Past San Francisco Bay Area Events

Below are the most recent past events previously shown on hiddenSF.com.   Click current San Francisco Bay Area Events to see upcoming events.

past OCTOBER 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

The clear, mild weather usually makes Fall the best time of the year to visit Half Moon Bay and the Half Moon Bay Coastline.  See the pumpkin patches and visit Pescadero, our favorite small town between San Francisco & Santa Cruz. Be aware, however, that Halloween along the coast is very crowded so start & leave early to help minimize chances of getting stuck in a serious traffic jam.

Hardly Strictly Blue Grass Festival, Golden Gate Park
Friday 10/4/19 – Sunday 10/6/19, 11:00 am – 7 pm, Free
We particularly like this music festival because it is low-key (bring your dog and picnic blanket for sitting on the grass) and features over 100 different musical artists on seven different stages.  You can wander in and out of the venues even during performances.  It is located on the west side of Golden Gate Park south of John F Kennedy Dr between the Polo Field (about 32d Ave) and Highway 1 (Park Presidio Blvd).  See details (and schedule).

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs Washington, Saturday, 10/5/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs UCLA, Thursday, 10/17/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs Arizona, Saturday, 10/26/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs California, Saturday, 11/23/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.

San Francisco Fleet Week, Fishermans Wharf area
Monday-Monday 10/6/19 – 10/14/19, Free
Fleet Week attracts more than a million visitors each year to see the parade of ships, ship tours and air show featuring the Blue Angels.  See more details .

Blue Angels Air Show, Fishermans Wharf & Marina area
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10/11/19 – 10/13/19, 12 pm-4 pm, Free
On Friday-Sunday, the Fleet Week Air Show starts at 12 pm with several other aircraft performances and ends with the Blue Angels from 3 pm – 4 pm.  See more about best places to watch the show.

Grand National Rodeo  Cow Palace, Daly City
Fri-Sat 10/11/19-10/12/19 & 10/18/19-10/19/19, Admission
If you like rodeos this is the one to see in San Francisco once per year. There are several different events during the week including livestock exposition, cattle dog competitions, and horse shows depending on your interests.  It opens at 8 am (check schedule) and rodeo shows are at 7:30 pm on Friday & Saturday evenings. See details

Columbus Day Parade, Fishermans Wharf to Washington Square, Free
Sunday 10/13/19 Starts 12:30 pm at Fishermans Wharf, Free
The oldest Italian-American parade in America (est. 1869). Over 400,000 people attended last year so with Fleet Week going on simultaneously this will be one of the most crowded days of the SF year.  The parade starts at Jefferson & Stockton Streets in Fishermans Wharf and moves up Columbus Avenue to Washington Square.  See details.

Art & Pumpkin Festival,  Half Moon Bay
Sat-Sun 10/19/19-10/20/19, 9 am-5 pm, Free
If you can stand the very heavy weekend traffic (over 350,000 attended last year) check out the Art & Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay and the pumpkin stands near Half Moon Bay. We go much earlier in the month and earlier in the morning (certainly before 10 am) when traffic is not as bad.  It often backs up for miles on Hwy 92, especially around the Lemos Farm kid’s rides just east of the city.  See details.

Renaissance Fair, Hollister, CA
Saturdays & Sundays only, 9/14/19-10/20/19,  10 am-6 pm
History comes to life at this Hollister version of the Renaissance Fair. Held at Casa de Fruta every Saturday and Sunday for a month in the fall.  Admission $28/day + parking.  No pets are allowed.  See more details.

See Hundreds of Hawks/hour, Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands
9/10/19-10/9/19, Free
The largest known flight of daytime raptors (hawks, falcons, vultures, etc.) takes place every autumn  at Hawk Hill, the 920 foot peak on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge. See details.

 

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets SF Excelsior (10/20/19, 11 am-4 pm).
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

Halloween Monster Bash Dance Party – USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier, Alameda
Saturday 10/26/19, 7:30 pm-1 am, Admission
East Bay’s premier costume party.  There are three dance floors on the enclosed, heated hangar decks of this famous World War II aircraft carrier which is now a National Historic Landmark. This is a big, fun event that thousands attend. It is run by and proceeds benefit the USS Hornet Museum.  See details.

Halloween,
Thursday 10/31/19
Halloween is a big deal in San Francisco. For those into history, from the 1940s until 2006 the most fantastic costume event in the world was held Halloween Eve on Castro Street, SF. But, alas, this amazing street celebration was cancelled after crowds of hundreds of thousands became too difficult to control. Now you will have to go to a private party to seriously celebrate or pay to get into a night club.  The USS Hornet Monster Ball mentioned just above is a good option for ballroom dancers, in costume or not.  Zillow thinks these neighborhoods in SF & San Jose are the best in the nation for trick or treating.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in July.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (6/1/19-10/27/19)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/16/19-8/18/19, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, MacBeth various locations & dates October & November. See see calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of October – Other

• Pro Sports:  See the San Francisco Giants.
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 10/5/19,  regular season starts 10/24/19.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past SEPTEMBER 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/25/19-9/2/19
Even the organizers have a difficult time explaining this unique week-long party/art festival/event held in the desert. However, it is “amazing” and something our 21-35 year old friends would never miss. Over 50,000 people attend and it always sells out. See details and pictures.

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs Northwestern, Saturday, 8/31/19, 1:00 pm at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs Oregon, Saturday, 9/21/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs Washington, Saturday, 10/5/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.

Labor Day Weekend— Sat-Mon 8/31/19-9/2/19 has some big events for those who are into artistic events. See:

• Sausalito Art Fair:   Opens at 10 am Saturday 8/31/19-9/2/19. The “Granddaddy” of outdoor art festivals but the admission is expensive. Also check out the nearby ICB Building Art Studios Event while you are there.
• Sausalito Artists at Work: Open some years on Labor Day weekend.  Near the Art Fair so walk by to check it out at the historical ICB Building.
• Burning Man Festival: 8/25/19-9/2/19.  An amazing week long party.  See details and pictures.
• Kings Mountain Art Fair: 10 am-5 pm, 8/31/19-9/2/19.  Nice free art fair on Skyline Blvd but parking & traffic is a challenge.  See more details.
• Milbrae Art & Wine Festival:  10 am-5 pm, 8/31/19-9/1/19.  A big free Mardi Gras-style street fair.  See more details.
• Hamlet – Free Shakespeare in the Park:  2 pm, 8/31/19-9/2/19.  At the Presidio Parade Ground.  See details. Also check out the regular Sunday Picnic on the Presidio food truck event from 11 am-4 pm while you are there.
• Regular Weekly events:  These are always good too.

Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It, San Francisco
9/1/19-9/21/19, Weekends 2:00-4:30 pm (also on a few weekdays)
Presidio Main Parade Ground and Jerry Garcia Theater.  See complete calendar.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets SF Tenderloin #2 (9/8/19, 11 am-4 pm)
• Sunday Streets SF Western Addition (9/22/19, 11 am-4 pm).
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

CA Historical Society Talk, SF Library, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Tuesday 9/10/19, 6:30 pm
This talk by a professor of history about the unpacking of a time capsule from 1879 sounds interesting.  Make reservations because seating is very limited. See details.   Also see our hiddenSF page about early SF history; most of the good stuff happened between 1846 & 1900.

Rolex Big “Sailing” Boat Series, St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco Bay
Thu-Sun 9/11/19-9/15/19, Free
In an effort to bring large racing sail boats to compete in the San Francisco Bay, members of the St. Francis Yacht Club created the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy Regatta in 1964.   It features 4 days of world-class competition, between 100 teams from around the world, and has become the West Coast’s premier regatta.  See details and pictures.

Sausalito Floating Homes Tour, Kappas Marina, Sausalito
Saturday 9/14/19, 11 am-4 pm, Admission  
See hundreds of the most unique & beautiful houseboat homes in the world and look inside 10-15 of them. It includes a free art fair and live music. Usually sold out in advance even though the houseboat tour is rather expensive (About $55 including fees).

Renaissance Fair, Hollister, CA
Saturdays & Sundays only, 9/14/19-10/20/19,  10 am-6 pm
History comes to life at this Hollister version of the Renaissance Fair. Held at Casa de Fruta every Saturday and Sunday for a month in the fall.  Admission $28/day + parking.  No pets are allowed.  See more details.

San Francisco’s Comedy Day, Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park
Sunday, 9/15/19, 12 pm-5 pm, Free
The professional comedy community joins together (each year since 37 years ago when Robin Williams helped them start) to produce a FREE highly-entertaining, PG-13 rated, five-hour show with 40 comedians at Golden Gate Park. Up to 10,000 attendees. Doggies are allowed too.  See details.

Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It, San Francisco
9/1/19-9/21/19, Weekends 2:00-4:30 pm (also on a few weekdays).  Presidio Main Parade Ground and Jerry Garcia Theater.  See complete calendar.

Stanford Football is starting up again
vs Oregon, Saturday, 9/21/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.
vs Washington, Saturday, 10/5/19, at Stanford.  See schedule.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets SF Western Addition (9/22/19, 11 am-4 pm).
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

SF International Dragon Boat Festival, Merrit Island, Oakland
Saturday-Sunday, 9/28/19-9/29/19, Free admission
One of the largest competitive dragon boat races in the United States.  The festival has entertainment, food and free activities.  See details.

Pacific Coast Fog Fest, Palmetto Street, Pacifica
Sat-Sun, 9/28/19-9/29/19, 10 am-6 pm. Free admission
Over 200 vendors on the main street of Pacifica.  See more details.

Folsom Street Fair
Folsom Street, between 8th and 13th Streets
Sunday 9/29/19, 11 am-6 pm, Admission free (but with a “strongly” suggested donation of $10 at the gate)
The largest leather event in the world and very kinky with much nudity.  Adults only (and not really recommended for straight males).  Live entertainment and over 200 exhibitor booths.  Warning: definitely do not go if you are at all easily shocked.   See details.

Fall Plant Sale, UC Botanical Garden, Berkeley
Thursday, 9/29/19, 10:30 am – 3:00 pm, Admission
If you are into plants, especially California natives, the University of California Botanical Garden in Berkeley should definitely be on your bucket list to visit sometime.  It’s a great place for an interesting hike too.  Their Fall Plant sale is a good day to visit if you want to buy plants or get free advice.  See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in July.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (6/1/19-10/27/19)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/16/19-8/18/19, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It – Free Shakespeare by talented actors appear in various venues around the Bay Area such as Pleasanton (June-July), Cupertino (July), Redwood City (August), SF Presidio (September), SF McClaren Park (September).  See calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of September – Other

• Pro Sports:  See San Francisco Giants .
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past AUGUST 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament,  San Jose State University, San Jose
Monday-Sunday, 7/29/19-8/4/19, Admission (note: it’s usually on TV ESPN2 and ESPN3 too)
This tournament has been played since 1971.  In the past it has featured some of the top professional women’s players including Maria Sharapova and other Grand Slam Champions.

Santa Clara County Fair, 344 Tully Road, San Jose
Thu-Sun, 8/1/19-8/4/19, Admission
Four days of music, food and entertainment.  But it will be hot, of course.  Groupon had two tickets for the price of one last year so is worth checking.  See more details about this county fair.

Renaissance Faire, 180 Woz Way, Downtown San Jose
Saturday-Sunday, 8/3/19-8/4/19, 10 am – 5 pm,
Admission: Adults $18, Kids $10 or free under six, Parking around $5 & up.

The San Jose Renaissance Faire is not as big as some such events but it’s a very pleasant “adventure.”  For a start, this one is easy to get to and parking is not a big hassle. Plenty of food, arts & crafts for sale and well done events too!  See website.

Some tips: (1) In the past we’ve seen 40% off discount tickets on Groupon.  (2) Get there early in the day for less hassle & heat (San Jose can get hot in the summer).   (3) Check out the Children’s Discovery Museum which is also located here at Discovery Meadow.  (4) also see information of other nifty Rennaissance Faires in the SF Bay Area.

Jerry Day aka Jerry Garcia Festival, McClaren Park, SF
Sunday 8/4/19. Doors open 11 am; show starts 11:30 am.   Free (but big donations will get you a reserved seat)
Calling all Deadheads!   A yearly festival celebrating Jerry Garcia which is located in the Excelsior neighborhood where he was a child. See website.

Most Incredible Meteor Shower of the Year
Late Thursday night/early Friday morning, 8/11/16-8/12/16  (and continues through 8/24/16)
The Perseid meteor shower of 2016 peaks tonight and experts say it may get up to 200 meteors/hour this year.  They are best seen, all across the sky, after midnight.  If that’s too late for you it will also be shown live on the Internet at 8 pm EDT  (5 pm our PDT) on Thursday evening.  See details.

Total Solar Eclipse
Monday 8/21/17, 10:15 am PDT in the SF Bay Area
A total eclipse is a once in a lifetime event and will happen in many places in the U.S. this year.  Here in the SF Bay area we will get a partial (75%) eclipse.  In Kansas City (especially St. Joseph) where I grew up there will be a total eclipse.  Here’s a good article on the subject.

