We appreciate Cirque Du Soleil for sponsoring today’s guide to thoughtful local experience gifts. We have a special offer for 510 Families readers: Use this link to save up to 30% off select seats/dates on the deals tab.
San Francisco Bay Area experience gifts can work for any age or budget. We love a special outing for the whole family as a gift. Or, an annual membership, unique classes, or even a guided food tour that a group can enjoy together. The gift of a shared experience is a perfect last-minute and clutter-free gift solution —Â and so thoughtful!
Experience Gifts: Tickets to Games and Shows
- Cirque Du Soleil’s show ECHO blends acrobatics, storytelling, and technology. We saw the show in November and loved it! It runs until January 18th, so tickets for the winter break vacation are the perfect experience gift!
- Harlem Globetrotters return to the Bay Area in mid-January. Our kids loved this show, and we even hung around afterward and got autographs. We are superfans!
- San Francisco Giants, consider a day at the ballpark, arriving by ferry from Jack London Square!
- Cal Sports Games are often free or cheap, but little kids don’t know that.
- Peppa Pig is coming to Walnut Creek, and I know a 4-year-old who might really like that!
- See our Ticket Alert page for more shows coming to the Bay Area soon!
Experience Gift: Family Memberships to Enjoy All Year
Memberships to local kid-friendly destinations offer year-round enjoyment and value, with the cost often paying for itself after two or three visits. Buy a membership that the family can enjoy all year round. Huge appreciation to the grandparents who put these under the tree.
- Children’s Fairyland, Oakland
- Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
- Cal Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
- Oakland Zoo
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience, Walnut Creek
- Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland
Experiences Our {510} Team is Wishing For
We asked our team of contributing writers what they wish Santa would bring and here’s what they told us:
- Heather wants to take her family to Game On again
- Tiffany would like someone to give her an AirBnb gift card for a sledding trip.
- Julie loves having a stash of local ice cream shop gift certificates as a pick-me-up anytime.
- Parul enjoyed the gift certificate her family received for Plank in Oakland.
- Michele likes to have pre-bought tickets to the Tilden Steam Trains or Concord’s Pixieland.
- Carol suggests a swim club membership as a single big family gift.
- Whitney has been doing watercolor classes at Berkeley Painting Club and would like to try a workshop at Mighty Mighty Studio.
Experience Gift: Activities & Classes
As we mentioned above with museums, membership has its privileges. Choose a single special visit, sweet workshop, or regular pass.
- Would your young artist like a figure drawing or sculpting class? Pair a new set of materials with art classes and workshops for kids.
- Would your kid who climbs the walls like a class series or a special day out at a rock climbing gym for big kids (Pacific Pipe, Bridges, Ironworks, The Oaks) or a day trip to Quarry Park with a friend?
- Splurge on VR. The experience at Bay Street’s Sandbox VR looks amazing (for kids over 4 feet tall).
- See our Toddler Class Guide for more ideas for the 0-5 crowd, from gymnastics to music to swimming. More big kid classes here >
Experience Gift: Travel around the Bay Area
Make a day into an experience by creating a special little day trip to make magical memories. Do you like the ocean, the mountains, the forests? We’ve got it all!
- See animals. A tour of Safari West to see African animals roaming free.
- Edible Excursions walking, eating, and drinking tours of Oakland and Berkeley are tasty and lots of fun. Our {510} team has done three of them and totally recommends them. Also fun for visiting grandparents or big kids. View website >
- Choose your own adventure. Take a Staycation that lets you sleep in your own bed tonight after playing all day.
- Hit the snow. With or without skiing, a day in the snow is a joy for our fair-weather city kids.
- Play tourist in the Bay Area with a trip to Alcatraz with your kids or an e-bike tour.
Vacation Inspiration: Driveable Family Getaways
What’s better than the Best Day Ever? The best weekend trip, of course. Would your kiddos get excited to think about the next great vacation? I will tell you mine do NOT care, but they love it once it is over. Here’s the inspiration for your calendar that can make a special experience gift.
- Disneyland (best rates here through our affiliate)
- Â Vacation Inspiration: Plan A Trip To Avila Beach With Kids
- Â Vacation Inspiration: Road Trip to Palm Springs + Joshua Tree
- Â Vacation Inspiration: Balboa Island Anytime
- Â Weekend Road Trip: Railroad Park Resort and Lake Shasta Caverns
See our HOLIDAY ACTIVITY GUIDE for ideas in December.
Thanks again to Cirque du Soleil for sponsoring today’s guide to local experience gifts. Now through January 18, catch this groundbreaking production in San Francisco.
