Family Fun Events and Activities

Summertime Adventures & Deals: California Water Parks

Now’s the time for some cool summertime fun and splashing for kids big and small. You might just love a day at the water park as much as your kids. Our round-up of California water parks:

Thrills and Splashes at Raging Waters in San Jose

Recently on Father’s Day, I treated myself and two children to an afternoon at the Raging Waters water park in San Jose. Raging Waters is a large water park located in Lake Cunningham Regional Park. The park has many rides and amusements, all of which are a great way to cool down during hot summer days. The park has several water slides of varying heights and thrills, as well as a wave pool for older kids and water-based playgrounds and wading pools for younger kids.

My 3-year old daughter’s favorite activities were playing in the little dipper bubble pool and floating down the endless river with me on an inner tube. My 6-year old son enjoyed Slide Creek Falls and the activity pools. The park is easy to visit, offering convenient parking, changing rooms and lockers to store your valuables, as well as several on site food and concession stands.

- by Michael Coleman, San Francisco Bay Area dad

Deals from Southern California Water Parks

Wild Rivers, Irvine (8770 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine CA 92618-4200)

Get a discount of $5 dollars on general admission tickets. Click here for a coupon: www.wildriversfun.com/fun2 or enter the promo code: FUN2 when you purchase the ticket online.

Raging Waters, San Dimas (111 Raging Waters Drive, San Dimas CA 91773)

Get a discount of $7 on general admission tickets purchased online purchase, or $5 off a general admission ticket purchase at the park. Click here for a coupon http://myragingwaters.com/rw1067. Enter coupon code 1067 for online purchase.

Top 10 Water Parks in SF Bay Area

* Raging Waters, San Jose

* Aqua Adventure, Fremont

* San Ramon Water Park, San Ramon

* Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area/The Rapids Waterslides at Shadow Cliffs, Pleasanton

* Antioch Water Park, Antioch

Top Water Parks Southern California

* Wild Rivers, Irvine

* Raging Waters, San Dimas

* Knott’s Soak City – 3 locations: Palm Springs, Bueno Park & San Diego

* Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Valencia

* Splash Canyon, Temecula

Have tips, advice and recommendations? We invite you to share your favorite water parks and summer adventure spots with other parents, by adding a kid spot, review or picture on www.kidsplayguide.com. Download the Free Mom Maps iPhone app and bring 20,000 kid-friendly places and parent reviews with you on the go!

Summer in San Francisco: Family Fun and Discounts

Music Videos, Pirates, They Might Be Giants and more San Francisco Summer Fun for Families!

Zeum: Hands-On, Multimedia, Arts and Technology for Kids

If you haven’t experienced Zeum, July is great time to check it out. The exhibits explore animation, digital arts, special effects, music videos, and workshop activities and are designed to be fun while building media literacy, motor skills, problem solving, and teamwork.During the Month of July, they’re offering MomMaps users 25% off youth admission and $50 off Themed Birthday Parties.

For a preview of what’s in store at Zeum, check out their virtual tour:

Bay Area Discovery Museum: Come Play Until 8 Under the Golden Gate During Summer Sunsets 7/23 & 8/13

Get a $1 off each advance purchase ticket. Use discount code: mommaps

Open late by popular demand! This summer, stop by on select Fridays to enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family. The Museum will reopen from 5 – 8 p.m. for creative play in all of their exhibitions, plus special performers in one of three fun themes. Bring a blanket to picnic on in Festival Plaza while the performers entertain you. Enjoy a themed dinner purchased from our Cafe. Come in costume if you wish. Click here for more event details.

Meet our own Dread Pyrate Gregory and swap tales of the sea on July 23

Meet Dread Pyrate Gregory and Swap Tales of the Sea

Celebrate Space Travel with a Retro Evening of Fun

Members $5; General $8 (Includes Museum admission & performances). Get $1 off each advance ticket when you use the discount code: mommaps. Please note: this evening event requires a separate admission ticket. Same day admission during the regular 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. hours does not include admission to this evening event. Discount code is valid on advance ticket purchases only.

BUY TICKETS

Stern Grove Festival: Free Summer Concerts 6/20 thru 8/22

Summer Sundays at 2pm, Stern Grove is the place to be. Enjoy picnicking and free music in a gorgeous outdoor setting. It’s been a San Francisco tradition since 1938, and it’s the oldest admission-free festival of its kind in America. 2010 season highlights include the San Francisco Symphony, Rickie Lee Jones, Maceo Parker and They might Be Giants. Click here for the full line up.

We recommend getting there early to claim your picnic space. They have bathrooms, wheelchair accessible shuttle service, and plenty of space for running around outside the concert area. More info including parking, and transportation: Stern Grove Festival Guide.

Find More Summer Fun and Deals on PlayPlanit

PlayPlanit was founded in January of 2010 by Laurel Kellam & Allison Howard, two San Francisco career women who found themselves as stay-at-home moms looking for things to do with their newborns. They knew there were tons of businesses out there that had fun events for moms to gather & babies to play — there just wasn’t an easy way to find or remember them. They created Playplanit.com to help parents find local happenings.

PlayPlanit’s initial focus is San Francisco for the five & younger crowd, but they are continuing to build a comprehensive calendar with the goal of serving moms everywhere with kids of every age.

Family Fun Events and Activities — 2 Comments
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Mar 10

San Francisco summer camp planning made easy!

Sign Up For Camp (http://www.signupforcamp.com/) is a new website
designed by local parents to make it easier to plan children’s summer
camps. Parents can search for camps by age, location, dates and
activities. There are over 400 SF Bay Area camps for all grades as
well as overnight camps. Camps can be saved to a summer calendar and
shared with friends. Create a free account to be notified by email of
early registration discounts and other timely information.
(http://www.signupforcamp.com)

Kids Play GuideKid friendly parks, playgrounds, restaurants, indoor playground and family fun places.