Kid-Friendly (And Cheap!) Weekend Adventures in the Bay Area

Written by Bill Zavestoski

Sometimes all it takes is a little planning to have a great family outing. When routine exploits just aren’t cutting it anymore, shake things up by exploring new terrain, taking in an exhibition, or visiting a landmark and learning a little something about our local history. Here are awesome events to attend and places to visit around town before fall ends. Best part? All of them can be done on the cheap and on one tank of gas—or less!

The Marine Mammal Center

2000 Bunker Rd,

Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 289-7325

Why Go? On a one-hour docent-led tour of the Marine Mammal Center, family members can check out the center's exhibits and viewing areas while the tour guide provides insights into the work done there and shares stories about the recovering seal and sea lion patients. An average of about 600 distressed animals are aided annually.

Insider Tip: If you prefer to go at your own pace and still learn a great deal about the work being done at the center, rent an audio headset in the gift shop and make the stops in any order you choose. Docents along the stops will be able to answer any additional questions you may have. Cost is the same as the docent-led version.

Must Do: It's not comparable to the flashy shows at a place like SeaWorld, but the observation deck above the 20 or so enclosures allows you to look down into the holding pools where the sea lions and seals are recovering.

The Fine Print: Tours are $9 for adults and $5 for youth (5-17) and seniors (65+). The center's website (marinemammalcenter.org) has a flier with a $2 off coupon that you can download. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the docent-led tours offered Mondays and Fridays at 1 and 3 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. through Nov. 22. This schedule also will be in effect Thanksgiving week, though the center is closed on Thanksgiving Day and on Nov. 2. Online registration is recommended.

Take a Ferry to Angel Island

Take the family for a ferry ride from Tiburon over to the state park on Angel Island and spend a day exploring San Francisco Bay's biggest land mass. After taking in the San Francisco skyline on the way to the island, rent a bike (you can bring your own on the ferry for just a dollar), hike the scenic trails or take a tram ride around the island.

Why Go? Kids will enjoy the ferry ride and exploring the island whether on foot or by some mechanical means. One of the major attractions and a great history lesson is a stop at the U.S. Immigration Station on Angel Island, in operation from 1910-1940 and San Francisco's answer to New York's Ellis Island.

Insider Tip: You have a choice of a guided or self-guide tour of the immigration station, which is about a mile walk from the ferry landing. If you feel your kids would have little interest in what's in the barracks where immigrants from around the world were detained, there's no charge just to walk the grounds outside the complex.

Must Do: Leave time either before the ride to Angel Island or upon your return to check out the shops, galleries, restaurants and historical buildings in Tiburon. It's a completely different world from what you'll find on the island.

The Fine Print: The ferry landing in Tiburon is at 21 Main St., and there is paid parking nearby. The round-trip fare, which includes the Angel Island State Park admission fee, is $13.50 for teens and adults, $11.50 for youngsters 6-12, $3.50 for kids 3-5, and free to those under 3 with a paid adult fare. Weekend service runs hourly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October and at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in November and December. Call the ferry service at (415) 435-2131 or check its website at angelislandferry.com for more information.

Jelly Belly Factory Tour

1 Jelly Belly Lane

Fairfield, CA 94534

You don't have to be a kid and it doesn't have to be Easter to enjoy jelly beans, as President Reagan proved with his love for the sweet treats, especially the Jelly Belly, which touts itself as “the original gourmet jelly bean.” Did you know that the headquarters for the company is just up the road in Fairfield, and that free tours that include scrumptious samples are available?

Why Go: During a 40-minute walking tour, you'll learn just how these multi-flavored candies are cooked and why it takes more than a week to make a single bean. You'll see how the centers and shells of the beans are made, how the Jelly Belly logo is imprinted, and how irregular-sized beans are culled out. You'll get to taste a few samples along the route and get a small bag of beans at the conclusion of the tour.

Insider Tip: Though with the kids in school it may be easier to get there on a weekend, try to go on a weekday, when actual production takes place. Though tours on Saturdays, Sundays and some holidays cover the same factory areas, video monitors are used to show what you would see live on work days.

Must Do: Spend some time in the Jelly Belly Candy Store. At the Sample Bar, you can try every flavor that Jelly Belly produces. Want to get a great deal on a Jelly Belly purchase? “Belly Flops” are just as tasty and come in all flavors but their shape and size didn't measure up.

The Fine Print: Tours are given daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Visitor Center (1-800-953-5592) open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The tours depart every 10 or 15 minutes and the wait to get on one can vary from the usual 15 minutes to longer than an hour on busy days. Reservations are not required. The factory is close to the Anheuser-Busch factory, where complimentary tours are also offered should you need to wash down the Jelly Belly treats. Just don't bring the kids.