Every year, students all over America eagerly await summer vacation.
But when August rolls around and they go back to school, people ask “What did you do this summer?” Suddenly, the cat’s got their tongue.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, here are the top 10 summer activities in the Bay Area for students to check out this summer.
These ideas aren’t going to include the standard summer ideas of hitting water parks and amusement parks. Although those are always great summer entertainment options, this is more of a unique list.
Here are the definitive top 10 best Bay Area activities that have flown under the radar for far too long but are definitely worth your time.
Live Events on Spotify
Those who have a Spotify account can get into this activity. First, open the app. Then, click on the search tab. Under “Browse all”, click on the third box which says, “Live Events”.
Here one can type in the city they live in. Then, Spotify will provide plenty of options of nearby concerts performed by top artists. In fact, Spotify will even display nearby concerts of the account’s favorite artists.
This is definitely a cool option for music lovers.
Blackhawk Museum
Close to home is the Blackhawk Museum, located in Blackhawk. The museum is a cool cultural destination featuring six exhibits, including the popular classic car collection, as well as art and historical artifacts from Africa, China, and the Old West.
The museum is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are 10 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this summer vacation, so there’s no reason one wouldn’t be able to go.
Car lovers will especially enjoy some of the classic vehicles on display.
Oakland Museum of California
For those who have already experienced the Danville museum’s wonders, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is an enriching and fascinating experience.
The OMCA has three exhibits. The first is all about the history of California, from pre-colonization up to present day. It is highly interactive, offering attractions such as a room themed in the style of 1940s America, and a movie theater playing silent films of the 1920s.
The next area is all about environmental science. It displays taxidermies of animals, a simulation of bird’s flight, a model cave one can walk through, and much more. This display is perfect for younger audiences because it has a lot of interactive and educational play areas.
Finally, the museum’s third exhibit is one that changes each year. Right now, it’s all about Angela Davis, who is a feminist, philosopher, author, and professor at UC Santa Cruz.
Recreation Activities
Another idea is to browse the San Ramon Summer Recreation Guide, which provides summer camps, lessons, driver’s education classes, and much more. This is a super easy and fun way to figure out how to spend the summer in a way that will fund the community.
One example activity is the Chess Club. Every Saturday from 3-4 p.m. at the Dougherty Station Library, the Chess Club meets for free. The club is also great because it allows all ages and all experience levels.
Golden Gate Bridge Bike
At only 1.7 miles long, students can walk and bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s that easy to see the beautiful San Francisco scenery and get in some cardio. The iconic bridge has stunning views of the Bay and the San Francisco area.
It’s truly an exhilarating experience and perfect for beginner bikers. Living so close to the big city, it is be a great opportunity for one to take a ride next to the beautiful scenery of the Pacific Ocean and to feel the fresh wind in one’s hair and warm sun on one’s skin. Just make sure to not to forget the sunscreen.
KitTea Cat Lounge
Speaking of San Francisco, why not visit the KitTea Cat Lounge? Google calls it a “Modern cafe offering Japanese teas, waffles, sandwiches & a lounge for playtime with felines.” This cafe is a place to grab a snack or drink and spend time with some cats at the same time.
In fact, one can adopt a cat here. Cat lovers should especially check this cafe out.
Visit a San Francisco or local library
Another unique activity in San Francisco that’s completely free is to visit one of the city’s jaw dropping libraries.
Alisa Paludeti, a local guide and online reviewer believes that San Francisco Public Library is a great place to study.
“[It is a] super modern and elegant building in which I can spend the whole day,” Paludeti said. “The choice of books is massive… [and the] Foreign language section is big enough. Children’s book club seems to be cool too.”
Contra Costa County libraries, including the two in San Ramon, also host a variety of interesting summer activities, including Dungeons and Dragons sessions at the branch across from City Hall. Read more about them on page A10 in the A&E section.
Broadway Plaza Shopping Center
Those who don’t want to make go into San Francisco can stay in the East Bay and spend time shopping at Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza.
The expansive, outdoor shopping plaza offers stores such as Apple, Vineyard Vines, Nordstrom, Sephora and more. Often, there are also a couple of pianos in the plaza, free for anyone to play. But be warned. The one by Sephora is extremely out of tune.
Sweet Treats in Downtown Danville, City Center
Even closer to home are the many sweet treats available locally.
Downtown Danville has some great options for this. Danville Chocolates has ice cream, brownies, caramel apples and much more. Some other places to grab a sweet treat in Downtown Danville include Sweet Street, Starbucks, and Lottie’s creamery.
In the nearby City Center, students can hit a variety of stores to satisfy their sweet tooth. Some top choices include Salt and Straw, GIO Gelati, Sprinkles, Joe & the Juice, and Boba Guys.
Volunteer locally
Interested in giving back to the community? If so, a great opportunity is to volunteer this summer.
Some local places to volunteer are: the East Bay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ESPCA), a local church, mosque, cathedral, or synagogue, one of the senior centers in Danville, San Ramon or Dublin, or even a local food bank.
There are so many amazing things to do in the Bay Area that aren’t just amusement parks. The budget doesn’t matter! Have fun, and do something enjoyable this summer!