
12
Camps
12
Dining & Shopping
13
Education
14
Entertainment
17
Family & Professional Services
19
Health, Wellness & Beauty
20
Sports & Fitness
22
Silicon Valley
25
The Arts
26
Camps
26
Dining & Shopping
27
Education
28
Entertainment
32
Family & Professional Services
33
Health, Wellness & Beauty
35
Sports & Fitness
36
East Bay
39
The Arts
40
Camps
40
Dining & Shopping
41
Education
42
Entertainment
44
Family & Professional Services
46
Health, Wellness & Beauty
48
Sports & Fitness
49
Peninsula
53
The Arts
54
Camps
54
Dining & Shopping
55
Education
56
Entertainment
60
Family & Professional Services
62
Health, Wellness & Beauty
64
Sports & Fitness
65
Advertiser's Index
66

Advertiser Index

Action Day Primary Plus
Page BC
Alameda Pediatric Dentistry
Page 3
All Eyes On You Optometry
Page 9
Aquarium of the Bay
Page 19
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Page 13
Bishop O'Dowd High School
Page 9
Blackhawk Family Development Center
Page 7
Bow Wow Meow
Page 19
Breslow Imaging
Page 47
British Swim School
Page 57
California Sports Center
Page 26
Page 27
Camp EDMO
Page 13
Page 17
Canyon Heights Academy
Page 29
Chabot Space & Science Center
Page 45
Chloe's Closet
Page 13
CMT San Jose
Page 26
Page 27
Conservatory of Flowers
Page 19
Contra Costa County Department of Child Support Services
Page 38
Cucina Bambini
Page 26
Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival
Page 27
CuriOdyssey
Page 61
Drawn 2 Art
Page 26
East Bay German International School
Page 2
Forever Smiles Pediatric Dentistry
Page 27
Galileo Camps
Page 27
Page 44
Harker
Page 24
Hidden Talent
Page 26
Hope Technology School
Page 31
iD Tech
Page 17
Page 27
La Petite Baleen
Page 23
Law Office of Shannon Stein
Page 31
Lawhon Law & Mediation
Page 13
Page 19
Lawrence Hall of Science
Page 45
Legarza
Page 13
Page 57
Lemos Farm
Page 59
Page 61
Little Folkies
Page 23
Mathnasium
Page 31
Mer Bleue Esthetic Skin
Page 45
Music Together
Page 51
Oakland Zoo
Page 45
Pediatric Dentistry of San Ramon
Page 47
Peninsula Youth Theatre
Page 26
Playful People Productions
Page 26
Pomeroy Center
Page 23
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Page 15
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
Page 15
San Jose School of Music
Page 26
Page 37
San Mateo Montessori
Page 9
San Ramon Orthodontics
Page 44
Sibby's Cupcakery
Page 59
Silver Creek Academy
Page 26
Page 27
Page 31
Page 37
Solo Bambini
Page 63
St. Finn Barr School
Page 17
Sutter Health
Page 61
Tech Know How
Page 13
Page 17
Page 27
Page 31
Tech Rocks
Page 13
The Growing Room
Page 44
The Maria Montessori School of the Golden Gate
Page 19
The Music Place
Page 26
Page 27
The Renaissance International School
Page 44
The Reutlinger Community
Page 67
Treasure Island Sailing Center
Page 23
Tri-Valley Pediatrics
Page 47
Tutu School
Page 13
Viva El Espanol
Page 17
Page 45
Vivace Youth Chorus
Page 26
Page 31
West Valley Dance Company
Page 26
Page 29

Thumbnails

FC
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
BC

Bookmarks

Add Bookmark

Notes

Add Note

Table of Contents Articles

Articles
Editor's Note
6
On The Web
8
San Francisco & Marin
11
The Arts
12
Camps
12
Dining & Shopping
13
Education
14
Entertainment
17
Family & Professional Services
19
Health, Wellness & Beauty
20
Sports & Fitness
22
Silicon Valley
25
The Arts
26
Camps
26
Dining & Shopping
27
Education
28
Entertainment
32
Family & Professional Services
33
Health, Wellness & Beauty
35
Sports & Fitness
36
East Bay
39
The Arts
40
Camps
40
Dining & Shopping
41
Education
42
Entertainment
44
Family & Professional Services
46
Health, Wellness & Beauty
48
Sports & Fitness
49
Peninsula
53
The Arts
54
Camps
54
Dining & Shopping
55
Education
56
Entertainment
60
Family & Professional Services
62
Health, Wellness & Beauty
64
Sports & Fitness
65
Advertiser's Index
66

Search

Support
  
Previous Page
Click here to open
Click here to send emailClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to page
Click here to openClick here to open
Click here to callClick here to callClick here to callClick here to openClick here to send email
Click here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to callClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to call
Click here to open
Click here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to call
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to call
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to callClick here to callClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to call
Click here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send email
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send email
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to send emailClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Click here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to openClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to pageClick here to go to page
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to callClick here to open
Click here to openClick here to openClick here to open
Created:
Next Page
Previous Article

Editor's Note: Family Favorites in the New Normal

Article header image here

By Teresa Mills-Faraudo

As many of us are trying to adjust to the new normal, we are finding that many of our favorite restaurants, salons and services are no longer open. Some of the events we used to attend are now virtual or have shut down completely. But there are also many businesses, services and activities that have stayed afloat and are thriving despite these difficult times.

Bay Area Parent’s Best of the Best reader survey has been a great way to give these favorites a little boost. This annual publication with the results of the survey has become an important tradition that we try to improve each year. How it works: Readers go to our online survey and either vote for past winners or write in new nominations. Categories include the Arts, Camps, Dining and Shopping, Education, Entertainment, Family and Professional Services, Health, Wellness and Beauty and Sports and Fitness. Subcategories contain things like best dance class, day camp, private and public schools, pediatrician, hospital, realtor, party entertainer, family restaurant and salon.

This year, voter response was great. Readers can use the Best of the Best publication as a good source when searching for the best family resources in their communities. The gold, silver and bronze winners have been divided up by region: East Bay, Peninsula, San Francisco and Marin, and Silicon Valley.

Over the years, I’ve turned to Best of the Best for my own family. I have discovered  everything from great party entertainers to kids’ hair salons. It has been my experience that getting recommendations from other parents is a great way to find what you need. If you can’t find a paper copy of Best of the Best, go to bayareaparent.com and click on “Issues.”

We hope this publication helps your family find what they need. To the readers who voted this year, the Bay Area Parent staff thanks you. Don’t forget to vote next year.

Stay safe and healthy!

– Teresa Mills-Faraudo, associate editor

The Best of San Francisco & Marin

Article header image here

 

The San Francisco and Marin regions offer families great culture, a diverse population, exceptional schools, wonderful entertainment and natural beauty. No wonder so many are proud to live here.

 

THE ARTS

Art Class

Gold: Little Tree Art Studios. Offers art classes, camps, art kits and gifts. 47 Katrina Lane, San Anselmo. 415-295-7037. littletreestudios.net.

Silver: Children’s Creativity Museum. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. 415-820-3320. creativity.org.

 

Dance Class

Gold: Tutu School. “Every child should know what it feels like to dance” is the founding principle of this dance school. 1201B Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur. 415-419-5610. 239 W. Portal Ave., San Francisco. 415-571-8982. 519 Bay St., San Francisco. 415-734-8840. tutuschool.com.

Silver: Steppin’ Out Dance Studio. 697 S. Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-821-7884. steppinoutsf.com.

 

Music Class

Gold: Music Time With Megan. Megan Schoenbohm is an award-winning children’s musician who teaches classes in Marin County. 330-353-5656. beautifultreeproductions@gmail.com. musictimewithmegan.com.

Silver: Music Together of San Francisco. Multiple locations. 415-596-0299. musictogethersf.com.

Bronze: Little Folkies. Multiple Bay Area locations. 415-669-4121. littlefolkies.com.

Bronze: Vibo Music School. 1490 Ocean Ave., #2, San Francisco. 415-584-2873. vibomusic.com.

 

Theater Class

Gold: Marin Shakespeare Company. Offers theater classes for children and teens, camps, a teen touring company, internships and Shakespeare classes at schools. Forest Meadow Amphitheater, 890 Belle Ave., San Rafael. 415-499-4488. marinshakespeare.org.

Silver: The Rabbit Hole Children’s Theater. 800 Diamond St., San Francisco. 415-525-4085. therabbitholetheater.com.

Bronze: New Conservatory Theatre Center. 25 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-861-8972. nctcsf.org.

 

CAMPS

Cooking Camps

Gold: Slide Ranch. Campers make fresh farm food with ingredients they collect themselves from an organic garden. Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach. 415-381-6155. slideranch.org.

Silver: Culinary Artistas. Ghirardelli Square, 851 Beach St., San Francisco. 415-735-5234. culinaryartistas.com.

 

Day Camps

Gold: Slide Ranch. Focuses on teaching respect for animals, plants, the Earth and each other. Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach. 415-381-6155. slideranch.org.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Bronze: Camp EDMO. Multiple Bay Area locations. 877-993-6673. campedmo.org.

Bronze: Wheel Kids. Richmond Clubhouse, 149 18th Ave., San Francisco. 415-418-3524. wheelkids.com/san-francisco/arc.

 

Overnight Camp

Gold: Camp Tawonga. This camp strives to foster a deep connection to nature, community and Judaism. Near Yosemite National Park. Business office: 131 Steuart St., #460, San Francisco. 415-543-2267. tawonga.org.

Silver: Young Actors’ Theatre Camp. Santa Cruz Mountains. 925-858-3548. campyatc.com/summer-camps.

Bronze: Mountain Camp. Ice House Lake in the El Dorado National Forest. Business office: 1480 Moraga Road, Suite C #392, Moraga. 415-351-2267. mountaincamp.com.

Bronze: YMCA Camp Jones Gulch. 11000 Pescadero Road, La Honda. 650-747-1200. ymcasf.org/locations/ymca-camp-jones-gulch.

 

Special Interest Camp

Gold: Slide Ranch. Campers discover animals and plants, while learning to respect the Earth and each other. Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach. 415-381-6155. slideranch.org.

Silver: Bay Area Discovery Museum. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900. bayareadiscoverymuseum.org.

Bronze: Legarza Sports. Multiple locations. legarzasports.org.

Bronze: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

 

Technology Camp

Gold: TechKnowHow. LEGO, robotics, coding and STEM activities for kids. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Silver: Camp EDMO. Multiple locations. 877-993-6673. campedmo.org.

Bronze: Tech Rocks! 2339 Ocean Ave., San Francisco. 415-787-7625. techrocks.org.

 

DINING & SHOPPING

Children’s Resale Clothing

Gold: Goodwill. In addition to providing secondhand clothing, household items, toys and more, Goodwill also offers low-income individuals the opportunity for employment and training. Multiple locations. sfgoodwill.org.

Silver: Chloe’s Closet. 451 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. 415-642-3300. 616 Irving St., San Francisco. 415-664-4611. chloescloset.com.

Silver: Play it Again Kids. 783 Andersen Drive, San Rafael. 415-485-0304. playitagainkids.com.

Bronze: SeeSaw Children’s Consignment Shop. 722 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415-295-7979. seesaw4kids.com.

 

Family Home and Garden – Exterior

Gold: Sloat Garden Center. This company offers a wide selection of fresh plants, garden tools, soils, pottery and garden expertise. Multiple locations. 415-752-1614. sloatgardens.com.

Silver: Flora Grubb Gardens. 1634 Jerold Ave., San Francisco. 415-626-7256. floragrubb.com.

Bronze: Goodman Building Supply. 775 Redwood Ave., Mill Valley. 415-388-6233. goodmanbuildingsupply.net.

 

Family Home and Garden – Interior

Gold: Goodman Building Supply. Since 1955, it has been providing hardware, housewares, garden and lumber needs for the Marin County community. 775 Redwood Ave., Mill Valley. 415-388-6233. goodmanbuildingsupply.net.

Silver: Cliff’s Variety. 479 Castro St., San Francisco.415-431-5365. cliffsvariety.com.

Bronze: Papenhausen Hardware. 32 W. Portal Ave., San Francisco. 415-681-6717. papenhausen.com.

 

Family Restaurant

Gold: Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers. Since 1978, it has been serving gourmet burgers in the Bay Area, and strives to have something for everyone on its menu. 4138 24th St.., San Francisco. 415-282-7770. barneyshamburgers.com.

Silver: Mel’s Drive-in Diner. Multiple locations. melsdrive-in.com.

Bronze: Goat Hill Pizza. 300 Connecticut St., San Francisco. 415-641-1440. 171 Stillman St., San Francisco. 415-974-1303. 170 W. Portal Ave., San Francisco. 415-242-4628. goathillpizza.com.

 

Pet Store and Services

Gold: Pet’s Corner. This family-owned pet store in the Richmond District stocks dog, cat, small animal and bird supplies, and also strives to educate pet owners about proper care and nutrition. 3701 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. 415-751-7387. petscornershop.com.

Silver: Noe Valley Pet Co. 1451 Church St., San Francisco. 415-282-7385. noevalleypet.com.

Bronze: Bernal Beast. 509 Cortland Ave., San Francisco. 415-643-7800. bernalbeast.com.

 

Shopping Center or Mall

Gold: Westfield San Francisco Centre. Major department stores and big-name brands, a movie theater, restaurants and cafes comprise this nine-level shopping center in downtown San Francisco. 865 Market St., San Francisco. 415-512-6776. westfield.com.

Silver: Laurel Village. California Street between Locust and Spruce streets, San Francisco. laurelvillagesf.com.

Bronze: Stonestown Galleria. 3251 20th Ave., San Francisco. 415-759-2626. stonestowngalleria.com.

 

EDUCATION

International School

Gold: La Scuola International School. At this International Baccalaureate school where students from a wide range of backgrounds speak more than 30 different languages, the mission is to “inspire brave learners to shape the future.” 735 Fell St., San Francisco. 415-551-0000. lascuolasf.org.

Silver: Lycée Francais de San Francisco. 755 Ashbury St., San Francisco. 610 Coloma St., Sausalito. 1201 Ortega St., San Francisco. 415-661-5232. lelycee.org.

Bronze: French American International School. 1150 Oak St., San Francisco. 415-558-2000. frenchamericansf.org.

 

Language Immersion School

Gold: La Scuola International School. This international school’s language immersion program starts with Italian, and offerings are expanded to include Spanish in fourth grade. 735 Fell St., San Francisco. 415-551-0000. lascuolasf.org.

Silver: Lycee Francais de San Francisco. 755 Ashbury St., San Francisco. 610 Coloma St., Sausalito. 1201 Ortega St., San Francisco. 415-661-5232. lelycee.org.

Bronze: The Crayon Box Preschool. 3215 Cesar Chavez St., San Francisco. 415-821-9008. thecrayonboxpreschool.com.

Bronze: The Growing Tree School. 1028 Balboa St. and 1984 Great Highway, San Francisco. 415-668-2918. thegrowingtreeschool.com.

 

Math or Science Support

Gold: TechKnowHow. LEGO, robotics, coding and STEM activities for kids. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Silver: San Francisco Math Circle. 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco. 415-857-4296. sfmathcircle.org.

Bronze: Camp EDMO. Multiple Bay Area locations. 877-993-6673. campedmo.org.

 

Montessori School

Gold: Maria Montessori School of the Golden Gate. Based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy, this school focuses on nurturing the physical, social, cognitive and emotional development of each student. 62 Lenox Way, San Francisco. 415-731-8188. sfmontessori.com.

Silver: Casa dei Bambini School. 2401 Taraval St., San Francisco. 415-379-4111. cdeib.com.

Bronze: Studio Montessori. 633 Eighth St., San Francisco. 415-510-1287. studiomontessorisf.com.

 

Preschool or Childcare Center

Gold: La Scuola International School. The mission is to “inspire brave learners to shape the future.” 735 Fell St., San Francisco. 415-551-0000. lascuolasf.org.

Silver: St. Thomas the Apostle Preschool. 3801 Balboa St., San Francisco. 415-221-2711. sfsta.org.

Bronze: Casa dei Bambini School. 2401 Taraval St., San Francisco. 415-379-4111. cdeib.com.

 

Private Elementary School

Gold: La Scuola International School. This school has students from a wide range of backgrounds and hosts an International Baccalaureate program. 735 Fell St., San Francisco. 415-551-0000. lascuolasf.org.

Silver: Pacific Preparatory. 2443 Fillmore St., #380-7575, San Francisco. 314-722-7737. pacificpreparatory.com.

Bronze: St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School. 3801 Balboa St., San Francisco. 415-221-2711. sfsta.org.

 

Private Middle School

Gold: La Scuola International School. This International Baccalaureate school “inspires brave learners to shape the future.” 735 Fell St., San Francisco. 415-551-0000. lascuolasf.org.

Silver: Pacific Preparatory. 2443 Fillmore St., #380-7575, San Francisco. 314-722-7737. pacificpreparatory.com.

Bronze: St. Thomas the Apostle School. 3801 Balboa St., San Francisco. 415-221-2711. sfsta.org.

 

Private High School

Gold: Pacific Preparatory. Its curriculum approach is to ensure lessons integrate each student’s interests, development and academic goals. 2443 Fillmore St., #380-7575, San Francisco. 314-722-7737. pacificpreparatory.com.

Silver: Lick-Wilmerding High School. 755 Ocean Ave., San Francisco. 415-333-4021. lwhs.org.

Bronze: St. Ignatius College Preparatory. 2001 37th Ave., San Francisco. 415-731-7500. siprep.org.

 

Public or Charter Elementary School

Gold: Lafayette Elementary School. Its comprehensive curriculum stresses academic excellence for its diverse student population, and it is a magnet school for hearing-impaired students. 4545 Anza St., San Francisco. 415-750-8483. sfusd.edu/school/lafayette-elementary-school.

Silver: New School of San Francisco. 940 Filbert St., San Francisco. 415-401-8489. newschoolsf.org.

Bronze: Alvarado Elementary. 625 Douglass St., San Francisco. 415-695-5695. sfusd.edu/school/alvarado-elementary-school.

