Travel is more fun with kids

Free educational (and fun) events this week-end in the Bay Area

There are many free educational events happening this week-end in the Bay Area so go out and take advantage of it to check if your children enjoy symphonic music, harmonica, Shakespeare, or the Opera!

Free Music Festival in San Jose
The Mall at San Jose State University, 4th and San Carlos
Sponsored by Target

Saturday August 22nd, 7:00 pm
John Williams Film Score
From ET to Star Wars, from Indiana Hones to Harry Potter, over 70 films have been scored by composer John Williams

Sunday, August 23rd, 3:00 pm
Lemony Snicket’s ‘The Composer is Dead’ leads off the program, followed by harmonica virtuoso Bonfiglio playing Gershwin and much more. The first 1200 children to arrive will be given free harmonicas and a brief lesson in how to play them.

San Francisco Opera Stern Grove Festival
Sunday, August 23rd
Stern Grove Festival's season finale features an afternoon of Italian opera with the acclaimed San Francisco Opera.
Be sure to arrive early! Seating is first-come, first-served.
Bring your kids to KidStage from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday for an opera workshop with Kristen Jones and Jennifer Ashworth.


Free Shakespeare in the Park - San Francisco, Cupertino and Saratoga

(Thanks Frisco kids to let me know about it!)

Shady Shakespeare - Saratoga
As You Like It

August 22, 23, 28
September 5, 6, 11

Richard III
Sanborn Park in Saratoga (click for directions)
7:00 pm
August 21, 29, 30
September 4, 12, 13
You can bring your own chair 

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (Cupertino and San Francisco)
The Comedy of Errors
Cupertino's Memorial Park Amphitheater (Stevens Creek Blvd & Mary Ave, across from De Anza College). Here's a map.
7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug 21,Saturday, Aug 22, and Sunday, Aug 23

The 22nd Annual Free Oakland Chinatown Street fest
August 22 & 23, 2009
10:00AM to 6:00PM

The two-day event runs from 10AM to 6PM and is free to the public. Consisting of more than 200 booths, the festival will span nine to ten blocks of Chinatown. Every year small businesses and community organizations from all over California come to showcase a myriad of delicious foods, unique Asian products, and special services. There will be arts & crafts, entertainment on three stages, and a Cultural Village presented by the the Oakland Asian Cultural Center and Museum of Children's Art.

Great Wall Youth Orchestra will be appearing at the StreetFest Cultural Stage on Saturday August 22nd at 3:35PM
The Great Wall Orchestra is a Chinese childrens orchestra created by the Purple Silk Music Foundation, an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides a music education program for inner-city youth. Student members range from elementary to high school age and play pieces that reflect their high level of skill in playing their chosen Chinese musical instruments.

Top 10 fun things to do in Paris with your kids

1 - The star of Paris: the Eiffel Tower

Stop at the Metro Trocadero and there she is, standing in front of you. She is turning 120 this year.
Go down the Trocadero (plenty of photo opportunities), play by the fountains, and go to its feet. Even better, take the elevator and admire the view from up there.
If you have teenagers with you, try the stairs! I did twice when I was a teenager. Let’s say that I am glad I did it.
If you have younger children, go to the Cineiffel desk at the 2nd floor (1st floor for the French) and your children will obtain a game book.

Thais and her cousin Noah at the Trocadero

2 - Pay your respects to Mona Lisa

You HAVE to visit le Louvre (Metro Louvre). For an enjoyable experience, limit yourself to a small part of the museum. Ask for a map at the information desk and go to the area where the Mona Lisa is, you do not want to miss the most famous painting in the world!. You will also be able to see the Victory of Samothrace of and the Venus de Milo as well as beautiful paintings like the Radeau de la Meduse (one of my favorites). If you hold a museum pass (you can buy one at any participating museums), you can skip the line at the entrance. Children (and anybody under 25) do not pay an entrance fee at National Monuments and Museums (list here)

A very happy Olivia in front of the Mona Lisa


3- Live the Parisian Life

Browse the Rue Montorgueil (Metro Etienne Marcel), a very lively street in Paris and go eat an ‘éclair au chocolat’ or any pastry of your choice at Storher. Simply delicious! My children love their macarons. This is the Parisian life!
This pastry place opened at this particular place in 1730!

