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San Francisco's Exploratorium offers free admission to the public on the first Wednesday of every month.
Housed within the walls of the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District, the Exploratorium boasts more than 400 interactive science, art, and human perception exhibits for kids of all ages.
Also offering public presentations such as hands-on workshops, lectures, performances, films, and other special events, the museum aims to create a culture of learning through innovative environments, programs, and tools that help people nurture their curiosity about the world around them.
San Francisco's most visited museums offer FREE admission on the first Tuesday of every month. Take advantage of Free Museum Tuesdays at:
Cartoon Art Museum
The Cartoon Art Museum is the only museum in the western United States dedicated to preserving and exhibiting cartoon art in all its forms. In addition to housing approximately 6,000 pieces of original art, the museum also has an extensive research library and a classroom for cartoon art classes and workshops. As a bonus, the museum has one of the best bookstores in the city with a vast collection of interesting and eclectic coffee table books.
Conservatory of Flowers
Located in Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory of Flowers boasts almost 2,000 plant species in five immersive galleries. From tropical flowers to giant water lilies, the conservatory is a lush and diverse living museum for all ages.
de Young Museum
Founded in 1895 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the de Young boasts a state-of-the-art new facility that integrates art, architecture, and the natural landscape in one multi-faceted destination. The museum showcases collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, and art of the native Americas, Africa, and the Pacific. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.
Museum of Craft and Folk Art
As the only folk art museum in Northern California, the museum is known for a rich offering of focused and unique exhibitions of traditional and contemporary folk art and craft from around the world, demonstrating how folk art, contemporary craft, and fine art are all part of the same continuum.
Palace of the Legion of Honor
Built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I, the Legion of Honor is a beautiful Beaux-arts building located in San Francisco's Lincoln Park. Displaying an impressive collection of 4,000 years worth of ancient and European art in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, the Legion is also home to an early cast of Rodin's famous "Thinker" sculpture. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Located in downtown San Francisco, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art. Opened in 1935 to "explore compelling expressions of visual culture," the permanent collection comprises more than 25,000 works of modern and contemporary art, including photography, painting, sculpture, media arts, architecture, and design. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
YBCA presents contemporary art from the Bay Area and around the world that reflects the profound issues and ideas of our time, expands the boundaries of artistic practice, and celebrates the diversity of human experience and expression.
Dare to tread the San Andreas Fault where the earth's crust shifted and moved 5 meters (16 feet) in 1906!
Meet a Point Reyes National Seashore ranger at the start of the Earthquake Trail for this easy one-kilometer (0.6 miles) walk.
Join a Park Ranger for a leisurely 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) tour and introduction to the history and culture of the Coast Miwok people.
The walk ends at Kule Loklo (meaning "Bear Valley"), a replica Miwok village.
A secret jewel of the Bay Area, Point Bonita is still an active lighthouse maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Discover Point Bonita's wild landscape, geology, and fascinating history.
The lighthouse is reached by a half-mile trail, with a tunnel that is open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. Point Bonita docents are on hand along the trail, and the setting offers breathtaking views.
Set in the tiny town of San Gregorio near Pescadero, the San Gregorio General Store is more than an old-time shop selling both practical and whimsical goods in an historic building. It's also a saloon serving 18 kinds of tequila, and a popular gathering place for both locals and those just passing through.
On weekends, the General Store hosts free, live music performances. See their website for a schedule of upcoming shows.
California State Parks docents offer free, half-hour guided history walks around the grounds of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (except on rainy days).
No reservations necessary.
Midtown Stomp offers swing dancing every Friday and Wednesday night at Sacramento's Eastern Star Ballroom, a historic landmark built in 1928. Join the beginning swing dancing lesson from 8-9 p.m., and then keep dancing until midnight!
Lessons are social with rotating partners -- you don't need a partner to join. Dance the Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Charleston, Balboa, and many other fun, vintage dances.
Blue Blanket Improv presents a laugh-out-loud, high-energy, fun-for-the-whole-family comedy theater experience unparalleled on the coast! Bring a friend or several and enjoy a night of laughs.
Performing in outdoor venues around the Bay Area -- from beaches to parks to anywhere they can hang their eponymous blanket -- Blue Blanket Improv is committed to inspiring laughter in others, bringing theater to those who might not attend otherwise, and giving back to the community.
For more than 20 years sea music enthusiasts have gathered at San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier on the historic tall ships C. A. Thayer and Balclutha to sing chanteys and other sea songs.
This free event, which takes place the first Saturday of every month, has garnered a loyal following, drawing 80 to 200 people monthly.
Hear California history come alive with chanteys that describe the perils of San Francisco's Barbary Coast, the dangers of rounding Cape Horn, cruel ship officers, the joys and curse of drink, and hopes for riches during the Gold Rush.
Be sure to bring a mug for complimentary apple cider!
Reservations required; call (415) 561-7171.
Held every second Sunday of the month, the Sacramento Antique Faire is a meeting place for hundreds of antique dealers from throughout Northern California.
Come paw through furniture, textiles, architectural pieces, jewelry, cultural pieces, china, glassware, garden accessories, rugs, art, collectibles, and more.
While you're hunting for your one-of-a-kind treasure, fortify yourself with the variety of offerings from the numerous food vendors at the Faire.
The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco offers free admission to all visitors on the first Sunday of every month.
One of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art, the Asian Art Museum collection spans 6,000 years of history and includes 17,000 objects, from tiny jades to monumental sculptures, paintings, porcelains and ceramics, lacquers, textiles, furniture, arms and armor, puppets, and basketry.
The collection galleries are divided into seven geographic regions: South Asia; the Persian World and West Asia; Southeast Asia; the Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World; China; Korea; and Japan. Winding through all the galleries are three major themes: the development of Buddhism; trade and cultural exchange; and local beliefs and practices.
San Francisco's Exploratorium offers free admission to the public on the first Wednesday of every month.
Housed within the walls of the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District, the Exploratorium boasts more than 400 interactive science, art, and human perception exhibits for kids of all ages.
Also offering public presentations such as hands-on workshops, lectures, performances, films, and other special events, the museum aims to create a culture of learning through innovative environments, programs, and tools that help people nurture their curiosity about the world around them.
During the tense years from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated a total of 280 Nike missile firing batteries in the United States, emplaced as the last line of defense against Soviet bombers. Today, site SF-88 in the Marin Headlands has been turned into a museum, and is the only restored Nike missile site in the country.
Visit SF-88 and see the tools of the Cold War up close. The site is open Wednesday through Friday, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., with guided walks beginning every hour. There is also an "open house" on the first Saturday of every month, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., with volunteer docents and Nike veterans on hand.
Cetrella Bistro and Cafe offers seasonal Mediterranean cuisine and an award-winning wine collection, and routinely garners some of the best restaurant reviews on the Coastside.
If the Bistro menu is beyond your budget, try dropping into the bar for a drink and live jazz music, presented every Friday and Saturday night. As the San Francisco Chronicle notes, "Cetrella is celebrated for its well-crafted dishes and extensive wine list. But it offers just as delectable and intoxicating fare when it comes to music. Cetrella has become an invaluable venue for Northern California jazz and blues singers." The restaurant closes occasionally for private events; please check their music schedule for details.
A bar menu featuring small plates, wood oven pizzas, and a few entrees is also available.
Join your guide Henry for an extensive walk through the streets (and over the hills) of San Francisco.
Enjoy the sights of the city as you wander through neighborhoods such as Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Chinatown, North Beach, and Telegraph Hill. See Lombard Street, Coit Tower, and some of the oldest homes and hidden gardens in the city.
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels. Please sign up in advance.
Most Thursday nights, the California Academy of Sciences opens its doors after hours for NightLife.
Adults have a chance to explore the museum at night in a whole new light, as they dance to some of San Francisco's most popular DJs, enjoy food and cocktails, and mingle while perusing the Academy's world-class exhibits and getting up close and personal with aquarium critters.
Take in some knowledge with your libations -- each week features provocative science programming and a few surprises.
