New for 2024, there’s now 6 free admission days to the National Parks
On certain “fee-free” days throughout the year, enjoy free entry to all national parks and monuments including Muir Woods and Yosemite National Park, and free admission aboard all of the historic vessels at the Hyde Street Pier of SF’s Maritime National Historical Park.
Please always check with each National Park before heading out to confirm that the park and its facilities are open and admission is free.
Parks listed on this page typically waive their entrance fees on nationally designated fee free dates. Please check with each park below for operating hours and event schedules. See the latest updates.
Participating California National Parks – See the full list *Last Updated 1/4/24
Lassen Volcanic National Park – Near Redding – $30 vehicle ($10 in winter), $25 motorcycle ($10 in winter), $15 per person fee ($10 in winter) waived – fee details
A reservation will be required to drive into Yosemite for visitors on select dates in 2024.
A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite National Park on some days in February 2024 and from April 13 through October 27, 2024, for those driving into the park between 5 am and 4 pm as follows:
February 2024: A reservation is required February 10-11, February 17-19, February 24-25
April 13 through June 30: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and on holidays (May 27 and June 19).
July 1 through August 16: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm every day.
August 17 through October 27: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (September 2 and October 14).
Driving through the park will also require a reservation if entering between 5 am and 4 pm. If you are planning to visit after peak hours, please do not arrive before 4 pm; vehicles blocking roads will be cited.
The National Park Service now offers six free days a year. All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.
National parks are America’s best idea, and there are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favorite, especially one of the national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. The others are free all the time.
The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
In addition, there are also free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current members of the military, families of fourth-grade students, and disabled citizens. Learn more about the variety of passes offered by the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass series.
See below and attached special ‘neighborhood’ offer from Cirque du Soleil. Coming to Lot A (behind Oracle Park) from January 17th to March 10th. (the flyer incorrectly shows March 17th)
A 10% discount is being offered for select dates.
Please click the link below for more information regarding the following Neighbor discount:
We’re reaching out to ensure you are aware of Monster Jam happening at Oracle Park on Saturday, 6th and Sunday, January 7th. We expect an increase in activity and noise in the surrounding neighborhoods.
For more information, please click the link below:
Below is the latest event schedule for January at Chase Center and Thrive City.
Unless otherwise stated, the following street closure plan will be implemented two hours prior to the start of events (except for Third Street northbound which will only be closed 30 minutes prior to event end time).
Neighborhood Hotline: For any concerns or questions related to activities occurring during events, please call the Chase Center neighborhood hotline at (415) 496-0820. This number will be monitored by a live staff member during events and may be directed to a voicemail outside of event hours.
For more information and street closure details, please click the link below:
Returning bigger than ever for 2023, tour The Fairmont’s gingerbread masterpiece through the New Year
Each October, painter Larry Walton puts down his brush and embraces a new temporary role: gingerbread house animator.
He’s part of the engineering team that spends 520 hours each year building, lighting, and outfitting a life-sized Victorian gingerbread house in the lobby of Fairmont San Francisco. More than 8,000 baked bricks cover the two-story structure, which stands at 25 feet high, 35 feet wide, and nearly 11 feet deep. Pastry then dedicates 450 hours to decorating those bricks with icing and sweets. By the numbers, it’s an astounding feat — and just as impressive to marvel at in real life.
Builders introduce new details each year, and families build holiday traditions around tours of the awe-inspiring display. “This year, I made a model Lombard Street and cable cars that move over the Golden Gate Bridge,” shares Walton. “It’s a whole new structure that took five days to build.”
Visits from Santa and a champagne bar round out Fairmont’ San Francisco’s engaging schedule of seasonal events, and through it all, the gingerbread house remains central to every celebration. Here’s an inside look at how it all comes together.
Fairmont engineering and culinary teams begin planning the gingerbread house in July, which is also when crews begin baking 12- by 4-inch gingerbread bricks to cover the home’s wooden frame.
As the holidays draw near, builders frame the rooms, set the roof, and prepare the structure for decorations. “When it’s complete, each gingerbread brick gets placed by hand, and the pastry people pipe icing along every single grout line,” Walton says (that icing requires more than 1,000 pounds of powdered sugar and around 150 gallons of egg whites).
Teams then tackle the sweet job of outfitting the gingerbread house with candy, from Peeps to gumdrops to strands of Nerds Rope in all colors of the rainbow. There are candy canes, of course, and in past years, designers have attached individual Hershey’s Miniatures bars to the walls with icing. When it’s complete, more than 1,900 pounds of candy adorn the Fairmont’s gingerbread house.
