50 Things to Do With Bay Area Kids When School Is Out

With so many school holidays on the horizon, we wanted to update our list of go-to destinations for families with grade school children. Enjoy!

Thanks to the Chabot Space & Science Center for sponsoring our guide today. You can explore NASA artifacts, embark on hands-on challenges, and get to know real NASA scientists at this local favorite interactive science center set in the beautiful Oakland Hills.

What to do with East Bay kids when school is out?

1. Explore the Earth to the frontiers of the Milky Way Galaxy under the 70-foot full-dome Planetarium at the Chabot Space & Science Center. The NASA Ames Visitor Center is one of only 11 in the Country!
2. Tour a tasty factory. Chocolate lovers over age 8 will enjoy the TCHO Factory tour and jelly bean lovers of all ages will have fun at the Jelly Belly Factory Tour (Fairfield).
3. Things that go. Poke around historic planes at the Oakland Aviation Museum, open Wednesday through Sunday. This kid-friendly museum is located near the Oakland airport. (More fun places for airplane lovers >)
4. Day at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area. Experience a 4D movie, ride Imagination Express, admire MINILAND Bay Area, and have the best day building and ogling creations. Test of skill and agility will entertain parents, too.
5. Farm day. Make an appointment to say “hi” to a giant furry cow, zonkey, and other colorful rescue animals at American Made Miniatures. More farms for kids who love animals >
6. Hike. Discover the Secret Stairs of the East Bay in Oakland or bring a little sibling on a toddler-friendly hike.
7. Kayak around the Bay. Put your life vests on and kayak around our waterways. Where to kayak with kids >>

8. Go bowling. Bowl ten frames at Lucky Strike Alameda. More bowling alleys and discounts here >
9. Stargaze. Stay up late to see all the stars. Our tips tell you how to get away from the Bay Area light pollution. Or look through a telescope at Chabot.
10. Swing from the rafters. Check out the massive indoor-outdoor facilities for Ninja Warrior wannabes at Traverse Fitness (Richmond).
11. Climb up the walls. So many cool rock climbing gyms are in the area, from The Oaks on Solano to Benchmark on Shattuck. Also, Pacific Pipe (Oakland) and Bridges in El Cerrito.
12. Adventure on the edge. Lands End offers stunning views of the edge of our continent and close proximity to cool City outings like Tunnel Tops or the Presidio.

46 Activities for Teens & Tweens >>

13. Ferry around. Take the ferry to SF (from Jack London Square, Alameda, or Richmond). Intrepid families can fly on Salesforce Park’s free gondola from 6 am to 8 pm, and ride a streetcar, cable car, city bus, and BART all on the same day.
14. Ice Skate. From San Francisco to San Ramon with frozen spots in between, there are wonderful seasonal ice rinks to enjoy. Lace-up.
15. Fly a kite. Fly kites in Berkeley Marina or one of our other favorite spots, perfect on a day when most places are closed, like Thanksgiving Day.
16. Get beachy. Our beautiful West Coast beckons with these 14 Bay Area beaches worth the drive. Head out early and bribe your kids with donuts as needed.
17. Escape. Older kids will enjoy the novelty and challenge of an Escape Room. It’s a splurge, but we like this one in Emeryville.
18. Play pinball. Go full tilt on the old-school pinball machines at the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda.
19. Experiment. Visit the Chabot Space & Science Center (Friday to Sunday) or the Lawrence Hall of Science (Wednesday to Sunday) to try your hand at science experiments. The Exploratorium and Cal Academy are awesome, too, if you’re willing to cross a bridge.
20. Minigolf. Alameda’s SubPar is tons of fun! GoldenTee is a classic destination for putt-putt enthusiasts. Scandia has mini-golf plus more. Find all our favorite East Bay mini golf spots >