Monterey Motorsports Reunion & Pre-Reunion Races
Laguna Seca Raceway, east of Monterey, Admission
Saturday-Sunday, 8/10/19-8/11/19, Pre-Reunion Vintage Car Races. See details.
Thursday-Sunday, 8/15/19-8/19/19, Rolex Motorsport Reunion Races. See details.
These two racing events in Monterey Classic Car Week are a great way to see vintage sport cars in action at one of the best, most spectator-friendly race courses in America. You can avoid the crowds and much of the costs by attending the pre-reunion weekend races rather than the reunion event itself. See details

Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance,  Pebble Beach Lodge near Carmel
Sunday 8/18/19, opens 10:30 am,  Admission ($375 on the day of the show)
See 200 of the “best of the best” collector cars and motorcycles in the world at the “best finishing hole” in golf. This is the culmination of an entire week of events for automobile connoisseurs. Besides old collector classics, new concept cars are also shown.  We’ve also been the day before the actual event and had lot’s of fun for much less cost.  See more details on this approach.

Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It, Cupertino & Redwood City
7/28/19-9/21/19, Weekends (also on a few weekdays).  See complete calendar with exact times, dates & locations.

Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Week long event held 8/25/19-9/2/19
Even the organizers have a difficult time explaining this unique week-long party/art festival/event held in the desert. However, it is “amazing” and something our 21-35 year old friends would never miss. Over 50,000 people attend and it always sells out. See details and pictures

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in July.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (6/1/19-10/27/19)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Stern Grove Concerts – Sundays, 6/16/19-8/18/19, 2 pm-5 pm.  See details.
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It – Free Shakespeare by talented actors appear in various venues around the Bay Area such as Pleasanton (June-July), Cupertino (July), Redwood City (August), SF Presidio (September), SF McClaren Park (September).  See calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of August – Other

• Pro Sports:  See San Francisco Giants .
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

 

past JULY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Fourth of July Festivities, San Francisco Bay
Thu 7/4/19, Sat-Sun 7/6/19-7/7/19,Free
There are always big festivities including fireworks at approximately 9:30 pm 7/4/17.  They will be shot from barges located in SF Bay just north of Aquatic Park and Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf.  Expect large crowds, snarled traffic, and sometimes fog over the SF Bay in the evening.  See more.

On the Peninsula, the 4th of July fireworks at Foster City is always one of the top displays.  See more about fireworks & festivities around the Bay.

Independence Eve Celebration,
Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond
Wednesday 7/3/18, Free with paid parking.  Seating is limited!
doors open 6:30 pm, Oakland Symphony concert, 8:00 pm: fireworks over the water.  See more details.

Flower Pianos, SF Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park
12 straight days Thursday-Monday, 7/11/19-7/22/19, different times on different days
Free for SF residents, $8 Botanical Garden admission for non-residents.
12 pianos are set up around the garden for 12 straight days turning it into an outdoor concert hall.  It’s a good excuse to visit this beautiful place and hear some nice piano performances as well, some by professionals and some by talented visitors depending on when you go.  We went a couple of years ago and afterwards walked over to the de Young museum nearby to enjoy the Golden Gate Park Band.   See the full flower piano schedule.

Hillsborough Concourse D’Elegance, Crystal Springs Golf Course (just off Hwy 280), Burlingame
Sunday, 7/21/19, 10 am-4 pm.  $50 Admission
A nice way to spend a Sunday if you like cars.  It’s very close & not too crowded, the venue is quite pleasant and weather summer warm.  See more details.    For something even better, but much less convenient and more expensive ($375), try going to the Pebble Beach Concourse  on 8/26/18.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets Mission #2 (Sunday 7/14/19, 11 am-4 pm)
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

Amazon Prime Day 2019
Monday-Tuesday 7/15/19-7/16/19
Good discounts but for Amazon Prime members only. Like Black Friday after Thanksgiving, you get discounts from regular Amazon prices on over 100,000 products, especially Amazon brand products.   

National Ice Cream Month
July is national ice cream month and the third Sunday, 7/21/19, is national ice cream day.  Check out our San Francisco Ice Cream Page and Map for some of the best ice cream in the world any time of year.

Flower Pianos, SF Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park
12 straight days Thursday-Monday, 7/11/19-7/22/19, different times on different days
Free for SF residents, $8 Botanical Garden admission for non-residents.
12 pianos are set up around the garden for 12 straight days turning it into an outdoor concert hall.  It’s a good excuse to visit this beautiful place and hear some nice piano performances as well, some by professionals and some by talented visitors depending on when you go.  We went a couple of years ago and afterwards walked over to the de Young museum nearby to enjoy the Golden Gate Park Band.   See the full flower piano schedule.

Hillsborough Concourse D’Elegance, Crystal Springs Golf Course (just off Hwy 280), Burlingame
Sunday, 7/21/19, 10 am-4 pm.  $50 Admission
A nice way to spend a Sunday if you like cars.  It’s very close & not too crowded, the venue is quite pleasant and weather summer warm.  See more details.    For something even better, but much less convenient and more expensive ($375), try going to the Pebble Beach Concourse  on 8/26/18.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets Mission #2 (Sunday 7/14/19, 11 am-4 pm)
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

Amazon Prime Day 2019
Monday-Tuesday 7/15/19-7/16/19
Good discounts but for Amazon Prime members only. Like Black Friday after Thanksgiving, you get discounts from regular Amazon prices on over 100,000 products, especially Amazon brand products.   

National Ice Cream Month
July is national ice cream month and the third Sunday, 7/21/19, is national ice cream day.  Check out our San Francisco Ice Cream Page and Map for some of the best ice cream in the world any time of year.

Gilroy Garlic Festival, Gilroy
Friday-Sunday, 7/26/19-7/28/19, admission
If you like garlic-flavored food this event is big and unique.  They even have free garlic ice cream to help you handle the heat (bring a sun hat & sun lotion too).  There is also a Garlic Train from San Jose (charter train tickets must be purchased online in advance) to help avoid the driving & parking hassle.  See more details.  Also see our page on things to do in nearby Morgan Hill.

Berkeley Kite Festival, Berkeley Marina (Caesar Chavez Park)
Sat-Sun 7/27/19-7/28/19, Free (however parking costs $15)
Over 25,000 kite fanatics attend this event every year. Features great winds, spectacular views, live music and a three-ring circle of kiting craziness. See details.   It’s crowded but parking ($15) and shuttles can be found at a variety of spots including Golden Gate Fields.

Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament,  San Jose State University, San Jose
Monday-Sunday, 7/29/19-8/4/19, Admission (note: it’s usually on TV ESPN2 and ESPN3 too)
This tournament has been played since 1971.  In the past it has featured some of the top professional women’s players including Maria Sharapova and other Grand Slam Champions.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in July.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (6/1/19-10/27/19)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It – Free Shakespeare by talented actors appear in various venues around the Bay Area such as Pleasanton (June-July), Cupertino (July), Redwood City (August), SF Presidio (September), SF McClaren Park (September).  See calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of July – Other

• Pro Sports:  See San Francisco Giants .
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past JUNE 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

The weather is usually outstanding in June and there is plenty to do around the Bay Area.