Walton, a self-described tinkerer, also creates magical holiday accents for the house, often from everyday items. He turns industrial air filters into snow-dusted hills, and motors salvaged from office shredders and windshield wipers power reindeer rocking chairs and swirling snowflake mobiles. His hand-cut shadow puppets even star in a holiday video aired inside the house.
As any avid baker (or Great British Bake-Off viewer) will know, sometimes, there are mishaps in creating a confectionary masterpiece — one year, the lobby lights even melted the home’s chocolate-covered roof. But unexpected surprises (both planned and accidental) charm hotel guests and public visitors alike throughout the season.
After the holidays, Walton removes the interior electronics and teams tear down the structure. The framework gets recycled, and the bricks, candy, and other edible ingredients are composted. The Fairmont lobby returns to normal, but the holiday spirit lingers until the next season.
“The gingerbread house is definitely a challenge, but we’re all glad to be part of the project. To watch kids light up as they explore, and to see adults marvel at the little nuances, is all really incredible,” Walton says.
The Fairmont’s Gingerbread House On view from Thanksgiving through the New Year Open daily from 11 am – 10 pm The Fairmont, 950 Mason St., SF FREE and open to the public in the hotel’s lobby
Unfortunately, on Monday, January 1, 2024, BART fares will increase by 5.5%. However, those who qualify for low-income fares will see a benefit in the new year; their discount will increase to 50%.
BART fares are set to increase after ringing in the New Year.
A 50-cent surcharge for paper blue tickets will also begin Jan. 1, in an effort by BART to encourage riders to adopt reusable Clipper Cards.
The 2.7 percent fare increase is inflation-based and occurs on a biennial basis. The increase was reauthorized by the BART Board of Directors in 2013, and generates funding for what BART called in a statement its “highest priority improvements,” like new train cars.
The fare increase dollar amount varies depending on starting point and destination. On a trip from Powell Station in San Francisco to Ashby Station in Berkeley, for instance, the increase adds up to about 10 cents on a $3.85 trip.
The fare increase was approved by BART’s Board of Directors during the June 8, 2023, budget vote. The Board decided to deviate from its policy of approving a fare increase every two years. BART’s Inflation-Based Fare Increase Program, which has been in place since 2003, would have required an 11% fare increase in January 2024. To cushion the economic impact on riders, the Board directed staff to raise fares 5.5% in January 2024 and again at the same rate in January 2025.
BART’s Trip Planner and online Fare Calculator have been updated with the new fares. Riders can look up their new fare by selecting a date of January 1, 2024, or beyond. New fare chart decals will be posted at vending machines.
Fares Fund Operations
The fare increases are expected to bring in an additional $26 million in operating funds through FY25.
Historically, BART relies on rider fares to fund safe, reliable, and clean service – more so than most other transit systems. This requires small but frequent fare increases to keep up with the cost of inflation.
New Fare Gates Being Deployed
Because our riders are directly responsible for funding our operations, BART is rolling out new fare gates in 2024 to protect against fare evasion and self-enforce fare payments.
Low-Income Riders Will Pay Less in 2024
Even with the fare increase, low-income riders will pay less for BART because the Clipper START discount is being increased to 50%.
Low-income riders get 50% off starting Jan. 1, 2024, through the regional Clipper START program, available to adult riders earning 200% or less of the federal poverty level.
The RTC Clipper card is a version of Clipper created for passengers under 65 with qualifying disabilities for 62.5% off fares.
BART offers a “High-Value Discount.” Adult Clipper cards get a 6.25% discount on cash value rides by buying $48 worth of value for $45 or $64 worth of value for $60 when autoload is set up.
For more information, please click the link below:
A holiday tradition, ice skating in Union Square promises to bring a smile to your face and delight to all who visit—big and small, young and old. Join us for festive, fun ice skating in Union Square from Wednesday, November 1, 2023 – Monday, January 15, 2024.
Plan your visit to The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square presented by Kaiser Permanente–the coolest place to be this winter!
SKATING SESSIONS AND HOURS
[60] minute sessions that start every 1.5 hours:
November 1 – December 17 10:00am – 11:00pm Daily
December 18 – December 29 8:30am – 11:00pm Monday – Friday 10:00am – 11:00pm Saturdays & Sundays
December 30 – January 15 10:00am – 11:00pm Daily
The ice rink will close at 9:30 p.m. on December 31, 2023. Check our calendar of events for special events and closed sessions.
ADMISSION
General Admission including skate rental: $20 Children 8 and under including skate rental: $15 Locker Rental: $5 Skate Helper: $6 Gloves: $5 Socks: $5
The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square presented by Kaiser Permanente has a “No Refund Policy”. It does provide for refunds in very limited circumstances only – when a session is canceled or there is an extraordinary circumstance. If a refund is issued, it will not include the Convenience Fee.
