Photsy

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a good place to go soak up the sun and enjoy a fun day at an amusment park while staying locally. Admission is free and one can attend daily live shows.

Believe it or not, staying in Palo Alto for the summer is not the end of the world. The Bay Area is one of the most beautiful locations in California and there are countless things to do. All one needs is free time and an open mind; two things perfectly fitted for summer.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Hop on a few rides, soak up some sun and enjoy a deep fried twinkie at California’s oldest amusement park. Just a 45 minute drive away from Palo Alto, the park is open every day and features over 30 rides, dozens of restaurants and an assortment of carnival games.

Take a splash on the log ride, the Logger’s Revenge, go back in time on one of the nation’s oldest wooden roller coasters, the Big Dipper, or see a bird’s eye view of the beach from the Boardwalk’s 125 foot drop ride, the Double Shot. The Boardwalk is admission free, meaning that guests pay for individual rides but do not pay to enter the park.

There is something for everyone at the Boardwalk, even for those that do not enjoy rides. Starting June 18, there will be free concerts every Friday night on the beach next to the Boardwalk. The line up for this summer includes Blue Oyster Cult, Naked Eyes (“Always Something There to Remind Me”), Santana, Loverboy (“Workin’ for the Weekend”) and the Spin Doctors.

Season Passes for the amusement rides are currently available for $69.95, so take advantage of this classic Californian excursion. The boardwalk also hosts two free daily shows of Circo Brazil, a festive display of Brazilian dance, acrobatics, tightrope, trampoline and freestyle soccer tricks.

Free Outdoor Movies

Instead of spending $12 to watch a movie in a theater, catch a breath of fresh air and enjoy some great flicks at one of the several free outdoor movies offered regularly around the Bay Area.

Head to the Mission District on the second Thursday of each month for Delores Park Movie Nights. Run by the local community, the free movie series includes titles ranging from “Back To The Future” to “Starsky and Hutch.” The Film Night in the Park series kicked off in May and continues weekly through September. The venues change each week as the event travels throughout the Bay Area. Catch “Grease”(the sing-a-long version) in Dolores Park on Saturday, June 19; “Dirty Dancing” in Union Square on Saturday, July 10; “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on Saturday, Aug. 7 in Dolores Park; “Rear Window” in Union Square on Saturday, Aug. 28; “Amelie” in Washington Square Park on Saturday, Sept. 11 and “The Big Lebowski” on Saturday, Sept. 25 in Dolores Park. Another opportunity to enjoy a film under the stars presents itself at the “Lost Boys” outdoor movie event at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. “The Lost Boys”, a classic vampire film, was filmed in Santa Cruz and features the Boardwalk in multiple scenes.

The movie’s star, Corey Feldman, and his band, Truth Movement, will perform on the Beach Bandstand and then participate in a meet and greet. Guests are encouraged to bring a beach chair or beach blanket and enjoy a free screening of “Lost Boys” on the beach as the sun sets.

Marathons

While some people use their free time during summer to lounge on the couch and catch up on TV, there are many opportunities to stay fit and take advantage of the fantastic California weather. The 38th annual San Francisco Marathon will be held on July 25. The course runs through Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina, continuing across the Golden Gate Bridge through to the Presidio and Golden Gate Park, down Haight Street and through the Mission, and finally finishing in the Potrero and Mission Bay districts.

Runners can choose between a full marathon, a half marathon or a 5K race. Over 20,000 runners from all over the world participated in last year’s race, so do not miss the chance to be a part of this San Francisco classic. For more information, visit thesfmarathon.com. Widely acclaimed as “the best little road race in California,” Santa Cruz’s Warf to Warf will take place on July 25 as well. The six-mile scenic run along the Monterey Bay starts at Beach Street and finishes at Pleasure Point. With a huge crowd of spectators and 40 live bands, the event is enjoyable for all. So lace up those Nike running shoes and get a move on to one of these great summer races.

Aquatic Activities

For those who do not have a pool, there are still plenty of ways to cool off during the summer. For a fun and free way to beat the heat, grab a swimsuit and head to Stanford University to see what the tradition of fountain hopping is all about.

On a hot day, one can find students and community members going for a dip in one of the university’s many remarkable fountains. Prime spots to take a splash include the Claw in front of the Stanford Bookstore, the Red Hoop in front of Green Library and the fountain in front of Memorial Auditorium.

Shoreline Lake offers another refreshing aquatic experience for those not ready to completely take the plunge. Rent a pedal-boat, rowboat, canoe, kayak, windsurfer or sailboat and spend the day cruising around the 50-acre lake.

The Lakeside Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and early-evening snack and features a menu ranging from omelettes to fish and chips. The cafe gives diners the choice between indoor and patio seating, as well as the option to picnic on the lake’s grassy shore or even on their boat.

Tour San Francisco for a Day

Living local is no excuse to miss out on the sightseeing adventures of the city by the bay. People come from all over the world to experience the charm (and the fog) of San Francisco, so spend a day as a tourist in one of America’s most beautiful and quirky cities.

Make the trek up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower and enjoy the spectacular view from the historic structure. Keep an eye out for the hundreds of parrots that live on the hill; they will be hard to miss.

Next, try something new with dim sum at one of Chinatown’s many authentic restaurants. Remember to keep an open mind, order something unrecognizable and keep track of the number of plates used (that is how they tally the bill). Also in Chinatown, take a tour of the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley. The old-fashioned factory has been running for almost 50 years and produces thousands of cookies each day. Get an up-close view of the making of this unique Chinese treat and grab a bag to take home for only $5. Once home to America’s most infamous criminals, Alcatraz has been a war fort, a military prison, one of the U.S.’is most notorious federal penitentiaries and is now a national park.

Alcatraz is open for tours and offers an unforgettable experience. Visitors take ferries from Pier 33 and join a guide to explore the grounds. For the most exciting experience, take the night tour of this eerie island prison and participate in a variety of special programs and presentations offered only at night.