Winter can be one of the best times of the year. From holiday cheer to fun winter activities, it’s always a season to remember. 

However, winter does bring some colder temperatures, which can limit the number of outdoor activities available. Luckily, there are plenty of fun indoor activities as well as cold weather-appropriate outdoor activities available in the Bay Area.

We put together a list of some of the best winter activities in the Bay Area. From holiday plays to indoor obstacle courses, you will find the perfect winter activities in the Bay Area on this list.

 

Winter Activities in the Bay Area 

Here is a list of some of the top winter activities in The Bay Area.

 

1. Rebounderz

Rebounderz Sacramento is the Bay Area’s premier family entertainment facility for indoor winter fun. Rebounderz offers a variety of activities including trampoline jumping, basketball slam, and a challenging but fun Ninja Warrior Obstacle course. 

Your kids will forget all about the cold weather while at Rebounderz enjoying some of the best winter activities in Sacramento. They can work up a sweat jumping on the trampolines or kick back and enjoy some arcade games. 

Adults will be glad to know we offer a Parents’ Night Out program where Rebounderz staff will watch your kids for the evening so you can take some much-needed time off. It is a win-win for the whole family.

Aside from the variety of activities and fun you and your kids can have, Rebounderz also offers a great membership program that can help you save money all while enjoying everything they have to offer. There’s also a summer camp program to keep your children engaged and active. 

Activities:

• Indoor Trampoline Arena
• Toddler Trampoline Zone
• Colorful Themed Climbing Walls
• Air Pit
• Basketball Slam
• Extreme Dodgeball 
• Spin Zone Bumper Cars
• Elevated Ninja Warrior Course
• Junior/Floor Warrior Course
• Multi Level Indoor Playground
• Jump Xtreme Tower
• Indoor Arcade
• Birthday Parties
• Summer Camps and Group Programs

Pricing:

• Ultimate ticket: For $34.99 you can enjoy all-day admission to all of the activities offered at Rebounderz Sacramento. This ticket also includes one 500-point arcade card, one free fresh popcorn, and one free fountain drink.
• Premium Ticket: For $29.99 you can enjoy two hours of all the activities offered. 
• Basic Ticket: For $24.99 you can enjoy one hour of all the activities offered. 

They also offer two membership options: $14.99/month for Basic, and $19.99/month for their ultimate unlimited.

Check out all of Rebounderz offerings!

 

2.Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is more than a museum – it’s a gateway to exploring science, art, and human perception. Let your curiosity roam through more than 600 interactive exhibits, many focused on noticing and observation, in six spacious indoor and outdoor galleries. You’ll find thoughtful safety protocols, dining, and more at the San Francisco bayside location.

Activities: 

• Exhibits
• Museum galleries
• Special events
• After dark Thursdays

Pricing:

• Adults (18-64): $39.95
• Youth (4-17)/Seniors/Teachers/Students: $29.95
• Children (3 & under)/Members/California Public School Teachers: Free

 

3. Aquarium of the Bay

Explore more than 24,000 local marine animals at the Aquarium of the Bay. You can experience the San Francisco Bay area like nowhere else in one of the tunnels that go directly under the bay. There are knowledgeable interpretive naturalists on staff to answer questions and guide you through hands-on animal encounters.

Activities: 

• Discover the bay
• Go with the flow
• Under the bay
• Touch the bay
• River Otters
• Highlighted animals

Pricing:

• Adult (13-64): $31.75
• Child (4-12): $21.75
• Senior (65+): $26.75
• 3 and Under: Free

 

4. House of Air

House of Air is an indoor adrenaline park with locations in the U.S. and abroad. These athletic and recreational facilities are host to open trampoline jump time, aerial training on trampolines, trampoline dodgeball, rock climbing, slacklining, fitness classes, and other air-based activities. You can host group events, including birthday parties, corporate events, and fundraisers.

Activities: 

• Open jump
• Trampoline dodgeball
• Air junior/Kids zone
• Training ground

Pricing:

• Park Access 7+ years: $20/hour
• Air Junior Access 3-6 years: $18/hour
• Open Air: $30/session

 

Outdoor Winter Activities in the Bay Area

Make your way outside on nicer days to enjoy some of these outdoor winter activities in the Bay Area. 

 

5. Union Square Ice Rink

The Union Square Ice Rink is presented by Kaiser Permanente in the winter months. There’s daily ice skating for all ages and special events scheduled throughout the holiday season. Skate the winter away with friends and family.

Activities: 

• Ice skating
• Special events

Pricing:

• General Admission: $20
• Children 8 and under: $18

 

6. San Francisco Whale Tours

San Francisco Whale Tours offers exciting whale-watching adventures from the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. With views of main San Francisco attractions such as the Golden Gate Bridge to sightings of humpback and gray whales, this is a trip you will never forget. 

Try taking a tour in the winter and then another one during the summer to see different animals. They even offer a New Year’s Eve cruise. Just bundle up!

