Education is so important; you want to be able to check school rankings with the click of a button.

GreatSchools.org is the nation's leading guide to pre-K-12 schools, with profiles of 200,000 public, public charter, and private schools reviewed by parents, teachers, and students. Great resource!

Looking for an outside adventure. Weekend Sherpa points you to the best, hikes waterfalls, picnic areas, and more. A great digital guide to discovering local adventures, whether you want to hike, bike, walk, or swim, searching is easy.  It also lists dog-friendly areas.

For a great overview of fun family offerings, check out Bay Area Kid Fun which lists all kinds of kid-friendly destinations and activities.  It’s updated daily!

Another alternative is 510 Families which lists where to have fun with kids in the East Bay.  You can search by city or by age; you’ll find a camp guide,  discounts and a weekend planner.


Wondering about local activities in the Bay Area?

Chatterblock lists the best kid-friendly events and businesses, as well as camps and classes for your little ones. Sign up for weekly e-news, or download the app.

Every Friday night the Oakland Museum features live music, food trucks, and half off the museum entry price.   
The FIRST Friday of every month is the Oakland ART murmur (free public walking art tours) or for a quieter and more focused time, join a Saturday art stroll.

Feeling romantic?  Book a 30- or 50-minute cruise for two on Lake Merritt in Oakland. These cozy gondola rides start and finish at the Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill.

Always wanted to sail? Now’s your chance? Go to calsailing.org and join the sailing and windsurfing club.  3 months for $100

Don’t forget to check in with Groupon for all kinds of discounts on local attractions and services.  You’ll find discounts on everything from ferry rides to framing, haircuts to theatre tickets.
 

Hoping to get discounts on local attractions?

Check out the fantastic deals you can find for great entertainment on Goldstar. Discounts on movie tickets, live jazz, boat rides, sports events and musicals await. 

Need help getting from one place to another, or getting someone you love somewhere safely…

Lyft: download the app! It’s fast and easy to have a Lyft driver get you from place to place. With the latest iOS, you can ask Siri to call Lyft for you.

Uber:  Lyft’s competition for fast and affordable rides

Zum: bills itself as the leader in ride-sharing and care services for kids. Drivers have full background checks and childcare experience, and the company is getting great reviews. They offer safe rides and chaperoning 7 days a week.


Unsure about using Uber or Lyft? 

Flywheel lets you hail a taxi with a licensed professional. Bonus: There’s no surge pricing.

IBart is the app that tells you everything you need to know about BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit); you’ll be able to easily plan your trip, check schedules, etc.

Getting the kids from place to place?  
Here’s some peace of mind for busy families:

Ridezum.com bills itself as the leader in ride-sharing and care services for kids. Drivers have full background checks and childcare experience, and the company is getting great reviews. They offer safe rides and chaperoning 7 days a week.

Using Kango for kids from preschool to high school, you can schedule a ride, childcare, or both; each driver is Trustline-certified and has gone through extensive background checks.
 

Going into the city? You might need a PARKING APP:

PAY BY PHONE links to your credit card, alerts you when time is about to run out and lets you add more time right from your phone.

Want more? Here’s a link to the 5 best parking apps for lots and garages in San Francisco. They allow you to pre-book a spot for an hour or a month, and find out if there is valet service or electric charging. You can even get directions back to your car.

Need another car?

Getaround lets you instantly rent your neighbor's car. Rates start at $5/hour including insurance (and no membership fees). Unlock from the app and drive. Did you know that the average car sits idle 22 hours a day?

Don’t forget to check out Zipcar, where you can drive by the hour or the day, including insurance and gas. Membership starts as low as $7/month.

Turo.com Head’s up! There may be a snazzy car for rent just around the corner. Some offer home delivery, or airport dropoff. Good pricing, and $25 off your first rental.
 

Childcare Needed? Easy peasy.

URBANSITTER This app can help you find and book a sitter that other parents in the neighborhood recommend without leaving your couch.

Of course, connecting with your neighbors to find out about local resources for family life is the best. You can do that by signing up for Nextdoor.com or checking out the amazing Berkeley Parents Network, the parent-to-parent hub for the San Francisco Bay area. Just click on this page to sign in and see the latest childcare updates.

EATS: Want to eat out?

Before you head out for a delicious meal, check Berkeleyside’s NOSH page for the latest on all things culinary.  There are so many restaurants to choose from! No worries if you’re gluten-free, there are plenty of options. And of course, you’ll find oatmilk lattes or boba drinks quite easily too. The East Bay has everything you could want, from foraged foods to tasty rare delicacies and everything in-between.  

Need a relaxed destination to go with friends or family?  Check out the Emeryville Public Market. Enjoy one of 17 artisan eateries, or pop in for Trivia Tuesday or live music on Thursday.

We are blessed with so many talented chefs in our area. Here’s a wonderful 2019 list of the Bay area’s top restaurants.

Busy? No time to shop for meals? Here are options to help you:

Take a look at your options; some of these companies also deliver fully cooked meals for your convenience.

BLUE APRON delivers all the groceries you need to cook delicious meals. Recipes included. 

PURPLE CARROT delivers recipes and ingredients for locally-sourced mouthwatering vegan meals. Offering 100% plant-based dishes inspired by seasonal flavors, Purple Carrot lets you take advantage of great offers to try high-protein, gluten-free, or chef’s choice dinners.

HELLO FRESH delivers ingredients and easy delicious recipes. Become a great chef overnight! Meal prices start at $7.50.

GOOD EGGS offers absurdly fresh groceries, delivered. You can shop organic produce, meat, and fish and get everything the next day. Super service and tasty treats.

Amazon Fresh is popular, but if you need groceries to be delivered NOW--get them in an hour or less using INSTACART and food from local markets (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Safeway, CVS and more) will be at your door quickly.

Don’t have enough options?  Check out these other popular meal kits.
 

Storage Solutions/Moving Made Easier

If you don’t mind trips to your storage facility, by all means Google “Self Storage” and you’ll find a lot of options, including Bay Area Self Storage.  But if you’d rather not box and schlep yourself, see two new alternatives below:

IClutter makes it easy to schedule pickups and drop offs… they pack up your stuff, inventory it, remove it, and will deliver back to you what you exactly what you need when you want it. Competitive pricing on month-to-month storage. Great reviews!

Check out a Clutter competitor called MakeSpace. They also use technology to help you declutter your life. They pickup, store, and deliver your belongings on demand—so you never have to visit a storage facility again.

Pet Care

Best Dog Walkers