Having kids in the Bay Area is super fun with so much to see and do, but it can also be very expensive. During the holiday season, it seems like spending can add up. So we’re setting out to find some fun inexpensive activities for you to enjoy all winter long. Bundle up!
These Activities Cost $10 or Less for One Adult & a Kid
Free Activities for Families
- Make use of free admission days at a local museum – Free
- Visit a new library for storytime – many are listed on our calendar – Free
- Drop-in to Wee Play at the James Kenney Community Center – Free
- Go on Little Free Library book hunt – Free
- Craft something new with Mocha at the Library – Free
- Use the “Discover & Go” program through your library to get tickets for different outings – Free
- Meet the reptiles at East Bay Vivarium – Free
- Learn something new each month at Crab Cove’s Sea Squirts program – Free
- Splash in puddles on a rainy day hike and look for the ladybugs colonies nesting – Free
- Attend a Cal Sports free admission game – Free
- Pack a sled and have a snow day – Spooner Summit and Herring Creek are both free options
- Stroll under the holiday lights on Fourth Street—lights will remain on through February 2026 – Free
Kid Activities for $5 & Under
- Hop on the Kennedy Express in Hayward – $3
- Ride a vintage streetcar around SF- $3
- Warm up with a kids cup of hot chocolate from The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe – $3
- Cruise the bay on a ferry ride to San Francisco – $4.90
Family Activities for About $10 & Under
- Sing songs and meet new friends at Wee Play in Alameda – $6
- Watch the trains at the Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society – $8
- Take in the view from the top of the Campanile at UC Berkeley – $9
- Get close to nature at Sulphur Creek’s Salty Storytime – $10
- Pretend to be a chef at Teeny Town – $10
- Experiment at the Randall Museum’s Science Saturdays – $10
- Tour the Ardenwood Historic Farm – $10
- Catch a family-friendly movie at the Alameda Theater on Tuesdays- $10
- Play antique arcade games at Musée Mécanique – Entrance is free, bring quarters for the games
