Posts Tagged ‘bay area discovery museum’

Big kids are locked up in school and it’s time for parents to roam freely with the littles (and the homeschooled). Now is the time to visit the places that are unthinkably crowded in summertime.

California Academy of Sciences: Go now, now, now, in between the summertime season (when tickets to the planetarium sold out most days) and the Great Time of School Field Trips, which starts soon. The planetarium show, Journey to the Stars, is really cool, and you can linger for a long time in the rainforest without feeling like other visitors are prodding you in the back. 55 Music Concourse Drive (at JFK Drive) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 415-379-8000; calacademy.org.

Exploratorium: Absorbing exhibits you can finally let your child investigate to her heart’s content include the spinning sand wheels, the giant bubble-maker, the beach balls blown up into the air, and the two faraway posts where you can hear each other talking. The spinning striped tent is also a lot better for small kids when the big ones aren’t roughhousing in it. 3601 Lyon Street (at Presidio Avenue)., 415-561-0360, exploratorium.edu.

Bay Area Discovery Museum: Fearlessly let your kids play with the train in the room with the great big boat or paint and squeegee windows for endless moments. There’s always a table at the cafe during lunchtime on fall weekdays, and plenty of parking in the lot. 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito, 415-339-3900, baykidsmuseum.org.

Children’s Fairyland: The weather is still great in September and October, and Fairyland’s schedule reflects this, open Wednesday through Sunday until Halloween, though you might want to stick to the weekdays for the lightest crowds. The Jolly Trolley is all yours! Toot toot! 699 Bellevue Avenue (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, 510-452-2259, fairyland.org.

Party Playhouse: You sit on the couch and read a magazine, the kids climb (and climb, and climb), with no big kids to freak them out in a nook or cranny you can’t see. 56 Hill Street (at Washington Street), Daly City, 650-756-7529, mypartyplayhouse.com.

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Get shipwrecked, goggle at Chinese dancers, or run your tail off at the SF Marathon. It’s your weekend!

Shipwrecked

Enjoy a barbecue dinner, ghost stories, sea chanteys, and mayhem with costumed pirates at this sunset party.

When: Fri., 7/23, 5-8pm; Age 4+; $5-8.

Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito; 415-339-3900; baykidsmuseum.org.

Shen Yun

Chinese dancers and acrobats do things with their bodies that you couldn’t know could be done.

When: Fri., 7/23, 8pm, Sat. & Sun. 2pm & 8pm; Age 4+; $30-40.

Where: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco; 888-569-2009; sfshow.net.

S.F. Tsunami Synchronized Swimming Exhibition

Just before it heads off to the Gay Games, the eight-member synchronized swimming team shows off a few of its tricks.

When: Sat., 7/24, noon; Age 3+; $5.

Where: MLK Jr. Swimming Pool, 5701 Third Street (at Carroll Street), San Francisco; 415-621-4833.

San Francisco Marathon Munchkin Kids Run

School kids on the joy of running early with this first-ever offshoot of the grown-ups’ race. Kids can run a mile, a half mile, or do the 100-yard dash. Big kids can even do the 5K.

When: Sun., 7/25, 8:30 a.m.; Age 4+; $25.

Where: Embarcadero (at Mission Street), San Francisco; thesfmarathon.com.

Outdoor concerts, a sunset revel, urban farming for kids: it’s summertime!

Hapa Academy of Hawaiian Arts at the Stern Grove Festival

Beautiful Hawaiian slack key guitar and electronics with hula dancing to dazzle the eye.

When: Sun., 6/26, 2pm (KidStage art events start at noon); Age 2+; Free.

Where: Sigmund Stern Grove, Sloat Avenue (at 19th Avenue), San Francisco; 415-252-6252; sterngrove.org.

Summer Sunsets Family Fiesta

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is open late a few Fridays this summer, throwing special parties for kids and parents with live music, themed dinners, and access to all the museum’s exhibits.

When: Fri., 6/25, 5-8pm; All Ages; $5-8.

Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito; 415-339-3900; baykidsmuseum.org.

Urban Farming for Kids

A presentation on sustainable city gardening aimed at kids. Learn how to grow good food even in tiny spaces.

When: Sat., 6/26, 4pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Potrero Branch Library, 1616 20th Street (at Connecticut Street), San Francisco; 415-355-2822; sfpl.org.

Woodies on the Wharf

Get an appreciation for classic Cali surf culture at this celebration where old “woody” boards line the boardwalk and there’s music, food, and prizes.

When: Sat., 6/26, 10am-4pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: Santa Cruz Wharf, Municipal Wharf (at Beach Street), Santa Cruz; 831-420-5273; cityofsantacruz.com.

Go to the bathroom in space, pull crabs on the pier, or watch a feathered dancer let loose.