Bronze: West Portal Elementary. 5 Lenox Way, San Francisco. 415-759-2846. westportalschool.com.

 

Public or Charter Middle School

Gold: Herbert Hoover Middle School. Nestled below Hawk Hill in the West Portal District, this school offers language immersion, special education and general education programs. 2290 14th Ave., San Francisco. 415-759-2783. sfusd.edu/school/herbert-hoover-middle-school.

Silver: Gateway Middle School. 1512 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco. 415-922-1001. gatewaypublicschools.org/gms.

Bronze: Roosevelt Middle School. 460 Arguello Blvd., San Francisco. 415-750-8446. sfusd.edu/school/roosevelt-middle-school.

 

Public or Charter High School

Gold: Lowell High School. Founded in 1856, it is ranked as one of the highest performing public high schools in California, and has been recognized four times as a National Blue Ribbon School, eight times as a California Distinguished School and once as a Gold Ribbon School. 1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco. 415-759-2730. sfusd.edu/school/lowell-high-school.

Silver: Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. 555 Portola Drive, San Francisco. 415-695-5700. sfsota.org.

Bronze: Leadership High School. 350 Seneca Ave., San Francisco. 415-841-8910. leadershiphigh.org.

Bronze: Mission High School. 3750 18th St., San Francisco. 415-241-6240. sfusd.edu/school/mission-high-school.

 

Technology School or Program

Gold: TechKnowHow. LEGO, robotics, coding and STEM activities for kids. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Silver: Camp EDMO. Multiple Bay Area locations. 877-993-6673. campedmo.org.

Bronze: iD Tech. Online and multiple locations. 1-888-709-8324. idtech.com.

 

Tutoring and Educational Support

Gold: Tutor Corps. This team of private academic tutors provides instruction to elementary, middle and high school students online and at home. 2443 Fillmore St., #380-7575, San Francisco. 415-990-1322. tutorcorps.com.

Silver: 826 Valencia. 826 Valencia St., 180 Golden Gate Ave. and 1310 Fourth St., San Francisco. 415-642-5905. 826valencia.org.

Bronze: Viva el Español. Multiple Bay Area locations. 925-962-9177. vivaelespanol.org.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Family Event – Community Fair/Festival

Gold: Marin County Fair. Features farm animals, carnival rides, live entertainment and more. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 415-499-6400. marinfair.org.

Silver: A Christmas Carol at the American Conservatory Theater. 415 Geary St. and 1127 Market St., San Francisco. 415-749-2228. act-sf.org.

Bronze: Shakespeare in Park. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Performs in parks all over the Bay Area. 415-558-0888. sfshakes.org.

 

Hidden Gems – Little Known Business, Activity or Spot

Gold: Music Time With Megan. Megan Schoenbohm teaches interactive family music classes throughout the Bay Area and has made award-winning children’s albums. 330-353-5656. musictimewithmegan.com.

Silver: Lands End Trail. The Visitor Center is at Point Lobos and El Camino del Mar in San Francisco. 415-426-5240. nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/landsend.htm.

Bronze: Glen Canyon Park. Elk and Chenery streets, San Francisco. 415-254-8014. sfrecpark.org. 

 

Indoor Playspace

Gold: Play Haven. A teacher-created playspace and party venue for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. 254 Laguna Honda Blvd., San Francisco. 415-702-6555. playhavensf.com.

Gold: Bay Area Discovery Museum. Features indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, events, camps and celebrations. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900. bayareadiscoverymuseum.org.

Silver: California Academy of Science. 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco. 415-379-8000. calacademy.org.

Bronze: House of Air. 926 Mason St., San Francisco. 415-345-9675. houseofair.com.

 

Local Family Entertainment

Gold: Music Time With Megan. Megan Schoenbohm teaches interactive family music classes throughout the Bay Area and has made award-winning children’s albums. 330-353-5656. musictimewithmegan.com.

 

Museum

Gold: Bay Area Discovery Museum. Features indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits, events, camps and celebrations. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900. bayareadiscoverymuseum.org.

Silver: California Academy of Sciences. 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco. 415-379-8000. calacademy.org.

Bronze: de Young Museum. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. 415-750-3600. deyoung.famsf.org.

 

Party Entertainment or Jumper Company

Gold: Ricky Roo & Friends Puppet Shows. This business performs puppet shows throughout the Bay Area for parties, corporate events, schools and camps and festivals. 510-326-6735. rickyrooandfriends.com.

Silver: Music Time With Megan. 330-353-5656. musictimewithmegan.com.

Bronze: The Amazing Rachel. 415-564-4981. addsomefun.com.

 

Party Facility or Location

Gold: Play Haven. A teacher-created playspace and party venue for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. 254 Laguna Honda Blvd., San Francisco. 415-702-6555. playhavensf.com.

Silver: Bay Area Discovery Museum. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900. bayareadiscoverymuseum.org.

Bronze: Children’s Creativity Museum. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. 415-820-3320. creativity.org.

 

Party Food/Caterer

Gold: Bi-Rite Market. Specializing in local, seasonal and responsibly sourced ingredients. Multiple locations. 415-241-9760. biritemarket.com/catering.

Silver: Nugget Markets. 5627 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera. 470 Ignacio Blvd., Novato. 1 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon. 415-450-5109. nuggetmarket.com.

Bronze: Sunrise Deli. 2115 Irving St. and 54 Second St., San Francisco. 415-495-9999. sunrisedeli.net.

 

Zoo, Aquarium or Nature Center

Gold: San Francisco Zoo. This is home to more than 2,000 exotic, endangered and rescued animals representing 250 species, as well as peaceful gardens with native and exotic plants. Sloat Boulevard at The Great Highway, San Francisco. 415-753-7080. sfzoo.org.

Silver: Aquarium of the Bay. Pier 39, The Embarcadero and Beach Street, San Francisco. 415-623-5300. aquariumofthebay.org.

Bronze: Conservatory of Flowers. Golden Gate Park, 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, San Francisco. 415-831-2090. conservatoryofflowers.org.

 

FAMILY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Baby or Maternity Services

Gold: Fertile Ground Parenting. Works with families to deepen the parent-child connection to help parents find more joy and ease. 415-484-8889.  fertilegroundparenting.com.

Silver: Natural Resources. 1367 Valencia St., San Francisco. 415-550-2611. naturalresources-sf.com.

Bronze: California Pacific Medical Center. Multiple San Francisco locations. 415-600-6000. cpmc.org.

 

Family Law Services

Gold: Patricia De Fonte, De Fonte Law. She focuses on estate planning for parents with minor children. 415-735-6959. defontelaw.com.

Gold: Lawhon Law & Mediation. Provides neutral mediation services for all family law matters including divorce, custody issues and premarital agreements. 1120 Nye St., #200, San Rafael. 415-398-3400. lawhonlaw.com.

Silver: Parks Law Group. 140 Geary St., San Francisco. 415-391-7335. parkslawgroup.com.

 

Family Photography

Gold: Ashley Kaplan Photography. This San Francisco-based photographer specializes in natural light, couple and family photography. ashleykaplanphotography.com.

Silver: Through a Lenz. throughalenz.com.

 

Financial Services

Gold: San Francisco Fire Credit Union. Offers financial services related to checking and savings accounts, loans, credit cards and investments. Multiple locations. 415-674-4800. sffirecu.org.

Silver: Redwood Credit Union. Multiple locations. 1-800-479-7928. redwoodcu.org/home.

Bronze: Primary Residential Mortgage. 1746 18th St., San Francisco. 415-252-5070. primaryresidentialsf.com.

 

Nanny Services

Gold: Apex PROaupair. Provides professionals experienced with pediatric nursing, early childhood education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, special needs education and more. 844-787-6566. proaupair.com.

Silver: Urban Sitter. urbansitter.com.

Bronze: AuPairCare. 600 California St., #10, San Francisco. 800-428-7247. aupaircare.com.

 

Places for Kid’s Haircuts

Gold: Purple Monkey Hair. Owned by a Marin mom, it offers a full-service salon for kids of all ages. 1550 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon. 415-789-5437. purplemonkeyhair.com.

Silver: Heff’s Barbershop. 693 Monterey Blvd., San Francisco. 415-988-7968. facebook.com/pages/Heffs-Barbershop/155770401278239.

 

Senior Assisted Living

Gold: Aegis Living. This senior community provides assisted living, memory care, respite care and activities for residents. 5555 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera. 415-483-1399. aegisliving.com/aegis-living-of-corte-madera.

Gold: Sagebrook Senior Living. It offers assisted living and memory care as well as entertainment for residents. 2750 Geary St., San Francisco. 415-346-0246. sagebrooksf.com.

Silver: Sequoia Living. Multiple locations. sequoialiving.org.

 

Special Needs Services or Organizations

Gold: Apex PROaupair. Provides professionals experienced with pediatric nursing, early childhood education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, special needs education and more. 844-787-6566. proaupair.com.

Silver: Kidspace. 3401 Mission St., San Francisco. 415-695-1400. kidspacetherapy.com.

Bronze: Support for Families of Children With Disabilities. 1663 Mission St., #700, San Francisco. 415-920-5040. supportforfamilies.org.

 

Veterinary Hospital or Veterinarian

Gold: San Francisco SPCA Hospital. Offers veterinary care, adoption services, dog and cat behavior training resources, classes and more. 201 Alabama St. and 2343 Fillmore St., San Francisco. 415-554-3000. sfspca.org.

Silver: VCA All Pets Hospital. 269 S. Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-861-5725. vcahospitals.com/all-pets.

Bronze: Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital. 5264 Diamond Heights Blvd., San Francisco. 415-642-7200. sevenhillsvet.com.

 

HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY

Beauty Services

Gold: Cinta Aveda Institute. This beauty institute offers salon and spa services below market cost. 305 Kearny St., San Francisco. 415-989-4400. cintaaveda.edu/salon-spa.

Silver: Glow Yoga and Wellness. 1548 Stockton St., San Francisco. glowyogasf.com.

Bronze: Cetana Salon. 155 Brannan St., San Francisco. 415-371-1335. cetanasalon.com.

 

Birth Center

Gold: Bay Area Homebirth Collective. Midwives provide tailored care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum for families opting for a home birth. 415-578-8598. bayareahomebirth.com.

Silver: California Pacific Medical Center. Multiple San Francisco locations. 415-600-6000. cpmc.org.

Bronze: San Francisco Birth Center. 2300 Sutter St., #301, San Francisco. 415-780-0848. sfbirthcenter.com.

 

Doctor or Pediatrics Group

Gold: UCSF Department of Pediatrics. It has earned national and international recognition for its accomplishments and is committed to excellence in research, education and clinical care of infants, children and young adults. Multiple locations. 415-476-9181. pediatrics.ucsf.edu.

Silver: Whole Family MD. 1286 Sanchez St., Suite A, San Francisco. 415-642-0333. wholefamilymd.org.

Bronze: California Pacific Medical Center. Multiple locations. 415-600-6000. cpmc.org.

 

Hospital or Medical Center

Gold: California Pacific Medical Center. This not-for-profit medical center provides specialized treatment for women and children, organ transplant programs, innovative orthopedic treatments and more. Multiple San Francisco locations. 415-600-6000. cpmc.org.

Silver: MarinHealth Medical Center (formerly Marin General Hospital). 250 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae. 415-925-7000. mymarinhealth.org.

Bronze: UCSF Medical Center. 400 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco. 415-476-1000. 1600 Divisadero St., San Francisco. 415-567-6600. 1825 Fourth St., San Francisco. 415-353-3000. ucsfhealth.org.

 

Optometrist

Gold: Eyes on Twenty-Fourth Optometry. Doctors Victor Bautista and Katherine Stout-Bautista focus on providing quality eye care with services that include comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings and evaluations, pre- and post-operative LASIK and cataract surgical care and more. 4080 24th St., San Francisco. 415-282-1366. eyesontwentyfourth.com.

Silver: Dr. Robert Monetta. 2532 Ocean Ave., San Francisco. 415-239-2544.

drmonettaoptometry.com.

Bronze: Dr. Jimmy Fong. 6115 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. 415-221-2611.

 

Orthodontist

Gold: Dr. Fredric Warren. Offers a variety of braces, retainers and removable appliances to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment. 15 W. Portal Ave., San Francisco. 415-681-2418. warrenortho.com.

Gold: Image Orthodontics. Uses the latest technology and techniques to transform the smiles of adults, teens and children. Multiple Bay Area locations. 877-512-5472. imageorthodontics.com.

Silver: Bella Smile. 390 Laurel St., #100, San Francisco. 415-292-2345. 20 Page St., San Francisco. 415-865-1122. bellasmile.com.

Bronze: Dr. Peter Lee. 801 Taraval St., San Francisco. 415-237-0533. opdsfortho.com.

 

Pediatric Dentist

Gold: Dr. Ladan Vakili. Her approach is to provide a pleasant and comfortable office environment that makes children feel at ease during dental visits. 1036 Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield. 415-454-6414. smilez4u.com.

Silver: Novato Pediatric Dentistry. 7428 Redwood Blvd., #101, Novato. 415-858-0886. novatopediatricdentistry.com.

Bronze: Discovery Pediatric Dentistry. 1700 California St., #200, San Francisco. 415-441-7766. pediatricdentistsf.dentist.

Bronze: KidSmiles Pediatric Dentistry. 2537 Ocean Ave. and 2050 Judah St., San Francisco. 415-681-5437. kidsmiles.com.

 

Spas

Gold: International Orange. Offers facials, waxing, massages and more. 2421 Larkspur Landing Circle, #43, Larkspur. 415-563-5000. internationalorange.com.

Silver: SenSpa. 1161 Gorgas Ave., San Francisco. 415-441-1777. senspa.com.

Bronze: Kabuki Springs and Spa. 1750 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. 415-922-6005. kabukisprings.com.

 

SPORTS & FITNESS

Fitness Center

Gold: Orangetheory Fitness. Its total body group workouts combine science, coaching and technology. 230 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae. 415-481-0876. orangetheory.com/en-us/locations/california/greenbrae/230-bon-air-center.

Silver: The Bay Club San Francisco. 150 Greenwich St., San Francisco. 415-433-2200. bayclubs.com/sanfrancisco.

Bronze: Burn. 1043 Valencia St., San Francisco. 415-829-3331. burnbylc.com.

Bronze: Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. 3200 California St., San Francisco. jccsf.org.

 

Gymnastics Class

Gold: Marin Elite Gymnastics Academy (MEGA). Girls and boys can enjoy classes, camps and competitive gymnastics at this fully-equipped facility. 72 Woodland Ave., San Rafael. 415-257-6342. megagymnastics.com.

Silver: San Francisco Gymnastics. 1405 Fillmore St., San Francisco. 415-561-6260. sanfranciscogymnastics.com.

 

Martial Arts Class

Gold: ABADÁ-Capoeira. Its teaching methodology is rooted in the belief that encouragement and positive role modeling enrich the lives of all students, regardless of level or background. 3221 22nd St., San Francisco. 415-206-0650. abada.org.

Silver: One Martial Arts. 850 Taraval St., San Francisco. 415-731-9988. onemartialarts.com.

Bronze: Barrios Martial Arts. 1756 18th St., San Francisco. 415-341-0045. barriosmartialarts.com.

 

Swim Class/Lessons

Gold: La Petite Baleen. This prestigious swim school focuses on water safety awareness and technique. 933 Mason St., San Francisco. 844-339-5015. swimlpb.com.

Silver: Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center Aquatics. 207 Skyline Blvd., San Francisco. 415-665-4100. prrcsf.org.

Bronze: San Francisco Parks and Recreation Aquatics. Multiple locations. sfrecpark.org/482/swimming-pools.

Bronze: YMCA of San Francisco. Multiple locations. ymcasf.org/swimming-pools.

 

Swimming Facility

Gold: YMCA of San Francisco. Offers family recreation swim times, lessons, group exercise classes, lap swim and more. Multiple locations. ymcasf.org/swimming-pools.

Silver: Hamilton Recreation Center. Geary and Steiner streets, San Francisco. 415-292-2008. sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/hamilton-pool-215.

Bronze: Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center Aquatics. 207 Skyline Blvd., San Francisco. 415-665-4100. prrcsf.org.

 

Youth Sports Program/Facility

Gold: Soccer Kids. Offers soccer classes for kids who aren’t ready for competitive sports. Multiple locations in San Francisco and Marin. 415-608-2608. sf.soccerkids.com.

Silver: San Francisco Little League. P.O. Box 193488, San Francisco. sfll.org.

Bronze: SF Basketball Academy. 415-912-8878. sfbasketballacademy.com.

Bronze: Treasure Island Sailing Center. 698 California Ave., Building 112, San Francisco. 415-421-2225. tisailing.org.

The Best of Silicon Valley

Article header image here

 

Silicon Valley, known as the birthplace of modern technology, is a region also praised for its acclaimed educational institutions, world-class health care providers and great attractions and services. There is also natural beauty, a diverse population and a vibrant creative atmosphere, making it a wonderful place to raise a family.

 

THE ARTS

Art Class

Gold: Drawn2Art. Teaches skill-based fundamentals of art. Simple step-by-step instruction avoids frustration and makes learning enjoyable for all ages. 941 Fremont Ave., Los Altos. 650-948-4719. 15994 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos. 408-355-5850. drawn2artstudios.com.

Silver: Hidden Talent Art Studio. 1375 Blossom Hill Road, #17, San Jose. hiddentalentartstudio.com.

Bronze: San Jose Art Academy. 2905 Homestead Road, Santa Clara. 408-244-8311.sjaart.com.            

 

Dance Class

Gold: West Valley Dance Company. Offers a well-rounded, professional dance education that caters to individual pace and growth. Multiple Santa Clara County locations. 408-217-8106. westvalleydanceco.com.

Silver: Joy of Dancing. 1030 Piedmont Road, Suite I, San Jose. 408-258-7722. thejoyofdancingsanjose.com.

Bronze: The Dance Affair. 850 N. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. 408-243-4834. thedanceaffair.com.

