The next fee-free days at U.S. National Parks will be September 25, 2010, 2010. More than 100 national parks will waive entrance fees for certain Free Days this year, including several in the San Francisco Bay Area, like Muir Woods, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and some of our California favs like Yosemite National [...]

This weekend, you can get a more than half off a two-hour kayak rental in Sausalito or in Half Moon Bay. This will appeal to beginners (and families) who like to paddle around the calmer waters, and to experienced paddlers who can ride the surf in wilder waters. The vouchers are good all year. The [...]

The 2010 Biketoberfest-Marin (Saturday, October 16, 2010) features bikes, beer, and food in Fairfax, birthplace of the mountain bike. Does it get any better? The free event includes a bike expo, vintage bike show, live music, more than dozen handcrafted beers from Northern California brewers, and plenty of activities for kids and families. While the [...]

If you like wine tasting, you’ll find plenty of posts here about how to do wine country “on the cheap,” including a 40 percent off Wine Country Explorer discount card. I just found a new resource, eConcierges.com, that offers a page full of more than 25 print-and-go wine tasting coupons. Some coupons are good for [...]

Update 8/15/10: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Discount — Everyone Pays the Kids’ Price, and other discounts. Six Flags is now advertising their lowest price of the season for all-day passes — which is about a $20 discount–But when you factor in fees, there’s a better deal or two. Here’s how to get the best Six [...]

On Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day (September 25, 2010) you can get in FREE to hundreds of participating museums. San Francisco Bay Area museums on the list include Cal Academy, CJM, Chabot Space & Science Center, Hiller Aviation, Coyote Point Museum, and several others. Don’t just show up at a museum, though. You need to fill [...]

The deals are growing at Restaurant.com with tons of new dining establishments added in Bay Area cities. So I thought I’d give you an extra heads up about this great opportunity to save. Dining out in Bay Area cities can take a bite out of your budget, but who wants to give it up? Not [...]

The 31st Annual Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch (September 4, 2010) is a favorite of Bay Area wine lovers who enjoy seeing more than 150 wineries and 60 local chefs do their stuff. But the $150 entrance fee can pinch the budget a bit. Quick, check your Visa Card and see if it says [...]

The Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival (September 25-26, 2010) is a fine opportunity to experience Beautiful Art in the Redwoods of Historic Old Mill Park. The highly competitive juried art festival, put on by local artist volunteers, features 140 local and national artists and attracts thousands of art lovers come from all over the Bay [...]

Why just eat out on the cheap when you can eat out on the cheap with a view? When you know the current Restaurant.com promo code, you can dine on the cheap all over the Bay Area, at a wide range of restaurants and locations. So hard to choose, though, so here’s just a sampling [...]

The 2010 free summer concert series called “Live From the Middle Reach” runs on Sundays, June 27 through October 10, 2010 at C. Donatiello Winery, a boutique winery in the Middle Reach of the Russian River in Sonoma County. The music series features 16 acoustic performances by singer/songwriter bands, including returning favorites and new acts. [...]

Of all the beautiful cycling tours in the Bay Area, these Wine Country tours are among the most popular. The emphasis here is on wine country and beauty rather than hardcore cycling, so don’t worry if you’re not fit for the Tour de France. Each of the following Napa Valley bicycle tours provide a relaxing [...]

Napa and Sonoma wine tasting tours aren’t cheap, so even a $10 off per person discount can help reduce a high-priced hangover. Luckily, we have a lead on a half off discount — you save $64.50. The Wine Tasting tours by Extranomical Adventures — a San Francisco company that specializes in tours for people who [...]

Here’s a great way to tour Sonoma for the day — paddle down the Russian River in an inflatable canoe. Take the family, take the dog, or just take it easy and roll down the river with your feet up over the tubes … all for half the regular price. This eco-adventure takes place along [...]

Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito offers free admission on the first Wednesday of every month, and you can take advantage of other ways to save, like a coupon for a free child admission, a AAA discount. Located at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, this nationally recognized children’s museum is a one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor [...]

Just a reminder: Bay Area On The Cheap includes separate category pages so you can find all the deals, discounts, free events, and special offers currently available in each part of the SF Bay. If you RSS us and haven’t been to the site lately, we’re now rich in content. As this website grows, we’ll [...]

If you’ve always wanted to try out different yoga studios to find the best fit, now you can do it on the cheap in San Francisco and surrounding cities (also Dallas, Philadelphia, and Canada). Thirty-two Bay Area yoga studios (25 in San Francisco and seven others around the Bay) are participating in the “Passport to [...]

Catch a flick outdoors at a community park in Marin or San Francisco when Film Night in the Park celebrates its 19th season, through September 25, 2010. Reminiscent of the drive-in movies of yesteryear, Film Night in the Park is unique for its audience participation of cheers for heroes, boos and hisses for villains, sing-a-longs [...]

Here’s a lofty idea: float across the sky in a big balloon above the vineyards, hills and fields of beautiful California Wine Country. Here’s a hot air balloon deal on a flight that takes off in Santa Rosa, in Sonoma Valley. What I like about this deal, from Above The Wine Country Balloons, is you [...]

Farmer’s Markets are starting up again all around the Bay Area and Napa Valley is no exception. But Napa Valley also has the Downtown Chefs’ Market on Thursday nights, starting May 20, 2010. At the Chef’s Market, you can shop for fresh produce and sample fabulous food from some of the best chefs in the [...]