Guests at our three San Francisco hostels even get a 15 percent discount on admission to NightLife (as well as general admission) if you order tickets in advance. More info on how to get that discount is found here.
The Station House Cafe in Point Reyes Station has been serving the West Marin community since 1974. Offering American cuisine, the cafe uses fresh organic and sustainable ingredients, supporting local farmers and harvesting from their own gardens.
Many a Sunday evening, the cafe hosts live music, including blues and bluegrass acts such as Paul Knight and Friends, Doug Adamz and the Trio Bravo, and the New Copasetics.
Check the cafe's schedule to see who's playing this week.
The only children's museum in the U.S. to be located in a national park, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children's museum nestled at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The first Wednesday of the month, admission is free to the museum. Bring the family down to explore the 7.5-acre, indoor-outdoor environment that harmonizes nature and nurture.
Check out permanent exhibits such as Lookout Cove, which includes a shipwreck with clues to dig up and discover, and the San Francisco Bay Hall, a playful simulation of the Bay Area with an "underwater" tunnel, 300-gallon sea star tank, a fishing boat, a model of Fisherman's Wharf, and a play shipping port.
San Francisco City Guides offer free historical and architectural walking tours of San Francisco's most famous (or, in some cases, infamous) districts, as well as some of its more hidden neighborhoods.
Approximately 30 different walks are offered each month, year-round, rain or shine. Walkers meet at the place and time designated in the current tour schedule. No reservations are required.
Motorheads far and wide rev up to come to Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay for Harbor Nights, a coastal car and motorcycle show held on the first Thursday of the month at Princeton Seafood Company.
Owners of classic cars, trucks, tricked-out motorcycles, and hot rods show off their pride and joy while providing a glimpse of early automotive and motorcycle technology. Chat with the owners to learn about the process that went into each machine, as many of them have taken years to create or restore. Just be careful not to drool -- it's bad for the paint.
The James Johnston House, a.k.a. The White House of Half Moon Bay, sits overlooking the Pacific Ocean, its silhouette a striking sight against the surrounding hillsides.
This classic New England salt-box (two stories in front, one in back) was built by 49er pioneer James Johnston between 1853 and 1855, for his Californian bride, Petra Maria de Jara. In 1971, the Johnston House Foundation was established to protect, preserve, restore, and refurbish the house, and to promote the history of the Coastside and California.
The Johnston House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is open to visitors on the third Saturday of the month, January - September, with docent-led tours available. A special "Holiday House" event is held the first two weekends in November.
Join State Parks docents for a guided nature walk through Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve. Part of Pescadero State Beach, the marsh is the only extensive wetland along the coast of the San Francisco peninsula, and includes a complex of several habitats.
More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the marsh, including more than 60 that nest there, among them the Great Blue Heron. Species in the marsh listed under the Endangered Species Act include the San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, tidewater goby, steelhead trout, and Coho salmon.
Pie Ranch is a complex place with a simple mission: to teach people where their food comes from.
A hands-on farm and food system education center, Pie Ranch is located on a 14-acre plot of land above the historic Steele Ranch. Using the ever-popular dessert pie as a model, the ranch teaches visitors -- many of them urban youth -- about the full cycle of food production. The farm grows or raises almost every element needed for the pie, including wheat for pie crusts, berries for filling, bees for honey, goats for milk, and chickens for eggs.
With a place like this, the best way to experience it is to get your hands dirty, which visitors can do every third Saturday of the month when Pie Ranch hosts a community work day, guided ranch tour, potluck dinner, and barn dance.
Join in the celebration as farmers, volunteers, and "food system change makers" gather to work throughout the afternoon, then let their hair down once the evening comes around.
Bring something to share at the potluck, then swing to the sounds of the County Line Pickers, accompanied by a live dance caller. You don't need to volunteer during the day in order to join the party at night, but volunteers do get a discount on dance admission!
The ranch's Roadside Barn Farm Stand is also open seasonally on weekends, for folks who just want a peek at the farm and to purchase its goods, which include handmade pies, fresh local produce, and eggs from the ranch's free-range hens
The Downtown Sacramento Partnership offers a variety of walking tours designed to introduce visitors to the people, places, and events that shaped California history. At least one walk is offered daily (except most Saturdays), and topics range from art and architecture to cultural, religious, and urban history.
Current scheduled walks include:
Tours are $10 and leave from within a short walk of the Sacramento Hostel.
Reservations are required; call (916) 442-8575 or email dsp@downtownsac.org.
Long closed to public access, Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands has been refurbished and is now open to visitors the first Sunday of the month.
Come explore this labyrinthine fortification, and learn about San Francisco's most extensive -- and most secret -- World War II military fortification.
From 1940 to 1948, it mounted two massive battleship guns and housed more than 100 soldiers in an extensive network of underground tunnels; during the Cold War, it was used as an underground research facility.
Battery Townsley is reached via a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot.
The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company is a casual oceanfront restaurant and brewpub in Half Moon Bay, located on Pillar Point Harbor (just half a mile from the world-famous Maverick's surf break).
Friday - Sunday each week, local bands perform live at the Brewing Company, bringing sounds to the shore from jazz and blues to world beat and reggae. Bands perform Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 p.m., and Sundays from 5-9 p.m.
So, relax like the locals do, with a pint of locally brewed beer, some live music, and a seat near one of the pub's patio firepits, beside the Pacific.
Housed in a restored barn in Point Reyes Station, the Cowgirl Creamery has been making handcrafted, farmstead cheese in small batches since 1997. Nationally recognized for its artisan quality, the Creamery offers cheese-making demonstration and tasting at its ecologically conscious facilities on Fridays at 11:30 a.m.
Foodies and dairy junkies won't want to miss the chance to go behind the scenes, where the Creamery makes about 3,000 pounds of cheese per week. Peek through a viewing window and watch how they make the goods, and learn about the cheese-making process in a 60-minute presentation. The class ends with a tasting of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses.
Afterwards, peruse the cheese counter to which features more than 200 of America's and Europe's most prized producers, or check out the selection of local produce and other goodies.
Reservations for the class are strongly recommended; call (415) 663-9335 or book your tour online.
The Torch Club is known as one of the best blues clubs in Sacramento, and features bands from all over the Bay Area as well as some national acts. They've recently been called "the center of the blues in Sacramento" by the Sacramento Bee.
Every Sunday during happy hour they have a blues jam with no cover charge.
Open every day, San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace is a foodie mecca, offering fresh organic produce, gourmet treats, and fine dining. With a focus on small, regional food producers -- and many eateries and small businesses owned by well-known top chefs -- you can sample local artisan cheeses, chocolates, breads, and more.
Most Saturday mornings, celebrated Bay Area chefs stop in to demonstrate ways to prepare the sustainable, seasonable goods found in the Farmers' Market. Visitors can watch these experts in action, taste their creations, and leave with recipes to try themselves at home. Programs sometimes include interviews with farmers, food artisans, or other Farmers' Market vendors.
See the CUESA's website for a full event schedule.
The Coastside Farmers Market offers an abundance of locally grown and/or produced vegetables, fruits, organic products, gourmet cheese, herbs, seafood, organic coffee, desserts, and wines, available right from the people who produce them.
This is the perfect spot to sample the coastside's agricultural bounty, grab fixings for a picnic, or stock up on groceries for your hostel stay.
The Farmers Market is held on Wednesdays in Pacifica from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays in Half Moon Bay from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., May through December.
On Wednesdays and Sundays, the Heart of the City Farmers Market sets up shop in United Nations Plaza near City Hall, bringing locally grown produce, fresh flowers, and artisan goods to the city's Civic Center.
Stock up on goodies to cook up back at the hostel, or snacks to bring along on your travels.
The Westminster Presbyterian Church on Capitol Park hosts free noontime concerts every Wednesday. Musicians include pianists, cellists, violinists, guitarists, and more.
For a full schedule of concerts, visit the series website.
Join us on Friday evenings to sample California wine and cheeses at the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.