NBA Finals

The Golden State Warriors are playing the Toronto Raptors (see  TV schedule ).  Here is the Finals Schedule:

• Game 2:  Sun 6/2/19, Golden State at Toronto, 5:00 pm PT.  The Raptors are ahead 1/0.
• Game 3:  Wed 6/5/19 Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT.
• Game 4:  Fri 6/7/19  Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT.
• Game 5:  Mon 6/10/19 Golden State at Toronto, 5:00 pm PT, if needed.
• Game 6:  Thu 6/13/19  Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT, if needed.
• Game 7:  Sun 6/16/19  Golden State at Toronto, 6:00 pm PT, if needed.

cityFEST, Leo Ryan Park, 650 Shell Blvd/Hillsdale, Foster City
Friday, 6/1/18, 5 pm – 11 pm;  Sat, 6/2/18, 10 am – 11 pm; Sun, 6/3/18, 10 am – 7 pm.  CANCELLED FOR 2019.
FREE admission, $10 parking.
Foster City’s biggest event formerly known as the Arts & Wine Festival.  A local family-oriented event which includes a Carnival, Festival, and Live Entertainment.  Over 175 booths, 20 different carnival rides and 40,000 attendees expected. See more.

Biggest Little Airshow, Hiller Aviation Museum, in San Carlos immediately south of Foster City
Saturday 6/1/19, 10 am-1 pm, Admission includes museum
This is a good time to see the Museum along an aerial extravaganza including model helicopters, drones, quadrotors and more!   The adjacent San Carlos Airport will be closed to regular air traffic from 10:30 am- 12 noon to allow realistic jet-powered and propeller-powered model aircraft to roll down the runway and into the sky!  Event is included with the museum admission: $16/adult, $11 for seniors and youths ages 5-17.  Capacity is limited.  See more details.

Belmont Stakes, Elmont, New York (outside of NYC)
Saturday, 6/8/19.  Post time is approximately 3:45 PST.  Free on TV.
The third and oldest leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is the 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes.

Golden Gate Park Band Festival, Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park
Sat-Sun, 6/9/18-6/10/18, 11 am – 5 pm, Free
11 different bands will be playing at the Music Concourse between de Young Museum and the Academy of Sciences.  Drop by as you enjoy the many other things to do in Golden Gate Park.

Escape from Alcatraz Triathalon, Marina Green, SF
Sunday 6/9/19, 7:30 am-11:45 am. Free to watch
If you want to see some of the top triathaletes in the world compete join some 20,000 spectators at the Fitness Festival on Marina Green.   This will be the center of the action before, during and after the race (e.g., swim start 7:30 am, first professional finisher 9:30 am,  awards presentation 12 pm, etc.).  See description and schedule.

Novice Dragon Boat Race, Foster City Lagoon, Leo Ryan Park
Sunday, 6/9/19, from about 9:30 am-3 pm
A 1-day race focused on novice beginner teams and corporate teams.  This is a way for you and your friends to participate in this unique sport.  See Bay Area Dragons Club details.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets Sunset/Golden Gate Park (Sunday 6/9/19, 11 am-4 pm)
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

San Mateo County Fair, County Fair Grounds, 2495 S Delaware St/E. 25th Ave, San Mateo
One week, Sat-Sun 6/8/19 – 6/16/19
There is a charge for admission and a charge for parking.  Check the website for several special promotions.
A typical county fair (corn dogs, racing pigs, 4H farm animals, music, etc.) located almost next door to Foster City.  Free entertainment comes with Fair admission.   Special concerts play nightly (ads say “all concerts free with fair admission” but if you want reserved seats they are expensive).

North Beach Festival, Washington Square Park, North Beach
Sat-Sun, 6/15/19-6/16/19, 10 am – 6 pm, Free
Big outdoor arts & crafts festival in historic North Beach. We don’t go because we are jaded having lived on Russian Hill adjacent North Beach for several years … so prefer to enjoy North Beach when it is less crowded.  See more details.

Stern Grove Concerts, Stern Grove, SF
Starts Sunday 6/16/19,  2 pm-about 5 pm, Free
These free world-class Sunday concerts start again for the 80th summer season.  Very crowded so get there early, especially the opening Sunday, but definitely worth at least one visit.  See background information and schedule.

June Holidays

• Fathers Day, Sunday 6/19/19
• Summer Solstice, Friday 6/21/19
• Independence Day, Thursday 7/4/19
• More Holidays

Hollister Motorcycle Rally & Music Street Festival, Hollister, CA
Fri-Sun 6/30/17-7/2/17, Free   CANCELLED 2018 AS PER http://www.kion546.com/news/2018-hollister-independence-rally-cancelled/712281171.  Apparently CANCELLED again in 2019 as per https://www.lightningcustoms.com/hollister-rally-2019.html .
Celebrate the “birth of the American biker” as exaggerated in Marlon Brando’s movie The Wild Ones. This is one of the biggest biker rallies in California; about 150,000 attendees show up in this town of 35,000.   See more.

 

Jazz on the Hill, College of San Mateo, San Mateo, CA.
Saturday 6/???, 12 pm-6 pm, Free   CANCELLED 2018 & 2019???
A day-long community event sponsored by the jazz station KCSM 91.1 FM and San Mateo Jr College.  It’s free, the setting is beautiful, and there will be plenty of good food by local vendors.  Last year over 5000 attended.  See more details.

Opera at the Ballpark, SF Giants Ballpark
Friday 6/30/17, 7:30 pm, Free   CANCELLED 2018 & 2019??
Enjoy a free live simulcast of Mozart’s Don Giovanni by the San Francisco Opera under the stars at AT&T Park.  See details & sign up now to register for an early entry starting at 5 pm which gets you the best seats.

June Holidays

• Summer Solstice, Friday 6/21/19
• Independence Day, Thursday 7/4/19
• More Holidays

San Francisco Pride Festival & Parade, Civic Center, Market St., Castro St. and many other locations.
Sat-Sun 6/29/19-6/30/19, Free
One of the oldest, biggest, and most famous lesbian gay bisexual transgender events in the world.  Over 1 million visitors come to the City to attend.   The main parade starts at 10:30 am on Sunday, 6/30/19, at Market/Beale and ends at Market/8th Street. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in June.

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival – Over 90 different events (music & shows) held various days of each week. (6/1/19-10/27/19)
• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Free Shakespeare In The Park, As You Like It – Free Shakespeare by talented actors appear in various venues around the Bay Area such as Pleasanton (June-July), Cupertino (July), Redwood City (August), SF Presidio (September), SF McClaren Park (September).  See calendar.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of June – Other

• Pro Sports:  See Golden State Warriors playoffs and San Francisco Giants .
• Golden State Warriors:  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past MAY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

May is filled with good events to see and do and the weather is usually fantastic.