 

Music Class

Gold: San Jose School of Music. This is one of the largest schools of music in the San Jose area, offering private lessons in all popular instruments, as well as voice. 1090 Lincoln Ave., #7, San Jose. 408-286-8828. sanjoseschoolofmusic.com.

Silver: Vivace Youth Chorus of San José. 1738 Mirassou Place, San Jose. 408-885-1746. vivaceyouthchorus.org.

Bronze: The Music Place. Multiple locations. 408-445-2787. musicplace.com.

 

Theater Class

Gold: Willow Glen Children’s Theatre. Their approach gives children the tools to increase self-confidence and make friends in a safe and supportive environment. In addition to acting skills, children develop their presentation, speaking, listening and reading skills. 2175 Lincoln Ave., San Jose. 408-448-6400. wgct.org.

Silver: Children’s Musical Theater San Jose. 1401 Parkmoor Ave., #100, San Jose. 408-288-5437. cmtsj.org.

Bronze: Peninsula Youth Theatre. 2500 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View. 650-988-8798. pytnet.org.

Bronze: Playful People Productions. 500 W. Hamilton Ave., #110549, Campbell. 408-878-5362. playfulpeople.org.

 

CAMPS

Cooking Camp

Gold: Taste Buds Kitchen. The mission is to create a culinary entertainment experience for kids, families and adults by engaging and delighting budding chefs in the kitchen. 2775 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. 650-485-2684. 1150 Foxworthy Ave., #30, San Jose. 408-784-3000. tastebudskitchen.com.

Silver: Cucina Bambini. 1041 Lincoln Ave., San Jose. 408-564-7773. 22 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408-560-9995. cucinabambini.com.

Bronze: Hidden Villa.  26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills. 650-949-8650. hiddenvilla.org.

 

Day Camp

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Offers weekly academic and themed camp sessions on subjects such as public speaking, logic, writing and more. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Silver: Action Day Primary Plus Camp Tiki. Multiple locations. Main office: 3030 Moorpark Ave., Building D, San Jose. 408- 244-1968. actiondayprimaryplus.com/elementary/enrollment/#camptiki.

Bronze: California Sports Center. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

Bronze: Christian Righteousness Education Center. 19888 Prospect Road, Saratoga. 408-593-7777. sites.google.com/view/crecafterschool/summer-camp.

 

Overnight Camp

Gold: Walden West. An outdoor camp that focuses on science and natural environments. Kids learn about nature, survival skills, astronomy and more. 15555 Sanborn Road, Saratoga. 13851 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino. 408-573-3050. waldenwest.org/summer.

Silver: Kennolyn Camp. 8400 Glen Haven Road, Soquel. 831-479-6714. kennolyncamps.com.

Bronze: Girl Scouts of Northern California. Multiple locations. 800-447-4475. camp.gsnorcal.org.

 

Special Interest Camp

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Camps focusing on leadership, debate and academic achievement are popular sessions during the summer. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Silver: Children’s Musical Theater San Jose. 1401 Parkmoor Ave., #100, San Jose. 408-288-5437. cmtsj.org.

Silver: The Music Place. Multiple locations. Main office: 1617 Willowhurst Ave., San Jose. 408-445-2787. musicplace.com.

Bronze: California Sports Center. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

 

Technology Camp

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Summer programs with an academic emphasis, including mathematics and critical thinking. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Silver: iD Tech Camp. Multiple locations and online. 888-709-8324. idtech.com.

Bronze: Camp Galileo. Multiple locations. 800-854-3684. galileo-camps.com.

 

DINING & SHOPPING

Children’s Resale Clothing

Gold: The Kidz Shoppe. Find brand name new clothes and shoes, toys, books, games, sports equipment and puzzles. 3635 Union Ave., San Jose. 408-879-0989. thekidzshoppe.net.

Silver: Lollipop Market. 14396 Union Ave., San Jose. thelollipopmarket.com.

Bronze: Goodwill. Multiple locations. goodwill.org.

 

Family Home and Garden – Exterior

Gold: Home Depot. Popular chain that has a big range of plants, gardening tools and materials and hardscape products. Many locations. 800-466-3337. homedepot.com.

Gold: SummerWinds Nursery. A wide variety of plants and garden materials, along with experts on hand to help and guide customers. 2460 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell. 408-866-0171. 1491 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. 408-996-8355. 725 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto. 650-493-5136. summerwindsnursery.com.

Silver: Almaden Nursery. 15800 Almaden Expressway, San Jose. 408-997-1234. almadenvalleynursery.com.

Bronze: Yamagami’s Garden Center. 1361 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino. 408-252-3347. yamagamis.com.

 

Family Home Improvement – Interior

Gold: Ace Hardware. A home improvement store with many Santa Clara County locations. 888-827-4223. acehardware.com.

Silver: Home Depot. Multiple locations. 800-466-3337. homedepot.com.

Bronze: Lowe’s. Multiple locations. 800-445-6937. lowes.com.

 

Family Restaurant

Gold: Willow Street Pizza. A local favorite with families known for its variety of wood-fired pizza. 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., #218, Los Gatos. 408-354-5566. 1072 Willow St., Willow Glen, San Jose. 408-971-7080. willowstreet.com.

Silver: Chili’s. Multiple locations. 800-983-4637. chilis.com

Bronze: Red Robin. Multiple locations. redrobin.com.

 

Kids Eat Free or Cheap

Gold: Denny’s. Reasonable prices, expansive menu and many locations make this a family go-to place. Multiple locations. 800-733-6697. dennys.com.

Silver: Willow Street Pizza. 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., #218, Los Gatos. 408-354-5566. 1072 Willow St., Willow Glen. 408-971-7080. willowstreet.com

Bronze: Pizza My Heart. Multiple locations. 408-502-8099. pizzamyheart.com.

 

Pet Store or Services

Gold: Andy’s Pet Shop. Long-established pet facility selling supplies. 429 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose. 408-297-0840. andyspetshop.com.

Silver: PetSmart. Multiple locations. petsmart.com.

Bronze: Petco. Multiple locations. petco.com.

 

Shopping Center or Mall

Gold: Santana Row. A world-class shopping experience with top brands, boutiques and memorable dining. 377 Santana Row, San Jose. 408-551-4611. santanarow.com.

Silver: Westfield Valley Fair. 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara. 408-248-4451. westfield.com/valleyfair.

Bronze: Gilroy Premium Outlets. 681 Leavesley Road, Gilroy. 408-842-3732. premiumoutlets.com/outlet/gilroy.

 

EDUCATION

Language Immersion School

Gold: Cherrywood Elementary School Mandarin Dual Language Immersion Program. Students are taught using California State Standards in English as well as Mandarin. Both languages are taught daily and the students interact in both languages. 2550 Greengate Drive, San Jose. 408-923-1915. cherrywood.berryessa.k12.ca.us.

Silver: Word of Grace Chinese School. 2360 McLaughlin Ave., San Jose. 408-826-2878. wordofgraceschool.org.

Bronze: River Glen. 1088 Broadway Ave., San Jose. 408-535-6240. riverglen.sjusd.org.

 

Math/Science Support

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Academic support in math, science and other subjects. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Silver: Brain-O-Magic. Multiple locations. brainomagic.com.

Bronze: Mathnasium. Multiple locations. 877-601-6284. mathnasium.com.

 

Montessori School

Gold: Mandala Children’s House. Founded in 1975, the school follows a model committed to the development of the whole child. 5038 Hyland Ave., San Jose. 408-251-8633. mandalachildrenshouse.com.

Silver: Casa dei Bambini. 457 College Ave., Palo Alto. 650-473-9401. cdeib.com.

Bronze: Edison Montessori. 1260 Erin Way, Campbell. 408-559-1566. edisonmontessori.com/campbell.

 

Preschool or Childcare Center

Gold: Action Day Primary Plus. These preschools maintain a philosophy of a semi-structured program that combines fun-filled learning with free play and exploration time. Multiple locations. 408-244-1968. actiondayprimaryplus.com.

Silver: Neighborhood Christian Center (Santa Clara): 887 Pomeroy Ave., Santa Clara. 408-984-3418. myncc.net.

Bronze: Almaden Country Day School. 6835 Trinidad Drive, San Jose. 408-997-0424. almadencountrydayschool.org.

 

Private Elementary School

Gold: Primary Plus. Teachers make learning fun, maintain high expectations and make strong connections with their students. The curriculum consists of hands-on learning opportunities, field trips and extracurricular activities. Multiple locations. 408-244-1968. actiondayprimaryplus.com.

Silver: Canyon Heights Academy. 775 Waldo Road, Campbell. 408-370-6727. canyonheightsacademy.com.

Bronze: Almaden Country Day School. 6835 Trinidad Drive, San Jose. 408-997-0424. almadencountrydayschool.org.

 

Private Middle School

Gold: West Valley Middle School. A balanced education combines core fundamentals, small class size, dedicated teachers and enrichment opportunities. 801 Hibiscus Lane, San Jose. 408-985-2138. wvmiddleschool.com.

Silver: Almaden Country Day School. 6835 Trinidad Drive, San Jose. 408-997-0424. almadencountryschool.org.

Bronze: Old Orchard School. 400 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell. 408-378-5935. oldorchardschool.com.

 

Private High School

Gold: Hope Technology School. With inclusive classes, this school provides opportunities for every student to thrive academically, physically and socially in order to develop into globally responsible citizens. 2525 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto. 650-565-8391. hopetechschool.org.

Silver: Pacific Preparatory. Online. 314-722-7737. pacificpreparatory.com.

Bellarmine College Preparatory. 960 W. Hedding St., San Jose. 408-294-9224. bcp.org.

Bronze: The Harker School. 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose. 408-249-2510. harker.org.

 

Public or Charter Elementary School

Gold: Cherrywood Elementary. The school hopes to instill a love of learning, social skills and community responsibility while meeting or exceeding grade level academic standards. 2550 Greengate Drive, San Jose. 408-923-1915. cherrywood.berryessa.k12.ca.us.

Silver: Christa McAuliffe School. 12211 Titus Ave., Saratoga. 408-253-4696. cusdk8.org/mcauliffe.

Bronze: Willow Glen Elementary. 1425 Lincoln St., San Jose. 408-535-6265. wge.sjusd.org.

 

Public or Charter Middle School

Gold: Willow Glen Middle. The school’s vision is to prepare today’s students to be thinkers, leaders and creators of tomorrow. 2105 Cottle Ave., San Jose. 408-535-6277. wgms.sjusd.org.

Silver: Dartmouth Middle. 5575 Dartmouth Drive, San Jose. 408-264-1122. dartmouth.unionsd.org.

Bronze: Raymond J. Fisher Middle.19195 Fisher Ave., Los Gatos. 408-335-2300. rjfisher.lgusd.org.

 

Public or Charter High School

Gold: Willow Glen High. The school’s stated mission is “uniting as one community; we elevate opportunities for all.”  2001 Cottle Ave., San Jose. 408-535-6330. wghs.sjusd.org.

Silver: Leigh High. 5210 Leigh Ave., San Jose. 408-626-3405. leigh.cuhsd.org.

Bronze: Leland High. 6677 Camden Ave., San Jose. 408-535-6290. leland.sjusd.org.

 

Technology School or Program

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Offers award-winning academic courses and small-group instruction in math, reading, writing, SAT preparation and more. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Gold: Mathnasium. Delivers a customized learning plan designed to address each student’s needs, whether they started out far behind or are already ahead in math. Multiple locations. 877-601-MATH. mathnasium.com.

Silver: Hope Technology School. 2525 E. Bayshore Road, #3210, Palo Alto. 650-565-8391. hopetechschool.org.

Bronze: TechKnowHow.  Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com

 

Tutoring or Education Support Program

Gold: RAFT – Resource Area for Teaching. This resource for educators offers activity kits, office supplies, arts and crafts materials and more.1355 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose. 408-451-1420. raft.net.

Gold: Silver Creek Academy. Programs feature challenging curriculum, credentialed teachers and low ratios. 5619 Silver Creek Valley Road, San Jose. 408-839-5905. scaasanjose.com.

Silver: Huntington Learning Center. Multiple Bay Area locations, including 7335 Bollinger Road, Cupertino. 408-475-5338. huntingtonhelps.com.

Bronze: Tutor Corps. Multiple locations. 415-990-1322. huntingtonhelps.com.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Date Night Location or Venue

Gold: AMC Movies. The biggest hits with comfortable seats and classic treats. Multiple locations. amctheatres.com.

Silver: Sur La Table Cooking Classes. 23 University Ave., Los Gatos and 855 El Camino Real, #57, Palo Alto. surlatable.com/cooking-classes/in-store-cooking-classes.

Bronze: Stanford Theater. 221 University Ave., Palo Alto. 650-324-3700. stanfordtheatre.org.

Bronze: La Fondue. 14550 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. 408-867-3332. lafondue.com.

 

Family Event – Community Fair/Festival

Gold: Gilroy Garlic Festival. A Bay Area tradition with everything from garlic fries to garlic ice cream. P.O. Box 2311, Gilroy. 408-842-1625. gilroygarlicfestival.com.

Silver: Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival. Memorial Park, 21255 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino. 408-252-2303. cupertinotoyokawa.org.

Bronze: Christmas in the Park. Downtown San Jose. 408-809-9627. christmasinthepark.com.

 

Hidden Gems – Little Known Business, Activity or Spot

Gold: Hidden Villa. This educational nonprofit stretches over 1,600 acres of open space. Visitors participate in programs and explore the organic farm and gardens, greet farm animals and hike beautiful trails. 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills. 650-949-8650. hiddenvilla.org.

Silver: Willow Glen Children’s Theatre. 2175 Lincoln Ave., San Jose. 408-448-6400. wgct.org.

Bronze: History San Jose. Kelley Park, San Jose. Mailing address: 1650 Senter Road, San Jose. 408-287-2290. historysanjose.org.

 

Indoor Playspace

Gold: Pump It Up. Open jump times, birthday parties and more at this popular spot to unleash energy. 1830B Hillsdale Ave., San Jose. 408-714-0080. 2919 Mead Ave., Santa Clara. 408-713-1200.pumpitupparty.com.

Silver: Chuck E. Cheese. Multiple Bay Area locations. chuckecheese.com.

Bronze: Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. 180 Woz Way, San Jose. 408-298-5437. cdm.org.

 

Local Family Entertainment

Gold: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. Families can have a blast on the rides, see a puppet show, pet animals or attend one of the educational programs. 748 Story Road, San Jose. 408-794-6400. happyhollow.org.

Silver: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. 831-423-5590. beachboardwalk.com.

Bronze: Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. 408-840-7100. gilroygardens.org.

Bronze: California’s Great America. 4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara. 408-988-1776. cagreatamerica.com.

 

Local Family Getaway

Gold: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. It feels like an adventure close to home. Ride the train, enjoy a puppet show and more. 748 Story Road, San Jose. 408-794-6400. happyhollow.org.

Silver: Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. 408-840-7100. gilroygardens.org

Bronze: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. 831-423-5590. beachboardwalk.com.

 

Museum

Gold: Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. It features dozens of interactive exhibits, storytimes, cultural celebrations, crafts, infant activities and more. 180 Woz Way, San Jose. 408-298-5437. cdm.org.

Silver: The Tech Interactive 201 S. Market St., San Jose. 408-294-8324. thetech.org.

Bronze: Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. 1660 Park Ave., San Jose. 408-947-3635. egyptianmuseum.org.

 

Party Entertainer or Jumper Company

Gold: Rebecca the Balloon Lady. Rebecca twists balloons into any shape and provides face painting for birthday parties and other events. 408-224-4997. rebeccatheballoonlady.com.

Silver: Andy Z. andyz.com.

Bronze: Dottie the Clown. 408-365-0136. getdottie.com.

 

Party Facility or Location

Gold: Pump It Up. Birthday party packages where kids can bounce in celebration. 1830B Hillsdale Ave., San Jose. 408-714-0080. 2919 Mead Ave., Santa Clara. 408-713-1200. pumpitupparty.com.

Silver: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. 748 Story Road, San Jose. 408-794-6400. happyhollow.org.

Bronze: Chuck E. Cheese. Multiple Bay Area locations. chuckecheese.com.

 

Party Food/Caterer

Gold: Pizza My Heart. Founded in Capitola Beach, each location features surf memorabilia and a cool surfer vibe while serving up great pizza. Multiple locations. 408-502-8099. pizzamyheart.com.

Silver: Buca Di Beppo. Multiple locations. 408-377-7722. bucadibeppo.com.

Bronze: Olive Garden. Multiple locations. olivegarden.com.

 

Zoo, Aquarium or Nature Center

Gold: Monterey Bay Aquarium. A world-class aquarium with educational programs and play areas located on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and next to historic Cannery Row. 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. 831-648-4800. montereybayaquarium.org.

Silver: Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. 408-840-7100. gilroygardens.org.

Bronze: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. 748 Story Road, San Jose. 408-794-6400. hhpz.org.

 

FAMILY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Baby or Maternity Services

Gold: Kaiser Permanente. One of the largest nonprofit healthcare plans in the United States, with more than 12 million members. Its quality of care has been highly rated and attributed to a strong emphasis on preventive care. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

Silver: Bay Area Maternity Services and Women’s Health. 777 Knowles Drive, #11, Los Gatos. 2495 Sobrato Pavillion, #4260, 2495 Knowles Drive, Mountain View. 408-871-5202. bayareamaternity.net.

Bronze: Joy & Laughter Developmental Therapy. 2262 N. First St., San Jose. 275 Saratoga Ave., Santa Clara. 408-337-2727. jldtherapy.com.

 

Family Law Services

Gold: Foster Hsu. This firm handles California divorce, step-parent adoption, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, domestic violence issues and guardianship. 111 N. Market St., #389, San Jose. 408-841-7200. fosterhsu.com.

Silver: Sowards Law Firm. Multiple offices. Main office: 2542 S. Bascom Ave., #210, Campbell. 408-371-6000. sowardslawfirm.com.

Bronze: Shannon Stein Law. 438 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale. 408-774-9097. shannonsteinlaw.com.

