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 and Firehouse 5 (respectively). 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.

Vipassana, or mindfulness meditation, was first taught by the Buddha 2,500 years ago. In this style of meditation, widespread today in Southeast Asia and increasingly popular in the West, one learns to watch what arises without judgment or reaction.

In so doing, the mind can become clear and steady, and we begin to see things as they really are, without the distortion of our hopes, fears and confusion. Some apply mindfulness to reduce stress and control pain, and many find the practice a help with daily life, but the Buddha's purpose was clear: this way of seeing leads to freedom from suffering.

Coastside Vipassana meets at the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel on Wednesday evenings, for meditation and a dhamma talk from a visiting teacher. Everyone is welcome -- the merely curious, the earnest beginner, or the dedicated practitioner.

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 Friday and Sunday evening (beginning at 6:30 and 5 pm, respectively) 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.

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:

• Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour, special 2-hour tour runs only the third Saturday of the month
• Rock and Roll History and Pub Crawl, special summer tour runs every Friday, May - August
• Kids Meet the City, a tour of California history especially for kids
• Tales of the Central City, an overview of early Sacramento history
• Structural Stories, local examples of historical architecture styles
• Art Is All Around Us, a tour of Sacramento's collection of art in public places
• Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, about K Street commerce, growth, and redevelopment
• The Art of Terra Cotta, an architecture tour featuring local clay artisan Gladding McBean

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.

Wander through the lush gardens and along the grand avenues of the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, the resting place of many remarkable Californians. Established in 1849 and designed to resemble a Victorian garden, the City Cemetery is an outdoor museum recording California history from the Gold Rush Era through today.

Docents provide free guided walking tours every other Saturday; go here for a list of upcoming tours. You can also take a self-guided tour during regular hours.

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.

View Tule elk through binoculars and scopes at the Point Reyes National Seashore, weekends and holidays, July through September.

Docents will be stationed at the Tomales Point Trailhead from 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and at Windy Gap (1 mile north along the Tomales Point Trail) from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Look through the docents' binoculars and spotting scopes, and get a closer look at the Tule elk during their mating season. Feel free to ask the docents questions about these majestic animals.

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.

Take advantage of "Pay What You Wish Day" every Sunday morning at the Crocker Art Museum. 

Established in 1885 and expanded in 2010, the Crocker Art Museum is one of Northern California's largest and best museums of regional artists. The collection spans from the 10th century to contemporary periods and includes a stunning collection of European master drawings and a notable selection of contemporary California art. Museum programs include touring exhibitions, educational programs, public tours, and concerts.

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.

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.

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.

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!).

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.

Each Thursday evening offers an engaging encounter with art, ideas, and people.

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.

Any Tuesday night, gather up a few hostel friends, pick out an awesome quiz team name, and head down to the Fox and Goose Pub to test your brain power!

The trivia quiz includes four rounds of eight questions -- with plenty of time in between to order a round or two.

Know every European capitol city? Lyrics to a few obscure Paula Abdul hits? You'll be a quiz all-star.

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.!

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 Monday through Wednesday at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., and Thursdays through Sundays every half hour from 10:30 a.m. till 3 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.

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.

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.

Experience the Mission District like a true San Francisco local. Stop at Zeitgeist for a beer, hit up a thrift store where clothes 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 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.

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. 

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).

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.

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.

Like chili? Head to Dunphy Park in Sausalito for a full afternoon of chili sampling!

It's the 34th annual Sausalito Chili Cookoff, where each bowl is unique and original -- and you get to judge the best!

If nothing else, your belly will be happy.

The Pacific Coast Fogfest is a two-day arts and music festival celebrating the sun, sand, and surf that define life on the coast.

Held in Pacifica, this free event kicks off Saturday morning with a parade, marching band competition, and sand castle contest. Festivities continue through the weekend with arts and crafts vendors, live music, tasty food and drink, and kids' activities.

The annual World Veg Festival, now in its 13th year, is a weekend-long celebration of vegetarian living held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. This year, the festival willbe held in junction with the International Vegetarian Congress.

