Top 50 Must-Do Summer Activities for Families in the Bay Area
Special Events
The Big Bounce America (San Jose 7/12-14, 7/19-21 San Francisco 8/30, 9/1-9/2 Santa Rosa 9/20-22)
Feed a Giraffe at the Oakland Zoo (7/27, 8/18 & 9/28)
Feast for the Beasts at the Oakland Zoo (7/27/)
Train Display at Hiller Aviation (San Carlos 7/20-7/28)
Big Bay Area play date (8/11)
Dino Days at The Bay Area Discovery Museum (7/13-14 and 8/10-11)
Photo: Bay Area Discovery Museum
Concerts & Festivals
Kidchella (6/23, 7/21, 8/18, 9/8, 11am-1pm, Redwood City)
Stern Grove Festival (6/16-8/18) Sundays @2pm, San Francisco)
CuriOdyssey’s Summer Music Festival (7/5, 8/2, 5pm-8pm)
Berkeley Kite Festival (7/27-7/28)
Strawberry Festival in Watsonville (8/3-8/4)
Presidio Kite Festival (8/10)
Water Play
Cull Canyon Lagoon (Castro Valley)
Swim in the Stanford Fountains (Sunken Pool Fountain and Red hoop fountain are our favorites)
Raging Waters (San Jose)
Boomerang Bay Water Park (Santa Clara)
Rent Paddle Boats (Vasona Lake, Lake Merritt, San Mateo)
Aqua Adventure Water Park (Fremont)
The Wave Waterpark (Dublin)
Beach Day (Pebble Beach in Pescadero, Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay, Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove)
Hurricane Harbor (Concord)
Water Oasis at Gilroy Gardens
Outdoor Pools (Rinconada in Palo Alto, Terra Linda Pool in San Rafael, Hamilton pool in Novato, AquaTech in Alameda, Larkey Swim Center in Walnut Creek)
Indoor Pools (Silliman Aquatic Center, Mill Valley Pool)
Silliman’s Aquatic Center, Newark
Indoor Fun
See Toy Story 4 in theatres (opens June 21!)
Kids bowl free for the summer
Attend a movie from Cinemark's summer movie clubhouse ($1 dollar movies)
Mrs Grossman’s sticker factory in Petaluma + Hamilton pool in Novato
Outdoor Play
Brentwood cherry picking + Blue Goose Park
Brentwood peach picking + Dolphin Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (+ train ride)
Drive to the top of Mt Tamalpais East Peak and hike to the top for a 360 view
Camping in Foothill Park
Camping in Big Sur (Fernwood, Big Sur Campground and Limekiln)
Outdoor movies (movies in the Square RWC, Alameda, movies on the beach Santa Cruz, Jack London Square)
See a movie at a drive in theatre (West Wind Capitol 6)
Berry picking (Webb ranch, Gizdich ranch, Swanton Berry Farm)
S’mores at The Ritz Carlton (Half Moon Bay)
Go to a Giants or A’s game
Sonoma Train Town
We hope you have fun adventures with your families this summer! Don’t forget to tag us @bayarea.moms to be featured on our page. If you have another fun idea or event for us, please submit it by visiting the “submit” tab at the top of our site. xo