Meet and mingle with fellow travelers, whet your appetite for San Francisco’s nightlife, then hit the town together, or settle in to plan your next day's adventure.
This event is open to all guests (ages 21 and older) at our three San Francisco hostels.
The Fort Mason Center Farmers Market is one of many year-round farmers markets around the city -- but it's the closest to the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel, just a short walk away through Fort Mason.
The market features 50 local farm and prepared food stalls, including vendors selling fresh and/or organic produce, farmstead cheese, fish, meat, eggs, and fresh baked goods.
Join a Park Ranger to learn more about Point Reyes National Seashore's natural and cultural history during their Daily Ranger Program, offered weekdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Topics covered may include earthquakes and plate tectonics, the Coast Miwok, the U.S. Lifesaving Service, or area flora and fauna. Some programs may require a walk of up to 1 mile on easy to moderate trails.
There are two programs each day, one at 10:30 a.m. and one at 2 p.m.
Stop by or call the Bear Valley Visitor Center at (415) 464-5100 for information about today's program.
No trip to San Francisco would be complete without tacos!
Anthony will be dishing up this California Mexican classic in the hostel lobby. They're just $3 while they last!
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel. Please sign up in advance.
Join us -- and your fellow hostellers -- for a pasta dinner at the San Francisco Downtown hostel. It's $5 but the first two volunteer cooks eat free (so get there early!)
Meet your dorm neighbors and plan your weekend in San Francisco over some tasty pasta. Then head out for our weekly pub crawl!
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel. No signup is required.
Put on your drinking shoes, grab your ID (gotta be 21!), and join Jesse and Erinne for our weekly pub crawl.
Sip some brew (or a cosmo? tequila?) at five of the best bars along Polk Street, near our City Center and Downtown hostels. Meet a bunch of other travelers and enjoy a night out in SF!
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.
Off the Grid is a regular gathering of San Francisco street food vendors -- or, as they describe it, "a roaming mobile food extravaganza!"
This is a great chance to sample unusual and gourmet foods at cheap prices, and enjoy a little al fresco dining. Korean tacos, jambalaya, empanadas, onigiri, BBQ ribs, dim sum -- you'll be amazed at the tasty treats that can be made and sold from the back of a truck.
Regularly participating vendors include local favorites like Chairman Bao Bun Truck, Creme Brulee Cart, Curry Up Now, Gobba Gobba Hey, Hapa SF, and Kung Fu Tacos.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Off the Grid sets up shop in Civic Center's UN Plaza (next to the Asian Art Museum), just four blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.
Wednesdays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., the trucks visit the intersection of 5th and Minna streets, just south of Market Street and five blocks from the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.
Fridays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., you'll find them in Civic Center Plaza (directly in front of City Hall), also just four blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.
Fridays, 5 - 10 p.m., check out the original Off the Grid event, which happens in Fort Mason near the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel. The largest of the Off the Grid events, this night features more than 30 street food trucks and tents each week!
Join docent Warren Riley for an illustrated talk about the history of the lighthouses of San Francisco Bay and their critical role in the growth of California.
Reservations can be made by calling (415) 331-1540.
Located in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood, the Haas-Lilienthal House is a beautifully restored Queen Anne-style Victorian built in 1886.
It's the only intact private home of the period that's open regularly as a museum in San Francisco, complete with authentic furniture and artifacts, elaborate wooden gables, a circular corner tower, and detailed ornamentation.
Tours of this house museum are offered year-round on Sundays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., and on Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon - 3 p.m. Tours leave every 20 to 30 minutes and last about one hour. All visits to the house must be guided. Reservations are not required.
Artists, art patrons, art lovers, and everyone else is welcome on 4th Street in San Rafael every second Friday of the month for the city’s art walk.
Browse open studios and art galleries, and enjoy the latest and greatest work by some of the Bay Area’s most talented artists -- along with a glass of wine or two. Galleries and retailers will have special extended hours so that art walkers can experience the full variety of downtown commerce, from art and artisan gifts to clothing and accessories.
Open 365 days a year, The Old Princeton Landing is Princeton-by-the-Sea's nightspot for live music, dancing, and pool. Artists of all stripes -- from rock-a-billy bands to hip-hop artists -- take to the stage on Friday and Saturday nights, often with a minimal cover change.
Local Acoustic Night features talent from the coastside and beyond on the first Wednesday of every month. Check out 30-minute sets ranging from acoustic blues to funk, rock, and live poetry.
There's no cover charge, but it's open only to people ages 21 and up.
Experience the Point Reyes Lighthouse as many keepers have over the years, watching as the lighthouse's beacon shines over the sea.
This popular ranger-led tour is available on the first and third Saturdays of the month, from mid-April through December. Start times vary depending on sunset. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round.
Space is limited. Call (415) 669-1534 after 10 a.m. on the day of the tour for schedule and reservations.The program is cancelled if winds exceed 40 mph. Call back between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to confirm status of program.
See how families lived during early ranching and Mexican Rancho days at Wilder Ranch State Park's Living History Demonstration and Ranch Tour!
Hands-on activities and demonstrations include draft horse wagon rides, hand-made tortillas and salsa, branding and horseshoe demonstrations, chuck wagon-style cooking, roping skills, and lawn games.
Picnic on the lawn while taking a break from the day's events, then check out the rest of the State Park and cultural preserve, including a heritage garden and farm animal area, historic ranch buildings, Ben Lomond Mountain, and Wilder Ranch State Beach. Call (831) 426-0505 for weekend scheduled activities.
Once a stop on the First Transcontinental Railroad, Sacramento’s history with locomotives, train tracks, and engineers dates back nearly 150 years.
The California State Railroad Museum — one of Sacramento’s most popular tourist attractions — showcases that history, displaying 21 restored cars as well as various exhibits on all things rail-related.
And, since trains are much more fun to ride than look at, they offer seasonal steam train rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad line on weekends, April through September.
The six-mile, 40-minute trip runs along the levees of the Sacramento River while you take in the sights, sounds, and smells of old-fashioned train travel. Take a seat in either a vintage closed coach, an open-air gondola car, or a restored 1920s first-class observation car.
Trains depart hourly from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Depot is seven blocks from the museum itself, and train tickets are separate from the museum admission price ($9 admission for adults / $4 for kids ages 6-17). You don't need to visit the museum to ride the trains!
Coach and gondola seats on the train are $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6-17 (kids under 5 are free). First-class seats on the El Dorado car cost $15 per person. Train tickets are sold at the Depot, or online.
Point Reyes Seashore is one of the most biologically diverse places on earth -- nearly 20 percent of the state's flowering plant species are represented on the peninsula and over 45 percent of the bird species in North America have been sighted here.
While you're visiting, help preserve our beautiful park!
The bi-monthly restoration team of volunteers meets in front of the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 9 a.m. on the second and last Sunday of each month. Drop-ins are welcome.
The crew will visit some of the most beautiful areas in the park and help eradicate invasive plant species encroaching upon rare, native habitat. You'll learn about invasive plant ecology and the flora and fauna of Point Reyes National Seashore -- and work up a sweat removing the nonnative European beachgrass, iceplant, and other invasive species.
Bring lunch, water, and sturdy shoes. Gloves and tools are provided. Contact Ellen Hamingson at 415-464-5196 or by email for more information, and call in advance to confirm the workday (occasionally the team travels to another park).
Every second Wednesday of the month, from May through October, the Caledonia Street neighborhood in beautiful Sausalito welcomes residents and visitors to the Sausalito Art Walk.
Businesses, galleries, and restaurants on and around Caledonia Street host Bay Area artists and are open to the public for viewing.
Each week you might see oil painting, photography, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, or watercolors, all crafted by local artists.
In addition, you'll find many musicians and entertainers performing on the street, as well as a children's stage to keep the little ones engaged.
Check out the bounty of produce grown in Northern California at one of the state's largest farmers markets, held each Sunday, all year round, in the Marin Civic Center parking lot. There's no better way to shop local!
