Best Kid-friendly Spots where Parents Can Grab a Drink

There’s no denying your life changed once you had kids, from the company you now keep to the time you go to bed. Your late-night bar-hopping days might be over – or at least in decline – but there’s no reason to give up a wine-tasting experience or lazy afternoon over a cold brew. Can’t find a babysitter? No problem! Relax over a drink at these Bay Area hot spots. They’ll welcome you along with your children and, often, your furry four-legged babies, too.
East Bay:
Temescal Brewing has a revolving list of beer on tap, free popcorn, nonalcoholic beverages and a food truck regularly parked outside. Well-behaved children and dogs are not only welcome but appear to be on parade any sunny weekend day at the spacious outdoor patio. Check the website for a list of what’s on tap and the type of food truck that’ll appear each day.  4115 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
Rosenblum Cellars can be found on the edge of Jack London Square with views of the bay and Oakland’s ferry stop. The kids can munch on Snackimals and organic fruit snacks while adults choose from four different wine-tasting flights. Your favorite little runner can blow off some steam on the lawn out front while you sip from the comfy outdoor patio or inside window seats. The winery will often put out a giant Jenga game and bean-bag toss boards to provide more entertainment for all ages. 10 Clay St., Oakland.
Faction Brewing is yet another waterfront choice, this time in a former Marine Corps helicopter hangar on the old Alameda Navel Base. Try a variety of the popular beers here with tasters, pints and growlers, surrounded by a stunning view of the Bay Bridge and downtown San Francisco. Take Instagram-worthy photos of your children and dogs exploring the 4,000 square-foot deck or step inside to view murals from local artists. 2501 Monarch St., Alameda.
Rock Wall Wine Company  sits next door to Faction and also offers delightful views from an outdoor area where the kids are welcome. But please leave Fido at home. Choose from five wines to taste or buy a bottle and grab a bite from the winery’s onsite restaurant Scolari’s at the Point. 2301 Monarch St., Alameda.
San Francisco
Treasure Island is a fun, if breezy, choice for wine tasting with children in tow. Stop by the spacious Winery SF to try award-winning reds and whites poured in a barn-like setting. Nearby you’ll find the Sol Rouge  tasting room that offers bocce ball on weekends alongside its tastings. Reserve your space on the bocce ball courts online.  29-30 Avenue G, San Francisco.
Park Chalet Coastal Beer Garden is a drinking and dining oasis spilling out of Golden Gate Park just across from Ocean Beach. It serves microbrews from the upstairs Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant in addition to its full bar, nonalcoholic beverages and menu of meals. And, most importantly, its open-air dining room extends into a lawn area framed by trees and perfect for lounging or frolicking with the kids and dogs. 1000 Great Highway, San Francisco.
Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company offers a family atmosphere as a brewery and restaurant. Its menu hosts a small list of house-made beer and some cocktail choices. Hungry? The little ones can choose food from a menu just for them complete with coloring options. 1735 Noriega St., San Francisco.
North Bay:
Francis Ford Coppola Winery not only offers wine tastings and an extensive collection of movie memorabilia, but it also has swimming pools and cabanas. 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville.
Benziger Family Winery allows guests of all ages to tour its sprawling grounds via tram before the adults taste wine and the kids get grape juice. 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen.
Truett Hurst serves wine from a working farm in Dry Creek Valley along a creek and offers up scenic picnicking sites open to supervised children and quiet dogs. 5610 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg.
Bear Republic Brewing Company is a great spot to grab a beer and a bite while visiting wine country. Take the folks young and old to both brewpub locations: 345 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg (dogs welcome) and the new lakeside 5000 Roberts Lake Road, Rohnert Park.
Larson Family Winery serves vino in its barn-turned-tasting-room and invites families to bring a picnic, play bocce ball and visit the goats. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma.
South Bay:
Picchetti Winery has hiking trails nearby with a seasonal pond hosting banana slugs, frogs and other critters that kids will enjoy spotting. Created in the 1890s, this winery is one of the oldest in California. 13100 Montebello Road, Cupertino.
Faultline Brewing Company caters to groups of all ages with its outdoor patio and lakeside dining room, serving 20 different styles of beer and other drinks along with food. 1235 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale.
Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards offers wine to grownups in its charming, historic tasting room beside its own stables (http://garrodfarms.com) where equestrians ages 8 and up can take a horseback ride. Adults: Check out the wine-tasting ride the last Sunday of each month.  22645-22647 Garrod Road, Saratoga.
Half Moon Bay Brewing welcomes dogs to its patio and children throughout the restaurant at this popular stop across from Pillar Point Harbor. There’s usually a large selection of beer on tap and food menus are available for both your two-legged and four-legged family members. 390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay.
Dhyana Levey is a calendar editor and Amusements Columnist for Bay Area Parent.