Week Ahead: Family-Friendly Events in the Tri City Area

December 23 (Monday)

School is out for winter break!  The City of Fremont has day camps for children that can enrich their lives. Winter Day Camps start on December 23.  Click here for more information.

All aboard the Niles Train of Lights!  Now through December 29, you can watch the train leave the station in Niles near an area with cafes and other restaurants worth visiting.  Find times and ticket information here.

Look at one of the biggest arrangement of Christmas lights at San Jose’s annual Christmas in the Park festival.

Ride a horse at Chaparral Ranch during a kid’s horse camp. Children can gallop through the trails from now through January 2.  Details are located here.

Bethlehem A.D., also known as the "Living Nativity" gives visitors a brings the experience of that first Christmas to the corner of Middlefield and Cassia for three glorious nights in Redwood City. Drive through the light show.  

Visit Fairlyland for Storybook Puppet Theater.  Find show details here.

Enroll in a winter art camp at the MOCHA museum, where your child can learn about artist methods and get their hands dirty. More information here.


December 26

Thousands of LEDs will illuminate the sky over the Oakland Zoo.  Find out about other activities taking place under the lights and how much it costs to participate on this website.  

December 27

Enjoy adorable nature documentary March of the Penguins at the cozy and cool New Parkway Theatre in Oakland. The theatre boasts comfy couches along with comfort food and beer. See showtimes here.

December 28

Watch butterflies emerge from Ardenwood Park during a stroll in the grove.  Learn about the habitat of the migratory butterfly and more during this visually pleasing event. More information is here.

Learn how to make fire by friction the way ancient cultures did at Coyote HiIls Regional Park:  Click here for details.

Go on a hike through Coyote Hills Regional Park with the family. Organizers said the event is wheelchair accessible. Find more info about meetup places and times here.

See the classic fairytale The Shepherdess & The Chimney Sweep come to puppet-life at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. Details here.

December 29

Tour the Ohlone Village sites on a half mile hike. Learn about cultural heritage of the people who predate many of the Bay Area’s modern civilizations. More information here.

Stressing out about the holidays? Strike a relaxed pose at Xplore Yoga in Newark. Classes ongoing.

Visit Ardenwood Park on a birding excursion. Park rangers put together this bird checklist of the species normally found in the area.  You can print it out and see how many you can spot.

December 31

Have a real rockin’ New Year’s Eve with the kids at any of the numerous kid-centric events in the Bay Area -- from a daytime balloon drop at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland to unlimited playtime at Alameda’s Pacific Pinball Museum. See the best places to celebrate NYE with the kids here.

January 1

View butterfly wings flutter through the air on New Year’s Day in Ardenwood Park. Then learn how the butterflies survive the winter.  Find more information about what time is best to go here.


Discover the rich cultural history of the Ohlone People at the California Indian Film Festival.

Did we miss an event? Tell us about it in the comments section under this post.