Thais with her goodies

4 - Does Paris really have a beach?

It does from July 20th to August 20th: discover Paris Plage. Part of the banks from the River Seine will be transformed into the beachside with lots of fun things to do. The beaches are voie Georges Pompidou (Paris 4) and from the Bassin la Villette to Stalingrad (Paris 19).
Rive droite (right bank): Louvre-Rivoli, Pont-Neuf, Châtelet, Hôtel de Ville, Saint Paul, Pont Marie, Sully-Morland.
Rive Gauche (Left Bank): Bibliotheque Francois Mitterrand

 © Paris Tourist Office - Photographe : Marc Bertrand

5 - What is Point 0 and where is it?

Look for the ‘0’ mark in front of the cathedral of Notre Dame (Metro Saint Michel). This shows the starting point of the mileage from Paris to the other French cities.

6 -  See Paris from the top.

Your choice of the Eiffel Tower (Metro Trocadero), Arc de Triomphe (Metro Charles de Gaulle Etoile) (no elevators and not with small children), or Montmartre (in front of the Sacre Coeur Metro Anvers). My little secret: the view from the top of the stairs of the Pompidou Museum. (Metro Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet)

Top of the Pompidou Museum

7 - Mom, are we in New York?

That is what my confused 5 years old daughter said when she saw the Statue of Liberty in Paris, right by the Eiffel Tower.
Look for the 2 statues of Liberty replicas in Paris: one by the Seine near the Pont de Grenelle (Metro Charles Michel or Bir-Hakeim, close to the Pont de Grenelle, on the Ile des Cygnes), the other one in the Jardins du Luxembourg (metro Luxembourg).

8 - A Parisian Landmark: the Bouquinistes

Browse the Bouquinistes along the river Seine (Metro St Michel) and buy a souvenir from them.You will find used books, postcards, and posters.

9  - Stop and Listen

Take time to listen to the street or metro performers in Paris. Just stop and take your time to listen to them. Do not forget to tip.

10 Paris by Sea

See Paris from the River Seine. My favorite is the ‘Vedettes du Pont Neuf’.(metro pont Neuf)  If you have a stroller, be prepared for the long flight of stairs to arrive at the border of the river.
You will be able to enjoy a lot of the Parisian Monuments, see the smallest and oldest home in Paris, learn lots of fun facts (like which American city was modeled after Paris?), and see the beautiful Parisian bridges up close.

View from the boat

Enjoy Paris! It is one of the most beautiful city in the world. Stroll around, pay attention and you will see a lot of fun things to add to this list!
Email me with your findings!

Bastille Day in Paris: a full day planned

If you are in Paris on Bastille Day (July 14^th), you will be able to enjoy a full range of festivities all over the City and admire the Parisian monuments on an other angle.

10:00 am Champs-Elysees

The ‘defile’ as we call it will start at 10:00 am with the arrival of the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy (avenue de Friedland).

10:35 am: defile in the sky!
10:40 am: Defile of the troups starts.
11:25 am: defile of the helicopters.

Then, you can enjoy the rest of your day in Paris.

Why not take the kids on a boat ride on the River Seine?. My favorite is the ‘Vedettes du Pont Neuf’. If you have strollers, be prepared for the long flight of stairs to arrive at the border of the river.
You will be able to enjoy a lot of the Parisian Monuments, see the smallest and oldest home in Paris, learn lots of fun facts (like which American city was modeled after Paris?), and see the beautiful Parisian bridges up close.

After the ride, you can take a break and enjoy the little park by the boat. (Square Vert Galant)

Finish your afternoon at Notre-Dame and the Quartier Latin. Then go to your hotel or apartment to take a nap or rest as the night will be long!

Versailles

You could skip the defile and the Champs Elysees and spend your day in Versailles where a grand Republican picnic will be held close to the Grand Canal. Please wear white for this special event. You will enjoy dances and live music.
The Palais de Versailes and the Trianon will be open free of charge for the public.

