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Mike’s 10 for the Weekend - October 8–11, 2026

Fleet Week gives San Francisco a reason to look up this weekend. Along the waterfront, you can watch the air show, step aboard a visiting ship or catch a military band—all without buying a ticket.

But there’s plenty happening beyond the bay. Oakland has soccer under the lights and stars above the hills. Livermore has music on the winery lawns. Filoli’s gardens stay open after sunset. And at a little club in Potrero Hill, a band will play a video game soundtrack while someone tries to beat the game onstage.

Here are the ten places I’d start, with a few details to help you make a day of it.

1. Look up: Fleet Week’s air show

You don’t need a ticket to watch Fleet Week’s air show. The paid tickets are for reserved waterfront hospitality areas; public viewing is free.

Crissy Field, Marina Green, Fort Mason and Aquatic Park put you along the waterfront, with more viewing possibilities around Pier 39 and the Presidio.

The published lineup includes the Blue Angels, an F-22 Raptor demonstration, the Marine F-35B, the Patriots Jet Team and a United 777 demonstration. There’s something wonderfully improbable about seeing a passenger airliner become part of an air show.

Before you go: The air show is listed for Friday through Sunday, but the Navy’s published Blue Angels schedule lists October 10–11. If the Blue Angels are your main reason for going, choose Saturday or Sunday. Check the organizer’s latest updates that morning.

2. Step aboard a visiting ship

Fleet Week’s ship tours offer a different perspective on the waterfront: from aboard the vessels themselves.

The published lineup includes USS Ashland, USS Cape St. George and Coast Guard cutters Munro, Benjamin Bottoms and George Cobb. Tours are first come, first served, with no reservations.

Before you go: There are no ship tours Friday, when the vessels take part in the Parade of Ships. Adults 18 and older need government-issued photo ID. Travel light—the bag limit is 12 × 6 × 12 inches, with a smaller limit for purses, and there’s no bag check. Wear closed-toe, flat shoes and expect steep ladders and uneven footing. Visitors younger than 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

3. Find Fleet Week in the neighborhoods

Some of Fleet Week’s most appealing moments happen well away from the waterfront.

Military bands perform across the city, with venues including Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley, the Golden Gate Park Bandshell, Jane Warner Plaza in the Castro, neighborhood libraries, India Basin Waterfront Park and Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Pick a neighborhood, catch a concert and leave time for lunch or a walk. A brass band at Patricia’s Green could be all the Fleet Week you need.

Before you go: Check the concert schedule for individual times. For Sunday’s 3 p.m. performance at the San Francisco Zoo, the concert is free, but you’ll need zoo admission to get in.

4. Spend Sunday in North Beach

The Italian Heritage Parade steps off at Jefferson and Powell near Fisherman’s Wharf and makes its way through North Beach to Washington Square.

It’s a good excuse to spend the afternoon in the neighborhood: watch the parade, find something to eat and wander a few blocks beyond your usual route.

Ss. Peter and Paul Church also hosts its weekend bazaar, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For car lovers, the free Concorso Italiano on Union Street runs Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Before you go: Fleet Week and the parade overlap around Fisherman’s Wharf. Take transit and give yourself time to walk.

5. Make Saturday a museum day

The Museum of the African Diaspora offers free admission for its second-Saturday Community Day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., including access to all exhibitions.

The de Young and Legion of Honor also offer free Saturday admission to their permanent collections for residents of the nine Bay Area counties. Bring proof of residency and book ahead online; special exhibitions cost extra.

Choose one and give it a proper afternoon. You don’t have to cover every gallery to find something that stays with you.

An early-bird option: The San Francisco Botanical Garden offers free admission daily from 7:30 to 9 a.m. You could start among the plants, get breakfast and head to a museum afterward.

-6. Give the Oakland Roots a send-off

The Oakland Roots close their 2026 home season with what the club describes as its final match at the Coliseum. Goapele performs, and fireworks follow the game.

For anyone with memories of that stadium, this is a chance to add another: a local club, an Oakland crowd and one more night under the lights.

Before you go: Check ticket availability and pricing through the club. BART to Coliseum station makes the trip easier.

7. Catch a show at Bottom of the Hill

Bottom of the Hill is heading toward its final New Year’s Eve after 35 years, and this weekend offers four reasons to visit.

Thursday brings Mike Watt with Casa Sueño. Friday, Bit Brigade supplies live video game soundtracks while a speedrunner plays onstage. Saturday features Oakland bands Juicebumps, Fake Fruit and Diesel Dudes. Sunday has a 4 p.m. ska matinee with Let’s Go Bowling and Reducers SF.

If you’ve been meaning to go back—or have somehow never been—pick a night.

Before you go: Saturday’s show is listed at $15. Check each listing for doors, showtimes and age restrictions. There’s more on Friday’s unusual show in the Hidden Gem below.

8. Head into the Oakland hills for Shared Sky

Chabot’s Shared Sky Festival brings astronomy, art and photography together for two days in the Oakland hills. Saturday includes a smartphone star-trail photography session at 1 p.m.

