great takes on family travel in the U.S.

From guest blogger, Stefania Pomponi Butler, of City Mama

It’s the holidays, a time to over-do-it in more ways that one! We over-shop, over-eat, and over-commit ourselves, but one thing we don’t have to do is over-spend on fun holiday activities. The San Francisco area is rife with festive ways to enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank.

In San Francisco, it doesn’t cost a thing to walk around Union Square and enjoy the decor. From the tree in the middle of the plaza to the fancied-up holiday windows, there is plenty to see and you don’t have to spend a dime. I love window shopping around the square then stepping into St. Francis Hotel for a drink in the lobby where they serve cocktails from the Michael Mina bar. From there, you can head over to Justin Herman Plaze and ice-skate on the outdoor rink. Around $10 buys you 90 minutes on the rink. If you don’t want to spend the money, you can always grab a warm drink and watch ice-challenged Californians slip and slide their way across the ice.

Across the bay in Oakland, one of my favorite places in the whole world, Fairyland, transforms itself into Fairy Winterland for several days during the month of December. The park is open December 14-23 from 12pm—7pm, weather permitting. Admission is $6 per person. If you’ve never experienced the park that inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland, the holidays are the perfect time to visit. But bundle up!

Further north in Napa Valley, there are plenty of festivals, gingerbread house competitions, and parades to choose from to kick-off the holiday season. Many wineries also offer holiday specials. Copia offers up a variety of family-friendly activities (teas, latke-making) that are included with your admission.

Ice-skating at Palo Alto’s Winter Lodge is 10 bucks including skate rental. In continuous operation since 1956, it’s one of the top 10 outdoor rinks in the U.S. according to Outside Magazine. You might want to follow up your skating outing by driving down Palo Alto’s famed “Christmas Tree Lane.” Every year since 1940 Fulton Street between Embarcadero and Seale transforms itself into a holiday fantasy land. Amazingly, through a collective effort by the residents of that street, every house is decorated. I recommend parking nearby, bundling up, and walking it to really revel in the festive spirit. It’s a holiday activity we never miss when we’re in the area.

Every year, Cal-Train’s lighted Christmas Train pulls into stations from Burlingame to Santa Clara to kick off the Marines’ Toys for Tots drive. This year it runs the weekend of December 7-9. The decorated train stops for about 20 minutes at each station along the peninsula giving you a chance to enjoy the festivities for free. Bring an new, unwrapped toy or book to donate towards a very worthy cause. Check the site for scheduled stops. We’ll be anxiously awaiting the train with friends at our stop.

San Jose’s Christmas in the Park is a volunteer-run community tradition. If you forego the paid rides, you can walk around the entire park for free. Cap off the evening by ducking into the nearby Fairmont Hotel for a hot chocolate. Check the website for a schedule of activities. It runs every night until Christmas.

Visit the Santa Clara First Baptist Church to witness their nightly reenactments of the birth of Jesus. The living nativity program called “Bethlehem” runs five times each night from December 6-10 from 6:30PM-9:00PM. Free admission and hot drinks.

Lastly, visiting Santa Claus at the mall nearest you usually doesn’t cost anything if you don’t buy one of their costly photo packages. Normally, you can’t photograph the experience yourself, but if your child simply wants to whisper in Santa’s ear he or she can do it without you spending a penny.

Please share your favorite budget-friendly holiday activities in the comments, and however you spend your holiday season, may it be merry and bright!

Related posts:
Light Festivals in the Bay Area
Holiday Light Shows in Marin and Napa