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
Friday, October 23, 2026
9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Explore Blake Garden @ Blake Garden10:00 am – 10:50 am: Community Preschool Yoga @ Yama Kids Yoga
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Shabbat & Play @ Temple Sinai
10:30 am – 11:00 am: Story Time @ Crab Cove @ Crab Cove Visitor Center
11:15 am – 12:15 pm: Oaktown Jazz Storytime @ Richmond Library | West Side Branch
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Trunk or Treat @ Civic Park & Community Center (Walnut Creek)
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm: Costume Swap @ Swings and Wings
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm: MOCHA Creative Art Play @ Central Library | Berkeley Public Library
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Petting Zoo @ The Backyard
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Haunted Trail @ Pleasant Hill Park
Free & Cheap Resources for Families
A kid-sized adventure to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Tour Krispy Kreme Doughnuts with a kid for a sweet factory experience (that is much easier than a real factory experience).
Salesforce Park: Free Gondola Ride and Play Area
A free, entertaining activity for kids of all ages in San Francisco, Salesforce Park is the perfect place to take visiting family and friends.
Where to Play on a Hot Day, East Bay
Our team of experienced parents weighed in on where to go and what to do when it is Just Too Dang Hot. Start with donuts.
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.
