Eureka is a family-friendly city! From the oldest accredited zoo in California to a children’s museum and the best ice cream shop you’ll find anywhere, this is a place the whole family can explore.
From living history to the giant redwood slide in Sequoia Park, Eureka offers larger than life experiences, kid-friendly restaurants, and access to the natural world in a way they’ll never experience anywhere else.
Please note that offerings and operating hours may be affected due to COVID-19.
3414 W St, Eureka, CA 95503 | (707) 441-4263
Visit with rare and endangered red pandas, interact with sheep and goats in the Contact Corral, and connect with the gibbons and spider monkeys. Stroll amongst the flamingos to mingle with the birds in our walk-through aviary.
Feeling adventurous? The Redwood Sky Walk, slated to open in Fall 2020, will provide education and excitement as you climb more than 100 feet off the redwood canopy floor via ADA accessible boardwalks.
Try to catch a special tour or zookeeper talk while you are in town and don’t forget to take in the unique conservation items in Zoo Gift Shop before you finish the day with a hike through Sequoia Park next door.
3550 W St, Eureka CA 95503
The playground at Sequoia Park has a wide array of equipment for children of all ages, a large grassy area, picnic tables and wheelchair-accessible restrooms. After expending lots of energy at the playground, explore the redwood forest nestled within Eureka's city limits. The park features walking and bicycle paths through the redwoods, duck pond and two small creeks. Sequoia Creek Trail is a paved, 3/4-mile wheelchair (and stroller) accessible trail heading west from the duck pond through the rest and meadows.
612 G St #102, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 443-9694
The Redwood Discovery Museum is Eureka's non-profit children’s museum, offering interactive exhibits and thematic programs for families. Discovery Museum exhibits and programs promote hands-on, open-ended discovery in the areas of science, art, culture, technology, and healthy living.
The museum offers Tuesday Playgroups for children 0-5 and their caregivers and Storytime on Wednesday mornings. They also offer drop off programs for children 3-12 and day camps for children 4-10. If you're in town for Arts Alive!, you can drop your kiddos off at the Discovery Museum while you stroll and sip through Eureka's Old Town.
2136 Broadway St, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 443-4533
A neighborhood old-school bowling at family-friendly alley that’s been open since 1961. All analog — get ready for some Big Lebowski-style fun. There’s a restaurant, full bar, lounge, full-service pro shop, video games, and pool tables to keep the whole family entertained.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are Family Fun days! Games are discounted to $2 per game per person, and shoes are only $2 per pair. Friday and Saturday are late-night Rock, Rowl, and Bowl starting at 10:30 PM — reservations recommended.
3300 Broadway St #128, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 444-8488
Get some energy out at Bounce-A-Palooza, the premiere children's play place in Humboldt County. Located in the Bayshore Mall in Eureka, Bounce-A-Palooza offers a rotating selection of extreme inflatables, obstacle courses, and giant slides for children ages 2 - 12. Now entering its 12th year, Bounce-A-Palooza ranks in the top 5 for safety ratings for Family Entertainment Centers nationwide. Healthy, active fun in a safe environment. Specializing in hassle-free birthday parties. All adults must be accompanied by a child.
211 G St, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 268-8888
Paint your own pottery! Walk on in and choose from over 100 different ceramic items. You can also create your own mosaic in store, or take the supplies home to get crafty later on.
Parasol staff gives each visitor individual attention, instruction, and inspiration. All paints are lead-free and non-toxic, and your finished products will be food-safe. The price of pottery includes paints, firing, and all of the studio time you need. Get inspired by the larger-than-life street art on the buildings and shops in Old Town. Then, pop into Parasol and get creative.
1 X St, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 444-3437
Eric Hollenbeck, his family and staff welcome you to the Blue Ox Millworks, where Victorian craftsmanship techniques of the 1800s are utilized to produce authentic custom quality products for homes around the world. Their customers include two governors' mansions, national parks, historic cathedrals, and even the President of the United States, Bill Clinton.
Visitors to the Blue Ox can watch antique woodworking machinery in operation, visit a skid camp, learn about traditional boat-building, and meet the blue oxen, Babe and Blue. You can take a self-guided tour or call in advance to have one of the crew show you around.
Foot of “C” Street, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 445-1910
Hop aboard for a cruise on the Madaket, the oldest passenger ferry in the United States! The one-hour cruise takes you along the Eureka Waterfront in Old Town. Your captain will share points of interest including the history of the timber and fishing industry in the Humboldt Bay, point out historic Victorian architecture and coastal wildlife (you might even see some harbor seals!), and share the region’s deep ties with the Native American culture. Tickets can be booked online or at the foot of C Street in Old Town Eureka.
