Memorial Day By The Bay
Once you’ve paid tribute to the members of the armed forces who have lost their lives (after all, that’s the whole reason for Memorial Day, right?) there’s lots of fun free things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday if you have the day off.
Things to Do in San Francisco
Memorial Day 2011Traditional Memorial Day Events:
For starters, there’s the annual Memorial Day Commemoration and Parade where you can remember the fallen and salute our current military heroes in the Presidio at 10:30am.Walking Tours
Afterwards you’ll have your choice of several free walking tours to learn a bit more about your city like a Sutro Forest Hike or see the Japanese Tea Garden or learn about Victorian San Francisco.Festivals
And if you’re looking to just kick back and be a spectator there’s the annual Green Cup – a hacky-sackin’ “Footbag” tournament in Golden Gate Park (noon – free), or listen to blues all day at the 16th Annual California Blues Festival in the Fillmore district (noon to 6p – free)Nighttime
At night you can choose from learning about the colorful history of SF during a walking tour of North Beach by Night (7p – free) or head to Polk Street for the inaugural edition of the new Red Devil Lounge Free Movie Mondays (7p – free) to see the Tarantino classic Pulp Fiction and eat Free popcorn.And then it’s back to work on Tuesday….
Memorial Day Outdoors OptionsKirby Cove in the Marin Headlands
Late Spring is a great time to visit the outdoors in Northern California thanks to blooming, great trout levels and good air quality and Memorial Day Weekend 2011 is now exception.Bypass Yosemite (too crowded), the High Sierra (too snowy) and other hyper-popular drive-to parks that required reservations months ago for some of these gorgeous and underused parks that should make perfect day-trips from the Bay Area this weekend.
- Kirby Cove (Marin Headlands): Secluded beach with access to a hardwood forest
- Chabot Boating (Lake Chabot near San Leandro) – Full and emerald-green lake with a new rental boat program with patio boats and kayaks
- Webb Creek (Mt. Tam State Park): First-come, first-served walk-in campgrounds in the woods surrounded by streams and tall trees
Plus learn about Highway 35 trailheads along the Peninsula Skyline and Bay Area trout lakes and more as Tom Stienstra of the San Francisco Chronicle provides an excellent round-up of Northern California parks and lakes in his article “Memorial Day Outdoors Options for Late Planners.“
Getting Around on Memorial Day 2011
Muni:
Muni service will follow a Sunday schedule on Memorial Day, Monday
Parking Meters & Permits:
- Commuter tow away, residential parking permits and Monday-Friday street sweeping will not be enforced.
- Parking meters and seven day street sweeping will be enforced citywide on the holiday.
Free Tipsy Tow from AAA
Free towing for drinking drivers from 6pm on Memorial Day until 6am on Tuesday. (you don’t even have to be a AAA member) [details]
FuncheapSF Calendar of Events
– Monday, May 30, 2011Join veterans and the community to honor and remember those lost in service to their country. 10:30 am — Parade on the Main Post: led by the Pipes & Drums of the 191st more…
9:00 am Free Tully’s Coffee Day | Embarcadero FREE 12:00 pm The Green Cup: “Footbag” Hacky Sack Tournament | GG Park FREE 12:00 pm 16th Annual California Blues Festival | Fillmore Dist. FREE 2:00 pm SF City Guide Walking Tour: Victorian Pac Heights FREE 2:00 pm Embarcadero Skyway Guided Walking Tour | SF FREE 3:00 pm 16th Annual Shit Kickin’ Memorial Day | El Rio $10* 6:00 pm AAA Tipsy Tow: Free Car Tow Home | Memorial Day FREE 7:00 pm Free Monday Movie Night ‘Pulp Fiction’ | Red Devil Lounge FREE