Living In Space

Learn how astronauts eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, and work in space at the opening weekend for this cool exhibit.

When: Sat., 5/29 (through 8/15), Free with museum admission, Free-$10.

Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito; 415-339-3900; baykidsmuseum.org.

Pier Crabbing Demonstrations at Fort Point

Learn how to drop a net and catch crabs off the San Francisco piers at this demo from Fort Point staff. All equipment is provided but (free) reservations are required.

When: Saturdays, March through October (including 5/29), 10am-noon; Age 2+; Free.

Where: Fort Point, Marine Drive (at Old Mason Street), San Francisco; 415-556-1693; nps.gov.

Carnaval San Francisco

The two-day-long party is a bit raucous for some parents, but it’s still a vibrant street festival with food, music, dancing, a parade, and colorful costumes.

When: Sat. & Sun., 5/29-30, 10am-6pm Sat., 9:30am-6pm Sun., Age 4+; Free.

Where: Festival is on Harrison Street (at 24th Street), San Francisco; Parade begins 9:30am Sunday and runs along 24th and Mission Streets; sfcarnaval.com.

CUESA Spring Breakfast

Tuck into a hearty spring breakfast (pancakes with fruit, eggs with spring vegetables, roasted potatoes, and pastries), while sitting with a market seller who explains how the business end of selling produce works at this yearly fundraiser.

When: Sat., 5/29, seatings at 8:30, 9:45, and 11 a.m.; All Ages; $30 adults, $15 kids 3-13; under 3 free.

Where: San Francisco Ferry Building, Embarcadero Street (at Market Street), San Francisco, ferrybuildingmarketplace.com.

It’s possible to make a perfectly good gingerbread house out of a foil-covered milk carton, some frosting, some candy, and some well-positioned graham crackers. But sometimes you want a gingerbread extravaganza that draws a “Wow!” from every kid who sees it.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum’s extremely popular Gingerbread Architecture parties will give you the candy house of your dreams. For $25 per gingerbread house kit, the Discovery Museum hands out real gingerbread (not graham crackers!), frosting, a rainbow of candy, and a space to craft your masterpiece in. The room smells of frosting and sugar, and rings with the happy laughter of children alternately eating and glueing on candy onto their house. While it’s drying, kids and parents play at the museum; by the time they’re ready to head home, their masterpiece is ready.

Gingerbread Architecture sells out early every year; make your reservations early by visiting baykidsmuseum.org. The Bay Area Discovery Museum is located at 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito; call 415-339-3900.

Halloween and other fun at Harvest Moon time.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

This giant fall festival ties up traffic on Highways 1 and 92 all weekend for a good reason: it’s a lot of fun. It’s not for those with very small children, unless you can heft them in a sling or carrier as the throngs make stroller-pushing no fun. Ambulatory kids, however, will thrill to the Great Pumpkin Parade (Saturday at noon), giant costume contest (contestants are grouped into age divisions; starts Saturday at 10am), bounce houses galore, the pie-eating contest, and pumpkin carving by the very talented Farmer Mike. A note for adults: if you want to miss most of the traffic, arrive in time for Saturday’s pancake breakfast (Saturday, 7-11am), and bring cash, because you will no doubt see art you want to purchase.

When: Sat. & Sun., 10/18-19, 9am-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Main Street between Miramonte and Spruce Streets, Half Moon Bay, 650-726-9652, miramarevents.com.

Red Bull Soapbox Race

If it’s wacky and wheeled, it’s probably racing down Dolores Street this weekend during this celebration of human-powered vehicles, where a soapbox isn’t a winner unless it makes you laugh as it goes by. Come early to check out the entrants; they’ll be lined up in rows on 20th Street (between Dolores and Church Streets) before lining up at the start line around noon. Parking in the neighborhood will be murder; ride the bus or train instead.

When: Sat., 10/18, first race begins at 1pm (event begins at 11am); All ages; Free to view and to enter.

Where: Dolores Park, between 18th and 20th Streets and Dolores and Church Streets, San Francisco,  redbullsoapboxusa.com.

Target Family Day

Five major SF downtown museums throw open their doors today, with free admission to Zeum, SFMOMA, the Museum of the African Diaspora, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. There’s live music at Yerba Buena Gardens too, so you can rest on the lawn between excursions.

When: Sun., 10/19, 11am-4pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: The festival’s center is at Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission Street (between 3rd and 4th Streets), San Francisco, 415-543-1718, ygbf.org.

Goblin Jamboree

Work that Halloween high at the Bay Area’s best children’s museum, which offers a special party with spooky decorations, train and pony rides, live performers, Halloween games and art activities. Costumes are encouraged.

When: Sat. & Sun., 10/18-19, 10am-4pm; All ages; $12-14 (Free for kids under 1).

Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito, 415-339-3900, baykidsmuseum.org.