Between Harris Street & Henderson Street, on E, F & G Streets, Eureka
Henderson Center, located a quick 7 minute drive from Old Town and Downtown Eureka, is a family-friendly neighborhood filled with locally-owned restaurants and shops (take the kids to the Toy Box!). Stop by for the farmer's market, held weekly on Thursdays from 10 AM - 1 PM, to mingle with the locals and pick up Humboldt County grown eats. Annual family-friendly community events like trick-or-treating and a meet-and-greet with Santa round out the friendly neighborhood's offerings.
77 Cookhouse Rd, Samoa, CA 95564 | (707) 444-9440
Looking for more maritime adventures off the water? Visit the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum, located west of Eureka on the Samoa peninsula. View exhibits on shipwrecks, shipbuilding, lighthouses, and ferries. The entire Humboldt County region is steeped in a rich seafaring history, and the Maritime Museum offers the chance to learn about it up close. Afterward, grab a hearty breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the style of the mill-workers of days past at the all-you-can-eat Samoa Cookhouse next door. To end the day, take a stroll at the Ma-le'l Dunes to burn off your big meal.
1313 3rd St, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 269-1900
The Humboldt County Library has story hours for preschool children, along with many other free programs including crafts, puppets, music, guest performers, and more. There’s a dedicated children’s services desk, a children’s room, a family restroom, a parenting corner, Friday story time, and special events such as the Children’s Author Festival.
Located adjacent to the library, the half-acre Clara May Berry Park features a nautical theme playground, grass, and picnic areas. The Tot Lot features a large “ship” surrounded by a blue rubber mat of “ocean.” A sand-filled play area has a giant starfish and sea urchins for kids to enjoy.
636 F Street, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 442-0278
The Morris Graves Museum of Art offers programs for families and kids alike.
Mini Masters, offered on the first Saturday each month from noon to 2 PM, is a free monthly workshop that includes story time, early literacy games, art activities, and a free book.
On the second Saturday each month from 2 to 4 PM, the Family Arts Day offers hands-on art projects and activities inspired by current exhibitions designed for families and kids aged 5-12. Come explore the museum and get creative with hands-on art projects designed for families to create together. Art educators will welcome children and families to the museum to interpret and appreciate the arts through hands-on learning.
240 E Street, Eureka, California 95501 | (707) 443-1947
The Clarke Historical Museum, located in the historic Bank of Eureka building in Old Town (also the location of the Eureka Visitor Center!), is Humboldt County’s largest museum. The Native American collection is a living museum that works closely with the area’s local tribes and is considered among the country’s largest and best. Through period rooms and ever-changing exhibits, learn about the area’s layered past. Downloadable scavenger hunts and coloring books are available on the museum’s website.
921 Waterfront Drive, Eureka, CA 95501 | (707) 443-4222
Located on the beautiful Eureka waterfront across from Woodley Island Marina, the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center is dedicated to providing aquatic boating recreation and education for the local community. The Aquatic Center offers aquatic rentals that include a brief paddling and safety orientation, personal flotation devices, wet suits, splash jackets, paddles, and watercraft.
During Family Fun on the Bay, bring the whole family for a paddling excursion along the Eureka waterfront. Choose kayaks, canoes, or stand up paddle boards. Staff provide a safety talk and instruction on the boats, before you cast off into Humboldt Bay!
Multiple locations, Eureka, CA
Join Slick the Slug and his pals on a treasure hunt to discover the wonders of nature. Redwood EdVentures Quests are treasure hunts that guide families along a short path to a final clue. Find the clue, get a free prize at the Visitor’s Center at each location!
Quests start in three Eureka locations. 1) Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, where you'll ride the tides and discover how Humboldt Bay is home to people, plants, and animals. 2) Fort Humboldt State Historic Park, learning about the history of the park and the bluff that overlooks the Humboldt Bay. 3) Sequoia Park, home of California's oldest zoo. You'll discover natural and cultural treasures in the redwood forest.
Redwood EdVentures is your link to everything fun and fascinating — for children, youth and the young at heart — related to the California Coastal Redwoods. Check out all the other Redwood EdVentures quests you can take in Humboldt County, and use their site to find other exciting resources to help you enjoy the wonders of the North Coast!
240 E Street
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 798-6411
contactus@visiteureka.com
Privacy Policy