 

Family Photography

Gold: Jeffrey Hosier Photography. Clients praise this photographer for his passion, professionalism and comfortable demeanor. 408-832-3268. jeffreyhosier.com.

Silver: Picture People. 5353 Almaden Expressway, San Jose. 408-613-0121. picturepeople.com.

Bronze: Jim Nelson & Son Photography. 5998 Garces Ave., San Jose. 408-264-7811. jimnelsonphotography.com.

 

Financial Services

Gold: Charles Schwab. This corporation provides a full range of brokerage, banking and financial advisory services through its operating subsidiaries. Multiple locations. schwab.com.

Silver: Technology Credit Union. Multiple locations. 800-553-0880. techcu.com.

Bronze: Star One Credit Union. Multiple locations. 408-543-5202. starone.org.

 

Insurance Companies or Brokers

Gold: GEICO. Offers a wide range of coverage, including auto, homeowners, renters and more. 800-207-7847. geico.com.

Silver: State Farm. 800-782-8332. statefarm.com.

Bronze: Farmers Insurance. 800-974-6755. farmers.com.

 

Nanny Service

Gold: Care.com. Offers an array of services that enable families to find, manage and pay for caregivers, including nannies, babysitters, housekeepers and tutors. care.com.

Silver: Bay Area Sitters. 380 Hamilton Ave., #1382, Palo Alto. 650-422-4292. bayareasitters.com.

Bronze: AuPair Care. Main office: 600 California St., 10th Floor, San Francisco. 800-428-7247. aupaircare.com.

Place for Kid’s Haircut

Gold: Cookie Cutters. Sitting in a “fantasy car” styling chair while watching kids’ shows and games makes getting a haircut fun, while experienced stylists also use bubbles and balloons to coax even the most reluctant clients. 4750 Almaden Expressway, #128, San Jose. 408-821-6847. haircutsarefun.com.

Silver: Lollipop Cuts for Kids. 18476 Prospect Road, Saratoga. 408-725-8479. facebook.com/pages/Lollipop-Cuts/143147062398373.

Bronze: Googooli. 8505 Church St., #9, Gilroy. 408-842-8800. facebook.com/pages/category/Hair-Salon/Googooli-Hair-Salon-for-Children-226444550734144.

 

Real Estate Companies or Realtors

Gold: Brian Tanger, Intero. Living in San Jose his entire life has enabled Tanger to have strong insight into the local real estate market. 5580 Almaden Expressway, San Jose. 408-754-9500. intero.com/directory/agents/brian-tanger-1.

Silver: Coldwell Baker, Carol Abala. 410 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408-335-1500. coldwellbankerhomes.com/ca/los-gatos/agent/carol-abela/aid_27472.

Bronze: Keller Williams (Los Gatos). 16780 Lark Ave.,  Los Gatos. 408-560-9000. kwbae.com.

 

Senior Assisted Living

Gold: Sunrise Senior Living. These communities provide senior care services including assisted living, independent living and memory care. Multiple locations. 888-645-3959. sunriseseniorliving.com.

Silver: Saratoga Retirement Community. 14500 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga. 408-741-7222. retirement.org/saratoga.

Bronze: Belmont Village Senior Living. Multiple locations, including 500 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. 408-984-4767. belmontvillage.com.

Bronze: Palm Villas Campbell: 3333 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell. 408-559-8301. palmvillasfamily.com.

 

Special Needs Services or Organizations

Gold: Development is Child’s Play! Specializes in pediatric occupational therapy and sensory integration, primarily for children ages 2-12. 10011 N. Foothill Blvd., #109, Cupertino. 408-865-1365. developmentischildsplay.com.

Silver: Almaden Valley Children’s Therapy Center. 6501 Crown Blvd., #100A, San Jose. 408-601-0993. almadenvalleychildrenstherapycenter.com.

Bronze: Joy & Laughter Developmental Therapy. 2262 N. First St., San Jose. 275 Saratoga Ave., Santa Clara. 408-337-2727. jldtherapy.com.

 

Veterinary Hospital or Veterinarian

Gold: Willow Glen Pet Hospital. A caring team of professionals offers a variety of services, from wellness exams to emergency care. They also have an in-house laboratory, allowing them to do blood work on-site and produce rapid results. 860 Willow St., #500, San Jose. 669-342-7472. willowglenpethospital.com.

Silver: Arroyo Animal Clinic. 1211 Sycamore Terrace, Sunnyvale. 877-890-3895. arroyoanimalclinic.com. 

Bronze: Burbank Pet Hospital. 1819 W. San Carlos St., San Jose. 408-271-7875. burbankpet.com.

Bronze: VCA Almaden Valley Animal Hospital. 15790 Almaden Expressway, San Jose. 408-268-3550. vcahospitals.com/almaden-valley.

 

HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY

Beauty Services

Gold: Atelier Salon. Offers haircuts, color treatments, styling, hair texture services, hair extensions, waxing and hair removal. 377 Santana Row, #1175, San Jose. 408-244-4222. ateliersalon.com.

Silver: Adorn Hair Salon. 291 E. Main St., Suite B3, Los Gatos. 408-442-5680. facebook.com/adornsalonlosgatos.

Bronze: Bobbie Jean Hair Studio. 63 Civic Center Drive, Campbell. 408-412-8779.

Bronze: Nuvoux the Salon. 468 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. 408-395-5965. nuvouxthesalon.com.

 

Birth Center

Gold: Kaiser Permanente. This well-respected group offers family-centered and personalized services and care from pregnancy through labor and delivery. Multiple locations. healthy. healthy.kaiserpermanente.org.

Silver: Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto. 650-497-8000. stanfordchildrens.org/en/lucile-packard-childrens-hospital.

Bronze: El Camino Hospital. 815 Pollard Road, Los Gatos. 408-378-6131. 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View. 650-940-7000. elcaminohospital.org.

 

Children’s Vision or Eyewear Service

Gold: Dr. Fred Slater. This practice has been helping people see 20/20 for nearly 50 years. 1875 S. Bascom Ave., #110, Campbell. 408-377-1212. slater2020.net.

Silver: Silicon Valley Eyecare Optometry and Contact Lenses. 770 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara. 4508-296-0511. sve.com.

Bronze: America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses. Multiple locations. americasbest.com.

Bronze: Image Eyecare Optometry. 451 Blossom Hill Road., #10, San Jose. 408-281-3926. imageeyecare.com.

 

Doctor or Pediatrics Group

Gold: Kaiser Permanente. Families enjoy easy access to appointments, skilled pediatricians and strong lines of communication with caregivers. Multiple locations. 800-464-4000. healthy.kaiserpermanente.org.

Silver: Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Multiple locations. 888-398-5677. pamf.org.

Bronze: Los Gatos Pediatrics. 320 Dardanelli Lane, #16, Los Gatos. 408-866-7830. losgatospediatrics.com.

 

Hospital or Medical Center

Gold: Kaiser Permanente. A wide range of medical services for all ages. Multiple locations. 800-464-4000. healthy.kaiserpermanente.org.

Silver: Stanford Health Care. Multiple locations. 650-723-4000. stanfordhealthcare.org.

Bronze: Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto. 650-497-8000. stanfordchildrens.org/en/lucile-packard-childrens-hospital.

 

Optometrist

Gold: Dr. Fred Slater. The professionals in this practice pride themselves on providing quality vision solutions and exceptional customer service. 1875 S. Bascom Ave., #110, Campbell. 408-377-1212. slater2020.net.

Silver: Silicon Valley Eyecare Optometry and Contact Lenses. 770 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara. 4508-296-0511. sve.com.

Bronze: Bay View Eye Care Center. 1930 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell. 408-371-3623. bayvieweyecarecenter.com.

Bronze: Family Eyecare Center. 338 E. Hamilton Ave., Campbell. 408-866-2020. familyeyecare.com.

 

Orthodontist

Gold: Dr. Nancy Gum. She has been practicing orthodontics since 1989 and has done extensive research on treating teenagers with clear aligners. 1688 Willow St., Suite K, San Jose. 408-269-3634. drnancygum.com.

Silver: Dr. Greg Burnett. 15827 Los Gatos Blvd., Suite A, Los Gatos. 408-356-0605. lgortho.com.

Bronze: Dr. Joseph Rideau. 189 N. Bascon Ave., #1869, San Jose. 408-286-6330. destinationsmiles.com.

 

Pediatric Dentist

Gold: Forever Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Leyla Abazari. Provides specialized dentistry for children and adolescents in a child-friendly environment with a focus on preventative care. 1704 Miramonte Ave., #9, Mountain View. 650-282-5758. 4eversmilespediatric.com.

Silver: Dr. Gregory Rabitz. 1600 Willow St., #250, San Jose. 408-265-5880. drrabitz.com.

Bronze: Bay Area Kids Dentist. Three Silicon Valley locations. 408-736-3500. bayareakidsdentist.com.

Bronze: Willow Glen Family Dentistry. 1680 Westwood Drive, #8, San Jose. 408-266-6811. mywillowglendentist.com.

 

Spas

Gold: Burke Williams Day Spa Santana Row. A luxury day spa offering massage, nail care, spa baths, facials and more. 355 Santana Row, #2010, San Jose. 408-241-0071. burkewilliamsspa.com.

Silver: Watercourse Way Bath House Spa. 165 Channing Ave., Palo Alto. 650-462-2000. watercourseway.com.

Bronze: The Village Spa. 346 Village Lane, Los Gatos. 408-399-5620. villagespalosgatos.com.

 

SPORTS & FITNESS

Fitness Center

Gold: California Sports Center. Offers competitive and recreational classes for ages 18 months and up in a fun, safe and progressive environment. It also has birthday party packages, summer camps and drop-in gymnastics. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

Silver: 24 Hour Fitness. Multiple locations. 24hourfitness.com.

Bronze: Bay Club. Multiple locations. 888-646-4660. bayclubs.com.

 

Gymnastics Class

Gold: Airborne Gymnastics. Offers a full array of training, from recreational to competitive, plus camps, birthday parties and more. 1515 Walsh Ave., Santa Clara. 408-986-8226. airborne-gymnastics.com.

Silver: TRS Gymnastics. 65 Galvez St., Stanford. 650-724-0457. trsgymnastics.com.

Bronze: California Sports Center. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

 

Martial Arts Class

Gold: JTC Taekwondo Center. Self-defense techniques, world-class fitness instruction and innovative teaching methods make this popular with students of all ages. 5161 Moorpark Ave., San Jose. 408-253-0500. jtctkd.com.

Silver: Ernie Reyes West Coast Martial Arts Association. Multiple locations. 408-984-1988. erniereyes.com.

Bronze: Chuck Jefferson Judo. 1244 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose. 408-605-4872. cjjudo.com.

 

Swim Class/Lessons

Gold: De Anza Cupertino Aquatics (DACA). It offers a swim school, pre-competitive swimming, competitive swimming, water polo, adult programs and summer programs. 1080 S. De Anza Blvd., San Jose. 408-446-5600. daca.org.

Silver: Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) Swim School. 5400 Camden Ave., San Jose. 408-267-4032. avacswimschool.us.

Bronze: Waterworks Aquatics. 1120 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose. 408-279-1700. waterworksswim.com/san_jose.

 

Swimming Facility

Gold: De Anza Cupertino Aquatics (DACA). This swim center offers family swim time, lap swim times, recreational swimming, classes and more. 1080 S. De Anza Blvd., San Jose. 408-446-5600. daca.org

Silver: California Sports Center. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

Bronze: Morgan Hill Aquatics Center. 16200 Condit Road, Morgan Hill. 408-782-2134. ca-morganhill2.civicplus.com/189/aquatics-center-ac.

 

Youth Sports Program/Facility

Gold: Amazing Athletes. This program uses sports as a catalyst to meet the needs of the whole child through non-competitive, learning-based fitness classes designed to advance each child’s individual motor skills and to inspire future participation in physical activity. Multiple locations. 408-799-7014. amazingathletes.com/southbay/events-outings.

Silver: Solar4America Ice. 1500 S. 10th St., San Jose. 408-279-6000. solar4americaiceatsanjose.com.

Bronze: California Sports Center. Multiple locations. calsportscenter.com.

The Best of the East Bay

Article header image here

 

From the urban pulse of Oakland to the suburban sophistication of Walnut Creek, the large East Bay region has plenty to offer families, including a wide range of open spaces, cultural amenities, strong school districts and pleasant weather.

 

THE ARTS

Art Class

Gold: Learning Bee Learning Center. This afterschool program offers art among other enrichment activities including homework help, fitness, academic support and programming. 39977 Mission Blvd., Fremont. 510-226-8408. learningbeelearningcenter.com.

Silver: i heart art. 15 Vivian Drive, Pleasant Hill. 925-602-0140. iheartartstudio.co.

Bronze: Alameda Arts. P.O. Box 202, Alameda. info@alamedaarts.com. alamedaarts.com.

 

Dance Class

Gold: San Ramon Valley Dance Academy. The academy offers a diverse curriculum – including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, special needs classes and more – for students from age 3 to 70-plus. 101 Ryan Industrial Court, San Ramon. 925-837-4656. srvda.com.

Silver: Shawl-Anderson Dance Center. 2704 Alcatraz Ave., Berkeley. 510-654-5921. shawl-anderson.org.

Bronze: Tutu School. Multiple locations. tutuschool.com.

 

Music Class

Gold: East Bay Music Together. Make music with your child, from birth to age 7, at one of East Bay Music Together’s 15 locations. Multiple locations. 510-848-7464. eastbaymusictogether.yourvirtuoso.com.

Silver: Bay Area Academy of Music. 5460 Sunol Blvd., #1, Pleasanton. 925-398-8683. bayareaacademyofmusic.com.

Bronze: Crowden Music Center. 1475 Rose St., Berkeley. 510-559-6910. crowden.org.

 

Theater Class

Gold: Bay Area Children’s Theatre. Its academy offers a theater skill-building curriculum for children from kindergarten through high school. 6114 La Salle Ave., #431, Oakland. 510-296-4433. bactheatre.org.

Silver: Kids ‘N Dance ‘N Theater Arts. 3840 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland. 510-531-4400; 3369 Mt. Diablo, Lafayette. 925-284-7388. kidsndance.com.

Bronze: Berkeley Playhouse. 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. 510-845-8542. tickets.berkeleyplayhouse.org.

 

CAMPS

Cooking Camp

Gold: Camp Galileo. Whipping up unique cheesecakes and popsicles were just a few of the activities offered through Galileo’s online Innovator’s Club. Online and multiple locations. 800-854-3684. galileo-camps.com/galileo-summer-quest.

Silver: Pans On Fire. 3059 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. 925-600-7267. pansonfire.com.

Bronze: Cook! Programs. 510-726-7837. cookprograms.com.

Bronze: Spanish Academy Cooking Camp. 925-289-2352. spanishacademy.org.

 

Day Camp

Gold: The Growing Room. Camp is offered for kids in TK-sixth grade at four locations in San Ramon and Danville. Multiple locations. 925-837-4392. thegrowingroom.org.

Silver: Springfield Montessori School. 2780 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. 925-944-0626; 5100 Brannigan St., Dublin. 925-828-5102. springfieldmontessori.com.

Bronze: Camp Galileo. Multiple locations. 510-595-7293. galileo-camps.com.

Bronze: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

 

Overnight Camp

Gold:  Trackers. Kids can gain self-reliance and independence at overnight backcountry camps set in beautiful wilderness locations. 1110 James Place, El Cerrito. 510-575-9444. trackersbay.com.

Silver: Alameda County 4-H Camp (Las Posadas). alameda4hcamp@gmail.com. lasposadas4hcamp.org.

Bronze: Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp. P.O. Box 11013, Oakland. 360-921-5182. cazfamilycamp.org.

 

Special Interest Camp

Gold: Springfield Montessori Summer Camp. This summer camp is offered for children ages 2-6 with half day, full day and extended care options. 2780 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. 925-944-0626; 5100 Brannigan St., Dublin. 925-828-5102. springfieldmontessori.com.

Bronze: The Growing Room. Multiple locations. 925-837-4392. thegrowingroom.org.

Bronze: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

 

Technology Camp

Gold: Camp Galileo. Galileo camps aim to teach children to think like innovators, encouraging them to identify goals, generate ideas, design, create, test, evaluate, redesign and share. Multiple locations. 510-595-7293. galileo-camps.com.

Silver: Scientific Adventures for Girls. P.O. Box 11123, Oakland. 415-531-5288. scientificadventures.org.

Bronze: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

 

DINING & SHOPPING

Children’s Resale Clothing

Gold: Chloe’s Closet. A great spot to buy and sell kids’ clothing, toys, baby gear and maternity clothes. 1545 Solano Ave., Berkeley. 510-900-6043. chloescloset.com.

Silver: Growing Pains. 4425 Treat Blvd., Suite K, Concord. growingpainsresale@gmail.com. facebook.com/growingpains95.

Bronze: Valentine’s. 3820 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510-985-5437. valentineskids.com.

 

Family Home and Garden, Exterior

Gold: Sloat Garden Center. Offers a wide selection of plants, garden tools, pottery and more, with knowledgeable nursery professionals. Multiple locations. sloatgardens.com.

Silver: East Bay Nursery. 2330-32 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. 510-845-6490. eastbaynursery.com.

Bronze: Pete’s Ace Hardware. 2569 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley. 510-581-7633. peteshardware.com.

 

Family Home Improvement – Interior

Gold: Cole Hardware. Combining traditional hardware fare from tools to paints and lifestyle needs from Parisian patio furniture to cookware, textiles and kitchen appliances, Cole Hardware is a one-stop home shop. 5533 College Ave., Oakland. 510-230-0145. colehardware.com/stores/rockridge-store.

Silver: Worley’s Home Design Center. 2751 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley. 510-582-6400. worleyshomedesigncenter.com.

Bronze: Nathan & Co. 4025 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510-428-9638; 5636 College Ave., Oakland. 510-601-1677. nathanandco.com.

 

Family Restaurant

Gold: Denica’s Real Food Kitchen. Scrumptious pastries, pancakes and crepes, omelets, burritos, sandwiches and more mean there’s something for everyone on the menu. Multiple locations. denicascafe.com.

