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
Sign Up for Free Trial Classes for Kids!
We love to try out a class before committing to a full session. Here are a few places that offer occasional free trials on kids' ...
Comic Book Day Meets Star Wars Day
Support your indie shops! Free comic book titles will be released to participating stores on the first Saturday in May.
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month for Kids & Families
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with stories, food, and performances. We'll add more as we find them!
18 Toddler-Friendly Hikes in the East Bay
Hiking with a toddler can be a walk down the street, or a quest to find bugs or fairies. We love these East Bay places ...
Tilden Park Little Farm, Free & Fun for All Ages
Tilden Park's Little Farm is fantastic, free, and open year-round. Get up-close-and-personal with cows, piglets, chickens, goats, bunnies, and more.
6 Tot-Friendly Splash Parks in the East Bay
We've rounded up our favorite splash pads in the East Bay - perfect for pre-swimmers and toddlers to get cool in the summer heat.
Cal Sailing Club Offers Free Boat Rides (Sometimes)
Did you know that Cal Sailing Club offers regular free rides to curious community members (including kids 5+)?
SF Park Profile: Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground
In the heart of SF Chinatown is an amazing 2-level park with climbing structures, room for tots and bigger kids, giant metal slide, and sports ...
Good Free Fun: The East Bay Vivarium
East Bay Vivarium has it all: Cute turtles swimming in tanks, giant tortoises munching on lettuce, tiny lizards, boas, enormous pythons, and more.
Golden Gate Park, Koret Children’s Playground and Carousel
Koret Playground at Golden Gate Park has a mix of nostalgic features I loved as a child (cement slide, carousel) plus newer playground structures.
