Recommended by Jennifer Kollmer

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

Address 55 Music Concourse Drive San Francisco, CA 94118 Map, Tel 415 379 8000 Call, Website

An aquarium, a tropical rainforest, a planetarium--and they have penguins. What's not to love? Older kids will love the exhibits, and the little ones (5 and under) can have a blast in the playroom. One-day tickets are a bit pricey, but kids 5 and under are free, and if you're going to visit more than once a year, the individual membership covers you and one other person all year.