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As relatives fly or drive in for the holidays, you might be scrambling to figure out activities to keep them occupied during their stay. But you don’t have to feel pressured to schlep them up to San Francisco to have a good time: There are plenty of activities along the Peninsula to keep them entertained.
We’ve compiled a list of unique experiences for visitors, both indoors and outdoors, from the Coastside to the Santa Cruz Mountains. (Note that tickets to events are subject to change based on availability.)
Check out holiday lights on Eucalyptus Avenue, San Carlos: San Carlos residents go all out with their holiday light displays on Eucalyptus Avenue, aka Christmas Tree Lane.
The tradition began in 1968 and the lights display becomes a holiday destination every year in December.
Traffic is limited to one way on the street Dec. 2-26, but the best way to enjoy the lights is by foot rather than by car. There is parking available at San Carlos Youth Center at 1001 Chestnut St., according to San Carlos Life.
Open through Dec. 25. Eucalyptus Avenue, San Carlos. instagram.com/eucalyptus_street_lights.
Explore the magic of Filoli, Woodside: Take visitors through Filoli House & Garden’s new holiday village, “Thistlewyck,” during the daytime or explore the 350,000 holiday lights on the 16-acre estate at night.
Its holiday tea service is sold out, but there are still tickets available for Filoli’s ballroom champagne lounge.
Holiday admission is usually discounted for Filoli members, but this is the first year that free daytime tickets are included with Filoli membership.
Open through Jan. 11. 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. Tickets start at $29. filoli.org/holidays.
Go ice skating at San Mateo On Ice, San Mateo: Every year, Fitzgerald Field in San Mateo’s Central Park is transformed into an 11,000-square-foot outdoor ice rink.
The activity is open to those ages 4 and older. You can also rent out a private tent for a party of up to 40 people.
Open through Jan. 11. 50 E. Fifth Ave., San Mateo. Tickets start at $19. onicerinks.com.
Go tidepooling at Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay: See beautiful sea anemones, starfish, crabs, urchins and more at the tide pools, rocky pools of salt water that are often created only at low tide.
It is legal to forage at Pillar Point. Visitors can take up to 10 pounds of mussels, up to 35 of each of the following species: hermit crabs, oysters, octopuses etc.
Generally, you can explore the tide pools for at least an hour before and an hour after the low tide. That interval varies depending on how low the tide is — on a 0 feet or negative low tide, you may be able to explore for two or more hours on either side of the low tide.
Check conditions and tide times at marineweather.net/tide/princeton-half-moon-bay-ca. King tides, which are lower tides during these periods that reveal normally submerged tide pools, are expected Jan. 2-3, according to the California Coastal Commission.
Visitors can park at the Tide Pools parking lot on West Point Avenue and walk down to the beach on the dirt trail.
Pillar Point, 300 W. Point Ave., Half Moon Bay. visithalfmoonbay.org/places/pillar-point-harbor.
Burn off energy at indoor playspaces for kids, San Mateo and Half Moon Bay: If you’re hosting children, there are two new indoor playspaces in San Mateo County.
Kiddo Adventure in downtown San Mateo offers slides, obstacle courses, a suspension bridge, log swings, a zipline, role-play zones, soft play areas and more for kids up to 12 years old. The playspace soft opened Nov. 1, but a grand opening is expected in mid-January, according to the owners.
Recently opened Half Moon Play has a balloon room and ball pit, according to Coastside News.
Kiddo Aventure, 24 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Rates start at $16 Monday through Thursday and $20 on weekends and over holiday breaks. kiddo-adventure.com.
Half Moon Play, 50 Cabrillo Highway N., Suite 4A, Half Moon Bay. Rates start at $16 Monday to Thursday and $18 on weekends and holidays. thehalfmoonplay.com.
Take guests wine tasting, various locations: There are plenty of local wineries to bring your 21-and-over visitors to on the Peninsula.
Neely Wine in Portola Valley hosts tastings and serves seasonal small bites to complement your tasting if desired. Domenico Winery, right off of Highway 101 in San Carlos, hosts tastings as well. Guests can enjoy dinner during their tasting.
It’s more of a trek out to Fogarty Winery in Woodside, but the location comes with views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and even off-road tours of the grounds.
Neely Wine, 575 Portola Road, Woodside. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required and same-day reservations are often available. neelywine.com/visit.
Domenico Winery, 1697 Industrial Road, San Carlos. Wednesday-Friday, 5-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. domenicowinery.com/wine-tasting.
Fogarty Winery, 19501 Skyline Blvd., Woodside. Tastings start at $10. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. fogartywinery.com/pages/tasting-room.
Watch a play at Hillbarn Theatre, Foster City: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” is showing at Hillbarn Theatre through the end of December on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Showing through Dec. 28. 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City. hillbarntheatre.org/cinderella.
Take a ride in a Waymo: Nothing says you’re visiting Silicon Valley like taking a spin in an autonomous vehicle.
Still fairly confined to the Bay Area, Waymo expanded its driverless ride-hailing service in San Mateo County earlier in the year. In November, the company announced Waymos would begin taking riders on the freeway.
Sign up for the Waymo app, waymo.com/rides.
Spot grazing cattle on the Grasshopper Loop Trail, La Honda: You can watch cattle graze from a respectful distance while keeping to the Grasshopper Loop Trail at La Honda Creek Preserve.
Experienced hikers can explore 6 new miles of trails in the preserve that opened in November. The preserve is also the site of a badger research project; visitors can report sightings of badgers or their burrows to info@openspace.org. Dogs are allowed on the Grasshopper Loop Trail after Dec. 15 and on the upper trails year-round.
Grab lunch among the redwoods at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside after.
Park at 900 Sears Ranch Road, La Honda, or Allen Road permit parking area, La Honda Creek Aat Allen Road permit lot, La Honda. The Allen Road parking area requires a parking permit. Permits are free, but need to be requested at least two business days in advance of your visit. openspace.org/preserves/la-honda-creek.
Picnic on the beach in Pescadero: Pick up picnic materials (think fresh garlic herb and artichoke bread, Harley Farms cheese or a sandwich from the deli) from Arcangeli Grocery Co. and coffee from Downtown Local.
Drive down the road to pick up fresh produce from R&R Fresh Herbs, then head to a nearby beach. Beach options include Pescadero State Beach and Bean Hollow State Beach. Be sure to dress warmly.
Arcangeli Grocery Co., 287 Stage Road, Pescadero. Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Join a free docent-guided activity to take a deep dive into the natural wonders of the Santa Cruz Mountains: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District offers guided tours of its preserves throughout the year.
Midpen’s website includes the distance of each tour, such as a leisurely paced hike of the Bay Trail to experience the king tides that’s planned for Jan. 2 at the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve in East Palo Alto.
Various locations, openspace.org/get-involved/events-activities.
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