Admission is listed at $24 for adults and $19 for youth, seniors and students; members attend free.

You can also visit the telescope deck Friday or Saturday night, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., for free public viewing, weather permitting.

Make a day of it: Spend the afternoon among the nearby redwoods, then head to Chabot after dark. That’s the Oakland outing behind my Redwoods to Space video.

Before you go: Check telescope-viewing conditions before driving up. Clouds can change the evening’s plans.

9. Follow the music into Livermore wine country

Livermore’s winery calendar offers plenty of ways to spend a fall afternoon, from live music to food-and-wine pairings.

A few places to start:

- Wood Family Vineyards: Fun Fridays with Blue House, Friday from 5–8 p.m. Free.
- McGrail Vineyards: Harvest Afternoons on the Lawn, Saturday from 1–4 p.m. $10.
- Charles R Vineyards: Karaoke Saturday, noon–4:30 p.m. Free.
- Wente Vineyards: Five Generations Food and Wine Pairing, Saturday and Sunday. $95.
- Murrieta’s Well: Terroir to Table, Saturday at 6:30 p.m. $125.

My starting point would be music on a lawn and an afternoon with room to linger.

Before you go: Free entry doesn’t necessarily include wine or food. Check reservation requirements before heading out.

10. See Filoli after sunset

Filoli Nightfall gives you a chance to experience the formal gardens after dark, with illuminated paths and a different view of a familiar place.

It’s an outing you can build an evening around: dinner nearby, then time to wander through the gardens.

Before you go: Nightfall is closed Thursday, October 8. Last entry is 8:30 p.m., so keep that in mind when booking dinner. Prices vary by date; members receive a discount.

Hidden Gem: Mega Man, played live

Bit Brigade deserves a closer look.

A speedrunner plays a classic video game on a screen while the band performs its soundtrack live, keeping pace with the action. This weekend’s listing includes Mega Man II, Castlevania and Tetris.

The fun is watching the musicians and player pull it off together. If your household includes someone who loves games and someone who loves live music, here’s a night they can agree on.

Family Pick: Harvest Festival at Ardenwood

Ardenwood brings fall back down to earth: a historic working farm, draft horses, a train, a Victorian house and a pumpkin patch.

Its harvest weekend makes a good family outing, especially if you want room to explore and a setting where the farm itself is part of the attraction.

Before you go: Book festival tickets in advance and check event pricing. Regular park admission rates may differ from festival admission. Ardenwood is cashless, so bring a card or use tap to pay.

Looking ahead: Half Moon Bay’s Art and Pumpkin Festival is expected October 17–18, and Oakland Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo begins October 17. Check the organizers’ current listings before planning your trip.

A few tips for the trip

San Francisco waterfront: Take transit if you can, and expect to walk the last stretch. Fleet Week and Sunday’s parade will make the northern waterfront busy. Check SFMTA’s weekend service alerts before leaving, especially if you’re counting on the F Market streetcar or Powell cable cars.

Presidio: Check parking rates, road closures and pickup locations in advance. Allow extra time to reach your viewing spot.

Berkeley on Saturday: Cal’s homecoming game adds traffic around campus. If you’re visiting the UC Botanical Garden or Lawrence Hall of Science, aim for an early arrival or consider Sunday.

For any timed event: Open the organizer’s page once more before you leave. A quick check is a good habit on a weekend this full.

That’s where I’d start. Explore 390+ events at 153+ venues across 30+ cities on the site, with plenty more ways to make the weekend your own.

It’s out there. Let’s go find it.

This Week's Sunday Drive

Sunday Drives: Pumpkins, Country Roads and Friendly Faces at Smith Family Farm

The drive out to Smith Family Farm reminded me of my Delta drives. As I headed toward Brentwood, the dry fields and stretches of farmland gave the trip that familiar rural feeling. By the time I reached the farm, I was ready to get out and explore.

I went twice—Friday afternoon and Saturday—to film for an upcoming YouTube video. That gave me a chance to experience both the quieter weekday afternoon and the more active weekend, when food trucks, vendors and families added another layer to the visit.

Both were worth the drive.

This week’s Sunday Drive happened on a Friday and a Saturday. The pumpkins didn’t seem to mind.

My first stop was the roadside produce stand, before heading back to the pumpkin patch.

It’s a charming place. Lavender hangs from the ceiling, vintage Coca-Cola and other tin signs decorate the space, and scarecrows and characters appear throughout. There’s plenty to look at before you even get to the produce.

And there’s much more than pumpkins: peppers, peaches, apples, strawberries, seasonal produce and knickknacks. Some people were buying wheelbarrows full of pumpkins. I made a smaller purchase—a little basket of strawberries for about five dollars.

They were excellent. Fresh, sweet and full of flavor. A good start to an afternoon on the farm.