NBA Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
See TV schedule dates for times on all teams.

The Golden State Warriors are now in the second round vs the Houston Rockets after beating the LA Clippers by 4 to 2 in a hard fought first round.
*Game 4: Mon 5/6/19, Warriors at Rockets, 6:30 pm PT.  Warriors are ahead 2/1.
*Game 5: Wed 5/8/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed
*Game 6: Fri 5/10/19, Warriors at Rockets, TBD if needed
*Game 7: Sun 5/12/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed

The NBA Conference Finals are scheduled to begin Tuesday 5/14/19 6:00 pm PT with possible move up to 5/12/19.
The NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/30/19, 6:00 pm PT with the NBA Finals Game 7 scheduled for Sunday 6/16/19 if needed.

The Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Free on TV (NBC sports)
Saturday 5/4/19, 7:30-5:30 pm, 3:50 pm post time
4/27/19-5/4/19  is the biggest week of the year for horse racing culminating in what is known as the “fastest two minutes in sports.”  The Kentucky Derby is the country’s premier race for 3-year old thoroughbreds (1-1/4 miles).  See Derby week’s details.

Cinco De Mayo Festival, Valencia St. between 21st & 24th Streets, Mission District, SF
Saturday 5/4/19, 10 am-6 pm, Free
This festival celebrates the contributions made by Latinos to the United States and commemorates the anniversary of a victory by Mexican forces over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. See festival details.

May Holidays

• Kentucky Derby, Saturday 5/4/19
• Cinco de Mayo, Sunday 5/5/19
• Mothers Day, Sunday 5/12/19
• Harvey Milk Day, Wednesday 5/22/19
• Memorial Day, Monday 5/27/19
• More Holidays

Stanley Cup Hockey Playoffs – Western Conference Final
The San Jose Sharks are playing the St Louis Blues from 5/11/19 through 5/23/19.
See more details.

Preakness Stakes, Baltimore, Maryland
Saturday, 5/18/19.  Post time 3:20 pm PT.  
The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is the 1-3/16 mile Preakness Stakes.  See more here.

Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana
Sunday, 5/26/19, all day, Free on TV
One of the most famous motor car racing events in the world. It’s a 500 mile race where top lap speeds can get over 236 mph (this is the record made in 1996, in 2017 the top speed for a full lap was over 226 mph).  Other related events start Saturday 5/11/19.  See more details.

Memorial Day Monday 5/27/19
For good things to do just look around our website. The Bay area is blessed with hundreds of hidden gems which are open every day.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets  on most Sundays between 3/10/19-10/20/19 from 11 am-4 pm
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

 

NBA Finals

The Golden State Warriors have now won the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers.  The Milwaukee Bucks are still playing the Toronto Raptors (see  TV schedule ) to determine the winner of the Eastern Conference.  Here is the Finals Schedule:

• Game 1:  Thu 5/30/19, Golden State at Milwaukee or Toronto, 6:00 pm PT.
• Game 2:  Sun 6/2/19, Golden State at Milwaukee or Toronto, 5:00 pm PT.
• Game 3:  Wed 6/5/19 Milwaukee or Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT.
• Game 4:  Fri 6/7/19  Milwaukee or Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT.
• Game 5:  Mon 6/10/19 Golden State at Milwaukee or Toronto, 5:00 pm PT, if needed.
• Game 6:  Thu 6/13/19  Milwaukee or Toronto at Golden State, 6:00 pm PT, if needed.
• Game 7:  Sun 6/16/19  Golden State at Milwaukee or Toronto, 6:00 pm PT, if needed.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets  on most Sundays between 3/10/19-10/20/19 from 11 am-4 pm
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Polynesian Festival, Leo Ryan Park Amphitheater, 650 Shell Blvd/Hillsdale, Foster City
Saturday 5/5/18, 10 am – 5 pm, FREE admission
Unique day of activities celebrating the Polynesian culture.  There will be award-winning professional Polynesian dance performances, food booths, arts and crafts booths and sometimes even outrigger canoe rides by the Ho’okahi Pu’uwai Outrigger Canoe Club (with more than 100 members and headquartered in Foster City).  See more

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in April.

• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of May – Other

• Pro Sports:  See Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks.
• Golden State Warriors:  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past APRIL 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

SF Giants Home Opener, AT&T Ball Park
Friday 4/5/19, 1:35 pm
Regular season home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at AT&T Ball Park. You can get inside for free on some non-game days (e.g., 10 am -4 pm weekends April, May when Giants are out of town).

March Madness  College basketball playoffs on TV
The Games:  Start 3/19/19 through 4/8/19
Final 4:  Saturday 4/6/19 at 3:09 pm and at 5:49 pm on CBS
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

March Madness College Basketball Playoffs
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6:20 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

Rock & Roll Half Marathon, San Francisco
Sunday, 4/7/19, 6:30 am – 10:30 am
Half marathon race from the west end of Golden Gate park along the shoreline to Golden Gate Bridge, across Golden Gate Bridge and back, and then east along the shoreline to Ghiradelli Square, then south on Polk to Civic Center Plaza. There are bands and cheerleaders along the way. Also, there will probably be an expo from 4/5/19-4/7/19. Visitors expect road closures on race day. See event details.

March Madness College Basketball Playoffs
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19 at 6 pm on CBS
NCAA brackets & schedule.

NBA Playoffs Begin
The first round started Saturday, 4/13/19 See detailed schedules for all teams.
Golden Gate Warriors vs LA Clippers
Game 4: Sun, April 21 Golden State at LA, 12:30 PT, ABC.  Golden State is ahead 2/1.
Game 5: Wed, April 24 LA at Golden State, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Fri, April 26 Golden State at LA, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Sun, April 28 LA at Golden State, TBD, TBD

Semifinals begin Monday 4/29/19 (with possible move up to 4/27/19), 5 pm & 7:30 pm
Conference Finals begin Tuesday 5/14/19 (with possible move up to 5/12/19), 6:00 pm
NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/30/19, 6:00 pm
NBA Finals Game 7 (if needed) Sunday 6/16/19
See TV schedule for more details.

Cesar Chavez Day Parade
& 24th Street Festival
Saturday 4/13/19, 11 am – 6 pm, Free
The Parade starts at Mission Dolores Park at 11 am and proceeds through the Mission to the 24th St Festival  (on 24th St between Treat St. and Bryant St.)  The best place to see both is to go to 24th St. between Mission St. and Treat St; you can get there via Bart (24th & Mission Station).  See our Mission Neighborhoods Page and Map for best places to visit nearby.