7:00 pm – Eiffel Tower

If you have tweenagers or teenagers, go and enjoy a free concert at the steps of the Eiffel Tower: Christophe Mae and French rocker Johnny Halliday will entertain the crowds. Johnny Halliday is widely popular in France.

Between 10:30 and 10:45 pm Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower turns 120! You will be able to see the majestic 30 minutes fireworks from every part of Paris where you can see the Tower. May I suggest the Bridge Alexander III (It is the bridge that takes you from the Grand Palais/Avenue des Champs Elysees to the Invalides). Check out this photo from my daughter at the bridge to see if you like the location.

The Sacre Coeur can be a good location as you will have Paris at your steps.
Place de la Concorde could also work although you will only see the top part of the Tower.

The Fireworks will be launched from the Trocadero and the Iena Bridge. Should you want to be close to the Eiffel Tower, you have to go to the Champs de Mars.

All over Paris

The bouquet final of the fireworks will announce the start of the bals populaire (dances), the firemen dances and the concerts all around the capital.

The firemen dances (bals des pompiers) are usually free. If you see a barrel go around the crowd, drop some euros as a donation.

Click here. for the locations of all the bals des pompiers.

Happy Bastille Day!

Photos from Eiffel Tower, bal and Champs Elysees – copyright from the Phototheque OTCP

Revolutionary Facts and Bastille Day Events in the Bay Area and above

I am French and my Independence Day is Bastille Day. Every July 14^th, when we lived in our little village in the South of France, my brother and I met our classmates in front of the Mairie (City Hall). We followed War Veterans all the way down to the cemetery at the other side of the village to pay our respects to the Fallen Veterans. All the way, the Cobla (music team) was playing music; the kids were waving paper French flags to the cars passing us by. Once arrived at the cemetery, the mayor (who was also the 5^th grade teacher at the local school) pronounced a speech commemorating the Fallen. We stayed silent for a minute in front of the Fallen Soldiers Memorial, then, the cobla played our national anthem, the Marseillaise, and we headed back to the City Hall where we would get lollipops after another Mayor speech and another Marseillaise. And then off to the main village square for local folks dance (Sardane). Even though I now live in the US, I spend every July 14 at my village and my two children are part of the Parade on Bastille Day. Since then, the city Hall has changed location but the Mayor is still the same (believe it or not!), the ritual is still the same, only my children are holding hands with cousins and friends (and not classmates). They still get the paper flags and lollipops!

Every French city and village will celebrate Bastille Day. If you are vacationing in France, the local office of tourism will give you all the information about the parades, bals (dances), and fireworks. If you are in Paris, I will publish a full post on the events happening in the city on Monday July 13^th.

If you are in the Bay Area, there are some kid friendly events happening this week-end and on July 14^th.  I have also included a link for parents only events. Check them out after the fun facts.

Revolutionary facts to share with your kids about Bastille Day

- There were only 7 prisoners at the Bastille when it was stormed by the people of Paris on July 14^th, 1789. The Bastille was a prison. Nowadays, there is nothing left of it on the ground, but if you take the Metro Bastille (Line 5), on the platform, you can see the remains of the walls.

- July 14^th, 1789 marked the beginning of the end of the French Royalty: King Louis VXI and Queen Marie-Antoinette were then beheaded in 1793.

- The King of France, Louis XVI was so clueless about the situation in Paris that the only thing he wrote on his diary on July 14^th, 1789 was ‘nothing’ (result of a hunting game). Because of the lack of efficient communication at that time, he learned about the Bastille event only the day after. When he asked: is it a revolt? La Rochefoucauld told me: no, it is a Revolution!

- France Motto is Liberte Egalite Fraternite (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity), these three words were first put together during the Revolution.

- The "tricolour" (three-colour) flag is an emblem of the Fifth Republic. It had its origins in the union, at the time of the French Revolution, of the colours of the King (white) and the City of Paris (blue and red).