During peak summer season, you'll find more than 200 local farmers, artisans, and food vendors selling everything from oranges to tamales, fresh cheese to creative jams to locally made pottery.
Come for lunch, shop for dinner, or for graze the booths for a mid-morning snack of free samples!
Head down to Pillar Point Harbor on the first Thursday of every month to discuss fresh views on American politics over a cold beer at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. Each night offers a different topic of discussion as well as interesting guest speakers.
Not only is this a great place to learn different perspectives about politics in the U.S., it's also a way to give back! Ten percent of the proceeds from all dinner sales for the evening are donated to the Cabrillo Education Foundation.
Every Thursday, the Crocker Art Museum hosts "Thursdays 'til 9," when they're open after hours to feature film, music, conversation, cocktails, and more.
First Thursdays: Film Frame
Presented in collaboration with local film organizations and festivals, screenings include commentary by film makers, enthusiasts, scholars, and artists.
Second Thursdays: Art Mix
For those who like to mix culture with cocktails. Hear a local band or DJ, sip a specialty cocktail from the Crocker Cafe, and dive into live art demonstrations, short films, interactive installations, special in-gallery tours and more.
Third Thursdays: Playlist
Blues, reggae, indie, folk, country, bluegrass, rock, hip hop, world music and everything in between!
Fourth Thursdays: Open Art
The Crocker’s many arts and community partners are co-creators of these exchanges, programs, and happenings.
The Sacramento Hostel shows free movies every Wednesday night in the TV lounge, located in the basement of this historic Gold Rush-era mansion. The TV room is complete with several comfy couches and a 52-inch flat-screen TV.
We'll cook up some free popcorn and start playing the week's film at 7:30 p.m. All our guests are invited to come down and hang out!
If you're not visiting on a Wednesday, you can still get your film fix at the hostel -- guests can borrow DVDs from our free film library to use in the TV room or on their laptops.
Tuesdays, head to MiX Downtown for their weekly jazz night! At 6 p.m., the music kicks off in the rooftop lounge with the club's own "Singing Saxtress," Ava Lamert, followed by a different jazz musican each week.
Happy hour specials run til 7 p.m., and the week's featured band plays until 9 p.m. It's also Taco Tuesday, so help yourself to $2 chicken tacos from 4-10 p.m.!
Who doesn't love making ice cream sundaes!?
Come hang out with other travelers on our back patio, and get to know each other over some sweet treats. It's just $1 for ice cream.
Because really -- summer on the patio with ice cream? Yes, please.
Join Erinne and your fellow hostellers for a fun night out in the city! It could be Beer Olympics, Off the Grid food trucks, group outings to comedy clubs, or even karaoke! Each week is something new and exciting as San Francisco is full of opportunities to have a good time!
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.
Saturday afternoons, join Erinne and your fellow hostellers for a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, and a ferry ride back to the city.
The first stop is one of our bike rental partners, where we'll pick up bikes and helmets. Then we'll hit the road for a relaxing ride over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge -- an incredible experience for anyone!
From the bayside town of Sausalito, we'll take the ferry back to the city -- it's a mini bay-cruise past Alcatraz with great views of San Francisco the whole way.
Join us Tuesdays - Saturdays for a free movie screening in our awesome new theater-style TV lounge!
Grab a snack at Cafe Franco upstairs, and come hang with us for the film.
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel.
Hiding beneath Sacramento’s sidewalks is a network of underground walkways and spaces created when the city raised its streets to prevent flooding in the 1860s.
This hour-long seasonal tour, offered by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, takes you into the underground, revealing the once-first-floor doorways and windows that now lead into basements, brick retaining walls protecting buildings from the elevated roadways, and secret spaces once used for tiny underground shops.
Tours are offered Saturdays and Sundays, every half hour from 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., and on Thursdays and Fridays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m
Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Sacramento History Museum, or over the phone by calling (916) 808-7059.
Several other tours also depart from the history museum, including an architecture tour and one focused on the Gold Rush. These tours cost $7.
The Sausalito Farmers Market offers an abundance of locally grown and/or produced vegetables, fruits, organic products, gourmet cheese, herbs, seafood, meats, organic coffee, desserts, and wines, available right from the people who produce them.
This is the perfect spot to sample Marin County's agricultural bounty, grab fixings for a picnic, or stock up on groceries for your hostel stay.
The Farmers Market is held year-round at Dunphy Park.
Neighboring the Pillar Point Harbor, Sam's Chowder House is one of Half Moon Bay's most picturesque bars and seafood restaurants. This beachside spot boasts beautiful ocean views, from both the dining room and spacious outdoor patios.
Aside from serving food, Sam's presents live local music on Fridays from 5-9 p.m. (inside in the bar area), Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. (outside), and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. (outside). For a list of scheduled performers, visit samschowderhouse.com/news/music.html.
The regular menu prices will considerably lighten your wallet, but for the cost of a beer or cocktail you can stop in to hear the sounds and soak up the surroundings. Grab some fresh shellfish appetizers to share at the seafood bar on the patio, and lounge in Adirondack chairs while admiring the seaside sunset.
Open 365 days a year, The Old Princeton Landing is Princeton-by-the-Sea's nightspot for live music, dancing, and pool. Artists of all stripes -- from rock-a-billy bands to hip-hop artists -- take to the stage on Friday and Saturday nights, often with a minimal cover change.
On Tuesday nights, head down to the Landing, pony up $5, and battle the locals for cash and bragging rights in the weekly pool tournament. Sign-up is at 7 p.m., the tournament starts at 7:30.
Offering seaside dining since 1927, Nick's Restaurant at Rockaway Beach is a local institution with sweeping views of the Pacific. Stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the dining room, or head to the horseshoe bar in the cocktail lounge for drinks and appetizers.
On Friday and Saturday nights, Nick's features live music and dancing from 8 p.m. - midnight; check their website for upcoming performers.
Many San Francisco visitors have a trip to Napa somewhere on their itinerary. Wine Country, after all, is one highlight of the California experience.
But vino isn’t the only beverage to sample around here -- we'd hate to see you leave this fine city without tasting some of the locally brewed beer!
So head to the Downtown Hostel's second-floor lounge on Tuesday evenings, for light snacks and a rotating sampling of beer from local breweries like Lagunitas, Anchor Steam, Trumer Pils, and Speakeasy.
This event is open to all guests (ages 21 and over) at our three San Francisco hostels.
Join State Parks docents for a guided nature walk through Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve. Part of Pescadero State Beach, the marsh is the only extensive wetland along the coast of the San Francisco peninsula, and includes a complex of several habitats.
More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the marsh, including more than 60 that nest there, among them the Great Blue Heron. Species in the marsh listed under the Endangered Species Act include the San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, tidewater goby, steelhead trout, and Coho salmon.
Experience the Point Reyes Lighthouse as many keepers have over the years, watching as the lighthouse's beacon shines over the sea.
This popular ranger-led tour is available on Thursday to Monday, from mid-April through December. Start times vary depending on sunset. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round.
Space is limited. Call (415) 669-1534 after 10 a.m. on the day of the tour, for tour schedule and reservations.
Jesse takes you on a bike ride from Downtown San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back.
Stops include the Ferry Building, Fisherman's Wharf, Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, Crissy Field, The Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge.
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.
Join Anthony, our resident "tea master," as he shares various Chinese teas, explains their health benefits, some fun historical facts, and reveals some of the mysticism in San Francisco tea culture.
This is a great opportunity to meet fellow hostellers, relax, and enjoy the warmth of amazing teas!
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.
It's Mardi Gras all year long at the City Center Hostel!
Enjoy a warm and delicious New Orleans-style meal, while listening to jazz and folk tunes from The South! San Francisco has a great history and connection to New Orleans and Her food.
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.
Join us for a movie night showing of The Rock and enjoy FREE pizza. (The best kind of pizza, really).
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.
Join your fellow hostellers for a trip to one of San Francisco's oldest and most captivating neighborhoods: Chinatown.
