Entry will be free Friday to all parks in the East Bay Regional Park District, which is encouraging Bay Area residents and visitors to spend the day outdoors.
The Friday after Thanksgiving is more well-known as Black Friday, with stores offering discounts to entice holiday shoppers, but the park district is calling it Green Friday with its free entry and several activities at parks around the East Bay.
Activities include a fall scavenger hunt at 9 a.m. in the Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve, a 10 a.m. history hike in the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve and an opportunity to meet the bunnies at Ardenwood Historic Farm at 11:30 a.m.
The fee waiver will not cover any state fees such as fishing licenses or watercraft inspections, or concessions like the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and Redwood Valley Railway steam train.
More information about Green Friday and activities around the park district can be found on their website.
‘Holiday in the Park’ in Vallejo
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo is hosting its 16th annual Holiday in the Park festivities that start Friday and run through early January with holiday displays, entertainment and seasonal food.
Two new 5-month-old cougar cubs, Kayah and Aiyana, will be part of Friday’s festivities. The cubs, weighing over 30 pounds, will be in the newly updated Cougar Rocks area of the park located just off state Highway 37 near Interstate Highway 80.
Holiday in the Park will run on select days through Jan. 7 and includes a nightly Christmas tree lighting ceremony and other holiday-themed areas and activities, including chances to meet Santa Claus or decorate Christmas cookies.
More information about Holiday in the Park can be found at the theme park’s website.