- The French National Anthem called la Marseillaise is a revolutionary song.

Kid Friendly Bastille Day Celebrations in the Bay Area

Bastille Week-end at Santana Row, San Jose
July 11, 2009 - July 14, 2009
11 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Phone: (408) 551-4611

Click here for the detailed schedule of events

French Picnic at the Golden Gate Park
Sunday July 12th
Spreckles Temple of Music (located between the deYoung and the Academy of Sciences)
Bring votre T shirt raye and votre baguette for some live music and petanque. Listen to the Marseillaise played by the Golden Gate Quartet.
Petanque at 11 am. Concert 1:00-3:00 pm.

Celebrate Bastille Day on Belden in San Francisco!
July 14^th - 4 to 10pm
DJs, drinks, open restaurants, all the ingredients to have fun!
Restaurants: Sam's grill - Cafe Bastille - Cafe Tiramisu - Plouf - B44 - Belden Taverna - Trademark – Brindisi

Napastille Day
July 14th - 10am to 9pm
Oxbow Public Market
610 and 644 1st Street, Napa
707.226.6529
Live music, dancing, games, and of course french food specials.
Click here for the complete schedule.

French Potluck at the Alliance Francaise
1345 Bush Street, San Francisco
July 14th - 8:00 pm
Bring a dish or beverage and join the alliance Francaise community to celebrate Bastille Day.

If you want to make it a parents only celebration, check out the San Francisco French Chamber of Commerce Website for the full list of celebrations.

If you are not in the Bay Area, check Bastille Day events in these US cities:
Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, New York, Philadephia, Washington DC, New Orleans, Chicago, Milwaukee.

Happy Bastille Day!

7 Factories to visit in the Bay Area this summer

Visiting factories are lots of fun. It is nice to have a behind the scene view on how things are done. It is not always the first thing that comes to people’s mind or visitors but it should as I believe it teaches us so much on mechanics, tour de main or other technical skills needed to put together a fortune cookie or the amount of time needed to create a jelly belly bean. I have put together a list of some factories that are open for tours in the Bay Area. Visits are free unless written otherwise. I have classified them by location.

FAIRFIELD

1. Jelly Belly Factory
Location 1 Jelly Belly Ln, Fairfield,CA
www.jellybelly.com
Tel: 1-800-9-JELLYBEAN (1-800-953-5592).
The Jelly Belly Visitor Center is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM PT, and factory tours operate daily from 9 AM to 4 PM PT, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Easter Sunday. They may also be closed the day before or after these holidays.
Tours depart approximately every 15 minutes throughout the day and last approximately 40 minutes. I do not advise to go on week-ends as the machines will not be working and you will miss on the experience. I went to visit it a while ago on a week-day and we had a fantastic time strolling along a promenade standing above the workers making the candy. A free bag of jelly beans is given at the end of the tour. You can enjoy lunch at the Jelly Belly cafeteria where you can eat jelly belly shaped pizzas .
 
After lunch, you can head to another factory located less than 2 miles away.

2. Anheuser Busch plant
3101 Busch Dr., Fairfield, CA
www.budweisertours.com/toursFAIR.htm
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Jan - Dec
If you are 21 years of age or older, you can sample their products in the Hospitality Room

The complimentary tour of the Northern California Fairfield Brewery will guide you through a blend of rich brewing heritage and state-of-the-art technology as you discover how beers are carefully crafted.

SAN FRANCISCO

3. Fortune Cookie Factory
56 Ross Alley (at Jackson), San Francisco (Chinatown), CA
(415) 781-3956
It is located down the oldest alley in San Francisco: Ross Alley at number 56. While you are there, grab a bag or two of fortune cookies for snacks. It is a hole in the wall, you will be done in 5 minutes but I am sure the kids and you will love that little place. I know I do and I take anybody who comes visit us. They ask you to tip if you take photos.

4. Mee Mee Bakery
1328 Stockton Street (between Broadway and Vallejo) , San Francisco, CA
415.362.3204
The bakery is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm but visits only occur between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.

