Looking for local info on what to do and where to go with kids? Or maybe just some inspiration on how to look amazing doing it? Then this stable of Bay Area mom (and dad!) bloggers should definitely be on your radar (and saved on your bookmarks bar). Their sites are filled with helpful travel tips, product reviews, yummy recipes, destination guides and more. Three cheers for mom and dad bloggers!

1. Say Yes: Outdoor adventures, simply DIY, easy mom fashion, healthy recipes, and Northern California adventures make Liz Stanley’s lifestyle blog a fun daily read. Her Instagram photos celebrate traveling with kids, family, Northern California, and special daily moments that make it all worth it. Say Yes is uplifting and beautiful.

2. At-Home Dad Matters: Mike Heenan is a stay-at-home Dad of two daughters who’s opening eyes to what’s it’s like raising kids in San Francisco, finding a Dad community, and bucking preconceived notions of what a stay at home father does and doesn’t do. He also leads the SF Dads Group, a gangbusters meetup with over 240 dads that seeks to provide more events, resources, social outlets and services for men raising children in San Francisco. Go Dads!

3. Rookie Moms: These BFF bloggers, Heather and Whitney, are based in Berkeley—and everything they post— is “more fun than wiping someone’s tushy.” If you’re looking for fun, steady, interesting posts related to parenthood in general and occasional Bay-specific posts, you’ll love Rookie Moms. Their site is easy to search for what to do with kids in the Bay Area and they’re consistently clever and helpful on Twitter and Facebook.

4. Design Mom: Gabrielle Blair lives in Oakland with her husband and six children. She writes about motherhood, design, DIY, current topics, and living with kids on her blog Design Mom. You can read all about her travels, her home “the treehouse” and its renovations, and her various creative endeavors here. (She also has an active Facebook community with vibrant discussion.)

5. Hither & Thither: Both eye candy and super informative, Ashley Muir Bruhn’s blog is a perfect blend of down-to-earth and aspirational. She and her husband have blogged since 2009 but have lived in Davis, California for the last four years. She writes about traveling with and without kids, food (homemade granola bars) and drink (simple cocktails), living in California, design, and family. If you want fresh ideas of what to do with your kids on the weekend, or just want to browse beautiful imagery, we highly recommend Hither & Thither as a blog staple for Bay Area locals. You can also follow Hither & Thither on Facebook.

6. Daisy Tribe: Although it’s a new site, Daisy Tribe caught our eye with it’s large format images and posts focused on California style, good food, and local adventures. The more we learned about the group of women behind the blog and how passionate they are about sharing what they know and love about California, the more we loved what they’re doing. Bay Area locals will love posts like hidden restaurant gems in Berkeley and Albany and Sacramento Day Trips and followers can catch new posts on their active Facebook page.

7. Mama By the Bay: Real talk about motherhood, life in the Bay, and the ins and outs of imperfection. You’ll find this blogger passionate about supporting breastfeeding and formula-feeding in her viral I Support You campaigns, and candid about doing whatever works for you.

8. Our Urban Playground: Our Urban Playground is a lifestyle and family blog written by Jennifer Latch about raising a family in San Francisco. Jennifer has three girls and works as a commercial actor and multimedia artist. She’s all about making life more fun. (Always a good thing!)

9. Playground Dad: Advice for new dads, tech tips, kids and sports, and dad-approved products make Playground Dad an excellent resource for men navigating parenthood and beyond.

10. Fatherhoodish: A personal blog of a Hawaii-transplant in the Bay Area navigating new fatherhood and all its ups and downs. (Fatherhoodish is also looking for contributors.)

11. Marin Mommies: This is the go-to resource for parents and families living in Marin County. They highlight local events and what to do with kids, and also review local preschools, summer camps, and the best family-friendly restaurants. You can also buy/sell baby and children’s items in their active forum.

12. Coquette Maman: If you’re interested in fashion posts and product reviews, Coquette Maman is your blog. You can also catch the author on Racked SF.

13. Lunchbox Dad: Shaking up the kitchen and boring lunchboxes, Lunchbox Dad is a force. Grab lunch ideas and get inspired by the way he’s shaking up the stereotype of clueless Dads.

14. A Little Yumminess: Cooking with (and for!) kids has never looked so fun and colorful. Simran Singh and Stacie Dong are friends that share a passion for cooking and teaching others to cook. (Take their class at 18 Reasons.) Their blog features fragrant recipes from around the world that little ones will love to try.

15. Frog Mom: Laura Lathame culls outdoor destinations and fun fresh-air adventure for outdoorsy families. If you’re looking for a hike that’s great for kids, ways you can help the environment as a family, tips on nature journaling, or a trampoline in the trees, Frog Mom is your hub. (Tip: If you sign up for the free email newsletter, you get a free Outdoor Family Guide.)

16. The Mommy Files on SF Gate: Humorous and interesting posts on parenthood, current events, and the kid details.

17. Left Brain Craft Brain: It’s like DIY on steroids. Super science experiments and really cool crafts for the parent who swears they won’t make one more finger painting with their kids. Try play dough robots, computer deconstruction, and the biology of yogurt.

18. Family and Footprints:  Family+Footprints seeks to inspire your family to see the world as one great adventure. From the great outdoors, to traveling, to world schoold, this blog shares all sorts of tips and advice on getting the most out of your family’s purposeful adventures. (If you sign up for the newsletter, you get a free guide with family travel tips.)

19. DIY.org: DIY is a safe online community for kids to discover new skills, meet friends who are geeks just like them, and be awesome. Kids create an avatar profile and build stuff as they explore and achieve new skills with other curious kids. Read more about how it works here. They also have real patches, DIY Camps, and a market. You can follow their awesome Facebook group here.

Did we miss your favorite Bay Area blog? Are you a Bay Area mom or dad bloggers? We’d love to hear about it. Link and share in the comments!

–Koseli Cummings

All images courtesy of the subjects.

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