Coastal Wildflower Day Half Moon Bay
Francis Beach Visitor Center, 95 Kelly Ave, Half Moon Bay
Saturday 4/13/19  10 am-3 pm, Free but parking is $10
Third annual celebration of coastal wildflowers.  Games and activities for the whole family including flower walks, gardening lessons, art show and a native plant sale.  Mainly for native plant enthusiasts.  See more details.

Cherry Blossom Festival, Japantown, Post & Fillmore, SF
1st weekend, Sat-Sun 4/13/19-4/14/19 11 am-6 pm
2d weekend, Sat-Sun 4/20/19-4/21/19 11 am-6 pm
Grand parade, Sun 4/21/19  1 pm
We used to live on nearby and consider Japantown to be mainly a mall with many Japanese restaurants but if you’ve never been there then the Cherry Blossom Festival is a popular time to visit.  See event schedule.

Blossom Festival, Saratoga Civic Center, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga CA
Sat 4/13/19, 10 am-4 pm, Free
We’ve never been but this 42 year old free event put on by the Saratoga Historical Foundation & City of Saratoga  might be worth checking out if you live in the South Bay.  It has over 100 booths, antique cars, food trucks and live music.  See more details.

NBA Playoffs – Conference Semifinals See TV schedule dates for times on all teams.

The Golden State Warriors are now in the second round vs the Houston Rockets after beating the LA Clippers by 4 to 2 in a hard fought first round. *Game 1: Sun, 4/28/19, Rockets at Warriors, 12:30 pm PT. *Game 2: Tue, 4/30/19, Rockets at Warriors, 7:30 pm PT *Game 3: Sat 5/4/19, Warriors at Rockets, 5:30 pm PT *Game 4: Mon 5/6/19, Warriors at Rockets, 6:30 pm PT *Game 5: Wed 5/8/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed *Game 6: Fri 5/10/19, Warriors at Rockets, TBD if needed *Game 7: Sun 5/12/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed

The NBA Conference Finals are scheduled to begin Tuesday 5/14/19 6:00 pm PT with possible move up to 5/12/19. The NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/30/19, 6:00 pm PT with the NBA Finals Game 7 scheduled for Sunday 6/16/19 if needed. Stanley Cup Hockey Playoffs 2019 4/11/18-6/19.  See more details.

April Holidays

• Good Friday, Friday 4/19/19
• Easter Sunday, Sunday 4/21/19
• More Holidays

NBA Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
See TV schedule dates for times on all teams.

The Golden State Warriors are now in the second round vs the Houston Rockets after beating the LA Clippers by 4 to 2 in a hard fought first round.
*Game 2: Tue, 4/30/19, Rockets at Warriors, 7:30 pm PT. Warriors are ahead 1/0.
*Game 3: Sat 5/4/19, Warriors at Rockets, 5:30 pm PT
*Game 4: Mon 5/6/19, Warriors at Rockets, 6:30 pm PT
*Game 5: Wed 5/8/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed
*Game 6: Fri 5/10/19, Warriors at Rockets, TBD if needed
*Game 7: Sun 5/12/19, Rockets at Warriors, TBD if needed

The NBA Conference Finals are scheduled to begin Tuesday 5/14/19 6:00 pm PT with possible move up to 5/12/19.
The NBA Finals begin Thursday 5/30/19, 6:00 pm PT with the NBA Finals Game 7 scheduled for Sunday 6/16/19 if needed.

Sunday Streets, Sundays, Free at different locations
These Sunday events close neighborhood streets to cars so people can enjoy a large, temporary, public space where they can freely bike, walk, run, dance, skate, yoga & meet neighbors.  In our experience they do not get busy until later in the afternoon so there is no need to get there right on time.

• Sunday Streets  on most Sundays between 3/10/19-10/20/19 from 11 am-4 pm
• Every Sunday at Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) – Main roads are closed to cars every Sunday year round subject to weather for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.
• For more details see Sunday Streets.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in April.

• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Picnic at the Presidio, Main Parade Ground –  Sundays, 11 am-4 pm.  Off the Grid’s food vendors gather in this great venue.  March – October.  See details.
• Golden Gate Park Band – Sundays, 1 pm-2:45 pm.  4/28/19-10/6/19.  Located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park.  See more details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of April – Other

• Pro Sports:  See Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks.
• Golden State Warriors:  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

 

past MARCH 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Special Things To Do Outdoors this March   The blooming spring flora are outstanding this time of year.  There’s less fog along the coast and it’s cooler inland.  Here are some good things to check out in March.

• Old St Hillarys Open Space Preserve in Tiburon has some of the very best views in the SF Bay area.  Here are some pictures we took on March 1st last year.
• Dutch Windmill & Tulip Gardens in Golden Gate Park … March 15th-April 15th is the best time of year to tiptoe through the tulips, icelandic poppies and primroses.  Cherry blossoms at the Japanese Tea garden are in full bloom during the same period.
• It’s less foggy along the Half Moon Bay coastline making this is a great time to check out the many HMB coastal trails.  For example, try the Mori Ridge Trail starting at the Shelldance Orchid Nursery in Pacifica.  Or, Devils Slide Trail or Montara Mountain Trail a few miles south.

Fort Mason – Off The Grid starts, Fort Mason Center
Every Friday night starting, 3/8/19, 5 pm – 10 pm, Free entry
This is the largest food truck event in the U.S.  It starts up again on 3/2/18 and runs every Friday evening through October.  There are over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.

March Holidays

• Daylight Savings Starts, Sunday 3/10/19
• Saint Patricks Day, Sunday 3/17/19
• March Equinox, Wednesday 3/20/19
• Cesar Chavez Day, Saturday 3/31/19 (state holiday Monday 4/1/19)
• More Holidays

Daylight Savings Time Begins, San Francisco Bay Area
Sunday 3/10/19.  At 2:00 am turn your clocks forward 1 hour to 3:00 am.  You will lose an hour.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, Civic Center Plaza
Saturday 3/16/19, 11:30 am-5 pm.
The biggest St. Patrick’s event on the west coast!  Parade starts 11:30 am at Second & Market and ends at City Hall.   It appears that the post-parade festival has been cancelled this year.  See details.

St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday 3/17/19

March Madness  College basketball playoffs on TV
The Games:  Start 3/19/19 through 4/8/19
Final 4:  Saturday-Sunday 4/6/19-4/7/19
National Championship:   Monday 4/8/19
NCAA brackets & schedule.

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

 

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• Off The Grid at Fort Mason Center – Friday Nights through October, This is the largest food truck event in the U.S. with over 30 independent food vendors, music and considerable action.  See details.
• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of March – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past FEBRUARY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

The mild weather in February is quite pleasant for inland activities that sometimes get quite hot during other months … such as visiting Historic Niles or Old Mission San Jose in Fremont, Hollister, or, walking the flat manicured Bay trails around Foster City and Redwood Shores.

