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Display of puppets from the 2010s at Children's Fairyland
👶 Kid-Friendly

Kid-Friendly Things to Do in the Bay Area

Family outings, storytimes, festivals and hands-on fun that work for little ones (and their grown-ups).

Updated Saturday, October 24 · 294 listings

Photo: E mln e / Wikimedia Commons

Quick answer

This weekend (Oct 23–25) there are 22 events in the Bay Area, plus 66 always-open favorites. Top picks:

  1. Stronger Together: CCL Youth Climate Rally 2026 — Sun, Oct 25, San Mateo Central Park Stage · San Mateo
  2. Pumpkin Decorating for Kids — Sun, Oct 25, 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek · Walnut Creek
  3. Something Sensational to Read: A Tour of Silicon Valley LGBTQ+ Publications, 1950 to Today — Sun, Oct 25, King Library · Downtown San Jose, San Jose
  4. SFMOMA’s “Free Family Day” Free Museum Day (2026) — Sun, Oct 25, SFMOMA · SoMa, SF (free)
  5. 34th Annual Rockridge Halloween Parade w/ 40+ Trick-or-Treat Stops (Oakland) — Sun, Oct 25, Rockridge · Rockridge, Oakland (free)
🌉 San Francisco 🌞 East Bay 🌊 Peninsula 🌴 South Bay 🍇 North Bay
🎉 This weekend

Oct 23–25

See on the map →

Saturday, October 24 2 picks

Sunday, October 25 20 picks

Pumpkin Decorating for Kids
Sun25Oct

Pumpkin Decorating for Kids

Sun, Oct 25 · All day 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek · Walnut Creek
👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day
⏩ Before the weekend

Coming up this week

Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Sat24Oct

Finding Nemo Kids

Sat, Oct 24 · All day 2954 Treat Blvd Suite #E, Concord, CA, United States, California 94518 · Concord
👶 Kid-friendly
The Grand Parade of the 2010 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco, California.
Sat24Oct

Trunk or Treat Family Fest

Sat, Oct 24 · All day Coastline Christian Schools · Alameda
👶 Kid-friendly
Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Sat24Oct

TYR Haunted House!

Sat, Oct 24 · All day 1515 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501-2433, United States · Alameda
👶 Kid-friendly
Halloween at Howarth
Sat24Oct

Halloween at Howarth

Sat, Oct 24 · All day Howarth Memorial Park · Santa Rosa
👶 Kid-friendly
🗓️ Plan ahead

Next week · Oct 26–Nov 1

All next week →
2012 MLK Day of Service 8813 (6796969085)
Mon26Oct

Family Pumpkin Party

Mon, Oct 26 · All day 1520 Hillside Blvd, Colma, CA, United States, California 94014 · Daly City
👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day
🔭 Further out

Coming soon

Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Wed4Nov

Digital Mirrors of Materiality

Wed, Nov 4 · 3 PM Anderson Collection · Palo Alto
👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day☀️ Hot-day
Runners completing the third leg of the 2022 Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon on the Marina Green of San Francisco, California.
Thu5Nov

LGBTQ+ Drop-In Group

Thu, Nov 5 · 2 PM · +1 more date Student Wellness Center · Downtown San Jose, San Jose
👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day
Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Fri6Nov

The Hillsborough Show

Fri, Nov 6 – Sat, Nov 7 Santa Clara Convention Center · Santa Clara
👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day
Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Fri6Nov

Sea Hugger Kids Night Out

Fri, Nov 6 · All day Sea Crest School · Half Moon Bay
👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day$28.52–$65.87
Display of puppets from Fairyland, 2010-2025
Fri6Nov

Youth Group

Fri, Nov 6 · All day 925 Linden Avenue , South San Francisco, CA, United States, California 94080 · South San Francisco
👶 Kid-friendly
⭐ Always-on picks

Classic things to do in the Bay Area

Open most days — perfect when you want a sure thing.