From the stand, I followed the long gravel drive back to the main visitor area. The crushed gravel was smooth, and the parking lot was large. I arrived around one o’clock on Friday and found a space easily. It was calm enough to take my time, film and talk with people along the way.

After paying admission, I received a ticket to keep for my pumpkin on the way out. I paid $16 on Friday and $17 on Saturday, with one pumpkin included each time. Bring cash or a check—the farm doesn’t accept card payments.

The entrance takes you along a path bordered by white ranch fencing, past a small pasture with cows. On my visit, there was a calf that was especially cute. Before I had even reached the pumpkin patch, I was already stopping to look around.

A little farther in, the path opens to a junction. Go right for the pumpkin patch. Go left for the barns, animals, games and activities.

I headed toward the pumpkins.

The pumpkin patch is big, with room to wander and look for the one you want to take home. Pumpkins grow on the vines, and you can choose yours right out in the field.

That setting was one of my favorite things about Smith Family Farm. You’re walking through a working farm, surrounded by growing fields, sunflowers and tall corn, with views toward Mount Diablo.

The corn maze took me between stalks that rose well above my head. Once inside, I really felt tucked into the field.

Throughout the patch, there were places to stop for pictures: scarecrows, harvest characters, face cutouts for kids, and benches with pumpkins or sunflowers behind them. Families could spend plenty of time just wandering, choosing pumpkins and taking photos.

But the farm itself was what stayed with me—the space, the fields and the feeling of being out in the countryside.

Back at the junction, I explored the activities side of the farm.

There were barns and animal areas, with a pony, chickens, geese and peacocks to see, along with the cows near the entrance. Harvest displays filled the grounds. An old flatbed pickup was loaded with pumpkins and characters, looking as though it had just come in from the fields.

There were games, including cornhole, and more places to take family pictures. In the barn’s educational area, visitors could learn about plants and how pumpkins grow. There were seedlings to take home and plant, giving kids something to carry on after the visit.

At the Orchard Stage, a musician was singing “Old MacDonald” and playful farm and Halloween songs. Hay bales provided places to sit and listen. It suited the setting: simple, cheerful music for families spending an afternoon together.

I also walked through the replica Miwok village, another area for children to explore as they made their way around the grounds.

There was enough to keep moving from one thing to the next, but I liked being able to stop whenever something caught my attention.

When I returned on Saturday, the farm was livelier.

Food trucks were set up in the open area between the activities and the pumpkin patch, including a coffee truck. Beyond them, vendors had craft booths under the trees. One was demonstrating Dutch oven cooking over coals and offering samples.

There was face painting, and a band performed in the gazebo, surrounded by pumpkins, cornstalks and fall decorations.

Those weekend additions hadn’t been there during my Friday visit. With families, strollers and children moving between the food, music, animals and pumpkin patch, Saturday had more of a festival feeling.

The country store and snack shack offered drinks and treats, and there were places to sit and take a break.

Having experienced both days, I’d choose Friday for a quieter visit with more room to wander. Saturday is a good choice if you want the food trucks, vendors and extra activity.

One of the nicest moments came from a conversation with a grandmother, her daughter and three children.

They asked what I was filming, and I told them about SF Bay Weekend. It was their first visit to Smith Family Farm, too, and they were enjoying it.

They had originally planned to visit Filoli in Woodside, where the grandmother was a member, but couldn’t get the booking they wanted. They came here instead and were happy they had.

Then they gave me a recommendation: go explore Filoli.

I appreciated their interest in what I was doing and their enthusiasm for both places. Those conversations have become one of my favorite parts of getting out for SF Bay Weekend. I leave with a story about the place I visited—and sometimes an idea for the next one.

If Filoli is on your list, too, look for the Filoli Nightfall pick in this week’s Mike’s 10 for the Weekend.

At the end of the visit, you take your chosen pumpkin to the exit and drop your admission ticket into the bucket.

I left carrying a pale pumpkin, with footage for the video and another destination to explore.

My verdict on Smith Family Farm is pretty straightforward: a really good, wholesome family outing. The people were friendly, the displays were charming, and there was plenty for children to do. I enjoyed the music, the animals and the chance to walk through the fields.

And I’d make time for that produce stand. Those strawberries alone deserved a stop.

## Before You Go

- Where: Smith Family Farm, 4350 Sellers Avenue, Brentwood.
- Pumpkin Harvest season: September 26–November 1, open daily from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Entry closes at 4:30 p.m.; the farm recommends arriving by 4 p.m.
- Admission: $16 weekdays and $17 weekends, including one pumpkin of any size. Children under two enter free but do not receive a pumpkin ticket.
- Payment: Cash or check only.
- Food: Weekend food trucks; country-store snacks and drinks daily. Outside food and nonalcoholic drinks are welcome.
- Handy to bring: A wagon for children, pumpkins or picnic supplies.
- Pets: Leave pets at home.
- Details: Check the www.smithfamilyfarm.com/plan-your-visit" style="color:#C0392B;text-decoration:underline;">farm’s visitor information before heading out.

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