Zachary’s Chicago Pizza. Zachary’s is famous for its Chicago-style stuffed pizzas, and offers thin crust and half-baked styles, too, along with salads, beer and wine. Multiple locations. zacharys.com.

Silver: Lazy Dog. Multiple locations. lazydogrestaurants.com.

Bronze: Jack’s. 60 Crescent Drive, Suite A, Pleasant Hill. 925-849-6195; 1029 Newpark Mall Road, Newark. 510-789-0027. Ilovejacks.com.

Bronze: Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. 7202 Amador Place Road, Dublin. 925-828-7427; 486 Sunvalley Road, Concord. 925-677-7427. lucillesbbq.com.

 

Kids Eat Free or Cheap

Gold: Mountain Mike’s Pizza. With lots of locations to choose from for pizza, wings, salads, desserts and more, Mountain Mike’s is a family favorite. Multiple locations. mountainmikespizza.com.

Silver: Tomatina. Multiple locations. tomatina.com.

Bronze: Rocco’s Ristorante Pizzeria. 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. 925-947-6105. roccospizzeria.com.

 

Pet Store or Services

Gold: Pet Food Express. Food is just one of the many items you can buy your furry or feathered friend, from toys to beds, with additional services including self-service pet wash, community vet clinics and more. Multiple locations. petfood.express.

Silver: Petsmart. Multiple locations. petsmart.com.

Bronze: Albany Aquarium. 818 San Pablo Ave., Albany. 510-525-1166. albanyaquarium.com.

 

Shopping Center or Mall

Gold: Stoneridge Shopping Center. With more than 165 stores from clothing to home furnishings and electronics, plus a large selection of restaurants, this two-story indoor mall is a top Tri-Valley shopping destination. 1 Stoneridge Mall Road, Pleasanton. 925-737-4100. simon.com/mall/stoneridge-shopping-center.

Silver: Broadway Plaza. 1275 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek. 925-939-7601. broadwayplaza.com.

Bronze: Bay Street Emeryville. 5616 Bay St., Emeryville. 510-655-4002. baystreetemeryville.com.

 

EDUCATION

International School

Gold: The Renaissance International School. This school, for ages 2 through middle school, provides an international and multidisciplinary experience, with an international community from more than 30 different countries and nearly every ethnic group and world religion represented. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

Silver: East Bay German International School. 1070 41st St., Emeryville. 510-679-2199. ebgis.org.

Bronze: Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley. 1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley. 510-549-3867; 901 Grayson St., Berkeley. 510-549-2851. eb.org.

 

Language Immersion School

Gold: The Renaissance International School. The program begins with immersion in French or Spanish for preschoolers and changes to a tri-lingual immersion program in elementary school. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

Silver: East Bay German International School. 1070 41st St., Emeryville. 510-679-2199. ebgis.org.

Bronze: Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley. 1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley. 510-549-3867; 901 Grayson St., Berkeley. 510-549-2851. eb.org.

 

Math or Science Support

Gold: The Growing Room. This program provides before- and after-school enrichment and support at sites in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Multiple locations in San Ramon and Danville. 925-833-4392. thegrowingroom.org.

Silver: Khan Academy. Online. khanacademy.org.

Bronze: Mathnasium. Multiple locations. mathnasium.com.

 

Montessori School

Gold: Fountainhead Montessori. Founded on Montessori principles in 1972, this school – for children 18 months through age 12 – strives for a joyful learning environment that acknowledges that children think and learn in unique ways. Multiple locations. 925-820-1343. fms.org.

Silver: Choice in Learning Montessori. 490 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. 925-687-5321. cilmontessori.org.

Bronze: The Renaissance International School. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

 

Preschool or Childcare Center

Gold: Choice in Learning Montessori. This Montessori school for children ages 2-6 has a special program in which students participate in activities with senior citizens at a neighboring adult day program. 490 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill. 925-687-5321. cilmontessori.org.

Silver: East Bay German International School. 1070 41st St., Emeryville. 510-679-2199. ebgis.org

Bronze: The Renaissance International School. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

 

Private Elementary School

Gold: Redwood Day. This independent K-8 school aims to keep every child engaged and growing, with a world-class curriculum, excellent teachers and a focus on the individual student. 3245 Sheffield Ave., Oakland. 510-534-0800. rdschool.org.

Silver: East Bay German International School. 1070 41st St., Emeryville. 510-679-2199. ebgis.org.

Bronze: The Renaissance International School. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

 

Private Middle School

Gold: Redwood Day. Visual arts, performing arts, athletics, outdoor education, service learning and community service are at the heart of the middle school program at this independent K-8 school. 3245 Sheffield Ave., Oakland. 510-534-0800. rdschool.org.

Silver: East Bay German International School. 1070 41st St., Emeryville. 510-679-2199. ebgis.org.

Bronze: The Renaissance International School. 3650 Dimond Ave., Oakland. 510-531-8566; 5201 Park Blvd., Piedmont. 510-328-1127. therenaissanceschool.org.

 

Private High School

Gold: Redwood Christian High School. This interdenominational, Christ-centered school offers a rigorous college-prep academic program built on the foundation of a Biblical world view, and also has competitive athletics and a comprehensive fine arts program. 1000 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo. 510-317-8990. rcs.edu.

Silver: Head-Royce School. 4315 Lincoln Ave., Oakland. 510-531-1300. headroyce.org.

Bronze: Bishop O’Dowd High School. 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. 510-577-9100. bishopodowd.org.

 

Public or Charter Elementary School

Gold: Neil Armstrong Elementary. This K-5 school has been recognized as both a California Distinguished School and a National Blue Ribbon School. 2849 Calais Drive, San Ramon. 925-479-1600. naes-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com.

Gold:  Tassajara Hills Elementary. A California Gold Ribbon School, Tassajara Hills prides itself on high academic performance, coupled with supporting students’ social and emotional development. 4675 Camino Tassajara Road, Danville. 925-855-7800. thes-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com.

Silver: Creekside Elementary. 6011 Massara St., Danville. 925-314-2000. ces-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com.

Bronze: Greenbrook Elementary. 1475 Harlan Drive, Danville. 925-855-5300. gbes-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com.

 

Public or Charter Middle School

Gold: Pine Valley Middle School. This school has been recognized as both a California Gold Ribbon and California Distinguished School. 3000 Pine Valley Road, San Ramon. 925-479-7700. pvms.schoolloop.com.

Silver: Charlotte Wood Middle School. 600 El Capitan Drive, Danville. 925-855-4400. cwms.schoolloop.com.

Bronze: Yu Ming Charter School. 1086 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland. 510-452-2063. yumingschool.org.

 

Public or Charter High School

Gold: San Ramon Valley High School. This National Blue Ribbon School aims to provide an education that fosters the intellectual, physical and social development of each student. 501 Danville Blvd., Danville. 925-552-3000. srvhs.schoolloop.com.

Silver: Alameda High School. 2200 Central Ave., Alameda. 510-337-7000. aus-alamedausd-ca.schoolloop.com.

Bronze: Berkeley High School. 1980 Allston Way, Berkeley. 510-644-6121. bhs.berkeleyschools.net.

 

Technology School or Program

Gold: Lawrence Hall of Science. This hands-on science museum, part of UC Berkeley, also offers workshops for families, camps and classes. 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley. 510-642-5132. lawrencehallofscience.org.

Gold: The Growing Room. This San Ramon Valley enrichment and childcare program is a member of the STEM Education Coalition and Maker Ed. Multiple locations in San Ramon and Danville. 925-837-4392. thegrowingroom.org.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhowkids.com.

Bronze: Scientific Adventures for Girls. P.O. Box 11123, Oakland. 415-531-5288. scientificadventures.org.

Bronze: Camp Galileo. Multiple locations. 510-595-7293. galileo-camps.com.

 

Tutoring or Education Support Program

Gold: Learning Bee Learning Center. This center offers hands-on academic enrichment opportunities after school, as well as classes in LEGO robotics, writing, Scratch programming and more. 39977 Mission Blvd., Fremont. 510-226-8408. learningbeelearningcenter.com.

Silver: The Growing Room. Multiple locations. 925-837-4392. thegrowingroom.org.

Bronze: Lafayette Academy. Multiple locations. lafayetteacademy.com.

Bronze: TutorCorps. Multiple locations. 415-990-1322. tutorcorps.com.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Date Night Location or Venue

Gold: Gott’s Roadside. The East Bay outpost of this popular Northern California restaurant is a great spot for burgers, salads, shakes and more. 1275 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. 925-954-6243. gotts.com.

Silver: The LOT City Center. 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, #2300, San Ramon. 925-664-0069. thelotent.com/home#!.

Bronze: The New Parkway Theater. 474 24th St., Oakland. 510-338-3228. thenewparkway.com.

 

Family Event, Community Fair/Festival

Gold: Alameda County Fair. From rides and animals to fair food and live entertainment, the Alameda County Fair is a tradition for many East Bay families. Taking place this year Oct. 22-31. Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton. 925-426-7600. alamedacountyfair.com/2021-fair.

Silver: Ardenwood Historic Farm Harvest Festival. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. 510-544-2797. ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood.

Bronze: Castro Valley Fall Festival. Castro Valley Boulevard between Redwood Road and Santa Maria Avenue, Castro Valley. info@castrovalleychamber.com. edenareachamber.com/events/details/2021-fall-festival-6769.

Bronze: Oakland First Fridays. Telegraph Avenue, Oakland. event@oaklandfirstfridays.com. oaklandfirstfridays.org.

 

Hidden Gems – Little Known Business, Activity or Spot

Gold: Bumblebee Playspace. This more than 3,000-square-foot indoor playspace is designed for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. 35500 Dumbarton Court, Newark. 510-894-0442. bumbebeeplayspace.com.

Silver: Chabot Space & Science Center. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. 510-336-7300. chabotspace.org.

Bronze: Children’s Fairyland. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. 510-452-2259. fairyland.org.

 

Indoor Playspace

Gold: Bumblebee Playspace. The large indoor playspace for young children includes art and light rooms, water and dramatic play areas, musical instruments and more. 35500 Dumbarton Court, Newark. 510-894-0442. bumbebeeplayspace.com.

Silver: Lawrence Hall of Science. 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley. 510-642-5132. lawrencehallofscience.org.

Silver: Lost Worlds Adventures. 6538 Patterson Pass Road, Suite E, Livermore. 925-338-7788. lostworlds.rocks.

Bronze: Habitot Children’s Museum. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. 510-647-1111. habitot.org.

 

Local Family Entertainment

Gold: Bumblebee Playspace. In addition to the large indoor playspace for young children, there’s a soft play area for babies and a private room for nursing mothers. 35500 Dumbarton Court, Newark. 510-894-0442. bumbebeeplayspace.com.

Silver: Children’s Fairyland. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. 510-452-2259. fairyland.org.

Silver: Little Farm, Tilden Regional Park. Tilden Nature Area, north end of Central Park Drive, Berkeley. 510-544-2233. ebparks.org/parks/tna/default.htm.

Bronze: Oakland Zoo. 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. 510-632-9525. oaklandzoo.org.

 

Museum

Gold: Chabot Space & Science Center. This popular science center is slated to reopen in November with new exhibitions, events and programs in partnership with NASA’s Ames Research Center. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. 510-336-7300. chabotspace.org.

Silver: Oakland Museum of California. 1000 Oak St. 510-318-8400. museumca.org.

Bronze: Lawrence Hall of Science. 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley. 510-642-5132. lawrencehallofscience.org.

 

Party Entertainment or Jumper Company

Gold: Bri Crabtree’s Silly Circus Show. Oakland-based Bri Crabtree combines her professional training in juggling, unicycling, magic, mime, dance and clowning into a hilarious show. 415-205-3219. sillycircusshow.com.

Silver: Ricky Roo & Friends Puppet Shows. chris@rickyrooandfriends.com. rickyrooandfriends.com.

Bronze: Bouncy Bounce. 415 Boulder Court, #300, Pleasanton. 925-365-6964. trivalleybouncehouse.com.

Bronze: The Cinderella Company. 855-846-2446. thecinderellacompany.com.

 

Party Facility or Location

Gold: Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park. This trampoline park has jump and dodgeball arenas, a slam dunk zone, vertical ops and more. Multiple locations. rockinjump.com.

Silver: Pump It Up. Multiple locations. pumpitupparty.com.

Bronze: Children’s Fairyland. 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. 510-452-2259. fairyland.org.

 

Party Food/Caterer

Gold: Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Be sure to please your partygoers with pizza, dessert pizza, wings, salads and more. Multiple locations. mountainmikespizza.com.

Silver: Dickey’s Barbeque Pit. 2353 E. 12th St., Oakland. 650-868-6819; 1524 N. Vasco Road, Livermore. 925-606-4200. dickeys.com.

Bronze: Casa Orozco. 7995 Amador Valley Blvd., Dublin. 925-828-5464; 325 S. L St., Livermore, 925-449-3045. casaorozco.com.

Bronze: Havana Cuban Cuisine. 2385 Pacheco Blvd., Martinez. 925-899-0083. havanarestaurant.net/main/catering.

 

Zoo, Aquarium or Nature Center

Gold: University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. The 34-acre garden has more than 10,000 types of plants, including many rare and endangered species, organized geographically in nine regions from around the world. 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley. 510-643-2755. botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu.

Silver: Oakland Zoo. 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. 510-632-9525. oaklandzoo.org.

Bronze: Ardenwood Historic Farm. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont. 510-544-2797. ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood.

 

FAMILY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Baby or Maternity Services

Gold: John Muir Health. Offers comprehensive, expert care, plus private mother-baby rooms with the comforts of home, including pull-out couches so partners can stay overnight. 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. 925-939-3000. johnmuirhealth.com.

Silver: Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. 2450 Ashby Ave., Berkeley, 510-204-4444. sutterhealth.org/absmc.

Bronze: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

 

Family Law Services

Gold: Candelaria PC. These certified family law specialists handle divorce, trusts and estate planning and administration, and offer litigation and mediation services. 1981 N. Broadway, #440, Walnut Creek. 925-233-6222. candelarialawoffices.com.

Silver: All For the Family Legal Clinic, Inc. 3137 Castro Valley Blvd., #210, Castro Valley. 510-999-7732. allforthefamilylegalclinic.org.

Bronze: Law Office of Dorothy A. Peters. 4115 Blackhawk Circle, #100, Danville. 925-648-2003. dorothyapeterslaw.com.

 

Family Photography

Gold: Angela Lang Photography. Lang strives to create fun and modern photos that capture expressions and emotion in a combination of portraiture and photojournalism. info@angelalang.com. angelalang.com.

Silver: Breslow Imaging. breslowimaging.com.

Bronze: Sandbox Photographers. 925-222-5195. sandboxphotographers.com.

 

Financial Services

Gold: Mirador Capital Partners. Mirador manages clients’ money internally and offers fully integrated wealth management, financial planning, tax planning, philanthropic guidance and timely, personalized communication. 6700 Koll Center Parkway, #230, Pleasanton. 925-621-1000. miradorcp.com.

Silver: Liberty Group LLC. 411 30th St., second floor, Oakland. 510-658-1880. libertygroupllc.com.

Bronze: Presidio Group Wealth Management. 1850 Mount Diablo Blvd., #225, Walnut Creek. 925-274-9960. presidiogroupwm.com.

 

Insurance Companies or Brokers

Gold: State Farm. State Farm covers all insurance needs, including car and vehicle, home and property, life, health and more. Multiple locations. 800-782-8332. statefarm.com.

Silver: AAA Insurance. Multiple locations. 844-693-6669. calstate.aaa.com/insurance.

USAA. 800-531-8722. usaa.com.

 

Nanny Service

Gold: Apex PROAupair. Specializes in offering live-in professionals with experience in pediatric nursing, early childhood education, special needs and more. 844-787-6566. proaupair.com.

Silver: Care.com. care.com.

Silver: Nanny Match. 925-854-1490. trustednannymatch.com.

Bronze: AuPair Care. 600 California St., 10th floor, San Francisco. 800-428-7247. aupaircare.com.

 

Place for Kid’s Haircut

Gold: Snippety Crickets. Parents praise stylists’ skill and efficiency when cutting kids’ hair. 1753 Solano Ave., Berkeley. 510-527-3987. snippety-crickets.edan.io.

Silver: Cool Tops Cuts for Kids. 2255 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill. 925-289-7634. cooltopskidshaircutpleasanthill.com.

Bronze: Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids. 4247 18B Rosewood Drive, Pleasanton. 925-737-0313. 2005 Crow Canyon Plaza, San Ramon. 925-804-6398. sharkeyscutsforkids.com.

 

Real Estate Companies or Realtors

Gold: Deidre Joyner, Red Oak Realty. This second-generation East Bay realtor is a top producer who has been focused on the East Bay since 2004. 6450 Moraga Ave., Oakland. 510-693-4253. redoakrealty.com/agents/62367-deidre-joyner.

Silver: Joway Christensen, RE/MAX Accord. 313 Sycamore Valley Road West, Danville. 925-984-4514. remax.com/real-estate-agents/joway-christensen-danville-ca/100019274.

Bronze: Julie Turnquist, Cole Real Estate. 524 Center Ave., Martinez. 925-765-3965. colerealestate.net/agent-profile/julie-turnquist-101810820.

 

Senior Assisted Living

Gold: The Reutlinger Community. This senior community offers varying levels of living options including assisted living, enhanced care, and pre-memory and memory care staffed by nurses, activity coordinators and care partners. 4000 Camino Tassajara, Danville. 925-648-2800. rcjl.org.

Silver: Sunrise Senior Living. Multiple locations. 888-434-4648. sunriseseniorliving.com.

Bronze: Aegis Living. Fremont, Moraga and Pleasant Hill. 866-688-5829. aegisliving.com.

 

Special Needs Services or Organizations

Gold: Blackhawk Family Development Center. Offers therapies for children, adults, couples and families, as well as classes on emotional and behavioral challenges for different age groups. 3860 Blackhawk Road, #140, Danville. 925-984-2326. blackhawkfamily.com.