Started in 1974 by Harvey Milk, San Francisco's Castro Street Fair is a community festival showcasing local artists, craftspeople, businesses, and community organizations, all celebrating the diversity of the neighborhood.

Stretching across five stages and three meadows in Golden Gate Park, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is a free, three-day concert unlike any other music festival in the world!

Funded by Bay Area billionaire Warren Hellman, and celebrating its 12th anniversary, the festival is a favorite for both well-known headliners and bands on the rise. And while Hellman himself was a bluegrass aficionado, musicians of all stripes flock to this event for the chance to perform in one of America's greatest parks, creating one of the most musically diverse line-ups you’ll find anywhere.

The slate of performers for the 2012 festival includes Elvis Costello Solo, Jesse Winchester, Patterson Hood and the Downtown Rumblers, Luther Dickinson and the Wandering, Lloyd Cole, John Reilly and Friends (featuring Becky Stark and Tom Brosseau), The Head and the Heart, Allison Moorer, Kieran Kane, The Del McCoury Band, and many, many more! Check the website for performance schedules or follow Hardly Strictly Bluegrass on Facebook for updates and other information.

Get there early to stake your claim on prime space. Bring a blanket and pack provisions to last you for the day, including a beer cooler if you’re so inclined. Alcohol will not be for sale at the festival, but those 21+ are welcome to BYOB. Also, be prepared for a trek though the park (no shuttles will be running), and expect transit delays. The best strategy is probably to bike in.

San Francisco's Fleet Week is an annual opportunity for Northern Californians to honor the men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Thousands of crewmembers on visiting ships arrive in San Francisco on October 6. The annual Parade of Navy Ships from the Golden Gate Bridge to various piers happens October 8, and there are four days of free public ship tours from October 8-10.

The famous aerial demonstrations by the Navy Blue Angels will take place on October 5, 6, and 7. Festivities also include concerts in various city parks and a free Navy In Space exhibit at Fort Mason. Also, don't miss the America's Cup races happening in the San Francisco Bay that same weekend! 

On October 27, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area hosts a community celebration at the Marin Headlands Visitor Center to commemorate their 40th anniversary. Festivities include brief talks from the superintendent and "early pioneers" involved in the creation of the park, birthday cake, a historical exhibit from the park archives, and a self-paced hiked through the Marin Headlands.

The hike will be available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with interpretive stops staffed with NPS guides along the way. It's a great opportunity to experience the natural wonders of the Marin Headlands, a special area that was protected from housing development projects by the GGNRA.

In 1972 President Richard Nixon signed a bill that allocated funds for the creation of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The GGNRA is a unique and expansive park. It is not one continuous locale -- like most National Parks -- but rather a collection of various parks that total over 80,000 acres. It stretches from San Mateo County in the south to Marin County in the north and includes many areas in San Francisco.

The GGNRA is one of the largest urban parks in the world and includes famous tourist attractions such as Muir Woods and Alcatraz. The park also spans California military history, with sites ranging from early Spanish settlements to Cold War-era Nike missiles. Home to some 1,200 plant and animal species, the park is a natural haven as well as an anthropological site.  

Join the movers and shakers behind the career break movement and get inspired to take your own trip! The third annual nationwide meet-up of Meet, Plan, Go! is happening at the Bryant Street Sports Basement on October 16.

MPG envisions a world where the term "career break" (think long-term sabbatical or studying abroad for mid-career professionals) is a part of everyone's career strategy. At their annual meet-ups, like-minded individuals meet and greet, learn tips and tricks to get their own career break off the ground, and become motivated to actually go!

This year MPG's nationwide meet-up will be held in ten cities across North America. The format of this meet-up is structured a little differently from previous years, with more emphasis on discussing resources and information related to extended travel.

The San Francisco meet-up is divided into two sections; there are keynote speakers for the first half, and then the remainder of the night is devoted to "breakout sessions" led by local travel experts.

Discussion topics include packing tips, saving money, finding volunteer opportunities, planning a purposeful itinerary, and choosing the right insurance.