21. Discover a playground. (510) Residents swear that Heather Farm is always worth the drive to Walnut Creek! Here are nine playgrounds with zip lines for your kid with big energy.
22. Play tennis. East Bay tennis courts are open for tennis and pickleball. Get out there.
23. Tide pools. Take a day trip to the Fitzgerald Tide Pools during really low tide to see all the critters.
24. Cheer on the Cal Bears. UC Berkeley athletic events are often affordable, year-round, and kid-friendly. Find a new-to-you sport.
25. Treasure Island. This island has everything: biking, food, giant Jenga, a small beach, a playground, and the best views in the Bay Area. Or this playground with a view.
26. Ropes Course. Take a trip to Quarry Park for big fun on the zipline, rappel, free fall, ropes course, and a massive playground.
27. Roses and Ice cream. Visit the Oakland Rose Garden. After you amble, you’re a 15-minute walk to Fentons to split a sundae.
28. Modern Art. Visit the BAMPFA in Berkeley where kids under 13 are always free. The exhibits change regularly and BAMPFA offers hands-on creation labs, too.
29. See lots of animals. Hang out with the wild animals at the Oakland Zoo and enjoy the gondola as often as you like (reservations strongly suggested). Older kids can play photographer and then come home and make a video. (We’ll post any kid-generated videos here!)
30. Hop on a train. There are so many train options in our area, but our favorite is the Steam Train in Tilden.

31. Discover a special garden. Make a weekday visit to Kensington’s Blake Gardens or any of our favorite gardens to visit with kids.
32. Geocache. This worldwide scavenger hunt is always open! Geocaching 101.
33. Go fishing. Grab your fishing rod and head to one of our favorite fishing spots for families. Or go BIG with some sportfishing on the Bay.
34. Fourth Street. Spend the day wandering around 4th Street with ice cream and crafts. Peek in at the reptiles at the East Bay Vivarium and then walk over to Peet’s for hot cocoa.
35. Painting Party. Paint pottery at Color Me Mine, Alameda or Brushstrokes in Berkeley.
36. Collect sea glass. Hunt for sea glass at Point Molate Park Beach. You can make crafts from them afterward.
37. Bike the dirt. For knobby tires, visit Dirt World in Richmond or loop the pump track at the BMX dirt bike park in Pleasanton. For a whole day of thrills, head to Marin and ride Stafford Lake Bike Park. The North Bay has a pretty rad option too.
38. Check out the library. Stock up on books, museum passes, and specialty equipment at your local library.
39. Bounce it out at Bay Play or Urban Air Adventure Park. Each place offers cool features for younger and older kids to enjoy.

40. Brr in the snow. Spend a day playing in the snow (when it comes, of course); we know where to take Bay Area kids to get snowy for non-skiers.
41. Drive-in Movies. Let everyone stay up late for a drive-in movie. I LOVE the wintertime for the drive-in because the shows start so much earlier… and when there’s no school the next day? C’mon!
42. Climb & Scramble. Scale the heights around Indian Rock in North Berkeley or check out one of Berkeley’s lesser-known rock parks. Always free and open!
43. Discover ladybugs. Find ladybug colonies from late October through mid-February in Oakland.
44. Swim. Plenty of indoor and outdoor pools to choose from, with varied rec swim times. Affordable and splashy fun!
45. Play all the games. The board game destination, Victory Point Cafe, has hundreds of games and a great menu for pizza fans. Or visit Games of Berkeley to grab a new board game to try.
46. Play in the rain. No need to stay indoors on a rainy day when you can seek out sneaky salamanders and splash in the puddles! 5 more great spots to play in the rain with kids >
47. Discover the magic. The fairy houses in Point Richmond are not to be missed.
48. SUP. Stand-up Paddleboarding is another super way to enjoy our corner of the world. It’s like an instant vacation.
49. Big Ship. Tour the enormous USS Hornet aircraft carrier museum – great for visiting grandparents. You’d also be in a great spot for a family-friendly bike ride that ends at a brewery.
50. Scoot and roll. Not ready for a skate park quite yet? Here are 25+ fab places to roll your scooter.

Where else do your grade-school-age kids love to go when school’s out?

Thanks again to Chabot Space & Science Center for sponsoring this post. Located in the hills above Oakland, you can jump into a world of creativity, science, and playful learning at the ultimate interactive space and science center!