San Francisco, California, USA

Exploratorium

Open most days; check site for hours Exploratorium, Pier 15 · Embarcadero, SF
👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day☀️ Hot-day
Luristan Newt (Neurergus kaiseri) at the California Academy of Sciences. Please attribute to Evan Baldonado // AquariumKids.org

California Academy of Sciences

Open daily; NightLife on Thursdays (21+) California Academy of Sciences · Golden Gate Park, SF
👶 Kid-friendly21+☔ Rainy-day
Lands End, San Francisco, United States

Lands End Trail & Sutro Baths

Daily, sunrise to sunset Lands End Lookout · Outer Richmond, SF
Free👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day
Golden Gate Bridge seen from Crissy Field, San Francisco, California. People canoeing in the foreground.

Ocean Beach

Daily Ocean Beach · Outer Sunset, SF
Free👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day
Gate at Japanese Tea Garden (San Francisco) (TK1)

Japanese Tea Garden

Daily Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park · Golden Gate Park, SF
👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-dayPaid admission (…
San Francisco Golden Gate Park's Conservatory of Flowers in March 2018.

Conservatory of Flowers

Tuesday–Sunday Conservatory of Flowers · Golden Gate Park, SF
👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day☀️ Hot-day
Presidio Tunnel Tops park view, with Alcatraz Island in the background, on July 18, 2022, the day after it opened to the public

Presidio Tunnel Tops

Daily Presidio Tunnel Tops · Presidio, SF
Free👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-day
A row of machines at Musee Mecanique in San Francisco.

Musée Mécanique

Daily Musée Mécanique, Pier 45 · Fisherman's Wharf, SF
Free👶 Kid-friendly☔ Rainy-day
Alcatraz Island (39495489730)

Alcatraz Island

Daily; book ahead Alcatraz Landing, Pier 33 · Embarcadero, SF
👶 Kid-friendly☀️ Hot-dayFerry ticket req…
Golden Gate Bridge seen from Crissy Field, San Francisco, California. People canoeing in the foreground.

Mission Dolores Park

Daily Mission Dolores Park · Mission District, SF
Free👶 Kid-friendly🚇 BART
California Coast Trail views in San francisco

Ride a Cable Car

Daily Powell & Market Cable Car Turnaround · Union Square, SF
👶 Kid-friendly🚇 BARTMuni fare

Frequently asked questions

What are the best free things to do with kids in the Bay Area?

Watch the sea lions at Pier 39, play at Presidio Tunnel Tops, explore Tilden Park’s Little Farm, wade at Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda, and visit free museum days and library storytimes.

What is there to do in the Bay Area this weekend?

Popular picks for Oct 23–25 include Stronger Together: CCL Youth Climate Rally 2026 (Sun, Oct 25), Pumpkin Decorating for Kids (Sun, Oct 25), Something Sensational to Read: A Tour of Silicon Valley LGBTQ+ Publications, 1950 to Today (Sun, Oct 25), SFMOMA’s “Free Family Day” Free Museum Day (2026) (Sun, Oct 25). See the full, daily-updated list on this page.

Are there free things to do in the Bay Area?

Yes — 84 free events and activities are listed in the Bay Area right now. Use the “Free” filter or visit our Free page.

How often is this list updated?

Every day. Bay Area Weekend checks dozens of Bay Area event calendars, venues and local news sources daily and removes events once they’ve ended. Last update: Saturday, October 24.

Keep exploring

🍸 Bay Area Nightlife: Clubs, Bars, DJs & Late-Night Shows🆓 Free Things to Do in the Bay Area☀️ What to Do in the Bay Area When It’s Hot🌧️ Rainy Day Activities in the Bay Area🌫️ Fog Escape: Sunny Bay Area Plans When Karl the Fog Rolls In💘 Date Night Ideas in the Bay Area🚇 Car-Free Plans: Bay Area Events Near BART
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