Though it's only a few blocks away from our Downtown Hostel, Chinatown is another world unto itself, bustling with shops and buzzing with people. Explore hidden alleyways, sip various Chinese teas, see mysterious historic temples, and visit the famous San Francisco Fortune Cookie Factory.
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels. Please sign up in advance.
Our lobby at the City Center Hostel transforms into an old fashioned movie house every week! On Friday nights, zombie-walk down to the hostel cafe for our Midnight Movie Macabre!
Check out this week's campy '70s-'90s horror flick, projected onto a 6-foot-wide screen in Ivy's Place, and pretend to shield your eyes from the cheesy gore of The Lost Boys, Scream, or Tales From the Crypt, to name a few possibilities. Even better, we'll have popcorn, cookies and soda -- all for free!
This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.
This fantastic walking tour with our volunteer, Dave, is pretty fast paced so get those walking shoes ready for a historic stroll (or power walk) through San Francisco. Explore the city's most interesting hoods like downtown, nob hill and the financial district at a swift and spritely pace.
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.
Experience the Mission district like a true San Francisca local. Stop at Zeitgeist for a beer, hit up a thrift store where close are sold by the pound, check out the murals, eat at a taqueria, see the oldest building in San Francisco (hint, it's the mission) and end up in the best local park in the city, Dolores Park.
This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.
The Pescadero Opera Society presents its eight season of opera, food, friends, and community. The Pescadero Opera Society brings films of professional operas to opera lovers in Pescadero. This festive event combines potluck meals and kindred spirits. The film screenings begin with a potluck and socializing from noon to 2 p.m., when the opera begins. There is typically explication, commentary, and ample opportunity for visitors to learn about each opera.
The current season, which began with "Carmen" and featured "Amahl and the Night Visitors" in January will continue with "Salome" by Strauss on Feb. 15, "La Traviata" by Verdi on March 10, "Lohengrin" by Wagner on April 9, and "Il Trittico" by Puccini on May 14.
The Golden Gate Park Band has been playing free Sunday concerts in Golden Gate Park since 1882.
Their 2012 concert season (April 22 - October 7) runs the gamut from classical to circus music, opera to Americana, plus a wide range of ethnic music. The band collaborates regularly with various San Francisco ethnic and arts groups, who bring to the park their colorful costumes, dance groups, singers, and musicians.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic, and enjoy one of America's oldest professional concert bands in the magnificent surroundings of Golden Gate Park.
Sample the bounty of California's harvests straight from local farms at the weekly Farmers Markets near the hostel, May - October.
Tuesdays, it's in Roosevelt Park, 8 blocks from the hostel.
Wednesdays, it's at Cesar Chavez Plaza, 1 block from the hostel.
Thursdays, it's on the Capitol Mall at 6th Street, 9 blocks from the hostel.
Saturday, it's on Folsom and Sunrise Blvd.
Sunday, it's on 8th and W Street (under the freeway).
Certified Farmers Markets are an effort to re-establish the traditional link between farmers and consumers in California, by creating places where genuine farmers sell products they grow themselves directly to the public.
At these markets, farmers can offer field- and tree-ripened fruits and vegetables which are too delicate for the packing and shipping process of traditional food distribution systems. In addition, consumers are assured of obtaining only California-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh and in season, at a good price.
Once a stop on the First Transcontinental Railroad, Sacramento’s history with locomotives, train tracks, and engineers dates back nearly 150 years.
The California State Railroad Museum — one of Sacramento’s most popular tourist attractions — showcases that history, displaying 21 restored cars as well as various exhibits on all things rail-related.
And, since trains are much more fun to ride than look at, they offer seasonal steam train rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad line on weekends, April through September.
The six-mile, 40-minute trip runs along the levees of the Sacramento River while you take in the sights, sounds, and smells of old-fashioned train travel. Take a seat in either a vintage closed coach, an open-air gondola car, or a restored 1920s first-class observation car.
Trains depart hourly from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Depot is seven blocks from the museum itself, and train tickets are separate from the museum admission price ($9 admission for adults / $4 for kids ages 6-17). You don't need to visit the museum to ride the trains!
Coach and gondola seats on the train are $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6-17 (kids under 5 are free). First-class seats on the El Dorado car cost $15 per person. Train tickets are sold at the Depot, or online.
This summer, Cesar Chavez Plaza becomes the hottest Friday night music venue in Sacramento!
The Friday Night Concerts in the Park series runs from May to July, showcasing local artists in a range of genres including rock, pop, punk, blues, and folk. Acts vary by week -- the concert lineup as well as links to listen to upcoming artists is available online.
Music addicts and happy-hour junkies flock to these all-ages shows to enjoy live music, fresh air, good food, and the famous beer garden.
Pescadero Grown! is Pescadero's only farmer's market. Running May through November on Thursday evenings, this market brings fresh and local produce to the tiny town of Pescadero. The farms and ranches that provide goods at market are all within striking distance of Pescadero and La Honda -- from Tunitas Creek Road to the San Mateo County line and over to Skyline Drive.
This year's farmers market will feature an abundance of leafy vegetables, beans, meat, chicken, cheese, and fish, as well as cupcakes and fudge. As summer blooms, so too will the seasonal fruit selection! So bring a reusable bag and stock up on the freshest groceries to bring back to the hostel.
Celebrating its 67th year, the Marin County Fair is one of the biggest community events of the summer.
This year's fair celebrates American county fair traditions! And it wouldn't be a County Fair without the traditional fun and games: 28 carnival rides, games of skill and chance, nightly fireworks, loveable farm animals, and interactive exhibits. Come see artists and craftspeople compete for the blue ribbon in 800 categories ranging from baking and winemaking to photography and filmmaking.
Both Bay Area artists and popular retro bands perform throughout the event, see the fair website for details on these performances. Admission to all concerts is included in price of a fair ticket.
If you still haven't had enough after a full day of music, rides, and exhibits, stay for the fireworks, launching nightly at 9:30 p.m. Watch the sky above the fair illuminate with Roman candles, comets, meteoric showers, and bursting cascades of twinkling color.
Come down to the century-old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and listen to original artists and bands from the '60s, '70s, and '80s every Friday night from June 15 through August 31.
These free, seaside concerts will have you singing along and dancing in the sand to some of your favorite retro hits.
Get there before the show to explore the admission-free Boardwalk, which features both modern and classic thrill rides, restaurants, miniature golf, video game arcades, and family bowling, all located on a mile of sandy beach. A truly unique California experience!
Enjoy good music, good food, and good friends every Friday night from June 3 through August 26 at Sausalito Jazz and Blues by the Bay.
Breathtaking views of Angel Island and San Francisco are the backdrop to this weekly musical celebration.
Refreshments are available for purchase from local nonprofits, or bring your own picnic and soak up the Bay-side summer delights.
The Angel Island Company in Angel Island State Park has partnered with Lagunitas Brewing Co. and Hog Island Oyster Co. to present this series of summer weekend live music performances on the deck at the Cove Cantina, overlooking Ayala Cove near the island's ferry dock.
Saturdays and Sundays, the music is free, the beer is cold, and the oysters are fresh and delicious!
While you're there, explore the park, the former U.S. Immigration Station, and other historical sites on foot, by bike ($10/hour or $35/day rental), by shuttle ($5) or by tram ($13.50). There's plenty of hiking on the island, in addition to several secluded beaches.
At the Immigration Station, take a self-guided tour (daily) or opt for the guided experience ($7, offered Wednesdays - Sundays), and imagine what it was like for the many immigrants who were once detained here en route to California.
There's no direct ferry service from Sausalito to Angel Island -- drive out to Tiburon and take the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry from there ($13.50 round trip for adults), or get take the ferry (or drive) from Sausalito to San Francisco and catch the Blue and Gold Fleet boat from either Pier 41 or the SF Ferry Building ($16 round trip for adults).
Visit this French-style outdoor antique market and enjoy a Sunday stroll through aisles of interesting antiques, collectibles, books, vintage furniture, jewelry, retro décor, advertising, and a host of other items.
The market is open the second Sunday of every month from June - October -- and it's walking distance from the Marin County Farmers Market (one of the largest in California!).
