A Family-Friendly Weekend in Tri-Valley

This past weekend, we had the sweetest little getaway in Tri-Valley—just a short drive from San Francisco and full of charm, wine country vibes, and super family-friendly fun. The region includes cities ofLivermore, Dublin, Pleasanton, and the town of Danville, and it was the perfect spot for a weekend trip with Roman. 

Traveling with a baby (I guess technically toddler because Roman is one now wahhh) isn’t easy, but Omied and I high-fived ourselves because we had such a great time, and Tri-Valley is just super enjoyable to explore with a toddler in tow.

Here’s all the deets on our Tri-Valley weekend itinerary so you can steal it and make it your own! 

Day 1: Arrival + Downtown Pleasanton Charm

Check-in at AC Hotel Pleasanton

We started our weekend at the AC Hotel in Pleasanton, which was a total win for traveling with a baby. The rooms are spacious, they provided a pack and play for Roman, and the location is central to the entire Tri-Valley region. The hotel also has a beautiful pool deck and a sleek lounge area that I wish we’d had more time to enjoy!

Dinner at Brava Garden Eatery

After settling in, we headed to Brava Garden Eatery in downtown Pleasanton. It’s an Argentinian-Italian family-run spot, and the vibes are cute and the food is delicious. Roman devoured their cauliflower and pasta (my carb-loving baby!), and we loved the outdoor seating. The vibe is relaxed and perfect for little ones.

Ice Cream at Meadowlark Dairy + Stroll through Downtown

After dinner, we walked over to Meadowlark Dairy, a Pleasanton institution. Their drive-thru walk-up ice cream is a fun experience in itself, and the vanilla soft serve hit the spot. We strolled through downtown Pleasanton, and they had live music in the park, so we let Roman run around there while we enjoyed our ice cream.

Day 2: Danville Adventures + Wine Country Views

Breakfast at Sideboard Kitchen

We started Saturday with breakfast at Sideboard Kitchen, a cozy café in downtown Danville with amazing coffee, hearty comfort food, and a laid-back feel. Omied used to have family in Danville, so he was very familiar with this spot! 

Danville Farmers’ Market

From there, we strolled through the Danville Farmers’ Market, which was so lovely. Roman loved listening to the live music and sampling the juiciest watermelon while we picked up some fresh fruit.

Museum of the San Ramon Valley

The Farmer’s Market is right next to the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, so we stopped in there for a bit. They currently have a “Totally Trains” exhibit—aka toddler heaven. It’s housed in an old railway station, and it was really cute to pop into. 

Blackhawk Museum

Next, we headed to the Blackhawk Museum—this was such a great stop on our itinerary! It has an incredible classic car collection and a really interesting China exhibit. Downstairs, there’s an African animals exhibit that is a great stroller-friendly wander.

Lunch at Danville Brewing Co.

Lunch was at Danville Brewing Co.—a modern brewpub with house beers and elevated pub food. It had a casual vibe and high chairs, which made it a great pit stop to recharge before wine tasting.

Wine Tasting at Rubino Estates Winery

Roman is no stranger to wineries—we took him to his first one in Napa when he was three weeks old!. Rubino Estates Winery has a gorgeous tasting room surrounded by rolling vineyards and plenty of space for Roman to stretch his legs outside. They also do weddings here, so I’m hoping I’ll be back someday as What The Fab Media to shoot content! 

Dinner at Wingen Bakery

After a little family nap back at the hotel (necessary when you’re up at 6am with a one-year-old), we ended the day at Wingen Bakery in Livermore, and I’m still dreaming about their pillowy soft gnudi. The sourdough pizza was fantastic, and you have to save room for dessert! This locally loved bakery has an inspiring backstory and recently expanded to offer dinner. The vibe is casual and community-focused—just what we needed after a full day of exploring.

Day 3: Splash Time

Breakfast at Denica’s Real Food Kitchen

Sunday started with the most insane stack of ube pancakes at Denica’s in Pleasanton. It’s super family-friendly, and since we were there ridiculously early, thanks to Roman, we beat the brunch crowd and had the whole back patio to ourselves. He was able to run around while Omied and I actually enjoyed our breakfast together (rather than tag-teaming chasing him around). The food has a Hawaiian flair to it and was sooo yummy. 

Cooling Off at The Wave Waterpark

We wrapped up the trip with a few hours at The Wave Waterpark in Dublin. This was probably my favorite activity during our trip!\ There’s a toddler splash pad, shaded lounge chairs that you can reserve, and an on-site Koja Kitchen for lunch. Roman was absolutely living his best splash life. When it was time to leave, he kept running back to the water because he was just having too much fun lol. 

For the bigger kids or big kids at heart, there are some crazy fun water slides, and you know Omied and I had to take turns going down them! If you didn’t catch my absolutely feral scream on IG, you’re missing out. 

Omied and I were talking about how having a baby/toddler kinda allows you to relive your childhood and be a kid again. We had SO much fun at the waterpark, and that’s not something we would go to by ourselves as adults lol but since we have a kid, we had it on our itinerary and honestly, I can’t wait to go back! I already texted a bunch of our friends in the Bay Area that we need to find a date to all go with our kids this summer.

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Tri-Valley is so charming and full of family-friendly experiences that are fun for both kids and adults. Whether you’re looking to enjoy delicious food, get an adrenaline rush going down a waterslide, or just enjoy a low-key weekend with your little one, Tri-Valley checks all the boxes.

A huge thank you to Visit Tri-Valley for hosting us!