Visit Fremont? This is a good time of year!
We like visiting the lower East Bay in the winter because summers can get quite hot. Here are some excellent places worth checking out: Coyote Hills Park, the Alameda Creek Trails and old town Niles. The Niles Canyon Railway starts up again in February for two Sundays/month.

NFL Superbowl
Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

February Holidays

• Groundhog Day, Saturday 2/2/19
• Superbowl, Sunday 2/3/19
• Chinese New Year, Sunday 2/5/19
• Valentines Day, Thursday 2/14/19
• Presidents Day, Monday 2/18/19 (a national holiday)
• More Holidays

Visit Fremont? This is a good time of year!
We like visiting the lower East Bay in the winter because summers can get quite hot. Here are some excellent places worth checking out: Coyote Hills Park, the Alameda Creek Trails and old town Niles. The Niles Canyon Railway starts up again in February for two Sundays/month.

SF Giants – KNBR 680 Fan Fest, AT&T Ball Park
Saturday  2/10/18, 10 am- 3 pm, Free
The World Champion Giants baseball team will personally meet & greet some 40,000 fans at the annual pre-season fan fest.  This is a way to get on the baseball  field, watch players answer questions asked by the fans, and get autographs (at 6 autograph booths if you want to stand in a long line).  Fan fest can also be watched on line at sfgiants.com.  See more details about fan fest or listen to Radio KNBR 680 which is co-sponsoring the event.

FREE Sunday at the Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park
Sunday, 2/11/18, 11 am-5 pm
All guests get FREE admission one Sunday every quarter.  Get there early because you can expect crowds.  It’s a 400,000 sf world-class science exhibit including an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rain forest. See more details.

Chinese New Year Events
Saturday 2/10/18-3/4/18
Several other events are also held to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Chinatown. For details check this calendar.

• Chinese New Year Procession:  Saturday 2/10/18 10:15 am.  A much smaller version of the big parade which will be held 2/24/18.
• Flower Market Fair:  Saturday-Sunday 2/10/18 & 2/11/18 Traditional food & Chinese entertainment on stage.  Not too exciting but a good excuse to visit Chinatown.
• Chinese New Year Day:  Friday 2/16/18.  Golden Dragon Unveiling.
• Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Pageant:  Thursday 2/22/18.
• Chinese New Year Parade & Street Fair:  Saturday 2/24/18  5:15 pm-8 pm.

Tulipmania, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf
Saturday 2/10/18– Sunday 2/18/18
This is a good time of year to visit Fisherman’s Wharf … it’s not so crowded with tourists. 39,000 blooming flowers may give you a good excuse to visit Pier 39 … though it didn’t look like that many to us last year. See Tulipmania.

Chinese New Year Parade, Chinatown along Kearny Street (between Market St & Columbus Ave)
Saturday 2/24/18, 5:15 pm-8:00 pm, Free
Gung Hay Fat Choy (Best wishes and congratulations. Have a prosperous and good year)! This parade is a historical tradition starting in the 1860s and has been named one of the top ten Parades in the world. Now some 500,000 spectators watch it in person along with another 3 million TV viewers (that’s us because parade day is almost always cold & rainy). Getting there earlier than 4:30 pm (it is very crowded) via public transportation (parking is tough) is recommended. See www.chineseparade.com for details including exact route.

Chinese Community Street Fair, Chinatown
Saturday 2/24/18, 10 am-4:30 pm, Sunday 2/25/18, 9 am-5 pm, Free
The street fair will be located along Grant Ave from Clay St. to Broadway, Pacific Ave. from Stockton to Kearny. It was not that exciting last year but is a good excuse to visit Chinatown and has traditional Chinese entertainment such as lion dancing on stage.  See details and Chinatown map.

San Francisco Zoo  10 am-4 pm daily
Month of February Seniors Discount
Seniors, if both are over 65 years old, receive a 2-for-1 admission every day of February.  See discount details and details on regular admission (usually $16 for out-of-town seniors) & parking costs ($10-12)

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of February – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past JANUARY 2019 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

January is a great time of the year for watching football on TV.  The mild weather around San Francisco Bay also makes it a excellent time to visit sights that are crowded during other months.  For example, Fisherman’s Wharf is good to check out this time of year because it’s not overloaded with tourists; Pier 39 often has some 50% off deals for locals only December-January.  Check out the many links on this hiddenSF site for more ideas.

New Years Day, Tuesday 1/1/19
As mentioned before, the beautiful 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is free to non-residents (as well as residents as usual) all day Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.  By the way, the nearby California Academy of the Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas and New Years Day … see details.

Audubon Walk, Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, Pescadero
Tuesday 1/1/19 10 am, Free
Also see many other First Day Hikes in different counties around California.
This is a nice change from watching sports on TV!  This pleasant low key 2-hour docent-guided walk in Pescadero Marsh is less than 2 miles long and children can join as well (definitely no dogs however).

On New Years Day a few years ago we went and saw a kingfisher bird along with the normal array of herons, coots, etc.  Then we walked Pescadero Beach and snacked at our favorite little town, Pescadero, afterwards.

The docents give two such walks every month, the first & third Sunday or you can go on your own like we usually do.  See Sequoia Audubon walk details.

College Football Bowls, Tuesday 1/1/19
See a complete schedule of all bowl games.   Some of the biggest bowl games we will watch on New Years day are the:
* Rose Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19, 2 pm.  #6 Ohio State from the Big 10 vs #9 Washington from the Pac 12.  You can watch the Rose Bowl parade in the morning and the Rose Bowl game at 2 pm.
* Sugar Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19, 5:45 pm.  #5 Georgia vs #15 Texas.

National College Football Championship
Monday 1/7/19, 5:00 pm at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
#1 Alabama vs #2 Clemson.  Both teams are undefeated in this college championship playoff game.

NFL Playoff Schedule
See full schedule and superbowl news.

• NFC & AFC Championship Games: Sunday 1/20/19 12:05 pm and 3:40 pm
• Superbowl: Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

Martin Luther King Day, Monday 1/21/19

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

NFL Playoff Schedule
See full schedule and superbowl news.

• Superbowl: Sunday 2/3/19 (3:30 pm)

Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show Cow Palace, Daly City
Saturday-Sunday 1/26/19-1/27/19, 8:00 am-5 pm, Admission $19
If you want a dog, have a dog or just like dogs this is the big local show you don’t want to miss. It is the oldest major dog event in Northern California and one of the most prestigious in the U.S.  with almost 2,000 dogs of more than 175 different breeds.  This is a rare benched show which means you can walk around and talk with the breeders and see (& pet sometimes) their animals at their benches between events. We like the wandering around and seeing dogs up close & personal much more than we like the judging events.  Check see details.

By the way, if you already have a dog, check out our extensive page on best dog walks & parks in the SF Bay area.  Almost all of these walks are good for humans too, even if you don’t have a dog.