A summer tradition for two decades, Film Night in the Park's outdoor summer film festival screens classic and newer movies in community parks across Marin County and San Francisco.
Nearly every Friday and Saturday night all summer long, a film is playing somewhere -- most often in San Anselmo's Creek Park, 15 miles north of the Marin Headlands Hostel.
Bring a blanket, have cash for popcorn, and expect a crowd! Check their website for the update-to-date movie schedule!
A beloved San Francisco tradition since 1938, the Stern Grove Festival presents free outdoor concerts every Sunday throughout the summer.
This is a big year for the festival -- this is their 75th season -- which will runs from June 24 through August 26, at the Sigmund Stern Grove, a beautiful meadow surrounded by towering eucalyptus and redwood trees. Before each concert, from noon to 1 p.m., take your family to the KidStage, where different activities such as learning to dance, play drums, or make a mural are featured each week.
This summer's line-up can be found here.
The Sacramento River Cats are the minor-league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They play at Raley Field, just across the Tower Bridge from downtown Sacramento.
Most Fridays throughout the season, team sponsor Toyota presents $1 hotdog and dessert nights -- and since tickets run as low as $7, you really can't go wrong!
Bring a blanket, buy a hot dog, and enjoy a classic American evening.
There are many other great home game promotions on special nights, such as Father's Day and the 4th of July. Check their website for more information.
Lunchtime in Sacramento just get a little hotter! This summer, the Friends of Fremont Park in Midtown have teamed up with Hot Italian again to present the Hot Lunch Concert Series! This free music series is presented on Thursdays from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm for fourteen weeks starting May 31st and running through August 30, 2012.
The free music is booked by promoter Jerry Perry and features professional, local talent and new this year, local mobile food vendors including Wicked Wich and Mama Kim's. Area office workers, parents with kids, and students on summer break are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Free bike and scooter parking is available.
The 2012 Hot Lunch Music Line Up
May 31 - Island of Black & White (blues/jam rock) with the special opening act: Leonardo Da Vinci Blues Band
June 7 - The Bell Boys (indie/hip hop/soul)
June 14 - Jonah Matranga (indie)
June 21 - Electro Poetic Coffee (neo-folk/jazz)
June 28 - KB & The Slingtones (honky tonk/rockabilly)
July 5 - The Hot Tar Roofers (bluegrass)
July 12 - Dog Party (pop/punk)
July 19 - Kepi Ghoulie (acoustic rock)
July 26 - The Freebadge Serenaders (banjo/washboard jazz)
Aug 2 - Survival Guide and Gabriella Ruiz (electronic/acoustic)
Aug 9 - Exquisite Corps (indie rock)
Aug 16 - Musical Charis (alternative pop)
Aug 23 - Walking Spanish and Parie Wood (americana/rock)
Aug 30 - Not An Airplane and Honyock (americana/folk)
Blending art and soul in one of the country's most unique neighborhoods, the Fillmore Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast, drawing 90,000 visitors over the Independence Day weekend.
From sun-up to sundown, visitors can groove to the sounds of live music from multiple stages, browse eight blocks of fine art and crafts, and enjoy gourmet food and beverages. From Asian to Cajun, paintings to pottery, old favorites and new directions, the Fillmore Jazz Festival is not to be missed.
For five decades, the award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe has presented socially relevant theater that enlightens, entertains, and provokes, with free outdoor performances of original productions that incorporate song, dance, music, and comedy.
This year, this Tony Award-winning company celebrates its 53rd season with For the Greater Good, or Last Election.
The troupe is playing at various parks in San Francisco and the Bay Area from July - September. They're in Dolores Park July 4 and 7-8. Tickets are free but some shows suggest a donnation.
Celebrate the USA's Independence Day on San Francisco's waterfront.
Enjoy an afternoon line-up of live entertainment at Pier 39 featuring local bands, leading up to a performance by Tainted Love from 6-9:30 p.m.
The celebration culminates with fireworks over the San Francisco Bay, beginning at 9:30 p.m. and visible from any spot along the northern waterfront.
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival returns to the historic Castro Theatre for its 16th year, presenting beautiful 35mm reels projected onto the Castro's enormous screen. Each screening features live musical accompaniment and often includes talks by film preservation experts, archivists, and historians who shine a light on the silent era.
The festival's film lineup is available online.
Step back in time as the Castro relives its early days, screening these silent gems as it did when it opened in 1922.
San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival presents more than 100 music, theater, dance, cultural, and children's events from May to October, all reflecting the rich cultures and creativity of the Bay Area.
The festival includes a series of one-hour Thursday lunchtime concerts, which invites music lovers to come out to the park and enjoy lunch with a side of jazz, world, or classical music.
Grab a picnic and a blanket to sit on, and groove.
Three times a month, all summer long, learn how to salsa, swing dance, or tango (or shake it like a pro) to some of the Bay Area's best Latin music.
An introductory lesson starts off the evening in Union Square, followed by an open dance floor with live music.
Join Yoga to the People teacher certified instructor, Diana, for an evening vinyasa yoga class. Relax and de-stress after a long day of sightseeing. Mats are provided on a first come, first serve basis. Meet in the common room.
This event is open to all 3 San Francisco hostels.
Join Yoga to the People teacher certified instructor, Lauren, for a morning vinyasa yoga class. Relax and de-stress after a long day of sightseeing. Mats are provided on a first come, first serve basis. Meet in the common room.
This event is open to all 3 San Francisco hostels.
Budget cuts in Sacramento aren't always a bad thing! The Downtown Sacramento Partnership has teamed up with downtown bars and restaurants to offer a special summer-long happy hour. Working hard and playing hard is a way of life in the Capitol City, and now, Wednesdays from June to August drink prices for the hard at work (or hard at play) just got a little bit happier. Different venues throughout downtown will be offering $2 beers, $3 glasses of wine, and $4 cocktails! Check the SDP website for information about the participating bars!
Cal Expo and the City and County of Sacramento produce the largest pyrotechnics display in the area.
Join the family-oriented Independence Day celebration, where there will be food, live music, and dancing in the grandstand followed by the spectacular fireworks display.Every summer, Sacramento's Cal Expo fairgrounds come alive as the California State Fair rolls into town. Hosting nearly one million visitors annually, this "city within a city" has been delighting visitors for 158 years with exhibits, competitions, fireworks, free concerts, and the Magnificent Midway.
The fair offers plenty of exhibits and attractions with true country flair, from livestock contests to rodeo competitions. Children can get a hands-on barnyard experience at the California Ranchland exhibit, which includes a petting farm, pedal tractor pull competitions, pony painting, a children's dairy center, and roping arena where your little ones can try out their cowpoke skills.
Kids of all ages flock to the fair’s Magnificent Midway, which boasts 55 carnival rides ranging from pulse-pounding thrillers to old-fashioned, kiddie classics. If the idea of a twirling carnival ride makes you a little green, you can still enjoy the Midway. Grab some traditional fair food (funnel cake, anyone?) and try your skills at any one of the game booths offered.
The California State Fair also presents free evening concerts and comedy shows, with retro favorites and up-and-coming stars alike gracing the main stage. General admission to concerts is included in admission, though special reserved "Gold Circle" tickets to these shows are available for $3 to $20, depending on the event. A concert lineup can be found here. Purchse advance discount tikcets here.
With additional entertainment including live thoroughbred horse racing, Motorcross demonstrations, Demolition Derby, wine and cheese tastings, nightly fireworks, and more, there's bound to be something for everyone.
The annual Fourth of July parade begins in downtown Sausalito at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Second and Main streets and ends at Dunphy Park. The parade is followed at noon by live music all day, as well as food, dancing, and family games.
Hungry hostellers can also make a stop at the Sparrow Creek Montessori School's 17th annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast fundraiser, held 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. The breakfast is at 304 Caledonia Street, which is on the parade route.
The grand finale to the fun filled celebration is the Fireworks Extravaganza at Gabrielson Park, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Witness the annual match of tug-of-war between Bolinas and Stinson over the channel that separates the two small beach towns.
