Out & About Lil’ Kid: Bernal Heights

As we all settle into our fall routines, let's not forget an easy way to mix things up when a free day comes our way: exploring a different neighborhood in the city, or just venturing to a new spot around the corner. In today's Out & About, Yanina Markova shares her top kid-friendly picks in Bernal Heights.

Bernal Heights is a truly family-friendly neighborhood: diverse, beautiful, fairly quiet but with a lot of shops, parks, and yummy foods on offer. Cortland Avenue is the area’s commercial corridor, forming the backbone of the neighborhood. Bernal Star is a must for brunch, as is the locally owned Little Bee Bakery for dessert. Progressive Grounds (400 Cortland Ave.) is a chill, comfy neighborhood coffee shop that has generous space and great wraps. Take a piece of the amazing homemade banana cake always at the counter. The New Wheel carries electric bikes with toddler seats and has been known to fix a stroller wheel in trouble, gratis. Chloe’s Closet carries used children’s everything. The Bernal Branch Library is the lovely centerpiece for kids’ entertainment in Bernal and offers regular arts and crafts for kids, baby rhyme and playtime, and LEGO nights, plus there’s a great playground out back, but parents beware: it’s half covered in sand.

Holly Park is a 10-minute walk from Cortland, with a hilly approach but a view to justify it. This park has lots of grass and is especially great for smaller kiddos. Further south is the bell-shaped St. Mary’s Neighborhood and St. Mary’s Park, which is popular with slightly older kids and birthday parties.

Yanina is a political junkie living in St. Mary’s Neighborhood with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and a constantly increasing number of conveyances with wheels. 

This article originally appeared in the August/September issue of GGMG Magazine. Photo via Flickr.