Christmas vacations are around the corner! I can not wait to have my children with me and enjoy some time with them. I have put together a list of 10 ways to spend your days during the Holidays, and best of all, these activities do not cost a dime!
1 Visit a factory
Pick a factory to visit: Jelly Belly Factory, Fortune Cookie Factory, and more. Check out my post on the subject.
2 Discover the Island by the Bay: spend an afternoon in Alameda
- You can go to Crown Beach, play at the beach or at the park and visit the Crab Cove Visitor Center where you will learn more about the inhabitants of the Bay.
- Go admire Victorian houses on Grand Street
- Finish your a day on Thompson Avenue.
Any day during the Holiday Season, starting at 6:00 pm till 10:00 pm, you can stroll along what’s called Christmas Lane. Almost all the homes are heavily decorated with beautiful light features, Santas, elves, snowmen etc. This is one of these feel good outings when you realize you do not need much to be happy with your family and this is the true Christmas spirit.
Santa is there, you can take pictures with him but arrive early, 6:30 pm as he will not stay there all evening. You can even drop your letter in the mailbox.
They even have a Facebook Fan page.
3 Spend a day in the State Capital
You can do many free things in Sacramento: visit the State Capital, walk in Old Sacramento and enjoy the colored taffies, the Willikers Toy Emporium (1113 Front Street) and its beautiful train layout in the back of the store, discover the Wells Fargo Museums, one in Old Sacramento, the other one in Capitol Mall , old Sacramento School House Museum, California Foundry Museum, and at 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm, attend their Theatre of Lights.
The Sacramento Zoo will be free on December 24th.
4 Admire Holidays Lights
To stay in the spirit, you can pick a city and go admire their Holidays lights, check the Lights of the Valley website for locations.
Blogger A Frog Mom in California just wrote about a fantastic Holiday house to visit in Novato and friends also mentioned the House of the Dove in Livermore.
5 On Dec 25th, enjoy free entrance at the SF Contemporary Jewish Museum ,
On that day, the Museum will be open from 11:00 am to 4:00pm
It is your chance to discover the Maurice Sendak’s exhibition before it closes in January. Also, on that day, they will be hosting lots of families activities to celebrate Maurice Sendak. So, take advantage of it. Read my review before going.
For other exhibitions, click here
6 On Dec 26th, enjoy free entrance for the Kwanzaa Celebration at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (Sausalito)
Free Museum admission and performances at 11am and 1pm: by the African Roots of Jazz
Do not forget to obtain your free performance ticket at the Front Desk prior to entering the theatre.There are a limited number for each show, and only ticket holders can be allowed into the theater.
Create art projects inspired by the African continent and a Kwanzaa altar in the Museum’s Entry Pavilion. Renowned jazz drummer E. W. Wainwright and his ensemble, The African Roots of Jazz, take us on a musical journey that traces African-American musical forms, such as jazz, gospel, and spirituals, from their earliest beginnings in African cultures to today. The program features instrumental music, songs, theater, and audience participation.
7 Spend a day in San Francisco and visit the city free museums
Cable car museum, San Francisco
1201 Mason Street
We have been to this museum a number of times with family visiting from France. This is always on their top 5! There is something about this little museum!
Wells Fargo Museum. There are so many things to discover in this little museum, a favorite is the original stage coach. Ask for their kid game at the desk.
San Francisco Fire Department Museum
Open Thursday through Sunday 1 to 4 pm
You can also go to the Golden Gate Park: your choice of spotting the buffalos, looking at the windmill, admiring SF from the DeYoung observation tower, the beautiful gardens.
Enjoy a walk on the Fisherman’s Wharf: Pier 39, the sea lions, Hyde Street Pier.
8 Visit the Jack London Historic Park in Glen Ellen
Take a picnic and spent hours in this Historic Park discovering Jack London, the museum with objects that belonged to him (and a letter of rejection from a publisher), the Wolf House, his grave, and the home where he spent his last years.
9 Discover the Silicon Valley
Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
Closed on Mondays
Hewlett Packard Garage: the birth of the Silicon Valley
One of my favorite museums: Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University will be open from 11 am to 5 pm on January 1st
They have very interesting exhibits on primitive arts, and wonderful Rodin sculptures, inside and outside in the gardens.
You can combine the visit with a stroll in the University. The surroundings are very peaceful. My children usually take their rollerblades and scooters when we visit that area.
NASA Museum, Mountain View
Closed on Mondays
Google offices, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View.
My children enjoyed discovering the sculptures and the Google Dog.
Intel Museum,San Jose
10 Free things to do in Santa Cruz
Check out this link for free things to do in Santa Cruz, one day is not enough!
Free self guided walking tours
We could look at the Monarch whole day!
Enjoy the holidays!
Related posts
Indoor and Outdoor ice skating rinks in the SF Bay Area
Paris in December: 5 fun things to enjoy outdoors
San Francisco Holiday season News
Holiday Events all around the Bay Area (on Trekaroo)
Golden Gate Express Garden Railway at the SF Conservatory of Flowers
‘Where the Wild Things Are’ exhibition review (till Jan 19, 2010)
San Francisco 
