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
Thursday, June 18, 2026
9:00 am – 7:00 pm: Splash Park @ El Cerrito Swim Center9:00 am – 11:00 am: Tiny Tides @ The Wave at Emerald Glen Park
10:00 am – 11:30 am: Play Cafe @ 81st Avenue Branch | Oakland Public Library
10:00 am – 4:00 pm: SF Zoo Kids Free Admission @ San Francisco Zoo
10:15 am – 10:45 am: Storytime @ El Cerrito Library
10:30 am – 11:30 am: East Bay Regional Park Nature Program @ Lakeview Branch | Oakland Public Library
10:30 am – 11:30 am: Summer Tinker Tots @ Main Branch | San Leandro Public Library
11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Mariela’s Music Time @ Melrose Branch | Oakland Public Library
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm: JAMaRoo for Kids @ Weekes Branch | Hayward Public Library
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Juneteenth Freedom Day @ Newark Pavilion
Free & Cheap Resources for Families
Top 3 Family-Friendly Bike Rides in Alameda
Biking is the best way to experience the city of Alameda with your kids. Cross the island on a bike via clearly-marked bike routes. Here ...
Sweet Hike: Fairy Houses Galore in Point Richmond
I explored the magical fairy houses that make up Little Point Richmond of Washington Avenue with my children, age 2 to 8, and we were ...
May 4: de Youngsters Day Out is a Celebration of Art
Reserve tickets to the annual free community day for children – the de Youngsters Day Out - a must-do for art-loving kids.
Family Day at The Bay Area Book Festival
Bring your little ones, middle graders, and teens to Bay Area Book Festival Family Day at the Berkeley Public Library downtown.
Impress Your Kids: Hike into a Real Volcano & Labyrinth in OaklandÂ
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve's Special Labyrinth can be hiked to with school-aged kids in less than two hours, round trip.
Movie Theater Fun for ALL Ages at The New Parkway
See new movies with your baby in tow or bring your child to enjoy classic cartoons with sweet cereal at Oakland's beloved movie theater.
25 Places to Take Preschoolers in the East Bay – Indoors
Places to take East Bay toddlers and preschoolers: Bay Area destinations for younger kids featuring amazing indoor play spaces and museums.
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.
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.
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!
