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, May 18, 2025
10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Albany Comics & Fandom Expo @ Albany Library10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Berkeley Himalayan Fair @ Live Oak Park
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Festival @ Alameda City Hall
11:00 am – 6:00 pm: Model Railroad Show & Open House @ Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society
11:00 am – 9:00 pm: Oakland Greek Festival @ Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm: In Living Colors: Arts + Culture Festival @ Radium Runway, Alameda Point
Monday, May 19, 2025
7:30 am – 9:00 am: Free Admission Hours @ San Francisco Botanical Garden9:30 am – 12:00 pm: Together Wee Play @ Frances Albrier Community Center (San Pablo Park)
10:30 am – 11:15 am: Music & Movement Storytime @ Richmond Public Library
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm: MOCHA Art Workshop @ Eastmont Branch | Oakland Public Library
Free & Cheap Resources for Families
Ride a concrete slide in Berkeley
Get your thrills by zipping down a cement slide in the Berkeley Hills. There are TWO concrete slides in Berkeley that we know of.
Get your kid a job: toy tester
Sign up for your baby or toddler to be a toy tester at the LeapFrog/VTech lab in Emeryville. We've done it and enjoyed it.
Field Trip to the Hills and Tunnels of Black Diamond Mines
Thank you to Annie Burke sharing her terrific tips for exploring Black Diamond Mines with kids in tow. There’s something cool about exploring an ...
Go Outside with Kids, Really Outside
Feeling quite tired of playgrounds (I hear you!), Berkeley mom of two Annie Burke started taking her family and friends out to some less-traveled parks ...
{510} Family Faves with Outdoors Advocate Annie Burke
Annie Burke loves to take her children outside into the parks, seashore, and nature In the Bay Area. Get your fingernails dirty.
Visit Historic Downtown Benicia
Downtown Benicia is the cutest little place with some big history. With California's third capitol building, picnic, seashore, treats & more!
Biking with East Bay kids on the Bay Bridge
My husband Alec took our big boys to ride bicycles on the Eastern span of the Bay Bridge. For a pretty flat course, the views ...
Berkeley Family Bike Fest & Family Cycling Rodeo
My favorite kid-friendly bike rodeo event is happening 3/18 at LeConte school in Berkeley, and everyone's invited.
Oakland playground: Union Point Park
This playground, located very close to Pump It Up in Oakland, will keep tots entertained for a while, and when it gets old, you can ...
You’re invited: {510} Saturday Cereal Cinema with Close5
Join us for our 12/10 Cereal Cinema pajama party at New Parkway where we'll enjoy a cereal buffet while watching classic Saturday morning cartoons! All ...
