Free & Cheap
Family-friendly Bay Area Fun on The Cheap
Discounted admission to museums, plays, classes and other tips to discover free fun for East Bay Area children.
Upcoming Free or Cheap Events in the East Bay
Sunday, December 7, 2025
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: Holiday Arts Festival @ Richmond Art Center11:00 am – 7:00 pm: Drop-In Art Making @ Berkeley Art Museum (BAMPFA)
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Selfies with Santa @ Jack London Square
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm: WINTER on Solano Ave. @ Solano Avenue
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Laurel District Santa Stroll @ Laurel District
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Cal Women's Basketball Game @ Haas Pavilion, UC Berkeley
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Winter Puzzle Challenge @ 81st Avenue Branch | Oakland Public Library
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm: Holiday Tree Lighting @ Hercules City Hall
Monday, December 8, 2025
7:30 am – 9:00 am: Free Admission Hours @ San Francisco Botanical Garden9:00 am – 12:00 pm: Pop-N-Play @ Ruby’s Tumbling
Free & Cheap Resources for Families
Now Open: The Gardens at Lake Merritt
As we strolled The Gardens at Lake Merritt, near Children's Fairyland, my husband and I agreed that botanical gardens are usually a big win with ...
It’s Free! Indian Rock Park
Wear athletic shoes and bring a camera because Berkeley's Indian Rock will make you want to scale it and start snapping pictures immediately.
Park Profile: Grove Park & Playground in Berkeley
See what's up at the grand reopening of Berkeley's neighborhood playground for the Lorin District. Wood chips.
Parents’ Guide to East Bay Gardens
Explore family-friendly East Bay Gardens for outdoor fun: admire flowers, follow butterflies, enjoy nature, & get inspired!
Explore Dinosaur Gardens in the East Bay
Delight in a magical treasure: dinosaur gardens. Perfect to work into a family walk, we found seven locations walking around the East Bay.
Berkeley Park Profile: Cedar-Rose Park
Cedar-Rose Park in North Berkeley has a little fenced-in tot lot, wide open field, and big kid playground making it a great option for mixed ...
Top Things to Do With Kids at Cal
Here are our top things to do with our kids at University of California at Berkeley's "Cal" Campus: climb, sing, dinosaurs, research, run, and play!
Park Profile: Dracena Quarry Park in Piedmont
Dracena Quarry Park in Piedmont is a cozy little neighborhood beauty with attractions for kids of all ages. Parking can be tricky.
Best Idea Ever: A Playground with Coffee in Berkeley
With ample parking, a huge field, a creek to explore, a playground, and now, a cafe onsite, Strawberry Creek Park is a perfect destination.
Home Depot Offers Free Weekend Workshops for Kids
Spend a FREE morning at Home Depot building craft projects with your kid on the first Saturday of each month.