Afterward, find a place on the sidewalk and watch the Independence Day Parade through downtown Bolinas.
Every summer, the Coast Miwok cultural exhibit village of Kule Loklo hosts a traditional Native American trade festival, where demonstrators show off their skills in basketry, flint knaping, clamshell bead making, and more.
Learn about Coast Miwok and other local Native American cultures and traditions, and watch traditional dancers. Crafts will be for sale.
Visit Wilder Ranch on July 4 and take a step 100 years back in time to participate in a 1911-style Independence Day celebration.
There will be a family parade at noon, games, a children's crafts area, live big-band music, living history demonstrations, historic speeches, and a flag ceremony.
Food and drink will be for sale, or bring a picnic lunch!
Hang out on the lawn with your lunch and take a break from the day's events, then check out the rest of the state park and cultural preserve, including a heritage garden and farm animal area, historic ranch buildings, Ben Lomond Mountain, and Wilder Ranch State Beach.
What better place to celebrate the USA's Independence Day than on the scenic California coast?
Head to Half Moon Bay's Main Street for an old-fashioned 4th of July parade, complete with floats, music, antique cars, and equestrian riders. The parade is followed by a town picnic.
Head to Pillar Point Harbor to catch the traditional fireworks, which illuminate the sky right after sunset.
Hey hostellers! Our three San Francisco hostels are doing it up right for the 4th of July, with a rooftop BBQ and '80s dance party! America's Independence Day is a major holiday, and traditionally consists of grilled food, beer, fireworks, parades, and endless vistas of red, white, and blue. So put on your blue jeans, white shirt, and red bandana and get ready for some classic Springsteen, because the San Francisco hostels are throwing down in a big way!
The BBQ and dance party (with a DJ spinning '80s dance tunes and Dance Dance Revolution) will be held on the rooftop of the Cova Hotel, right next door to the City Center Hostel. We'll dish up classic BBQ fare and adult beverages from 4-8 p.m. Then at 7:30, we'll lead you on a pub crawl to the top of Polk Street, where we'll glimpse the fireworks and take some apple pie-flavored shots. Yep, those exist. And don't knock it till you try it! The party is free and open to all guests at our San Francisco hostels.
On July 31, meet up at Public Works in the Mission for our next edition of Travel Tavern! This time we're bringing together a panel of people whose art, craft, or activism have taken them on tours around the country or around the world. Join our diverse group of panelists to share stories of independent, DIY touring with limited resources but plenty of passion.
Stick around after the panel for an informal cocktail reception, and chat with panelists and fellow wanderers for more inspiration. Traveling is more than a hobby -- it can be a way of life! At this Travel Tavern we'll swap tips and tricks for taking your act on the road.
Panelists:Hosted by Hostelling International, Travel Tavern is a quarterly series of community meet-ups for people who love to wander the world.
Anthony Jones has been part of the gothic/industrial music subculture for 17 years. He's collaborated and toured with major musical artists from this scene, and has had the pleasure of also being involved in folk and world music projects. A classical pianist, Anthony primarily composes for piano and voice and then arranges his material for various instruments, adding electronics afterwards. His vocals range from singer-songwriter pop to ethereal chants, which are greatly inspired by his study of Byzantine music. A first-generation American with Greek heritage, Anthony’s exposure to Greek music, especially in the Greek Orthodox Church, became a great catalyst for his desire to express himself through music. Anthony attended seminary and traveled to many monasteries of different spiritual traditions, learning their sacred music and instruments, which he would often fuse into his own compositions. He's been a member of three bands, released four international albums, and has been featured on soundtracks and collaborative releases. Anthony’s solo album, VIKTORIAN: Descent Into Darkness, features many organic Chinese instruments and was written after his separation from his partner of eight years. His rendition of "Shoulder to the Wheel" became a huge club hit in 2011 and was featured on many "Best Of" club releases. He’s currently finishing a neo-folk album, GUARDIAN of the WOLF, which features vocals and organic instrumentation from Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, and Norway. deathastheirway.com
Voted Best of the Bay by the San Francisco Bay Guardian Reader's Poll, Christian Cagigal has been an actor, writer, and magician around the Bay Area for 14 years. Since 2006, he's been performing his unique brand of “slightly creepy” magic and theatre as an artist in residence at San Francisco's EXIT Theatre, with his popular show The Pandora Experiment, the long-running Obscura, and the critically acclaimed Now and at the Hour. Christian produced the premiere of Now and at the Hour in 2009 at New York's FRIGID Festival, where he met the owner of Beyond the Mountain, a Montreal-based independent theater company. BTM offered to fully produce Christian's show in Montreal; on his way back from Montreal he stopped in Chicago where, working off of friends and connections, he booked his show at the Gorilla Tango. Thus began his independent touring career. Christian is in the process of creating his own tour circuit by making connections with venues across the country. He's also working on the documentary performance film of Now and at the Hour, directed by H.P. Mendoza (Colma the Musical, Fruit Fly). Christian has consulted for American Conservatory Theatre's MFA program, Crowded Fire Theatre Company, Marin Shakespeare Company, and The San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour (as seen on the Travel Channel). To learn more about Christian Cagigal visit christiancagigal.com
Molly Benson has been working as a stage, film, and voiceover actress in Los Angeles and the Bay Area for over 10 years. A graduate from Oberlin College in 2001, she promptly moved to L.A. and began the grueling task of becoming a working actress. She has worked with Word for Word, Theatreworks, the sketch comedy groups Killing My Lobster and Old Man Buckle, Atmostheatre, Dark Porch Theatre, No Nude Men, Town Hall Theatre, Theatre Pub, and Theatre Rhinoceros, to name a few. This past spring she toured around the Bay Area and France with the Word for Word Performing Arts Company. Founded in 1993 by JoAnne Winter and Susan Harloe, Word for Word's mission is to take classic and contemporary fiction, mainly short stories, off the page and onto the stage. They've been taking their shows to France for the past 17 years, to cities such as Nancy, Nantes, Angers, and Paris. The story on this particular tour was T.C. Boyle's Sorry Fugu, about a restaurateur and a food critic. When the international leg of the tour began, everyone involved with the show shared the responsibility of transporting all the costumes, props, and the set in their airplane luggage. While on tour, Molly's job was that of a traveling actor turned stagehand; in addition to performing, she helped carry, pack, and unpack for each show in the different towns. mollyrbenson.com
Dale Tegman is a travel and leisure writer whose Frequency Hopper and Delta Magnet blogs have attracted thousands of readers worldwide. He moved to San Francisco in the early 1990s and became one of the era's "Club Kids," nightlifing regularly with luminaries like Richie Rich, Matmos, Jerome Caja, and Justin Bond. He rode the wave of dot.com successes later in that decade as a member of the start-up team for a website that became Travelocity.com. In the oughts, he hosted Nob Hill Rookies, an amateur strip competition for which he provided stand-up and sketch comedy. He organized San Francisco's first Gay Adult Film and Video Festival, where he conducted the first webcast interview of director Wakefield Poole. He has been a regular contributor to Flavorpill and San Francisco Art Magazine and recently wrote the nightlife section for Louis Vuitton's Guide to San Francisco. Currently, he is working for Les Concierges, a corporate travel advisory and booking service, on behalf of the employees of Apple Computer.
Getting There
Public Works is at 161 Erie Street (off Mission Street, between 14th and Duboce)
BART: To 16th Street station and walk 2 blocks north.
MUNI: 14 or 49 to 14th Street, or 22 or 33 to 16th and Mission.
PARKING: Street parking is free after 6 p.m.; there's a paid lot on 14th between Mission and Valencia.
Co-presented by our friends at Meet Plan Go!
More than two dozen mobile food vendors plan to descend onto 8th and W streets, the site of Sacramento's Sunday farmer's market, for Sacto MoFo 5! The 30+ vendors and trucks will make it the largest celebration of mobile food so far in Sacramento. (Yum!)
