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
- 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
Kid Activities for $5 & Under
- Hop on the Kennedy Express in Hayward – $3
- Warm up with a cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate from Casa de Chocolate – $4.50
- Ride a vintage streetcar around SF- $3
- Cruise the bay on a ferry ride to San Francisco – $4.75
- Learn something new each month at Crab Cove’s Sea Squirts program – $5
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
- Get close to nature at Sulphur Creek’s Salty Storytime – $9
- Take in the view from the top of the Campanile at UC Berkeley – $9
- Pretend to be a chef at Teeny Town – $10
- Experiment at the Randall Museum’s Science Saturdays – $10
- Enjoy some pool time at Hayward Plunge’s Tot Swim – $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