The career break movement is growing rapidly and Hostelling International USA is a proud sponsor of the nationwide Meet, Plan, Go! event.  

Located in the coastal wilderness of the Marin Headlands in historic Fort Barry, the Headlands Center for the Arts provides artists' residencies and public programs that aim to create a nurturing environment for the development of new artistic work and ideas.

Just three times per year, the Center offers a free Open House, inviting visitors behind the studio doors of its renowned Artist in Residence program to witness the creative process of writers, musicians, dancers, choreographers, and visual artists of all kinds.

Come listen to fiction and non-fiction readings, discuss works-in-progress with artists, and see musical and dance performances, while exploring the Center's historic buildings.

A special kick-off event for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off pits gargantuan gourds against each other, with thousands of dollars in cash prizes at stake.

Get up early and head over to see a host of accomplished, veteran growers from throughout the West contend for the coveted title and a hefty share of about $20,000 in prize money.

In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner takes away $6 per pound for the champion pumpkin. In 2010 grower Ron Root took home the grand prize -- and $10,210 in prize money -- with his gargantuan 1,535-pound pumpkin.

The "World Pumpkin Capital" of Half Moon Bay celebrates its bountiful fall harvest and autumn splendor with a spectacular lineup paying homage to the Great Gourd.

Now in its 42nd year, the festival includes a special display of massive weigh-off champion pumpkins, three stages of live entertainment, the Great Pumpkin Parade, a Haunted House, harvest-inspired crafts, homestyle foods, expert pumpkin carvers, photos with the grand champion gourd, and pie-eating and costume contests.

It's all about pumpkin cuisine at this festival, with numerous locally grown and produced culinary treats available. Take your pick from pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin sausage, or macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds. If you're looking for something outside the pumpkin patch, try hearty stews of local artichokes and Brussels sprouts, tamales, corn-on-the-cob, roasted turkey drumsticks, fried calamari, clam chowder, and lots more.

Enjoy Half Moon Bay Winery's festival-label Syrah and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company's Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale, brewed with a variety of pale and crystal malts and pumpkin pulp.

The bite of autumn is in the air, the leaves are changing their colors… time to pick out that perfect pumpkin from a real patch!

The entire month of October, Nicasio Valley Farms -- a locally owned, certified organic farm -- celebrates harvest season at their pumpkin patch. Bring the little ones to pick out their own future jack-o-lantern, and then enjoy family friendly activities ranging from the traditional (hay rides and mazes) to the more modern (bouncy houses and slides). Farm animals, a produce stand, and educational exhibits and activities round out the festivities.

Ahoy, there! The tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain is returning to Sacramento on October 10! While the ship is in port, the crew will conduct walk-on dockside tours which are open to the public.

Experience the Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival, featuring performances from India, Spain, Zimbabwe, and six other countries.

The 2nd annual Midtown Arts Festival is all about falling for art during the magical month of ARTober!

This free, outdoor art festival will feature performance programs on two stages, artist and craft vendor booths, a Kid's Arts Area, and interactive arts activities. Visual, performance, experimental, and every other style of art and artistic medium will be represented at this celebration of the vibrant creative community in Sacramento.

Past performing artists included the Sacramento Ballet, B Street Theatre, Capital Stage, The Sacramento Philharmonic, The Sacramento Comedy Spot, Pamela Hayes Classical Ballet, and many more.

This year, the Midtown Arts Festival is adding something extra special -- a liquid art form! UNTAPPED, a craft beer area which will highlight brewers in the Sacramento and Northern California regions, will serve adult beverages during the festival. 

It's America's Cup season this October and the Fisherman's Wharf Hostel is celebrating with a breakfast and watch party!

Get fueled up for a day at the races with a free brunch! We'll pull out all the stops to make you a breakfast that's fit for champions. Go team Oracle!   

An event unlike any other in San Francisco (dare we say the world!) this annual literary festival brings together writers from all over the country for readings and panel discussions in all sorts of oddball places across the city. Some events are free, but others require a ticket. Check their schedule of events for more details. 