5. Anchor Brewing Company
1705 Mariposa Street
San Francisco ,CA
Tel 415-863-8350
They offer one public tour each weekday, by reservation only (try calling one month in advance to secure a date). The walking tour of the brewery lasts about 40-45 minutes. The tour guide will give you a brief history of the brewery and walk you through three floors of our building. Children are welcome to come on the tour, but of course may not taste the beer during our tasting session, which follows the walking tour. Altogether, the tour and the tasting last for about 2 hours, and tastings are only available to those who take the tour.

6. Girardhelli Chocolate 
Inside the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop at Ghirardelli Square you can see the original chocolate-making equipment in operation. (The Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory moved to San Leandro and is not open for public tours).
900 North Point St. San Francisco, CA
Tel: 415 474 3938

Open: Sunday to Thursday 9 am to 11 pm. The ice cream fountain opens at 10 am. Friday and Saturday, it is open till midnight.

PETALUMA

7. Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory Tour
3810 Cypress Drive, Petaluma, CA
Tel: 1 (800) 429-4549
Reservations
Tours are Monday-Friday by reservation only. Go to Location & Hours for current tour schedules, or call to reserve your space!

Tours are $3.00 per person for ages 3 and up. They last one hour and they include a video, a guided tour of the factory, a craft activity, a visit to the sticker museum and a coupon for $3 off your purchase of $20 at the Company Store

Strollers are permitted in all areas except the production floor.
If you want to know more, check Debbie from www.friscokids.net great post on her visit to the factory with her kids.

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Things To Do
San Francisco

Fourth of July celebrations in the Bay Area

Every city will celebrate the Independence of the United States with their own touch. I have selected one event in the Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, San Francisco, South Bay, East Bay, and North Bay areas to share with you. As for our family, there will be no 4^th of July parade as we will be in Bordeaux, France but we will certainly have a talk about the history behind the celebrations for the Independence from Britain. Being immigrants ourselves, we certainly can relate to the people who left their country in search for a better or different life.

LAKE TAHOE
From the Lake Tahoe Tourism Visitors Website:

Fourth Of July Fireworks Celebration Light's Up Lake Tahoe
The American Pyrotechnics Association rates South Shore’s spectacular Fourth of July fireworks celebration one of the Top 5 displays in the nation. They feature a wide variety of patterns, lights, designs and shapes. Scheduled to begin at approximately 9:45 PM.

The fireworks are visible from all over town. Below are some of the sweet spots to get a front row seat.

The Tahoe Queen and M.S. Dixie II: South Shore’s two Mississippi paddle wheelers offer a unique opportunity to view the light show from the water. Board the Tahoe Queen for a Dinner Dance Cruise or the M.S. Dixie II for a Fireworks Cruise. Both feature live entertainment and fantastic views of the evening’s display. Log onto www.laketahoecruises.com.

Nevada Beach: Located about two miles east of the Nevada casinos on Elk Point Road, Nevada Beach is the ideal setting for a family barbecue at the beach. A wide, sandy shoreline leads down to the sapphire waters of Lake Tahoe. Charcoal barbecues and picnic tables dot the beach. The view across the lake to the West Shore and Desolation Wilderness is unsurpassed. And the view of the fireworks display is one of the best in town.

Regan and El Dorado Beaches: Located right where Highway 50 meets the Lake, these connecting stretches of narrow beach are front and center for the fireworks. Arrive early! These beaches fill up with people who love to be right under the action.

SAN FRANCISCO
Fourth Of July Waterfront Celebration
Saturday, July 4 1:00 pm to 9:30pm at Pier 39
Rock out with 'Take 2' from 1-4pm followed by San Francisco's favorite 80's cover band, 'Tainted Love' from 6-9:30pm. Immediately after the entertainment look to the sky as the City of San Francisco lights up the night with it's Firework's Spectacular, accompanied by a musical simulcast from Kiss FM 98.1.

SOUTH BAY
4th of July Fireworks Spectacular with the San Francisco Symphony
Saturday, July 4 8:00p at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA

Celebrate the Fourth of July with the San Francisco Symphony at the annual concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre. The evening concludes with a spectacular fireworks show and raffle, set to stirring patriotic songs and marches. Fun for the entire family begins at 5pm with pre-concert entertainment.
Click here for tickets.

