California for kids: true stories by town

San Francisco 20 stories

🏝️ The Island of Pelicans Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Look across the water, toward the city. See that rocky little island with a lighthouse on top? 🏰 The Fort Under the Bridge Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Psst! Down below the bridge, right at the edge of the water, there's a real castle-looking fort made of bricks. ⛰️ The Hill That Used to Be Rocks Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look up at the hill with the rocky top. Do you think it was always here? 🔭 The Room That Is a Camera Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look at that little building next to the Cliff House. Do you know what is inside? 🗼 The Lighthouse With a Helicopter Hat Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out toward the ocean. Far, far away, there is a tiny lighthouse sitting on a rock. 🦭 The Rock Full of Sea Lions Near San Francisco, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Arf arf arf! Do you hear that?

All 20 stories in San Francisco →

Oakland 8 stories

🎨 The Mud Zoo Art Show Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window toward the bay! See that flat, squishy mud? 🚂 The Super Long Train Pier Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Choo choo! Look toward Oakland. 🍳 The Cafe That Can't Fail Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Are you hungry? Over in Emeryville there is a diner with a very silly name. 🐚 The Giant Hill Made of Shells Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window. Do you see a hill? 🍝 The Giant Spaghetti Road Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Whoa, look up and all around! You are driving through a giant tangle of roads called the Maze! 🐚 The Giant Hill Made of Shells Near Oakland, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look around. Do you see any hills?

All 8 stories in Oakland →

Palo Alto 7 stories

🌲 The Tall Stick Tree Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Do you know what Palo Alto means? It's Spanish for tall stick! 🐦‍⬛ Giant Crows on the Lawn Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window! Do you see a giant bird? 🦆 The Marsh Where Birds Rest Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window toward the bay! See that wide, flat, grassy land? 🏡 The Houses That Won a Prize Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window. Do any houses look flat and low, like they are lying down for a nap? 🐇 Watch Out for Jackrabbits! Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look up! Maybe you'll see a little airplane! 🏞️ The Creek With Many Names Near Palo Alto, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Psst, do you hear a little splash? Somewhere near here, a creek is wiggling along.

All 7 stories in Palo Alto →

Sausalito 7 stories

🚦 The One-Lane Tunnel Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Uh oh, see that traffic light? This tunnel is so skinny that only one direction of cars can go through at a time! 💣 The Hidden Cannons Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Shhh. Can you keep a secret? 🎖️ Fort Baker Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Down by the water, right under the bridge, is a place called Fort Baker. A long time ago, it was an army fort full of soldiers, and they… 🌉 The Golden Gate Bridge Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Look out the window! See that giant orange bridge? ⚓ The Ship Factory and the Giant Puddle Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Right around here in Sausalito, something amazing happened a long time ago. During a big war, about eighty years ago, the country needed… 🗼 The Lighthouse and the Fog Cannon Near Sausalito, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Way out at the tippy-tip of these cliffs is the Point Bonita Lighthouse. To get there, you walk through a tunnel dug into the rock by…

All 7 stories in Sausalito →

Santa Cruz 4 stories

🎢 The Roller Coaster Built in 47 Days Near Santa Cruz, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Clickety-clack, clickety-clack! Look way up! 🔶 The Octagon That Would Not Burn Near Santa Cruz, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look for a red brick building with lots of sides! Count them if you can. 🏠 The House With 21 Kids Near Santa Cruz, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Psst. Guess how many kids lived in one tiny old house near here? 📻 The Radio That Came Back Near Santa Cruz, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Can you pretend to turn a radio dial? Go ahead, twist it!

Mill Valley 3 stories

🚂 The Crookedest Railroad in the World Near Mill Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Choo choo! Right here in downtown Mill Valley, where the bookstore and café are, there used to be a train station! 🌲 The Giant Redwoods Near Mill Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Okay, explorers, use your quiet voices. We're coming into Muir Woods, a forest of giant redwood trees. 🪵 Why It's Called Mill Valley Near Mill Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Here's a riddle. Why is our town called Mill Valley?

Mountain View 3 stories

🎈 The Giant Airship Garage Near Mountain View, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window! See that gigantic curved building, like a huge metal tunnel lying on its side? 🌙 The Moon-Named Building Near Mountain View, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look over toward Moffett Field! There's a building there named after a place on the Moon! 🌕 The Forgotten Moon Tapes Near Mountain View, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Here is a secret about the Moon. In 1966, little robot spaceships zoomed around it, taking pictures.

Tamalpais Valley 3 stories

🦭 Richardson Bay and the Seals Near Tamalpais Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Look out at the water on this side! This is Richardson Bay. ⛰️ The Sleeping Lady Mountain Near Tamalpais Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Look up! That big mountain is Mount Tamalpais. 🚢 The Shipwreck in the Fog Near Tamalpais Valley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Down this road is a valley that ends at a tiny beach. And this valley is named after a ship!

Daly City 2 stories

🥬 Sand Dunes and Cabbages Near Daly City, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look at all the houses lined up like a row of lunch boxes! Now picture this same place with no houses at all. 🏘️ The Town Inside a Town Near Daly City, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Here is a puzzle. Can a little town hide inside a big city?

Larkspur 2 stories

💐 The Flower Mix-Up Near Larkspur, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 We're in Larkspur! Want to hear how it got its name? 🌸 The Flower Mix-Up Near Larkspur, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-5 Do you see purple flowers on the hills? Look, look, look!

Novato 2 stories

🏠 The House That Spins Around Near Novato, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Do you think a house can spin? In Novato, one can! 🏢 The Building Shaped Like a Slice Near Novato, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look around Old Town. Can you spot a building shaped like a slice of pizza?

Petaluma 2 stories

🌉 The Bridge That Spins Around Near Petaluma, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window! Do you see a train bridge over the water? 🥚 The Egg Train to the Boats Near Petaluma, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Toot toot! Long ago, right near here, a little railroad had a very special job.

Berkeley 1 story

🦆 The Lake That Used to Be the Bay Near Berkeley, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window toward the hills. See that long, flat lake next to the freeway?

Corte Madera 1 story

🪓 The Place Where Wood Is Cut Near Corte Madera, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 We're driving through Corte Madera. That's a Spanish name, and it means "the place where wood is cut".

Emeryville 1 story

🏢 The Tower That Wiggles Near Emeryville, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look up, up, up! See that super tall building?

Richmond 1 story

🎢 The Roller-Coaster Bridge Near Richmond, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Whee! We're on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge!

San Rafael 1 story

🔔 The Sunny Mission Near San Rafael, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 See that little white church with the bell? That's Mission San Rafael.

Sunnyvale 1 story

🟦 The Mystery Blue Cube Near Sunnyvale, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Psst! Have you ever seen a giant blue box with no windows?

Tiburon 1 story

🦈 Shark Point and Angel Island Near Tiburon, CA · 1 min listen · ages 3-12 Do you know what Tiburon means? It means shark, in Spanish!

Ukiah 1 story

🌊 The Creek That Might Have Been a River Road Near Ukiah, CA · 1 min listen · ages 6-8 Look out the window. Do you see a little creek down in the trees?

Roads

• US-1011

How things work: roads, bridges, oceans →

All stories →