East Bay Baby

When it comes to family friendly events around the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Solstice/whathaveyou season, I’m primarily interested in things which are cheap and low key. These criterion eliminate activities like window shopping in Union Square (too crowded), queuing up for a picture with Santa at the mall (absurdly expensive), or attending the Tree of Hope Lighting (too much Gavin Newsom).

Gavin Newsom is a special snowflake

So, here are the cheap, low key holiday activities around the East Bay for babies, kids, and toddlers. We may see you at some of them!

November 27 – December 23: Tilden Parks Merry-Go-Round Christmas Fantasy.  5:30 p.m. –8:30 p.m on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.  $10 for 7 rides.  The carousel is decorated for Christmas, and you can buy hot apple cider and popcorn to enjoy after your carousel ride.  You can see some pictures here!

December 4 – January 3: Oakland ZooLights.  The normal admission fee is $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for kids, but you can get a half off pass for 2 adults, 2 kids for only $12!

Family, friends, and ZooLights are a great way to turn on your holiday spirit! Holiday music will fill the air as guests mingle among hundreds of thousands of energy-efficient LED lights.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa and feast your eyes on more than 120 lighted animal structures. Don’t miss the ZooLights meadow show with music provided by Movin’ 99.7 and orchestrated by Impact Lighting.

Embark on a more relaxed ZooLights experience and board the Snowball Express, a miniature C.P. Huntington steam engine train. The Zoo’s famous train ride is popular among the young and the young at heart! Let your holiday spirit take you away as you see breathtaking views of the Bay Area while winding around the Oakland Zoo after dark.

End the evening in the Oakland Zoo’s Rides Area where children will especially enjoy a fantasyland of giant toy soldiers, with over-sized candy canes, lollipops, and gingerbread cookies. The holiday season may even bring out the kid in you…take a twirl on the carousel! Oakland Zoo’s ZooLights is the largest LED light festival in Northern California!

December 5/6: Christmas at Ardenwood Historic Farm.  10am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday.  $8 adults, $5 4+ years, and kids under 3 are free!

Celebrate the holiday season in Victorian style! Visit the beautifully decorated Patterson House, sing Christmas carols, search for the Yule log, and visit Father Christmas. Listen to live musical performances and enter our home-made ‘Christmas Cookie’ baking contest (bring your cookies & recipe with you). The day also includes an abundance of Christmas crafts, music and country kitchen treats.

mid-November onwards: Outdoor ice skating.  Check out this useful list of ice skating rinks around the Bay Area.

I’m sure there are some other low key activities out there…what are your favorites?