Silver: Autism Speaks. 888-288-4762. autismspeaks.org.

Bronze: Autism Spectrum Therapies. 6601 Owens Drive, #270, Pleasanton. 866-727-8274. autismtherapies.com.

 

Veterinary Hospital or Veterinarian

Gold: Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center. Offers primary and preventative care, urgent care, boarding, surgical services and holistic medicine, as well as a pet food and supply store. 2000 Bishop Drive, San Ramon. 925-866-8387. webvets.com.

Silver: Groveway Veterinary Hospital. 2423 Grove Way, Castro Valley. 510-581-6629. vetncare.com/groveway-veterinary-hospital.

Bronze: Banfield Pet Hospital. Multiple locations. banfield.com.

 

HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY

Beauty Services

Gold: Mer Bleue Esthetics. This skincare studio provides facials addressing acne, anti-aging and other concerns, using modalities including LED, high frequency and microcurrent. 913 San Ramon Valley Blvd., #284, Danville. 925-708-0982. merbleueesthetics.net.

Silver: Ulta Beauty. Multiple locations. ulta.com.

Bronze: Bollinger Nail Salons. Multiple locations. bollingernailsalon.com.

Bronze: The Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort & Spa. 4549 Cross Road, Livermore. 925-606-8855. purpleorchid.com.

 

Birth Center

Gold: Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. Obstetricians deliver more than 6,000 babies here each year. Labor-delivery-recovery rooms provide a comfortable, private atmosphere. 2450 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. 510-204-4444. sutterhealth.org/absmc.

Silver: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

Bronze: John Muir Health. 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. 925-939-3000. johnmuirhealth.com.

 

Children’s Vision or Eyewear Service

Gold: Berkeley Optometry, UC Berkeley. The premier optometric teaching institution in the United States, it provides comprehensive eye care to the Berkeley campus and the local community, including pediatric optometry. 200 Minor Addition, Berkeley. 510-642-2020; Bancroft Way, third floor. 510-643-2020. eyecare.berkeley.edu.

Silver: Dr. Jennifer Ong. 2223 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. 510-521-0551. alamedaoptometrist.com.

Bronze: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

 

Doctor or Pediatrics Group

Gold: Tri-Valley Pediatrics. Offers a wide range of services to provide comprehensive care from birth to young adulthood. 5565 W. Las Positas Blvd., #240, Pleasanton. 650-460-8444. 100 Park Place, #260, San Ramon. 925-380-6230. trivalleypediatrics.com.

Silver: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

Bronze: John Muir Health. Multiple locations. johnmuirhealth.com/services/childrens-services.html.

 

Hospital or Medical Center

Gold: UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. Focused exclusively on treating children, this hospital combines sophisticated medical therapies with the knowledge of how to comfort children and their families. 747 52nd St., Oakland (main hospital). 510-428-3000. childrenshospitaloakland.org.

Silver: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

Bronze: John Muir Medical Center. 2540 East St., Concord. 925-682-8200; 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. 925-939-3000. johnmuirhealth.com.

 

Optometrist

Gold: Berkeley Optometry, UC Berkeley. The premier optometric teaching institution in the United States, it provides comprehensive eye care to the Berkeley campus and the local community, including pediatric optometry. 200 Minor Addition, Berkeley. 510-642-2020; Bancroft Way, third floor. 510-643-2020. eyecare.berkeley.edu.

Silver: Dr. Jennifer Ong. 2223 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. 510-521-0551. alamedaoptometrist.com.

Bronze: Kaiser Permanente. Multiple locations. kaiserpermanente.org.

 

Orthodontist

Gold: Alameda Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. Offers clear and metal braces, Invisalign and other oral appliances and treatments in its kid-friendly offices. Multiple locations. alamedapediatricdentist.com.

Silver: San Ramon Orthodontics. 2305 Camino Ramon, #260, San Ramon. 925-829-1100. sanramonortho.com.

Bronze: McElroy Orthodontics. 2301 Camino Ramon, #288, San Ramon. 925-386-2208. mcelroyortho.com.

 

Pediatric Dentist

Gold: Alameda Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. In business for 50 years, this practice now has four East Bay locations that specialize in children, from infant oral care to brushing and flossing lessons to extractions and pediatric sedation dentistry. Multiple locations. alamedapediatricdentist.com.

Silver: Pediatric Dentistry San Ramon. 111 Deerwood Road, #135, San Ramon. 925-806-0322. pediatricdentistry-sanramon.com.

Bronze: Drs. Schmitt and Saini Pediatric Dentistry. 2879 Willow Pass Road, Concord. 925-685-0513. 300 El Cerro Blvd., Suite E, Danville. 925-575-8503. kidstoothdoctor.com.

 

Spas

Gold: Claremont Club & Spa. The Fairmont Spa at the Claremont offers a wide range of treatments, including massages and facials, in a relaxing setting at this iconic, historic hotel. 41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley. 510-843-3000. fairmont.com/claremont-berkeley.

Silver: Piedmont Springs. 3939 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510-652-9191. piedmontsprings.com.

Bronze: The Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort & Spa. 4549 Cross Road, Livermore. 925-606-8855. purpleorchid.com.

 

SPORTS & FITNESS

Fitness Center

Gold: ClubSport San Ramon. Offers more than 80,000 square feet of fitness facilities, including eight full-lit tennis courts, a year-round heated pool, indoor racquetball and squash and kids’ classes – such as karate, soccer and gymnastics – included with membership. 350 Bollinger Canyon Lane, San Ramon. 925-735-8500. clubsportsr.com.

Silver: Bladium Sports & Fitness Club. 800 W. Tower Ave., Alameda. 510-814-4999. bladiumalameda.com.

Bronze: Orangetheory Fitness. Multiple locations. orangetheoryfitness.com.

Bronze: P2P Transformation Center. 2395 Willow Pass Road, Concord. 855-479-3287. p2ptransformationcenter.com.

 

Gymnastics Class

Gold: Pacific West Gymnastics. Offers classes for preschoolers through advanced gymnasts, competitive teams, open gym and more. 32920 Alvarado Niles Road, #210, Union City. 510-471-0240; 42656 Albrae St., Fremont. 510-471-0240. pacificwestgymnastics.com.

Silver: Golden Bears Youth Gymnastics. 25 Sports Lane, Berkeley. 510-643-8023. recsports.berkeley.edu/youth-programs/year-round-programs/gymnastics.

Bronze: Liberty Gymnastics Training Center. 2330 A-B2 Bates Ave., Concord. 925-687-8009. 925-566-8099. libertygymtrainingcenter.com.

 

Martial Arts Class

Gold: Mires Martial Arts. Sensei Geoff Mires, a third-degree Black Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate and a first-degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate, offers classes for students ages 5 through adult. 4743 Clayton Road, #3, Concord. 925-689-0305. miresmartialarts.com.

Silver: Pacific West Gymnastics. 32920 Alvarado Niles Road, #210, Union City. 510-471-0240; 42656 Albrae St., Fremont. 510-471-0240. pacificwestgymnastics.com.

Bronze: Koo’s Martial Arts Academy. 3460 Camino Tassajara, Danville. elizabeth.koo@kootkd.com. kootkd.square.site.

 

Swim Class/Lessons

Gold: American Swim Academy. Has been teaching swimmers of all ages and abilities for more than 45 years, with a year-round flexible schedule seven days a week. Multiple locations. americanswimacademy.com.

Silver: Little Swimmers. 2395 Monument Blvd., Concord. 925-429-3244. littleswimmersconcord.com.

Bronze: AquaTech Swim School. 2203 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda; 1220 Diamond Way, #110, Concord. 866-633-4147. aquatechswim.com.

 

Swimming Facility

Gold: AquaTech Swim School. In addition to swim lessons, it offers recreational swim for members at its indoor pools. 2203 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda; 1220 Diamond Way, #110, Concord. 866-633-4147. aquatechswim.com.

Silver: San Ramon Olympic Pool and Aquatic Park. 9900 Broadmoor Drive, San Ramon. 925-973-3240. sanramon.ca.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=10826130&pageId=12419922.

Bronze: Concord Community Pool. 3501 Cowell Road, Concord. 925-671-3480. cityofconcord.org/facilities/facility/details/concord-community-pool-41.

 

Youth Sports Program/Facility

Gold: Mustang Soccer League. Offers a wide range of programs and levels, from recreational soccer for kids under 6 to competitive elite and premier teams. 4680 Camino Tassajara, Danville. 925-648-4121. mustangsoccer.com.

Silver: Kidz Love Soccer. Multiple locations. 888-277-9542. kidzlovesoccer.com.

Bronze: Lil’ Kickers. Multiple locations. lilkickers.com.

 

The Best of the Peninsula

Article header image here

 

The Peninsula’s good schools, charming downtown shopping hubs, first-rate restaurants and quiet neighborhoods make it a great place for families to raise children.

 

THE ARTS

Art Class

Gold: Laurel Street Arts. Offers classes, camps and events with a focus on pottery, mosaic and glass art. 733 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-591-1005. laurelstreetarts.com.

Silver: Create, Mix and Mingle. 1888 S. Norfolk St., San Mateo. 650-434-2781. createmixandmingle.com.

Bronze: Art Attack! 1810 Magnolia Ave., Burlingame. 650-522-0001. artattack911.com.

 

Dance Class

Gold: Peninsula Ballet Theatre. This classical ballet school teaches ages 3 to 18 to learn and love dance while also enhancing their self-confidence, poise and positive work ethic. 1880 S. Grant St., San Mateo. 650-342-3262. peninsulaballet.org.

Silver: Tutu School. Multiple locations. tutuschool.com.

Bronze: Melodic Remedy Dance Studio. 767 Industrial Road, San Carlos. 650-622-9390. melodicremedy.com.

 

Music Class

Gold: Clock Tower Music. This music center has lessons for guitar, ukulele, piano, vocal, violin, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and more. 676 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-595-2024. clocktowermusic.com.

Silver: MidPeninsula Music Academy. 2163 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City. 650-701-7664. midpenmusicacademy.com.

Bronze: Mo Music. 1514 Stafford St., Redwood City. 650-365-5355. momusic.org.

Bronze: Peninsula Girl’s Chorus. 1443 Howard Ave., Burlingame. 650-347-6351. peninsulagirlschorus.org.

Bronze: Voena Children’s Choir. Redwood City satellite choir. 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City. 707-751-1515. voena.org.

 

Theater Class

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. Offers after-school drama classes, musical theater camps, specialized workshops and full-scale productions for ages 5 to 18. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: Coastal Repertory Theater. 1167 Main St., Half Moon Bay. 650-204-5046. coastalrep.com.

Bronze: Hillbarn Theatre. 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City. 650-349-6411. hillbarntheatre.org.

 

CAMPS

Cooking Camp

Gold: Junior Chef Stars. Offers cooking camps, parties, private sessions and more. 1027 Terra Nova Blvd., Pacifica. (Camps may be held at other locations.) 650-898-8742. juniorchefstars.com.

Gold: Taste Buds Kitchen. It has cooking camps, classes, field trips and birthday parties. 2775 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. 650-485-2684. tastebudskitchen.com/palo-alto.

Silver: Camp Keff. 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City. Preschool camps: 650-378-2670; other camps: 650-378-2704. campkeff.org.

 

Day Camp

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. It has a variety of musical theater camps for ages 6 to 14 which perform full-scale productions. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. technknowhowkids.com.

Bronze: Legarza Basketball Camp. Multiple locations. legarzasports.org.

 

Overnight Camp

Gold: Girl Scouts of Northern California. This camp gives girls an opportunity to unplug, learn new skills, discover their sense of self and test new-found independence in a safe environment. Three facilities around the Bay Area. 800-447-4475. camprocks.org. gsnorcal.org.

Silver: Young Actors’ Theater Camp. Santa Cruz Mountains. 855-462-9282. campyact.com.

Bronze: San Mateo County 4-H Camp. 1500 Purisima Creek Road, Half Moon Bay. 650-276-7422. ucanr.edu/sites/smsf4h.

 

Special Interest Camp

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. It has a variety of musical theater camps for ages 6 to 14 which perform full-scale productions. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: Marine Science Institute. 500 Discovery Pkwy., Redwood City. 650-364-2760. sfbaymsi.org.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. technknowhowkids.com.

 

Technology Camp

Gold: Hiller Aviation Museum. This aviation museum at San Carlos Airport offers summer camps for ages 5-12. 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos. 650-654-0200. hiller.org.

Silver: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. technknowhowkids.com.

Bronze: Camp Edmo. Multiple locations. edmo.org.

 

DINING & SHOPPING

Children’s Resale Clothing

Gold: Bird in the Nest. It has thousands of unique items for babies to big kids. You can also sell or trade your outgrown treasures. 1568 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-592-1983. thebirdinthenest.com.

Silver: Savers. 875 Main St., Redwood City. 650-364-5545. stores.savers.com/ca/redwoodcity/savers-thrift-store-1007.html.

Bronze: Just Between Friends. 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo. 408-806-6779. sanmateo.jbfsale.com.

 

Family Home and Garden – Exterior

Gold: Wegman’s Nursery. This family-owned business is known for its quality plant material and knowledgeable staff. It offers the newest ideas in gardening, delivery service and materials for organic gardening. 492 Woodside Road, Redwood City. 650-368-5908. wegmansnursery.com.

Silver: Ladera Garden and Gifts. 2029 Ralston Ave., Belmont. 650-232-7154. laderagardenandgifts.com.

Bronze: Half Moon Bay Nursery. 11691 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay. 650-726-5392. facebook.com/pages/half-moon-bay-nursery/158161484217839.

 

Family Home and Garden – Interior

Gold: Wegman’s Nursery. This family-owned business is known for its quality plant material and knowledgeable staff. It offers the newest ideas in gardening, delivery service and materials for organic gardening. 492 Woodside Road, Redwood City. 650-368-5908. wegmansnursery.com.

Silver: Golden Nursery. 1122 Second Ave., San Mateo. 650-348-5525. goldennursery.com.

 

Family Restaurant

Gold: Ozuma Japanese Restaurant. It strives to be family-friendly with both modern and traditional Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, appetizers, teriyakis and noodle soups. 894 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-637-9793. ozumarestaurant.com.

Silver: Jack’s Prime Burgers & Shakes. 3723 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo. 650-638-1479. jacksprime.com.

Bronze: Maverick Jack’s. 1190 California Drive, Burlingame. 650-347-3061. maverickjacks.com.

Bronze: Waterdog Tavern. 1015 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont. 650-622-4642. waterdogtavern.com.

 

Kids Eat Cheap or Free

Gold: Armadillo Willy’s Real Texas BBQ. Serves barbecue meats, side dishes and family style platters. 2260 Bridgepointe Pkwy., San Mateo. 650-571-7427. armadillowillys.com.

Silver: Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Multiple locations. mountainmikespizza.com.

Bronze: Asian Box. 1401 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame. 650-315-2582. asianbox.com.

 

Pet Store or Services

Gold: Bow Wow Meow. Grooming, nail trimming, teeth cleaning and dog training are on the agenda at this pet salon and retailer. 654 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. 650-323-2845; 737 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-802-2845. bowwowmeow.net.

Silver: Peninsula Feed Store. 346 El Camino Real, Redwood City. 650-365-6738. peninsulafeedstore.com.

Bronze: Fancy Feet Grooming. 111 Industrial Road, #7, Belmont. 650-594-9200. facebook.com/fancy-feet-grooming-by-jennifer-1435130773430294.

 

Shopping Center or Mall

Gold: Hillsdale Shopping Center. Features Nordstrom and Macy’s, plus more than 100 specialty stores and restaurants. 60 31st Ave., San Mateo. 650-345-8222. hillsdale.com.

Silver: Serramonte Center. Highway 280 and Serramonte Boulevard, Daly City. 650-301-3360. serramontecenter.com.

Bronze: The Shops at Tanforan. 1150 El Camino Real, San Bruno. 650-873-2000. theshopsattanforan.com.

 

EDUCATION

International School

Gold: Fiesta Gardens International School. When students at this international school reach fifth grade, they are expected to be bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish, and have knowledge of people and countries throughout the world. 1001 Bermuda Drive, San Mateo. 650-312-7737. fiesta-gardens.smfcsd.net/home.html.

Silver: Alto International School. 475 Pope St., Menlo Park. 650-324-8617. altoschool.org.

 

Language Immersion School

Gold: Orion Alternative Elementary at John Gill School. Students in the school’s dual language immersion program attain fluency in communication, reading and writing in both Mandarin and English. 555 Avenue del Ora, Redwood City. 650-482-2406. rcsdk8.net/mandarinimmersion.

Silver: Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School. 170 Selby Lane, Atherton. 650-482-2415. rcsdk8.net/spanishimmersion.

College Park Elementary. 715 Indian Ave., San Mateo. 650-312-7691. college-park.smfcsd.net.

Bronze: Sonrisas Spanish Immersion. 2724 Holland St., San Mateo. 650-389-4511; 1632 Newbridge Ave., San Mateo. 650-315-8003. sonrisasspanishimmersion.com.

 

Math or Science Support

Gold: Mathnasium. It strives to help students of all levels get ahead in math. Multiple locations. 877-601-6284. mathnasium.com.

Silver: Russian School of Mathematics. 39 43rd Ave., San Mateo. 408-569-8322; 30 Rollins Road, Suite A, Millbrae. 669-207-6178. russianschool.com.

Bronze: TechKnowHow. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhow.com.

 

Montessori School

Gold: Casa dei Bambini School. This Montessori preschool’s curriculum includes Spanish, French, Mandarin, gymnastics, music, gardening, cooking, geography, cultural projects, art, nature, sciences and exploration. 1835 Valota Road, Redwood City. 650-362-3352. cdeib.com.

Silver: Beresford Montessori. 1717 Gum St., San Mateo. 650-571-8749; 178 Clinton St., Redwood City. 650-367-5027. beresfordmontessori.com.

Bronze: Odyssey Mandarin Immersion Preschool. 590 Myrtle Ave., Redwood City. 650-727-2306. odysseypreschool.com.