There will be activities for kids and families (and don't forget, Southside Park, and the best public playground in Sacramento, are just across the street to the north of the event location), including crafts and facepainting, and enough choices of food and drink to satisfy even the pickiest eater - and enough to make any serious foodie swoon, and live music throughout the event!
SactoMoFo 5 is also a food drive for Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, so please bring canned and other packaged food items to donate; there will be large blue donation bins throughout the event space.
Plans also call for a beer garden highlighting local craft beers and microbreweries! Check the Facebook event page for more details.
Join us at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel for a free travel education workshop specifically designed for women traveling solo.
Our travel education workshops offer tips on research and planning, budgeting, packing light, and saving money, in addition to ideas and advice in line with the workshop's specific focus -- all with the hope that you'll go on to explore the world with an open mind, cultural sensitivity, and environmental awareness.
Women Traveling Solo is a workshop for women of all ages who are planning to travel by themselves for the first time, or who are looking for smart tips on how to add more value and independence to their solo travel adventures.
This workshop will be delivered by Megan Seelie, a native Ohioan who learned the awesome power of her passport at the age of 15. She has since traveled overland through China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, sailed around the Bahamian Islands, traversed the Australian coast in her Volvo, and trekked through Europe. Her solo journeys include moving to China and backpacking across Japan, Europe, and New Zealand.
She recently hitchhiked from Anchorage, Alaska, back to San Francisco, the city she now calls home. When Megan is not traversing the globe she spends her time surfing, cycling, freelance writing, and graphic designing.
San Francisco's Sunday Streets is modeled after the Colombian tradition of Ciclovia, which means "bike path" in Spanish. Every Sunday in that country, more than 70 miles of roads are closed to cars and 1.5 million runners, walkers, skaters, and cyclists hit the streets.
In 2008, San Francisco brought Ciclovia to the city, closing off selected roads on two Sundays. The events were a big success, drawing 30,000 people. This year, varying streets will be closed every one Sunday a month from March through October. (Usually the 2nd Sunday.)
March 11, this year's festivities kick off along the Embarcadero from Fisherman's Wharf to Mission Bay.
April 15, it runs along the Great Highway and Golden Gate Park, introducing a new route through the park.
May 6, it's in the Mission, centered at Valencia and 24th streets.
June 3, the Mission.
July 1, the Mission.
July 22, Bayview.
August 5, the Mission.
August TBD, Chinatown.
September 9, streets are closed in the Western Addition/North of the Panhandle/Alamo Square.
October 21, Outer Mission/Excelsoir District.
See the website for more details on each date -- maps outlining the closed streets are usually posted a few weeks before each event.
No matter which Sunday Street you attend, expect plenty of fun activities. Some of the highlights from previous Sunday Streets include skate dance demos inspired by Slumdog Millionaire, bike rentals, live bands and street performers, yoga and tai chi, as well as kid-friendly activities like carnival games, slides, and a climbing wall. Sunday Streets are also just a great chance to explore San Francisco neighborhoods in a relaxed, car-free atmosphere.
Now in its fourth incarnation, LAUNCH is a multidisciplinary arts festival that takes place over six days in mid and downtown Sacramento. LAUNCH was intended to mix different media and celebrate music, art, fashion, design and architecture; the festival is a product of Sacramento's burgeoning creative community, and it is curated by some of the brightest artists in and around Sacramento. This citywide event is a platform to elevate and inspire (and launch) the Sacramento region's creative talent.
Starting on July 23, LAUNCH will take over Hot Italian with a pop-up shop by Model Citizens NYC, an independent group of furniture and industrial designers. On the 24th, Bows & Arrows will screen three independent silent films accompanied by live music. On the 25th, Exquisite Corps will host an album-release party and local architects will create installations out of recycled cardboard along the street. The festivities continue on Thursday, the 26th, when Ace of Spades will have a live digital-art battle with New York's Cut&Paste. And on Friday, July 27, the festival culminates with an evening fashion show. There are more activities and festivities to check out during this weeklong celebration of Sacramento's creative community; see the LAUNCH website for the full schedule and complete event details.
On the second Saturday of each month, galleries in Sacramento stay open for a Sacramento Art Walk late into the evening, allowing people to walk from gallery to gallery, viewing, experiencing, and discovering local art and meeting artists.
While galleries all over Sacramento participate, most are clustered in two main areas: Midtown Sacramento and along Del Paso Boulevard in the Uptown Art District (the number of Downtown galleries is also growing). These areas support thriving arts communities, and the venues' close proximity, walkable streets, interesting boutiques, and many restaurants make for an enjoyable, leisurely walk.
Held annually in San Francisco's Japantown, the Nihonmachi Street Fair is a two day celebration of Asian American culture. In 1973, this festival started off as a small four-booth commemoration of cultural heritage and platform for community outreach. Now in its 39th year, the Nihonmachi has expanded significantly and is expected to draw around 30,000 visitors. At this festival, you will find multiple music stages, Asian artisans, non-profit information tables, various types of Asian cuisine, and children’s crafts and games.
The Point Reyes Farmers Market offers an abundance of locally grown and/or produced vegetables, fruits, organic products, gourmet cheese, herbs, seafood, meats, organic coffee, desserts, and wines, available right from the people who produce them.
This is the perfect spot to sample Marin County's agricultural bounty, grab fixings for a picnic, or stock up on groceries for your hostel stay.
Aside from fresh organic produce, the market boasts demonstrations by guest chefs, live music, and activities such as pie baking/eating contests, seed swaps, and "ugly produce" contests.
The Point Reyes Farmers Market is held on Saturdays from June to early November in Point Reyes Station.Fiesta en la Calle is a new summertime concert series held at Cesar Chavez Plaza in Sacramento. With its weekly free shows, this festival aims to represent modern Latino music culture in a wide range of genres. On August 4th and 11th, Fiesta en la Calle will round off its second season with two last performances that will feature Mexican rock, Latin jazz, Guatemalan ska, a Santana tribute band, and more!
Take a step back in time during Old Sacramento's third annual Time Travel Weekend! During the summer, visitors to Old Sacramento will enjoy lively and interactive street theatre with a rotating theme. The streets of Old Sacramento will come to life with talented performers who put on spontaneous and often-elaborate skits and performances that celebate the 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s.
Special performances are scheduled on four stages located throughout Old Sacramento including in the Eagle Theatre, Victorian Academy (north end of Train Depot), Pioneer Park, and Waterfront Park.
Schedule:
Jul 7-July 8: American Independence: Picnic Games, Pageantry, Declaration of Independence Reading, Little Patriots’ Parades
Jul 14-July 15: Heroes & Villains: Melodrama and Darling Damsels in Distress
Jul 21-July 22: A People at Play: Victorian Pastimes
Jul 28-July 29: Politicians, Patent Medicine men, and other Purveyors of Pomposity
Aug 4-Aug 5: Founders of Sacramento: featuring Sam Brannan and The Founding of Sacramento Pageant, Road Raising debates
Aug 11-Aug 12: A People at Play: Victorian Pastimes
Aug 18-Aug 19: Civil War In Sacramento: The Union Stronghold of the West
Aug 25-Aug 26: Pioneer Skills: Mountain Men
Start your day with a beginners Tai Chi class with Angus every morning Friday. The meditative movements of Tai Chi can reduce tension, increase flexibility and strength, and improve circulation and balance. Dress appropriately as this class is outside.
This is open to guests of all 3 San Francisco hostels.
Start your day with a beginners Tai Chi class with Angus every morning Friday. The meditative movements of Tai Chi can reduce tension, increase flexibility and strength, and improve circulation and balance. Dress appropriately as this class is outside.
This is open to guests of all 3 San Francisco hostels.
Pasta is a backpacker staple – it's cheap, it's easy, and it soaks up the booze in your belly! Join us before our big pub crawl on Thursday nights for a free pasta dinner in our own Cafe Franco!
Do you wake up in the morning and feel like P Diddy? No worries! A free pancake breakfast will fix you right up and get you ready to bike the bridge and explore SF.