Ready or not, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, 2026, and there are as many fun ways to spend a day with Dad as there are dads. We’ve rounded up local destinations to create this guide and packed it with ideas for East Bay families looking for together time.
Thanks to Fourth Street Berkeley for sponsoring our guide to Father’s Day Weekend!
June 20 Cool Cars, Cards, Caricatures on Fourth Street
Celebrate Father’s Day on Fourth Street with your loved ones a day early. Plan to enjoy a meal at one of the fantastic restaurants and take advantage of the other happenings. Early birds should check out the Le Pit Club car show, plus live music. Stay for crafts, cookies, caricatures, and more music – all for free!
Saturday, June 20, 8 am to 3 pm, Celebrate Father’s Day on Fourth Street a day early!
8 to 10 am: Le Pit Club car show, free coffee & donuts, live music with PJay Smik Smak & the Cliffnottes
10 am to noon: Crafts, Cookies, Caricatures
11 am to 1:30 & 1:30 to 3:30 pm: Live music performances with The Three Elements
Father’s Day Activity Ideas for East Bay Families
Sportfishing adventure. This is an all-day adventure, but it’s worth the early wake-up call! Captain Adam from Gatherer Outfitters in Berkeley will take care of you and your little ones. Want a shorter and leisurely boat ride? How about a ferry ride to Angel Island?
Visit the farm. The East Bay is filled with family-friendly farms. Enjoy visiting with goats, chickens, and cows. There may even be special activities and crafts, animal feeding opportunities, or pony rides to make the day even more memorable.
Hike to a pancake breakfast. Enjoy Father’s Day breakfast at Mt. Tam’s historic West Point Inn. The hike is fun, the views are spectacular, and the pancakes are tasty.
Paddle in the Bay. Lots of kayak rental spots are happy to rent you double kayaks or even take you on a guided tour.
See planes and dance. The Oakland Aviation Museum hosts a special Open Cockpit Day for Father’s Day with live musical performances and food for purchase.
Cool Car Show. Join the annual Blackhawk Museum Father’s Day Car Show with a “thrilling and wholesome” event for the whole family. Learn more >
All aboard! Families can ride the rails on a unique Father’s Day “Brew” Train ride through the Santa Cruz forest. Learn more >
Go fish! There are many kid-friendly fishing spots in the East Bay.
Round of golf. Maybe he’d like to take the kids for some par 3 golfing action or send him alone!
Take a bike ride together. Here are a bunch of spots to ride your two wheels.
Embark on a cruise. Sail around the Bay on a special Father’s Day Brunch Cruise with City Cruises.
Do something together on Father’s Day Weekend (more family-friendly happenings)
As long as you’re hanging with Dad, you’re doing it right. Do any of these sound like the right way to be together?
Saturday, June 20, 2026
8:00 am - 3:00 pm Father’s Day on Fourth Street at Fourth Street Shops9:00 am - 1:00 pm Annual Sand Castle & Sculpture Contest at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach
10:00 am - 1:00 pm Calphin Day - Community Celebration at Central Park (Lake Elizabeth)
10:00 am - 6:00 pm Juneteenth Festival and Parade at Nicholl Park
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Kids Rock! Family Concert at Courthouse Square
10:00 am - 4:00 pm SLHRS Model Train Show at San Leandro Historical Railway Society
10:30 am - 12:00 pm Cereal Cinema at The New Parkway Theater
10:30 am - 11:00 am Family Story Time at Central Library | Berkeley Public Library
10:30 am - 1:00 pm Pride Festival at Bay Farm Branch | Alameda Free Library
10:30 am - 12:00 pm Rainbow Princess Storytime at Centerville Library
10:30 am - 11:00 am Rockridge Family Storytime at Rockridge Branch | Oakland Public Library
11:00 am - 2:30 pm Family Fun Saturday - Pride Story Time at Hayward Area Historical Society
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Insect Party! at Tilden Nature Center
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Library Day at Yerba Buena Gardens at Yerba Buena Gardens
11:00 am - 11:45 am Mike the Magician at Temescal Branch | Oakland Public Library
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Once Upon A Street: Pitch & Paint at Broadway Plaza
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Baba & Me: A Father's Day Celebration at Lakeview Branch | Oakland Public Library
12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Juneteenth Street Party at Mt. Eden Mansion
12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Montclair Beer, Wine & Music Festival at Montclair Village
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Fabulous Frogs at Coyote Hills Regional Park
1:00 pm - 8:00 pm Fête de la Musique — Summer Solstice Street Party at Gilman & 5th St
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm Bri Crabtree's Silly Circus Show at Fremont Main Library
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Family Recreation Swim at Richmond Swim Center
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Family Art Day at Adobe Park
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm Petting Zoo at the Library at Piedmont Ave. Branch | Oakland Public Library
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Juneteenth Crafternoon at North Branch | Berkeley Public Library
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Summer Reading Celebration Party at Barnes & Noble, Bay Street
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Anthony Chabot Campfire at Anthony Chabot Regional Park
8:30 pm - 9:30 pm Dumbarton Quarry Campfire at Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay
Sunday, June 21, 2026
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Hike to a Pancake Breakfast - RSVP at West Point Inn9:00 am - 12:30 pm Splash Park at El Cerrito Swim Center
10:00 am - 4:00 pm Open Cockpit Day at Oakland Aviation Museum
10:30 am - 11:30 am Signs of Summer Walk at Coyote Hills Regional Park
10:30 am - 11:00 am Sunday Storytime at Tilden Regional Park
11:00 am - 3:00 pm Days of Summer at the Depot at San Leandro Historical Railway Society
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Summer Reading Celebration Party at Barnes & Noble, Walnut Creek
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Summer Solstice Celebration at Live Oak Park
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Bugs for Lunch at Tilden Regional Park
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm Family Recreational Swim at San Leandro Family Aquatic Center
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm Malinky Music: Bilingual Music Series at Main | Alameda Free Library
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Special Food on Father’s Day
Favorite Restaurant. To help dad enjoy the day, order a giant family-size meal or something tasty from one of the many Black-owned East Bay eateries. You could also pick up cool merch as gifts or gift cards to be used later.
Delicious Dessert. The weather on Father’s Day can get warm, so enjoy a cool treat with dear dad. See our Guide to Best Ice Cream Places in the East Bay.
Entertaining Grandpa on Father’s Day, too
Juneteenth Celebration
Celebrate African-American culture experience with family-friendly activities including art projects for kids, live music, and a 2-on-2 basketball tournament.
When: Sunday, June 21, from 11 am to 7 pm
Where: South Berkeley’s five-block Alcatraz-Adeline corridor (details here >)
Alameda County Fair
Held at the Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, this is a classic fair with carnival rides, games, fried food, and farm animals. Evening concert, too. More details >
Discounted tickets >
When: 12 pm til 11 pm on Father’s Day
Where: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton
Gifts you can make
Dad Rocks. Use your custom-painted Dad Rocks rocks as paperweights or hide them in your neighborhood to bring smiles to others.
Kid-painted portrait of Dad. Here’s a coloring page template you can use as a jumping-off point to frame a kid’s drawing or painting of Dad.
Handmade T-shirts. This one is pretty easy: grab some WASHABLE markers and write a message of love on the kids’ clothes or hers: I love Dad, Dad Rules, I love Tacos & Dad, etc.
Thanks to Fourth Street Berkeley for sponsoring our guide to Father’s Day Weekend!
If you have more terrific ideas to spend the day with Dad, let us know in the comments!