 

Preschool or Child Care Center

Gold: Odyssey Mandarin Immersion Preschool. Focuses on the Montessori methodology and Mandarin language immersion. 590 Myrtle Ave., Redwood City. 650-727-2306. odysseypreschool.com.

Silver: Play Thrive Mandarin Whole Child Education. 555 Avenue del Ora, Redwood City. contact@playthrive.org. playthrive.org.

Silver: St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School (New name: Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew). 16 Baldwin Ave., San Mateo. 650-274-0700. stmatthewsday.org.

Bronze: Carlmont Parent’s Nursery School. 751 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont. 650-593-4155. carlmontparents.org.

Bronze: Casa dei Bambini School. 1835 Valota Road, Redwood City. 650-362-3352. cdeib.com.

 

Private Elementary School

Gold: St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School (New name: Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew). Grounded in the Episcopal tradition, the school’s core values are academic excellence, service to others, respect for diversity and fostering a compassionate community. 16 Baldwin Ave., San Mateo. 650-274-0700. stmatthewsday.org.

Silver: The Nueva School. 6565 Skyline Blvd., Hillsborough. 650-350-4600; 131 E. 28th Ave., San Mateo. 650-235-7100. nuevaschool.org.

Bronze: The Carey School. One Carey School Lane, San Mateo. 650-345-8205. careyschool.org.

 

Private Middle School

Gold: St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School (New name: Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew). Grounded in the Episcopal tradition, the school’s core values are academic excellence, service to others, respect for diversity and fostering a compassionate community. 16 Baldwin Ave., San Mateo. 650-274-0700. stmatthewsday.org.

Silver: Menlo School. 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton. 650-330-2000. menloschool.org.

Bronze: Crystal Springs Uplands School. 10 Davis Drive, Belmont. 650-645-1000. csus.org.

 

Private High School

Gold: Menlo School. Students learn from an array of perspectives, experiences and cultures. Staff helps students discover their interests and find their voice. 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton. 650-330-2000. menloschool.org.

Gold: The Nueva School. This independent school strives to help gifted learners discover and develop their passions and make choices that positively impact the world. 131 E. 28th Ave., San Mateo. 650-235-7100. nuevaschool.org.

Silver: Crystal Springs Uplands School. 10 Davis Drive, Belmont. 650-645-1000. csus.org.

Bronze: Sacred Heart Schools Atherton. 150 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton. 650-322-1866. shschools.org.

 

Public or Charter Elementary School

Gold: Orion Alternative Elementary at John Gill School. Students in the school’s dual language immersion program attain fluency in communication, reading and writing in both Mandarin and English. 555 Avenue del Ora, Redwood City. 650-482-2406. rcsdk8.net/mandarinimmersion.

Silver: San Carlos Charter. 750 Dartmouth Ave., San Carlos. 650-508-7343. scclc.net.

Bronze: North Star Academy. 400 Duane St., Redwood City. 650-482-5973. rcsdk8.net/northstar.

 

Public or Charter Middle School

Gold: Ralston Middle School. This California Distinguished School promotes an inclusive, safe and challenging learning environment where students are responsible, accountable, mindful and supportive. 2675 Ralston Ave., Belmont. 650-637-4880. ral-brssd-ca.schoolloop.com.

Silver: Kennedy Middle School. 2521 Goodwin Ave., Redwood City. 650-482-2409. rcsdk8.net/kennedy.

Silver: San Carlos Charter. 750 Dartmouth Ave., San Carlos. 650-508-7343. scclc.net.

Bronze: Tierra Linda Middle School. 750 Dartmouth Ave., San Carlos. 650-508-7370. tierralinda.scsdk8.org.

 

Public or Charter High School

Gold: Carlmont High School. Its mission is to provide a supportive learning environment that helps all students to be successful in academics and careers. 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont. 650-595-0210. carlmonths.org.

Silver: Sequoia High School. 1201 Brewster Ave., Redwood City. 650-367-9780. sequoiahs.org.

Bronze: Design Tech High School. 275 Oracle Pkwy., Redwood City. 650-231-2701. designtechhighschool.org.

 

Technology School or Program

Gold: TechKnowHow. Offers LEGO engineering, Minecraft and coding camps as well as STEM classes. Multiple locations. 650-638-0500. techknowhow.com.

Silver: The Coder School. 570 El Camino Real, #230, Redwood City. 650-995-7435; 22 17th Ave. 650-242-1206. thecoderschool.com.

Bronze: TIDE Academy. 150 Jefferson Drive, Menlo Park. 650-306-1755. tideacademy.org.

 

Tutoring and Education Support Program

Gold: BookTree. Provides monthly totes full of books for kids to practice reading skills. 1699 Annie St., Daly City. 415-469-9944. booktree.us.

Silver: Play Thrive Mandarin Whole Child Education. 555 Avenue del Ora, Redwood City. contact@playthrive.org. playthrive.org.

Bronze: Healthy Cities Tutoring. 826 Chestnut St., San Carlos. 650-508-7327. healthycities.site.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Date Night Location or Venue

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. This youth theater group offers quality theater productions performed by children ages 5 to 18. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: Devil’s Canyon Brewing. 935 Washington St., San Carlos. 650-592-2739. devilscanyon.com.

Bronze: Waterdog Tavern. 1015 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont. 650-622-4642. waterdogtavern.com.

 

Family Event – Community Fair/Festival

Gold: San Carlos Art and Wine Faire. This event features artists, food, drinks, entertainment and a classic car show. The 2021 event has been canceled but it’s scheduled to be back Oct. 8 and 9, 2022. 600 Laurel St., San Carlos. facebook.com/sancarlosartandwine.

Silver: Redwood City Lunar New Year Celebration. Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. 650-780-7000. redwoodcity.org/residents/redwood-city-events/cultural/lunar-new-year.

Bronze: Belmont Greek Festival. 900 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont. 650-591-4447. belmontgreekfestival.com.

Bronze: Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. The 2021 event has been cancelled. Main Street, Half Moon Bay. 650-726-3491. pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com/event-details.html.

 

Hidden Gems – Little Known Business, Activity or Spot

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. This youth theater group offers quality theater productions performed by children ages 5 to 18. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: Filoli. 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. 650-364-8300. filoli.org.

Bronze: Lemos Farm. 12320 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay. 650-726-2342. lemosfarm.com.

 

Indoor Playspace

Gold: Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park. Play trampoline dodge ball, try the slam dunk zone and do flips and somersaults. 401 Quarry Road, San Carlos. 650-528-2036. sancarlos.rockinjump.com.

Silver: Planet Granite. 100 El Camino Real, Belmont. 650-591-3030. el-cap.com/planetgranite-belmont.

Bronze: Safari Run. 341 N. Amphlett Blvd., San Mateo. 650-342-1977. safarirun.com.

 

Local Family Entertainment

Gold: San Carlos Children’s Theater. This youth theater group offers quality theater productions performed by children ages 5 to 18. Multiple locations in San Carlos. 650-594-2730. sancarloschildrenstheater.com.

Silver: Hillbarn Theatre and Conservatory. 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City. 650-349-6411, ext. 2. hillbarntheatre.org.

Bronze: Pacifica Spindrift Players. 1050 Crespi Drive, Pacifica. 650-359-8002. pacificaspindriftplayers.org.

 

Museum

Gold: CuriOdyssey. This science museum and zoo allows families to see wild animals up close and enjoy hands-on exhibits. 1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo. 650-342-7755. curiodyssey.org.

Silver: Hiller Aviation Museum. 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos.  650-654-0200. hiller.org.

Bronze: San Mateo County History Museum. 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. 650-299-0104. historysmc.org.

 

Party Entertainment or Jumper Company

Gold: Ricky Roo & Friends Puppet Shows. This group performs for schools, camps, corporate events, birthday parties and more in the Bay Area. 510-326-6735. rickyrooandfriends.com.

Silver: Andy Z. andyz.com.

Bronze: Jumpin’ Giraffe Party Rentals. 650-200-0206. jumpingiraffe.com.

 

Party Facility or Location

Gold: Hiller Aviation Museum. All party packages include admission to the museum, two-hour party room rental and a birthday child gift bag. 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos.  650-654-0200. hiller.org.

Silver: Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park. 401 Quarry Road, San Carlos. 650-528-2036. sancarlos.rockinjump.com.

Bronze: CuriOdyssey. 1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo. 650-342-7755. curiodyssey.org.

Bronze: Lemos Farm. 12320 San Mateo Road (Highway 92), Half Moon Bay. 650-726-2342. lemosfarm.com.

 

Party Food/Caterer

Gold: Sibby’s Cupcakery. Bakes cupcakes from scratch using fresh ingredients and custom decorations to match your party theme. 716 S. Railroad Ave., San Mateo. 415-613-4373. sibbyscupcakery.com.

Silver: Cherry on Top Parties. 415-533-6265. cherryontopparties.com.

Bronze: Milagros. 1099 Middlefield Road, Redwood City. 650-369-4730. milagrosrc.com.

 

Zoo, Aquarium or Nature Center

Gold: CuriOdyssey. Features naturalistic exhibits that are home to more than 100 mostly native animals ranging from the little red-legged frog to the giant vinegaroon. 1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo. 650-342-7755. curiodyssey.org.

Silver: Marine Science Institute. 500 Discovery Pkwy., Redwood City. 650-364-2760. sfbaymsi.org.

Bronze: Lemos Farm. 12320 San Mateo Road (Highway 92), Half Moon Bay. 650-726-2342. lemosfarm.com.

 

FAMILY & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Baby and Maternity Services

Gold: Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers. Offers lactation support, breastfeeding accessories and classes. 1432 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame. 650-347-6455; 671 Oak Grove Ave., Suite P, Menlo Park. 650-847-1907. healthyhorizons.com.

 

Family Law Services

Gold: David Moutoux. With more than 20 years of experience, he offers a wide range of legal services including estate planning, probate, business law, real estate and construction law. 865 Laurel St., #2, San Carlos. 650-596-8135. moutouxlaw.com.

Silver: Matt Pachkowski. 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., #300,  Los Gatos. 650-559-8100. members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/licensee/detail/189467.

 

Family Photography

Gold: Travis Watts Photography. Specializes in weddings, family portraits and maternity and baby photos. traviswattsphotography.com.

Silver: Ashley Kaplan Photography. ashleykaplanphotography@gmail.com. ashleykaplanphotography.com.

Bronze: Jeff Bartee Photography. jeffbartee.com.

 

Financial Services

Gold: Liberty Tax San Carlos. Strives to offer the flexibility of a personal tax consultant and the security of a large, established company. 108 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-597-6247. bit.ly/3zhjHse.

Silver: New York Life. Multiple locations. 1-800-225-5695. newyorklife.com.

 

Insurance Companies or Brokers

Gold: ISU Lovering Insurance Services. For more than eight decades, it has been providing home, auto, life and business insurance services. 1121 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-593-7601. isulovering.com.

Silver: State Farm. Multiple locations. 800-782-8332. statefarm.com.

Bronze: Progressive. Multiple locations. 1-866-407-4844. progressive.com.

 

Nanny Service

Gold: Apex PROaupair. Specializes in professional live-in childcare with caregivers who have experience with pediatric nursing, early childhood education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and special needs education. 844-787-6566. proaupair.com.

Silver: Stanford Park Nannies. 713 Santa Cruz Ave., #1, Menlo Park. 650-462-4580. spnannies.com.

Bronze: Care.com. 1-877-227-3115. care.com.

Bronze: Urban Sitter. urbansitter.com.

 

Place for Kid’s Haircut

Gold: Lil’ Couture Salon. Offers haircuts for the whole family, coloring, hairstyling and hair treatments. 1271 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-548-4000.

Silver: Today’s Haircuts. 1321 Laurel St., San Carlos, 650-592-6075. 101 Main St., Suite D, Half Moon Bay. 650-712-8191.

Bronze: Supercuts. Multiple locations. supercuts.com.

 

Real Estate Companies or Realtors

Gold: Dwell Realtors, Inc. This Peninsula real estate brokerage’s vision is to create a more efficient and productive environment focused on collaboration rather than competition, in hopes of providing a better experience for agents and clients. 662 Laurel St., Suite A, San Carlos. 650-486-1555. dwellagents.com.

Silver: Coldwell Banker. Multiple locations. coldwellbanker.com.

Bronze: Amy Anderson-Giugliano. 1430 Howard Ave., Burlingame. 650-888-3601. yourrealtoramy.kw.com.

 

Senior Assisted Living

Gold: Sunrise Senior Living. Specializes in assisted living, Alzheimer’s and memory care, independent living and respite care. Multiple locations. sunriseseniorliving.com.

Silver: San Carlos Elms. 707 Elm St., San Carlos. 650-595-1500. sancarloselms.com.

Bronze: Brookdale Senior Living. 485 Woodside Road, Redwood City. 650-273-7788. brookdale.com/en/communities/brookdale-redwood-city.html.

 

Special Needs Services or Organizations

Gold: Apex PROaupair. Specializes in professional live-in childcare with caregivers who have experience with pediatric nursing, early childhood education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and special needs education. 844-787-6566. proaupair.com.

Gold: Children’s Health Council. Specializes in working with families living with ADHD, learning differences, anxiety, depression and autism. 1848 Bay Road, E. Palo Alto. 650-326-5530. chconline.org.

Silver: Parents Place. 2001 Winward Way, #200, San Mateo. 650-931-1840. parentsplaceonline.org.

Bronze: Ability Path. 350 Twin Dolphin Drive, #123, Redwood City. 650-259-8500. abilitypath.org.

 

Veterinary Hospital or Veterinarian

Gold: Sequoia Veterinary Hospital. Offers medical services for cats and dogs including regular exams, blood chemistry analysis, x-rays, vaccinations, microchip identification, dental work, oncology services and more. 255 Old County Road, San Carlos. 650-369-7326. sequoiavet.com.

Silver: VCA Holly Street Animal Hospital. 501 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-631-7400. bit.ly/3y0uiYm.

Bronze: SAGE Redwood City. 934 Charter St., Redwood City. 650-417-7243. sagecenters.com.

 

HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY

Beauty Services

Gold: La Migliore Aveda Concept Salon. Services include haircuts, styling, coloring and specialty hair treatments. 644 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. 650-321-1100. lamiglioresalon.com.

Silver: Bella Nails. 1238 W. Hillsdale Blvd., San Mateo. 650-577-0202. bellanails.net.

Silver: Sasha Salon. 58 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-394-8080. sashasalons.com.

Bronze: AvantGard Spa. 1151 Greenwood Ave. and 1224 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-591-1498. avantspa.com.

 

Birth Center

Gold: Sequoia Hospital. It offers anesthesia, pediatricians, OB physicians 24 hours a day and virtual parenting classes. 170 Alameda de las Pulgas, third floor, Redwood City. 877-703-1625. dignityhealth.org/bayarea/locations/sequoia.

Silver: Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. 1501 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame. 650-696-5656. mills-peninsula.org/birthcenter.

Bronze: Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center. 1100 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City. 650-299-2000. thrive.kaiserpermanente.org.

 

Children’s Vision or Eyewear Service

Gold: Solo Bambini. Features a large selection of glasses for babies, children and petite adults and a staff skilled at fitting small faces and working with special-needs kids. 1150 Howard Ave., Burlingame. 650-344-8215. solobambiniburlingame.com.

Silver: All Eyes On You Optometry. 336 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-592-1820. alleyesonyouoptometry.com.

Bronze: Optometric Center for Family Vision Care and Vision Therapy. 57 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-593-1661. familyvisioncare.org.

 

Doctor or Pediatric Group

Gold: Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF). Part of Sutter Health, it offers a choice of many pediatricians and specialists speaking several languages at offices in Burlingame, Daly City, San Carlos, San Mateo and throughout the Bay Area. Multiple locations. 650-652-8500. pamf.org/pediatrics.

Silver: Peninsula Pediatric Medical Group/Stanford Children’s Health. 1720 El Camino Real, #205, Burlingame. 650-259-5050; 103 Gilbert Ave., Menlo Park. 650-497-0660; 50 S. San Mateo Drive, #180, San Mateo. 650-342-4145. stanfordchildrens.org/en/service/pediatrics-general.

Bronze: Pediatric Wellness Group. 801 Brewster Ave., #175, Redwood City. 650-216-7794. pediatricwellnessgroup.com.

 

Hospital or Medical Center

Gold: Sequoia Hospital. It’s known for its excellent birthing center, cardiac care and emergency services. 170 Alameda de las Pulgas, third floor, Redwood City. 877-703-1625. dignityhealth.org/bayarea/locations/sequoia.

Silver: Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Multiple locations. 650-652-8500. pamf.org.

Bronze: Mills-Peninsula Medical Center. 1501 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame. 650-696-5656. mills-peninsula.org.

 

Optometrist

Gold: Dr. Kristina Stasko. Stasko has been practicing optometry since 1984, is past president of the San Mateo Optometric Society and has worked as a consultant to the State Board of Optometry. 336 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-592-1820. alleyesonyouoptometry.com.

Silver: Optometric Center for Family Vision Care and Vision Therapy. 57 El Camino Real, San Carlos. 650-593-1661. familyvisioncare.org.

Bronze: Kaiser Permanente. 1100 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City. 650-299-2000. healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california.

 

Orthodontist

Gold: Yang Orthodontics. Dr. Stephen Yang specializes in orthodontic braces, clear braces and Invisalign for children, teens and adults. 52 Arch St., #2, Redwood City. 650-366-5758. orthodontistrwc.com.

Silver: Happy Healthy Teeth. 1291 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City. 650-574-4447. happyhealthyteeth.com.

Bronze: Chang Orthodontics. 10 El Camino Real, #201, San Carlos. 650-598-0888. changortho.com.

 

Pediatric Dentist

Gold: Dr. Urmi Amin. Specializes in providing dentistry services for children from birth to adolescence as well as sports dentistry and some orthodontics and oral surgery. 10 El Camino Real, #102, San Carlos. 650-596-8045. teethcare4tots.com.