Inspired by a report that found San Franciscans spend twice as much on books and booze than any other city, the festival concludes with a riotous epilogue of readings and bar crawls in the Mission District. The closing night event is called Litcrawl and it's free to the literate public. 

Fall on the Coastside means many wonderful things — the air is crisp, the landscape is bursting with ripe pumpkins, and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel is decked out for Halloween!

Now in its 10th year, the annual Haunted Hostel Halloween is more spooktacular than ever before. A festival that celebrates the joys of face paint and fun-sized candy, HHHX features giant puppets, games and activities, a spread of holiday snacks.

This year also marks the grand opening of the Enchanted Bosk, a haunted forest featuring the "Sea Serpent's Grotto" and the "Dragon's Lair," an expansion of the "Monster's Lair" that has outgrown it's traditional home in the Fog Signal Building.

This whimsical Halloween fantasy experience has something for everyone, so grab your witch's broom or vampire teeth and enjoy an afternoon of spooky, sweet fun for the trick-or-treater in all of us!  

Fall on the Coastside means many wonderful things — the air is crisp, the landscape is bursting with ripe pumpkins, and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel is decked out for Halloween!

Now in its 10th year, the annual Haunted Hostel Halloween is more spooktacular than ever before. A festival that celebrates the joys of face paint and fun-sized candy, HHHX features giant puppets, games and activities, a spread of holiday snacks, and live music by Les Monstres.

This year also marks the grand opening of the Enchanted Bosk, a haunted forest featuring the "Sea Serpent's Grotto" and the "Dragon's Lair," an expansion of the "Monster's Lair" that has outgrown it's traditional home in the Fog Signal Building.

This whimsical Halloween fantasy experience has something for everyone, so grab your witch's broom or vampire teeth and enjoy an afternoon of spooky, sweet fun for the trick-or-treater in all of us!  

The bite of autumn is in the air, the leaves are changing their colors… time to pick out that perfect pumpkin from a real patch!

The entire month of October, Nicasio Valley Farms -- a locally owned, certified organic farm -- celebrates harvest season at their pumpkin patch. Bring the little ones to pick out their own future jack-o-lantern, and then enjoy family friendly activities ranging from the traditional (hay rides and mazes) to the more modern (bouncy houses and slides). Farm animals, a produce stand, and educational exhibits and activities round out the festivities.

San Francisco's Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) annually hosts a thematic exhibition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altars -- both traditional and modern -- running October through November.

On November 2, the center holds a reception for the exhibition, celebrating this year's theme "La Muerte en Plan Pages/ Death on the Installment Plan," an attempt to "guide some of those souls that have lost their way in the journey, support the souls who have lingered, and to nurture the spirits beginning their returns back to the spirit realm."

The celebration includes a sugar skull demonstration, performances by Danza Azteca and Pan de Muertos, mask making, face painting, and more.

San Francisco's American Indian Film Festival is one of the nation's most prominent outlets for Native American films.

Since its beginning in 1975, the festival has encouraged Native and non-Native filmmakers to bring to the broader media culture the Native voices, viewpoints, and stories that have been historically excluded from mainstream media. It aims to develop Indian and non-Indian audiences for this work, and to advocate tirelessly for authentic representations of Indians in the media.
 
Now in its 37th year, this nine-day festival premieres more than 70 new feature films, documentaries, shorts, PSAs, and music videos by and about American Indian and Canadian First Nation communities.

Come out to the Dance Palace Community Center in Point Reyes Station for a community Day of the Dead celebration.

For over 3,000 years, the indigenous people who lived in Mexico, the Southwest, and California have celebrated a ritual honoring the dead. Over time, this ritual became known as Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. It is a celebration of life -- a time to share the memories of those who have impacted your life through arts and crafts, music, stories, and food. Festivities also include participatory art workshops and a troop of Aztec dancers.

An 'old-fashioned' Halloween gathering for staff, guests, and community partners.

We shall have pumpkin carving, trick-o-treating, a dj spinning tunes, sweet snacks, fortune telling, drink specials at Ivy's, and a screening of a classic horror film at 10:30 pm in the lobby.

Costumes are strongly encouraged!