A portion of ticket proceeds generously benefits the community through the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
For more information, please click the link below:
Volunteer to spread cheer and help the less fortunate this holiday season
December is in full swing, so why not spread some holiday cheer? Give back to San Francisco with one of these great volunteer opportunities.
Spend your Christmas with the elderly, prepare meals to feed to homeless, choose children’s toys, and more. It’s the best gift you can give – no stressful shopping required.
City Impact’s Christmas Day Outreach 2023 San Francisco City Impact is reaching out to the Tenderloin community. Volunteer to serve hot meals and blankets at their Rescue mission, cook hundreds of fresh meals, assemble and deliver hot meals to residents, serve the children and youth through exciting kids outreach, and so many more serve opportunities. December 25, 2023 | 9 am to 1:30 pm | 186 Eddy St., San Francisco RSVP online. A $25 registration fee is required and will go directly towards making this event possible. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023
This year the do-gooders at GLIDE Memorial Church will give away thousands of bags full of groceries to individuals and families in the Tenderloin and across the city. Starting November 1, you can sign up for Holiday Volunteer Opportunities.If their volunteer needs on a particular holiday have already been met, please consider supporting GLIDE through a donation or by volunteering on another day. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023
GLIDE will be collecting toys, packing them into bags and distributing them to children (up to 11 years) who are enrolled in GLIDE programs. Starting November 1, you can sign up for Holiday Volunteer Opportunities.. If their volunteer needs on a particular holiday have already been met, please consider supporting GLIDE through a donation or by volunteering on another day.
Consider donating a toy in advance for their annual GLIDE Toy Wonderland event on December 21, 2023 where they distribute toys to very-low-income families in our community. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023
Want to be Santa’s Helper this year? Volunteer with the Salvation Army San Francisco as we distribute toys to low income families. Families will be pre-assigned a time slot/date to collect their pre-bagged toys and will arrive either by car or on foot. Volunteers are needed to assist with distribution. We need around 6 volunteers per shift to assist with:
Organizing and distributing pre-bagged toys as clients arrive
Helping with the flow of traffic during active distribution
Volunteers can sign up for a morning or afternoon shift, or both. Spanish, Cantonese or Mandarin language skills are a bonus. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023
We are looking for Elves (volunteers) to help us pack Christmas toys for children in need this holiday season. Volunteers will select toys from our stock of toy donations and match (as closely as possible) the toys requested by the families. The toys will then be packed into bags and labelled for the family to pick up during their assigned distribution appointment. Volunteers should be familiar with children ages 0-12 so as to help select appropriate toys for our families. Volunteers can sign up for a morning or afternoon shift, or both. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023
Volunteer at GLIDE for their annual Christmas Eve celebration sponsored each year by Joe Betz and San Francisco’s House of Prime Rib who provide prime rib and all the sides for GLIDE’s special mouthwatering Christmas Eve Brunch to as many as 2,400 guests in the outdoor tented dining room. Additionally, GLIDE will deliver 200 meals to encampments across the city. Starting November 1, you can sign up for Holiday Volunteer Opportunities. If their volunteer needs on a particular holiday have already been met, please consider supporting GLIDE through a donation or by volunteering on another day. – Confirmed as of 10/30/2023
GLIDE invites you to volunteer on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas to help provide thousands of homeless and needy families and individuals. Volunteer shifts are available for Christmas Eve and Christmas breakfast, Christmas Eve “GLIDE on the Go” which serves thePrime Rib Luncheon out in the community, Christmas meal prep and service, and Christmas Turkey and Ham Carving. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 12/6/2023
Help spread the holiday cheer and visit our older friends on during Christmas week. Little Brothers would like to invite you to participate in their upcoming December Holiday Events happening December 23rd – December 25th. There are many different ways to volunteer: In-person visits, Remote visit (limited availability), and Holiday gift deliveries (In-person visits with gift bag). For in-person visits, you MUST pick up your older adult(s) holiday gift between December 23rd-24th.Please note, in order to participate in their In-Home Visit program, you must complete a volunteer orientation and background check. You are more than welcome to bring along family or friends. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 12/6/2023
Help brighten someone’s Christmas morning by preparing and delivering a fresh home-style meal with all the trimmings straight to their door. Volunteers are needed to cook, drive and deliver meals on Christmas morning to 4,000 homebound individuals throughout San Francisco. You will receive an orientation, refreshments, a route sheet (who to deliver to), directions and meals. Most deliveries will consist of 20-40 meals and will take no around 1.5 to 2 hours (no longer than 3 hours maximum) to complete. All deliveries occur within San Francisco. Sign up to volunteer. – Confirmed as of 11/3/2023
