March brings lots of fun for kids with its brighter days, beautiful blossoms, and warmer weather. Plus, there are plenty of special moments to celebrate: Holi, Purim, St. Patrick’s Day, Springtime, and Women’s History Month to name a few.
This post of March’s best things to do with East Bay kids is sponsored by Zip Code East Bay. Join the Colusa Circle 5K, presented by Zip Code East Bay. This family-friendly fun run is a community celebration–all runners, walkers, and strollers are invited to join on March 15 in Kensington.
Save the Date for these Exciting Community Events
- Mar. 1-2: Free Family Movies at Rialto Cinemas (El Cerrito and Elmwood)
- Mar. 2: Open Cockpit Day
- Mar. 4: Holi Celebration: Color Party
- Mar. 5: Free admission day at BADM
- Mar. 8: Reserve a free ticket to Giants Fan Fest and Jazz Girls+ Days (ages 10-14)
- Mar. 13-14: Purim is one day, but the costumed carnivals are many!
- Mar. 14: Commemorate Pi Day by eating pie and doing math
- Mar. 15: Colusa Circle 5k and St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival
- Mar. 16: Messy Art Day at ECPC
- Mar. 20: Frolic on the first day of Spring at a local garden
- Mar. 22: Oakland Roots home opener
- Mar. 22-23: BADM Big Art Weekend
- Mar. 23: Holi Festival!
Reserve Tickets to Shows & Performances
This month has shows for all ages and interests: Monster Jam, Teen Night at SF Symphony, Back to the Future Musical, and Circus Spire: Circus Eternal to name a few. See our full list of upcoming shows and performances for families >
You might also want to reserve a spot in a spring break camp and book ahead for a Parents Night Out so you can get a date night.
See Blooming Colors
It is a wonderful time to tiptoe through the tulips with your little ones. Tulips should be popping up at Oakland’s Temple Hill’s free gardens or Mountain View Cemetery; daffodils or tulips will be waking up at Piedmont Park; Woodside’s Filoli should have cherry blossoms, daffodils, and magnolias; San Francisco’s Botanical Garden may still have blooming magnolias along with a great kids’ garden, complete with a mud kitchen! Not into flowers? Visit the cacti at Ruth Bancroft, the redwood grove at UC Botanical Garden, or Hayward’s Japanese Garden to spot koi fish.
Find more tips in our Parents Guide to East Bay Gardens >>
Baseball Season is back
Baseball opening day is this month. Cal Golden Bears play at home in both baseball and softball — and tickets are as low as $5 for some games. SF Giants have a home season opener against Detroit on March 25.
👉 About the Colusa Circle 5k
Families and individuals can run, walk, or roll through the scenic neighborhood 5k route no matter the weather. The race concludes with a family-friendly celebration of music, prizes, treats, and high fives. All proceeds benefit our local Wildcat Creek Watershed restoration efforts through the Watershed Project.
📆 Sunday, March 15
⏰ Registration: 7 am | Race start: 8 am
📍Colusa Circle, Kensington
☔ Rain or shine!
Website to register >
Plan Your Spring Break Daytrips
We like to pick one “funtivity” and build a day around it. Stick close to home with toddler-friendly short hikes. Or buy your tickets in advance for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Safari West Animal Park in Santa Rosa, Muir Woods, and Alcatraz. Leave it to the last minute to opt for a Mori Point hike in Pacifica, a jaunt to Angel Island, or a trip to Sacramento for the California State Railroad Museum.
Staycation can also mean a little driving getaway that doesn’t involve a flight. If you want to choose a family-friendly hotel for a few nights, we have some favorite scenic drivable hotel getaways you’ll love (less than 2 hours to paradise!).
Free & Cheap Picks for March
Need some planning inspiration? We’ve got you covered! We gathered up our favorite free and inexpensive activities in the East Bay to serve as a go-to, weekday itinerary when you’re in a pinch. Find more free & cheap events this month >
- Mondays – Walk or scooter around the Lafayette Reservoir
- Tuesdays – $5 tickets to Cal Baseball Games
- Wednesdays – Walk through Blake Garden in Kensington
- Thursdays – Musical Storytime at various locations in Berkeley (March 6, 13, 20)
- Fridays – MOCHA art workshops at Downtown Berkeley & West Oakland libraries
- Saturdays – Catch the rides and playground at Kennedy Park
- Sundays – Sunday Storytime at Tilden Nature Center
Plus, plan an outing to one of the world-class museums in the Bay Area; take advantage of free admission on certain days. Learn more about ways to get into more Bay Area museums for free >
- Mar. 1-2: Bank of America Free Museum Days
- Mar. 2: Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and First Sunday at OMCA (nearly free!)
- Mar. 4: de Young Museum and Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco
- Mar. 6: BAMPFA in Berkeley & SFMOMA in San Francisco
- Mar. 11: San Francisco Botanical Garden
Thanks so much to Zip Code East Bay for sponsoring today’s guide to fun times in March! Register now for their family-friendly Colusa Circle 5k to benefit our area watershed.
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Find more to do in March on our always-updated daily family-friendly events calendar.
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