Mavericks Big Wave Challenge, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-By-The-Sea
Sometime before 3/31/19 on 24 hour notice the top 24 surfers in the world will tackle some of its biggest most dangerous waves right here at Mavericks.  Read about the 50-60 foot waves on 1/19/18.  However, the exact date is unknown since competitors must wait for the surf to be massive before they are given notice to get here. We will let you know, in red, right here when the event is scheduled to start.  More details.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of January – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past DECEMBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Night of Lights Between Main Street & Kelly, Half Moon Bay
Friday, 12/7/18, 6-9 pm, Free
This local home-made event is a big favorite of Half Moon Bay residents and their children. There are tree lighting festivities, a parade, caroling, roasted chestnuts, booths by local clubs, open retail stores and more. Since mainly locals attend highway traffic has not been a problem to date. See details.

California Academy of Sciences – FREE quarterly admission day, Golden Gate Park
Sunday 12/10/17, 11 am-5 pm, Free
The Academy of Sciences is expensive ($35.95/adult) and often crowded. However, on four Sundays each year there is free admission on a first-come first-serve basis compliments of Chase Bank. Early arrival is highly recommended and you can still expect to stand in line. See details.

We have also heard that the Academy’s nightlife events (6-10 pm Thursday nights, $15 for adults over 21) are a good way to go. They have cocktails, music (sometimes live), and unique themes each week … and the crowds are not so intense. Check ahead to confirm details.

By the way, the Academy of Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas Day.  See details.

Lighted Boat Parade, Fisherman’s Wharf
Friday evening, 12/14/18, 6-8 pm, Free
More than 60 decorated boats will parade along the waterfront (from  Pier 39 to the St Francis Yacht Club and back) in this annual parade.  The Fisherman’s Wharf Fishing Fleet will remain lit at night during the holiday season; best viewing of the fleet is from Jefferson Street between Jones & Taylor.  See details.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Cow Palace, Daly City
6 Weekends, Saturdays & Sundays, 11/17/18 – 12/23/18, 10 am-7 pm
Admission $30/adult, Parking $12/car (or free on the street where we usually park, at least during daylight). Twilight tickets after 3 pm are $18 at the box office; we like those.
A big event on three acres transformed into a  facsimile of Victorian London circa 1865.  You can walk around amidst hundreds of amateur “actors” playing different roles. Enjoy “authentic” food, music, shops and a wide variety of free shows inside.  It’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.  See details about the fair including any on-line price deals.

Christmas Day, Tuesday 12/25/18
The beautiful 55-acre San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is free to non-residents (as well as residents as usual) all day Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.  By the way, the nearby California Academy of the Sciences is open every day of the year including Christmas and New Years Day … see details.

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

College Football Bowl Finals
Saturday 12/15/18 – Monday 1/7/19.
The college football bowls start December 12/15/18 and end with the semi-finals on Monday 1/1/19 and the national championship on Monday, 1/7/19.  See the best bowl games schedule.  Some of the biggest bowl games we will watch on New Years day are the:
* Rose Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19,  Ohio State vs Washington
* Sugar Bowl: Tuesday 1/1/19,  Georgia vs Texas
* College National Championship: Monday 1/7/19. Alabama vs Clemson will play in the College National Championship.

Breeding Sea Lions Tour, Ano Nuevo State Park, 27 miles south of Half Moon Bay
12/15/18 – 3/31/19 (every day except Christmas and last weekend in January).  Admission $7 + $3.99 reservation fee
See 2.5 ton, 16 foot long elephant seal bulls skirmish for dominance during breeding season. Thousands of seals and sea lions gather for a 3-month orgy of fighting, mating, and birthing. This naturalist-led tour of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal is about 2.5 hours and 3 miles long. Advance reservations are recommended since available slots fill up quickly, especially on weekends. See more details.

Gray Whale Migration Season, Numerous locations along the Pacific coast
12/15/18 – 5/31/19, Paid boat tours or Free from shore
Watch some 20,000 gray whales migrating from the Arctic to Baja, Mexico. Tour boats leave San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Moss Landing and Monterey during this season. Or, watch them from on shore. See more details.

Fun & Free WEEKLY Events & Activities
Here are some good things to do that happen regularly every week in November.

• Swing Dancing in the Park – Sundays, 11 am-2 pm, year round.  Free dancing & beginners lesson in Golden Gate Park.
• Bicycle Sundays – Open Sundays round subject to weather.  Main roads are closed to cars on Sundays at both Golden Gate Park and Canada Road (off Hwys 280 & 92, Belmont) for bicyclists & skaters of all levels to enjoy.

Month of December – Other

• Pro Sports:
• Golden State Warriors:  Preseason starts 9/29/18,  regular season starts 10/16/18.  See schedule (or national TV NBA schedule).
• College Football Bowl Games:  See schedule and the best bowl games each weekend.
• Pro Football:  Oakland  Raiders:  See schedule.   SF 49ers:  See schedule.
• Hockey:  San Jose Sharks:  See schedule.
• College Sports of all types, including football, are in full swing.  See Stanford, Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• College Sports:  In the Bay Area you can see a variety of interesting collegiate sports up close and at low cost. E.g., the sunken diamond at Stanford is one of the best places to watch college baseball in the country. Check Stanford’s schedules for baseball or all sports.  Also see the Cal Berkeley, San Jose State and San Mateo Jr. College event schedules.
• FREE Monthly Museum Days:
  Typically the first Tue/Wed/Thu, every month at many Bay Area locations
  Many San Francisco Bay Area museums have free admission days once a month. See dates & links. Often these events are quite crowded but if you arrive early enough this is a way to see the best museums for free.

past NOVEMBER 2018 — SF Bay Area Events & Weekends

Holiday Ice Skating Rinks in San Francisco,
Union Square & Embarcadero Center
Rent some skates or just enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Both are surrounded by festive stores and decorations. See details below.
Embarcadero Center Ice Rink – The “largest outdoor rink in San Francisco” 11/5/18-1/19
Union Square Ice Rink – A holiday tradition for seven years. Open 11/7/18-1/21/19

Here’s a list of ice rinks between San Mateo and Palo Alto.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Cow Palace, Daly City
6 Weekends, Saturdays & Sundays, 11/17/18 – 12/23/18, 10 am-7 pm
Admission $30/adult, Parking $12/car, Twilight tickets after 3 pm are $18 at the box office.  We like those!
Join the largest cast (over 700 local hobbyists) of costumed Dickensian characters in the world who do an excellent job recreating Charles Dickens’ Victorian London Town. The show fills more than 3 acres and feels even bigger. There is a wide variety of things to do (food, shows, shops, caroling, street performers, wandering the town, etc.) that will get you in the mood for Christmas. See details.

Related Pages:

• CURRENT SF Bay Area Events.  See events which have already passed.
• Top of page and Home page