Activities: 

• Golden Gate whale watch
• Fleet week Blue Angels air show cruise
• Private charters

Pricing:

• Adult (Ages 10+): $120
• Child (Ages 3-9): $90
• Ages 2 and under: Free
• Special Event Cruises: $150 for all ages

 

7. Illuminate San Francisco Festival of Light

Experience San Francisco as a shining gallery of light with the Illuminate San Francisco Festival of Light. The displays can be seen from Thanksgiving through January 31st. It’s a celebration of the incredible ability of light art to transform San Francisco’s most familiar civic spaces and an opportunity to turn the long nights of winter into a vibrant, inspiring time to explore the area.

This year’s annual event celebrates more than 50 dramatic, eco-friendly light art installations. There are new iconic works in the Mission Bay and SoMa neighborhoods. 

Activity: Light displays

Pricing: Free

 

8. San Francisco Botanical Garden

The San Francisco Botanical Garden showcases over 8,000 different kinds of plants from all around the world. Different flowers bloom every month of the year (even in the winter), so there’s is always something new to see every time you visit the gardens. There are also special events and programs held throughout the year at the San Francisco Botanical Garden.

Activities: 

• Geographic gardens
• Taxonomic gardens
• Thematic gardens
• Gardens of Golden Gate Park

Pricing:

• Gardens of Golden Gate Park Pass: $9 – $25
• Adults (February – October): $13
• Adults (November – January): $10
• Youth & Seniors (Ages 12-17 and 65+): $7
• Children (Ages 5-11): $3
• Toddler (Ages 4 and under): Free
• Families (2 adults and all children under 17 residing in the same household): $21
• Members/School Groups/Veterans/San Francisco City & County Residents: Free

 

9. Glowfari

Oakland Zoo’s Glofari features new displays including a walkabout through the land down under with kangaroos and koalas, icons of the California coastline including whales, otters, and jellies, exotic animals of the tropical rainforest, and a trip to the past with a towering T-rex and a megalodon shark tunnel. 

Enjoy a ride on the train through a fantasy wonderland full of fabled creatures like fairies, unicorns, and mythical beasts. There will also be an opportunity to visit Santa in the Rides Area.

Activities: Light-up safari

Pricing:

• Adults: $24
• Children (2-14)/Seniors (65-75): $20
• Under 2 and over 76: Free

 

Winter Holiday Events in the Bay Area

Celebrate the holidays in the Bay Area with these festive events.

 

10. San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker

All the characters you know and love are back for another thrilling performance of the San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker. Enjoy exquisite dancing, stunning sets, and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live by the Grammy award-winning San Francisco Orchestra. 

They’re even holding a special performance for young children and sensory-sensitive guests on December 21st. Enjoy this classic with the whole family this holiday season.

Activity: Live play

Pricing: Seat-specific pricing ranges from $19 – $395

 

11. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair will transport you into Victorian London. Immerse yourself in a world of music halls, theatres, pubs, dance parties, and charming shops overflowing with hand-made holiday treasures. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. 

Discover holiday revelry in this lamp-lit city brimming with hundreds of lively and colorful characters from the imagination of Charles Dickens, the pages of history, and the sometimes saucy world of the Victorian stage.

Activities: 

• Family fun
• Theatre and nightlife
• Dramatic streets
• Delicacies and libations
• Textile arts
• Activities and diversions
• Jewelry and art
• Collectible art
• Natural arts

Pricing:

• Adult (13+): $45
• Youth (5-12): $25
• Children under 5: Free

 

12. Fairy Winterland

Fairy Winterland is an annual event at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. This magical, multicultural event brings families together to share in the season’s festivities. Children can join in on the fun with the festival of lights parade and dance party led by Santa himself. 

There are even going to be “Thank you, Santa” nights after Christmas where children can come and thank Santa for everything they received for the holiday.

Activities: 

• Puppet shows
• Festival of lights parade and dance party
• Magician
• Storytelling

Pricing:

• General Admission: $18
• Members: $9

 

13. Gingerbread House at The Fairmont San Francisco

Holiday magic comes to life with the annual life-sized Gingerbread House on display from Thanksgiving through the New Year. With hundreds of bricks of real gingerbread baked by the Fairmount pastry team and pounds of See’s Candies, the Gingerbread House display brings out the kid in everyone. 

You can even book a dining experience inside the private Gingerbread House for up to 8 guests and take in the scents and sounds of the holiday season.

Activities: 

• Dining in a life-size gingerbread house
• Holiday tea
• Santa Suites

Pricing: Visiting the gingerbread house is free, while the food and drinks are at a range of prices. 

 

14. Winterfest at Salesforce Park

Winterfest at Salesforce Park is back! This event is free to the general public and it is a great way to celebrate the winter holidays with the whole family. There are three days of events that include live musical performances and family-friendly craft stations. 

Activities: 

• Live music
• Holiday caroling
• Ugly sweater silent disco
• Wreath craft
• Face painting

Pricing: Free

 

Enjoy Winter in the Bay Area

Winter is a time for fun and celebration and there is no shortage of opportunities for either in the Bay Area. Even when the holiday season is in full swing, you’ll have no problem finding fun activities for the whole family. 

If you really want to enjoy winter in the Bay Area with the whole family, check out Rebounderz. At Rebounderz parents can relax knowing that their kids are in a safe and clean environment, while kids can burn some energy exploring all of the different activities available. We also have designated toddler trampoline areas for the younger crowd and more advanced activities for older kids, like the dodgeball area. 

Make this winter the best one, at Rebounderz. 

Come visit us today!