5 Great Places to Take Toddlers in Sunnyvale, CA

Sunnyvale has a well-maintained parks system and quick access to San Jose's children's museum. For toddlers, a few spots stand out as genuinely worth the trip.

Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

180 Woz Way, San Jose, CA 95110

About 15 minutes from central Sunnyvale, CDM San Jose is the go-to children's museum for the entire South Bay. Three floors of hands-on exhibits, a dedicated infant/toddler area, a bubble room, and an outdoor construction and water zone. Admission around $14–17; kids under 1 free. Open Tuesday–Sunday.

Baylands Park

840 W. Caribbean Dr., Sunnyvale, CA 94089

A large bayfront park with a playground, open fields, a dog park, and walking paths along the San Francisco Bay. Free to access. The bay views and open space give toddlers room to roam in a way that dense city parks can't. Stroller-accessible trails. Open daily.

Las Palmas Park

850 Russet Dr., Sunnyvale, CA 94087

A neighborhood park with a well-equipped playground, a community pool (seasonal, admission required for swimming), and picnic areas. Free to access the park itself. One of the more popular city parks for Sunnyvale families with young children.

Columbia Neighborhood Center

785 Morse Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94085

Sunnyvale's recreation department runs drop-in play groups, toddler story times, and family programming at community centers throughout the city. Check their parks and recreation website for current schedules and locations — several are free or low-cost.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

1300 Senter Rd., San Jose, CA 95112

About 20 minutes from Sunnyvale, Happy Hollow is a small zoo and amusement park built specifically for children under 8. Petting zoo, rides sized for toddlers, and a puppet theater. Admission around $13–16; kids under 1 free. A strong destination for South Bay families who haven't been.