Gold: Dr. Jack Yeung. His child-centered team strives to provide a warm and welcoming environment for children and teens receiving dental work. 2946 Broadway, Suite A, Redwood City. 650-569-1680. sequoiapediatricdentistry.com.

Silver: Dr. Purvi Zavery. 1390 El Camino Real, #150, San Carlos. 650-394-4200. peninsulakidsdds.com.

Bronze: Dr. Laleh Vakili. 1700 S. El Camino Real, #110, San Mateo. 650-372-9292. smilezrus.com.

 

SPORTS & FITNESS

Spas

Gold: AvantGard Spa. This spa strives to be an oasis of rejuvenation and tranquility. 1151 Greenwood Ave., San Carlos. 650-591-1498. avantspa.com.

Silver: The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. 1 Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon. 650-712-7000. ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/half-moon-bay/spa.

Bronze: Oceanic Foot Spa. 1321 Howard Ave., Burlingame. oceanicspa.us.

 

Fitness Center

Gold: Bay Club Redwood Shores. The 10-acre, resort-style club features outdoor pools, a waterslide, outdoor tennis, a fitness center, group exercise classes and dining options. 200 Redwood Shores Pkwy., Redwood City. 650-593-4900. bayclubs.com/redwoodshores.

Silver: Barre3. 617 Old County Road, San Carlos. 650-453-3565; 116 South B St., San Mateo. 650-235-9155. barre3.com.

Bronze: Orangetheory Fitness. Multiple locations. orangetheory.com.

 

Gymnastics Class

Gold: Peninsula Gymnastics. Offers gymnastics and tumbling programs for ages 2 and up, birthday party packages, camps and events. 1740 Leslie St., San Mateo, 650-571-7555; 1171 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-294-4650. peninsulagym.com.

Silver: San Mateo Gymnastics. 1306 Elmer St., Belmont. 650-591-8734; 601 Harbor Blvd., Belmont. 650-622-4125. sanmateogymnastics.com.

Bronze: Gymtowne. 389 Oyster Point Blvd., #5, South San Francisco. 650-589-3733. gymtowne.com.

 

Martial Arts

Gold: Kuk Sool Won of Redwood City. Offers Kuk Sool Won martial arts instruction for kids and adults. 2135 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City. 415-860-0557. redwoodcitymartialarts.com/socialsite/martial-arts-redwood.

Silver: California Kung Fu & Tai Chi Institute. 1436 El Camino Real, Redwood City. 650-216-6686. wushutaichi.com.

Bronze: Twin Dragon Kung Fu Academy. 151 Old Country Road, Suite D, San Carlos. 650-591-1127. twindragonacademy.com.

 

Swim Class/Lessons

Gold: British Swim School. Teaches swimming, water safety and survival techniques to infants, toddlers, children, teens and adults. Multiple locations. 844-576-2796. britishswimschool.com.

Silver: La Petite Baleen. Multiple locations. 866-896-3603. swimlpb.com.

Bronze: King’s Swim Academy. 1119 Industrial Road, Unit G, San Carlos; 57 E. 40th Ave., San Mateo. 650-349-7946. kingsswimacademy.com.

 

Swim Facility

Gold: Bay Club Redwood Shores. The resort-style club features outdoor pools, a waterslide, outdoor tennis, a fitness center, group exercise classes and dining options. 200 Redwood Shores Pkwy., Redwood City. 650-593-4900. bayclubs.com/redwoodshores.

Silver: Peninsula Community Center. 3623 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City. 650-364-6272. peninsulacommunitycenter.com.

Bronze: College of San Mateo. 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd., San Mateo. 650-378-7373. sanmateoathleticclub.smccd.edu.

 

Youth Sports Program/Facility

Gold: Legarza Sports. With its variety of programs, it strives to give children the knowledge and motivation to achieve their personal best in sports and life. Multiple locations. 415-334-3333. legarzasports.org.

Silver: San Carlos United Soccer. Multiple locations. sancarlosunited.org.

Silver: Skyhawks Sports Academy. Multiple locations. 1-800-804-3509. skyhawks.com.

Bronze: Burlingame Soccer Club. Multiple locations. burlingamesoccerclub.org.

Next Article
Table of Contents
Close
Articles
Editor's Note
6
On The Web
8
San Francisco & Marin
11
The Arts
12
Camps
12
Dining & Shopping
13
Education
14
Entertainment
17
Family & Professional Services
19
Health, Wellness & Beauty
20
Sports & Fitness
22
Silicon Valley
25
The Arts
26
Camps
26
Dining & Shopping
27
Education
28
Entertainment
32
Family & Professional Services
33
Health, Wellness & Beauty
35
Sports & Fitness
36
East Bay
39
The Arts
40
Camps
40
Dining & Shopping
41
Education
42
Entertainment
44
Family & Professional Services
46
Health, Wellness & Beauty
48
Sports & Fitness
49
Peninsula
53
The Arts
54
Camps
54
Dining & Shopping
55
Education
56
Entertainment
60
Family & Professional Services
62
Health, Wellness & Beauty
64
Sports & Fitness
65
Advertiser's Index
66
Thumbnail Preview
Archive
Close
Select Year  
Older
  • Back to School - 2022
    Back to School - 2022
  • Best of the Best 2022
    Best of the Best 2022
  • Summer Fun & Activities - 2022
    Summer Fun & Activities
    - 2022
  • Private School Guide 2022 - Summer Edition
    Private School Guide 20
    22 - Summer Edition
  • Destination Summer - Camps & Activities 2022
    Destination Summer - Ca
    mps & Activities 2022
  • Childcare & Preschool Finder - 2022
    Childcare & Preschool F
    inder - 2022
  • Spring Family Activities & Events - 2022
    Spring Family Activitie
    s & Events - 2022
  • Preparing For Summer Camp - 2022
    Preparing For Summer Ca
    mp - 2022
  • Private School Guide - Spring 2022
    Private School Guide -
    Spring 2022
  • S.T.E.A.M - 2022
    S.T.E.A.M - 2022
  • Summer Survival Guide - 2022
    Summer Survival Guide -
    2022
  • Choosing a Summer Camp - 2022
    Choosing a Summer Camp
    - 2022
  • Private School Guide 2022
    Private School Guide 20
    22
  • Family Resource Guide - 2021
    Family Resource Guide -
    2021
  • Special Needs Guide - 2021
    Special Needs Guide - 2
    021
  • Teen Focus - 2021
    Teen Focus - 2021
  • Best of the Best 2021 - V2
    Best of the Best 2021 -
    V2
  • Holiday Guide - 2021
    Holiday Guide - 2021
  • Childcare & Preschool Finder - 2021
    Childcare & Preschool F
    inder - 2021
  • Open House - Fall 2021
    Open House - Fall 2021
  • Education & Enrichment Guide - 2021
    Education & Enrichment
    Guide - 2021
  • Fall Fun & Activities 2021
    Fall Fun & Activities 2
    021
  • Private School Guide 2021 - Fall Edition
    Private School Guide 20
    21 - Fall Edition
  • Best of the Best 2021
    Best of the Best 2021
  • Back to School - 2021
    Back to School - 2021
  • Open House - 2021
    Open House - 2021
  • Summer Fun and Activities -2021
    Summer Fun and Activiti
    es -2021
  • Summer Camps and Activities - 2021
    Summer Camps and Activi
    ties - 2021
  • Summer Survival Guide - 2021
    Summer Survival Guide -
    2021
  • S.T.E.A.M. 2021
    S.T.E.A.M. 2021
  • Choosing A Summer Camp - 2021
    Choosing A Summer Camp
    - 2021
  • Private School Guide - 2021
    Private School Guide -
    2021
  • Family Resource Guide - 2020
    Family Resource Guide -
    2020
  • Special Needs Guide - 2020
    Special Needs Guide - 2
    020
  • Education & Enrichment Guide
    Education & Enrichment
    Guide
  • Childcare & Preschool Finder - 2020
    Childcare & Preschool F
    inder - 2020
  • Best of the Best - 2020
    Best of the Best - 2020

  • Private School Guide - Fall 2020
    Private School Guide -
    Fall 2020
  • Back to School - 2020
    Back to School - 2020
  • Summer Camps and Activities - 2020
    Summer Camps and Activi
    ties - 2020
  • Teen Focus - 2020
    Teen Focus - 2020
  • S.T.E.A.M. - 2020
    S.T.E.A.M. - 2020
  • Summer Survival Guide - 2020
    Summer Survival Guide -
    2020
  • Private School Guide - 2020
    Private School Guide -
    2020
  • Faith - 2019
    Faith - 2019
  • Baby & Kids - December 2019
    Baby & Kids - December
    2019
  • The Golden Years - 2019
    The Golden Years - 2019

  • Holiday Guide - 2019
    Holiday Guide - 2019
  • Open House & Information Nights - 2019
    Open House & Informatio
    n Nights - 2019
  • Fall Family - 2019
    Fall Family - 2019
  • Special Needs Guide - 2019
    Special Needs Guide - 2
    019
  • Back to School - 2019
    Back to School - 2019
  • Best of the Best - 2019
    Best of the Best - 2019

  • Birthday & Party - 2019
    Birthday & Party - 2019

  • Baby & Kids - 2019
    Baby & Kids - 2019
  • Private School Guide - Summer 2019
    Private School Guide -
    Summer 2019
  • Summer Fun - 2019
    Summer Fun - 2019
  • Destination Summer - 2019
    Destination Summer - 20
    19
  • Teen Focus - 2019
    Teen Focus - 2019
  • Spring Activities - 2019
    Spring Activities - 201
    9
  • S.T.E.A.M. 2019
    S.T.E.A.M. 2019
  • Summer Survival Guide - 2019
    Summer Survival Guide -
    2019
  • Private School Guide - 2019
    Private School Guide -
    2019
  • Health & Wellness - 2019
    Health & Wellness - 201
    9
  • Baby & Kids - Winter 2018
    Baby & Kids - Winter 20
    18
  • Holiday Guide - 2018
    Holiday Guide - 2018
  • Open House & Information Nights - 2018
    Open House & Informatio
    n Nights - 2018
  • Fall Family - 2018
    Fall Family - 2018
  • Special Needs Guide - 2018
    Special Needs Guide - 2
    018
  • Back to School - 2018
    Back to School - 2018
  • Best of the Best - 2018
    Best of the Best - 2018

  • Summer Fun & Party - 2018
    Summer Fun & Party - 20
    18
  • Private School Guide - Summer 2018
    Private School Guide -
    Summer 2018
  • Baby & Kids - 2018
    Baby & Kids - 2018
  • Spring Activities & Events
    Spring Activities & Eve
    nts
  • S.T.E.A.M. 2018
    S.T.E.A.M. 2018
  • Private School Guide - 2018
    Private School Guide -
    2018
  • Health, Wellness & Beauty - 2018
    Health, Wellness & Beau
    ty - 2018
  • Holiday Guide - 2017
    Holiday Guide - 2017
  • Fall Family - 2017
    Fall Family - 2017
  • Best of the Best - 2017
    Best of the Best - 2017

  • Summer Fun & Party - 2017
    Summer Fun & Party - 20
    17
  • Destination Summer Camps & Activities - 2017
    Destination Summer Camp
    s & Activities - 2017
  • S.T.E.A.M. 2017
    S.T.E.A.M. 2017
  • Holiday Guide - 2016
    Holiday Guide - 2016
  • Back-to-School 2016
    Back-to-School 2016
  • Summer Fun & Party - 2016
    Summer Fun & Party - 20
    16
  • Destinaton Summer Camps & Activities - 2016
    Destinaton Summer Camps
    & Activities - 2016
  • S.T.E.A.M. 2016
    S.T.E.A.M. 2016
  • Holiday Guide - 2015
    Holiday Guide - 2015
  • Summer Fun & Party - 2015
    Summer Fun & Party - 20
    15
  • STEM 2015
    STEM 2015
  • Destination Summer Camps and Activities
    Destination Summer Camp
    s and Activities
  • Winter Family Fun
    Winter Family Fun
Print
Close
Select pages to print:
Note:You are viewing the digital edition from a share link. The system will only print those pages you have access to.
First page to print

Last page to print

Print Options:

Share
Close

Copy URL

Social Media

Send E-mail
Please wait while we create the share URL...
Link has been copied to your clipboard.

  • Twitter

  • Facebook

  • Linked In

  • Pinterest
Sender's Email
Sender's Name
Recipient(s) Email (separate multiple addresses with a ';')
Message
Send a copy to my email address
Tools
Close
Display
Page Flip Animation
Sound Effects
Mouse Wheel Functionality
Download Offline Version
Search
Close
Enter your query:
Advanced >>
Match:


Select a single issue to search, or select "All Issues" to search all available issues.
Help
Close
Here are a few tips for the features available in this interactive publication:
  • Articles
  • Quick Menu
  • Left Pull-Out Menu
  • Other
  • FAQ/Issues
FeatureFlo Articles
  • Special scrollable text only articles are available for this digital publication. When you have reached a page with a FeatureFlo article, the article icon will appear on the top navigation bar and flash yellow. This indicates you have the option to go to a simple scrollable text version of the full article. To read a FeatureFlo article, simply click the icon.
  • You can scroll up and down and adjust the text sizing using on the toolbar.
  • Once you have finished reading the article– click on the Page view icon on the top navigation bar and continue browsing the issue.

Right click(Command + click) your mouse on the magazine pages to pop up a Quick Menu of the most used reader features:

Share Page
  • Click Share Page to open up several options for sharing articles or content:
  • Copy the page link code/URL to your blog.
  • Email a link to the page to friends (please note publishers may limit sharing to a limited number of pages).
  • Post links to your favorite social media site.
Print Page
  • To print a page or range of pages, select the first page you wish to print from the left drop down, and the last page you wish to print from the right dropdown, then click Print button.
Download PDF
  • Click this option to download a PDF version of the magazine for offline viewing.
Add Bookmark
  • Add a bookmark to easily return to a favorite page by clicking Add Bookmark .
Add Note
  • Make notes to stick on any page while reading by clicking Add Note .
View Mode
  • Click this option to change from Two Page viewing to One Page viewing. Both selections are optimized to fit the screen.
Zoom
  • Click the Zoom option to choose to view a Larger or Smaller version of the page size. Click Fit to Screen to go back to the best size to fit the screen.

To open up additional features, hover over or click on the arrow on the left. You can pin this pull-out menu to have it remain visible (or close by clicking on the push pin ). Included in this tab:

Table of Contents
  • Click to reveal the key articles in this issue, and go directly to any article.
Advertiser Index
  • Open to reveal the list of advertisers in this issue and click to go to any ad page.
Thumbnails
  • Open the Thumbnails tab to reveal thumbnails of each page - click to go to a specific page.
Bookmarks
  • Click to review your list of bookmarks by issue and page.
Notes
  • Click to reveal the notes you have added within each issue.
Page Navigation
  • Use the forward/back buttons on each side of the viewer to advance.
  • Use the arrow keys on your keyboard.
  • Click on the corner of a page.
  • Select a specific page from the page number drop down.
Archive
  • Click on the Archive button to reveal past issues available. These are sorted into a tab for each year. Click on the year, then the specific issue to open up the desired issue.
Search
  • Use Search to locate a phrase or keyword in the current issue. Select the Advancedtab for more search features. Search results are returned and highlighted on each page to allow for easy identification.
Tools
  • Other features are available when you click Tools - these may include:
    • Change default display from Two Page to One Page.
    • Turn off Page Flip Animations.
    • Turn off Sound Effects.
    • Ability to Save My Preferences.
    • Download the magazine in PDF format to view offline.

Frequently Asked Questions and Issues Encountered

  • Q: Why am I being asked to login to access certain features of the magazine?
    A: In order to save your specific viewing preferences and to save all of your bookmarks and notes, we ask that you create an account with us using your email address. This will allow you to retrieve your entire library of bookmarks and notes on all issues and also view each issue with your specific saved preferences.
  • Q: Where can I download a PDF version of this magazine?
    A: You can access the PDF download feature by right clicking on the magazine and selecting Download PDF. Alternatively, you can access it from the Tools option on the top navigation of the viewer and click on Download PDF.
  • Q: Why do the magazine pages appear blurry?
    A: Our viewer is tailored to display pages in a level of quality that is optimal for the viewing area of your specific monitor's screen resolution. However, if you have increased your zoom level inside of your web browser (generally located under View/Zoom in your browser) - this may distort the quality of images that our viewer has calculated to display to you. By setting this back to its default (100%) - this will allow the viewer to display clearer images.
  • Q: Why does the magazine blur when I'm flipping the page and how can I make it stop?
    A: Under some configurations, when flipping the page using the corners of the magazine, a slight blur will appear on the page while it is being flipped to the next page. In order to remove this occurrence, you can turn off Page Flip Animation under the Tools option located above the magazine.
  • Q: Why do I get less than optimal results when trying to print out pages?

    A: Our print feature relies on your web browser's print functionality - and how that browser communicates with your specific printer. If you note that pages are getting cut off, or you are having other issues when printing, it is likely that you need to adjust your printer's settings to scale to fit page.

    Alternatively, if there is a PDF Download option available you can download the PDF first and then print using Adobe Acrobat Reader’s print feature. There are known issues in printing fom Internet Explorer 7, so if you are using this browser, you may wish to try a different one. If you are able to print from your browser normally but are having issues specifically with printing pages from the magazine, then please contact technical support.

Contact Technical Support:

  
News
Feeds
News
We note that your session has been inactive for some time.
If there is no activity in , your session will be automatically logged off.
We note that your session has been inactive for some time. Please click the button below to refresh your session.
Note: You may be required to log in again.
Log In / Register
Some areas of this site require free registration. To log in or create an account, simply enter your information below.
Why?
Email Address:

Thank you for sampling the digital edition of Bay Area Parent To continue reading this issue, you must be a subscriber.

If you are a subscriber, you must log-in before you can continue viewing the digital edition.

Click here to log-in

If you are not yet a subscriber:

Click here to join.

Cancel  
Warning
It seems that the digital edition is running in a frame on another website. In order to have the best viewing experience, we recommend that the site be opened in its own window. Please click the button below to reload the site in a new window.