10 Things to Do with Bay Area Kids in July 2026
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
Fireworks, movies on the beach, $2 dive-in movies, and a free circus touring the parks. Your July family activity guide for the San Francisco Bay Area...
July is here and it's easily one of the most jam-packed months on the Bay Area family calendar. Between fireworks shows, water parks and outdoor movie nights, there's a lot of fun to plan around this month.
Whether you're figuring out which city actually has fireworks this year, looking for something free, or just trying to keep the kids entertained through summer, this is a great place to start.
Here are 10 things to do with kids in the Bay Area in July. Let's GO!
1. Where to See Fireworks Around the Bay | July 2–4
Free (mostly) | All over the Bay Area
Not every city has fireworks this year, some went drone show instead, and a couple sat it out entirely, so here's the rundown by region.
San Francisco: Dual fireworks show, 9:30 PM, one from the Golden Gate Bridge (east side) and one from Pier 39/Aquatic Park. Best viewing at Crissy Field, Marina Green, or the Presidio. Heads up, the bridge closes to vehicle traffic from about 8:30 PM until shortly after the show.
North Bay: Sausalito, San Rafael (Marin County Fair, nightly through July 5), Sonoma, Rohnert Park (ticketed, at Green Music Center), and Cloverdale all have evening fireworks. Novato has a parade but no fireworks.
South Bay: Santa Clara, Mountain View (free viewing on the Shoreline Park lawn), Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and Cupertino all have fireworks. San Jose is doing a drone show instead, and Sunnyvale's bike parade and festival skip fireworks entirely.
East Bay: Pleasanton (Alameda County Fairgrounds), Martinez, Concord, Antioch, and Pleasant Hill all have evening shows. Fremont has a drone show on July 2 and a parade on July 4. Alameda, Livermore, Walnut Creek, and Berkeley are fireworks-free this year.
Peninsula: Redwood City has the big one, pancake breakfast, a parade running since 1939, and fireworks over the Port of Redwood City. Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park all have daytime festivities but no fireworks.
GO Tip: if your kids are in bed by 8, lean into the daytime-only spots. Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Foster City all pack in the parade and festival energy without the evening wait.
2. Fun Family Day with Hiba Academy & Oogubi
SPARK Social SF, the Porch tent | San Francisco
Hiba Academy Bay Area is teaming up with Oogubi for a family day at SPARK Social SF, meet the school team, grab a bite, and let the kids loose on Oogubi's self-guided activities. A relaxed, low-key way to spend a Saturday morning with other Bay Area families.
Saturday, July 25 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Registration required | RSVP here
3. Free Movies on the Beach — Santa Cruz
Free | Beach in front of the Colonnade, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Free Movies on the Beach are back every Friday night at 9 PM through August 7 (skipping July 3). Bring a blanket and your low-back beach chairs, seating is first-come, first-served, and each screening includes a 15-minute intermission.
July lineup: July 10 — 13 Going on 30 · July 17 — Back to the Future · July 24 — A Minecraft Movie · July 31 — Jurassic Park
Fridays at 9 PM | Full schedule + details here
4. $2 Dive-In Movie Night — San Ramon
$2/person | Dougherty Valley Aquatic Center & San Ramon Olympic Pool
San Ramon's Dive-In Movies are exactly what they sound like, recreation swim starting at 7 PM, then the pool clears briefly at sundown so everyone can float and watch the movie from the water (or set up a chair on deck).
July 17 — Coco at Dougherty Valley Aquatic Center
August 7 — How to Train Your Dragon at San Ramon Olympic Pool
$2 tickets online through the City of San Ramon website (under Special Events) or in person at either pool location. | Get tickets + details here
5. Free Circus in the Parks — Circus Bella
Free ( donations welcomed) | Touring the Bay Area
Circus Bella's 2026 tour is back with acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, clowns, and a live 6-piece band. Every show is free (Circus Bella suggests a $25 donation to support them), runs about 65 minutes, and there's no audience seating provided, so bring a picnic blanket or small folding chairs.
The SF cluster hits three days in a row: North Beach (Fri, July 17, 6 PM) · PROXY Hayes Valley (Sat, July 18, 1 & 3 PM) · TJPA Salesforce Park (Sun, July 19, 1 & 3 PM).
Also touring the Bay this month: Menlo Park's Burgess Park (July 4), Oakland's Lincoln Square Park (July 9), San Jose's Lake Cunningham Park (July 23–24), Burlingame Town Square (July 25), and San Francisco's Union Square (July 26).
Various dates in July | Full schedule + locations here
6. Dinosaurs at the SF Zoo
San Francisco Zoo
Life-size, moving, roaring dinosaurs at the Zoo. A hit for kids who are deep in their big-and-a-little-scary phase.
7. Bubble Bash at Bay Area Discovery Museum
Included with admission | Sausalito, CA
Bubble Bash is BADM's limited-time summer celebration, running June 6 through September 7. Think giant bubbles everywhere for a midday round of swirling-bubble photo ops, plus a foam pit party (bring a change of clothes, it gets messy). It's included with regular admission, no separate ticket needed.
Open Wednesday–Monday, 10 AM–4 PM | June 6 – September 7 | Plan your visit here
8. Or, Hit a Splash Pad
Bay Area Splash Pads
Prefer water over air conditioning? Splash pad season is in full swing across the Bay.
9. Beat the Heat: Four Indoor Playspaces Worth the Drive
Marin, Peninsula, East Bay & Tri-Valley
When it's just too hot to be outside, here are four indoor spots to burn off the energy instead.
Fox & Kit — San Rafael: Part specialty coffee bar, part Waldorf-inspired playground, a rolling grass hill, climbing wall, sensory cave, and costume room, all under one roof. A rare spot where parents actually get to sit down with a good coffee while the kids play. Sock-only, 2.5-hour admission windows. | Get details here
Kiddo Adventure — San Mateo: Slides, an obstacle course, a suspension bridge, log swings, a zipline, and soft play areas for kids up to age 10. Sock-only facility, walk-ins welcome. | Get details here
Rockin' Jump — Concord: Open jump arena, trampoline dodgeball, a climbing wall, and Slam Dunk Zone. Rockin' Tots sessions run a few mornings a week for the littlest jumpers. | Get details here
AMP Mode — Pleasanton: A different kind of indoor play, private AI-powered pods for archery, pickleball, soccer, and precision-throwing games. Real gear, video-game rules, no headsets. Great for kids who are past the ball-pit stage. | Get details here
10. Free Entrance Day at National Parks | July 3–5
Free | National Parks nationwide
Three days of free admission across the National Parks system, a great excuse for a day trip if you're near one.
Dates: July 3–5 | Full details here
That's a Wrap on July
Bay Area families, this one's a lot, fireworks to plan around, movies on the beach, dive-in movies, a free circus touring the Bay, and enough splash pads and indoor play to get you through the heat.
You don't need a plan. You need snacks and a direction.
GO Anyway. 🧡
— Jenine @bayareakidsgo
Looking for more Bay Area family activities?
Check out our free community events calendar at events.bayareakidsgo.com — updated weekly with free events for Bay Area families, things to do with toddlers in the Bay Area, and family-friendly activities across San Francisco, the East Bay, the South Bay, and beyond.