• Location: 1 Centennial Drive #5200 Berkeley, CA 94720

• Phone: 510-642-5132

• Website: www.lawrencehallofscience.org

• Pricing: $$

• Hours: 10am -5pm daily

Description: Lawrence Hall of Science is a wondrous place that will ignite your little scientists' mind! Children of all ages can literally run around for hours exploring all the different activities in different rooms, on different levels that this place has to explore. There are different exhibits displayed every few months in the main exhibit halls so there is always something new to check out! It is worth it to get a yearly family membership as this is a place your children can come to with endless possibilities! Also the family memberships are very reasonably priced compared to that of other discovery and science museums. If you do get a membership, Lawrence Hall of Science is connected with a network of local Bay Area museums and discovery places for children that you can then get a discount on. There is a decent cafeteria where you can eat lunch at on-site, so you don't even have to leave for a meal.

Highlights: Lawrence Hall of Science is set atop of a high peak in Berkeley overlooking the entire Bay Area, on a clear day it has the best views of the Bay in town! Towards the back of the museum on the upper level is a fun interactive waterfall and stream your kids can play in, it also has magnificent sweeping views- great place for pictures! Outside the entrance there is a gigantic whale for children to climb on while you take in the view of the Bay below, children will be having fun before they even step inside! Inside there are so many "cause and effect" exhibits that your child will be wildly engaging and having fun while they are learning as well. Every exhibit is interactive and hands-on so you don't have to worry about your children touching things they are not supposed to- everything is for touching!

Tips: Don't stress about parking, while it may seem as if all the parking spaces are gone there are many upper levels of parking to accommodate guests. Also check if there is a CAL football game the day of your visit, if there is the main access road to LHOS will be closed down prior, during, and after the game- you will need to take the alternate route up Marin and around Grizzly Peak.