Program:

John Williams - Liberty Fanfare
Charles Strouse - "Tomorrow" from Annie
Thomas - I Hear America Singing
Dvořák - Cello Concerto
Courage/Custer - Star Trek Through the Years
Holst - "Mars" and "Jupiter" from The Planets
Berlin/Healey - God Bless America

EAST BAY
Alameda City Parade

Coming at a little bit more than 3 miles long, the Alameda 4^th of July Parade is one of the longest in the country. It features marching bands, horses, carriages, the locals merchants and associations and is very entertaining for the family. You will find the route here.

You can finish the day at the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier at Alameda Point. Celebrations will start from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. You will be able to visit the museum and enjoy Visit the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier on July 4 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Live music on the flight deck, interactive games for all ages, a bounce house for kids, tours throughout the day. At night, panoramic views of Bay Area fireworks from the flight deck. Food, beer and wine will be available for purchase during the event. read more

All-day admission is $25 for adults ($22 in advance) and $10 for children ages 5-17; museum members receive free. Tickets 510-521-8448 x 282 or visit http://www.uss-hornet.org

NORTH BAY 
Fourth of July in Calistoga from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Lincoln Ave at Cedar St., Calistoga

Calistoga's main street will be filled with horseback riders, native dancers, inventive floats, vintage firetrucks, live bands, motorcycle riders, and much more.The Napa County Fair at the Calistoga Fairgrounds (1435 N. Oak St.) is old-fashioned fun and excitement for the whole family, with fireworks on the 4th; carnival rides, daily music headliners, Great American Petting Zoo, exhibits and more.

SACRAMENTO AREA
Rancho Cordova Independence Day Party
Hagan Park, 2197 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova

During two days, you will enjoy making craft projects, ride steam trains, listen to live music (with Pablo Cruise as the leading performer), carnival rides at the Kids Zone and food and drinks booth and of course the parade and the traditional fireworks!

Click here for the full schedule of festivities.

Joanne at CityMommy pointed out to me more events in the East Bay.

Oakland:
Fourth of July Celebration
Saturday, July 4 12:00p to 6:00p
at Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, Oakland, CA
A family outing with picnicking on our expansive lawns, music, and games for the kids. Children’s games: potato sack racing, three-legged racing, children's golf, hop scotch, Jacob's Ladder, ring toss, wood propeller, pick up sticks, tic-tac-toe, jacks, tops, and croquet. Bring a blanket and a picnic for your afternoon enjoyment of our sprawling lawns and duck ponds, and a jazzed up teddy bear or two for your child’s jaunt along the teddy bear parade (there will be prizes for best of show).
http://www.when.com/oakland-ca/events/show/87811783-fourth-o...

Berkeley Marina:
Free admission, alcohol-free event. Live entertainment, arts & crafts, food, kid stuff. Fireworks at 9:30pm. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley www.CityofBerkeley.info

El Cerrito:
The City of El Cerrito's annual July 4th Fair and WorldOne Festival will be held on Saturday, July 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Father's day activities in the Bay Area

What are you going to do on Father’s Day?

There are a lot of exciting events happening all around the Bay Area and it will be difficult to pick one.

Train loving dad? Choo Choo to the Roaring Camp in Felton

Treat dad to a steam train ride and chuck wagon BBQ and listen to the sounds of live country entertainment. Each dad receives an engineer’s cap. One lucky Dad is selected per train to ride down the mountain in the cab of the locomotive.
Click here to reserve,

Pirate nostalgic dad? Take him to the Vallejo Pirate Festival!
Sat. June 20 10am to dusk; Sun. June 21 10am to 6pm – Free admission, click here for directions
Just check out their photo gallery and you know you will want to go! They even encourage you to come dressed as pirates.

Solar Car Dad?
His destination will the Chabot Science Center in Oakland (1pm - 3pm or 3pm - 5pm) where you will work together in teams to design, build and race Solar Lego® cars. Round up your dad, brother, uncle, cousin or neighbor and sign up for this fun special event.
To Register: (510) 336-7373

Ship loving Dad?
Bring Dad aboard the historic USS Hornet Museum in Alameda to experience “Living Ship Day." Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in mission briefings, see airplanes lifted to the flight deck, and sit in a fighter jet cockpit. Family activities and ship tours will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is adults $14, seniors (65 and older) $12, Military ID and students $12, youth 5-17 $6, under 5 years free with paying adult.

Bucolic dad?

Bring a picnic and blanket and attend the free summer concert held at 2:00 pm at the Stern Grove. Roberta Flack and Davel Crawford will play for Father’s day. You can enter to win picnic seats at any concert of the summer, click here for more information.

From 12:00 until 1:00 p.m. before every concert each season, kids of all ages are invited to participate in hands-on arts projects and programs at KidStage in the West Meadow.

Different activities are featured at each concert, from mural-making, singing and dance lessons to crafts and drumming, and more! One June 2st, the theme is Precita Eyes mural painting

Nature Loving Dad?
All the US National Park will be free the week-end of Father’s day so just pick the one you like and enjoy a green day! Here is the list of the National Park located in California:

Cabrillo National Monument
Death Valley National Park
John Muir National Historic Site
Joshua Tree National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Sequoia National Park
Whiskeytown Unit National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park

Note that they will also be free on July 18-19th and August 15-16^th.

Enjoy your Day!

It is time for Summer Camps Fairs!

The San Francisco Summer Camp Resource Fair 2010 will take place on March 6th. Find all the information here.

It is time to think about Summer Camps. If you are in need of information, go to these free events:

San Francisco

Saturday, Mar 14 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Annual Family Summer Resource Fair
San Francisco Design Center: Concourse Exhibition Center,
635 Eighth St., San Francisco, (415) 490-5800

The FREE Summer Resource Fair features over 200 Exhibitors and activities for kids! A showcase of Summer Fun for children-camps, activities, and programs; JobSpace, where youth ages 14 to 18 will find everything they need to get a job; Shape Up San Francisco resources for good nutrition, exercise, and health care plus free massages for moms (and dads); and lots of City & Community Services for Families. 
Free roundtrip shuttle service from 8th & Mission and Third & Palou.

For more information, call (415) 490-5800 www.sfkids.org/content.aspx?id=11534

South Bay

Sat., March 7, 10 am to 4 pm
5th annual Bay Area Parent Summer Camp Fair.
Westgate Mall, 1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose.
Enter the fair near Sushi Boat and Johnny Rockets restaurants.
Free admission

From circus camp to space camp, an amazing array of summer camps is offered in the area. Parents interested in learning about all the options can do so this month at the More than 75 day and overnight camps will present their programs, reflecting every age from preschool to high school and targeting every interest – from the arts to sports to language classes. 
A program guide will help visitors navigate the fair and find specific participants. 

For more information, call 408-399-4842, ext. 24. www.bayareaparent.com.

East Bay

Sunday March 8, 1:00 am to 4:30 pm
27th annual Summer Camps and  Programs Fair
Scottish Rite Center, 1547 Lakeside Drive (across from Lake Merritt), Oakland
Free admission

You will meet representatives from over 100 camps and programs (sports, music,drama,computers, etc). Preschool through high school, resident camps and day programs.

Easy neighborhood parking available on local streets (Madison and Lakeside Drive). Pay lots at corner of Madison and 14th and along Madison Street.

For more information, browse the AAUW Oakland-Piedmont Branch website: www.aauw-op.com.

Marin County

Search for camps, click here
List of summer camps, it is from 2008 but you will have all the websites.
www.blogbythebay.com/parenting/marin-county-summer-camps-for-kids/

The Parent Press newspaper March issue talks about Day Camps (Guide to 300+ Bay Area Summer Camps).It is free and I found mine at the local library. To find yours: http://www.parentspress.com/distribution.html

Useful website: www.mysummercamps.com/