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Kid friendly Summer Activities

Summer Activities for Kids, Nevada City & Grass Valley

Summer vacation is days away and Nevada City offers so many great activities for things to do for kids.  So regardless of what your family likes to do, here’s a list of all sorts of ideas of things to do.  And scroll down to the bottom for our great kid-centric giveaway!

Things to do with Kids:

Swimming Holes in Nevada City, Kid Friendly options

Water Activities:

Nevada City Outdoor Activities for kids

Outdoor Adventures

Great kid friendly hikes include: Independence Trail, Buttermilk Bend and Deer Creek Tribute Trail.  Or Take the kids for a mountain bike ride at Hirschman Pond.

Jason Auld, owner of Mountain Recreation, loves taking his 3 kids outdoors during the summer season. “There are great flat water kayaking and SUP as a fun family friendly activity.  Short distance backpacking is a great way to get kids outside and blow their minds with nature.  Just need to focus on keeping it achievable, fun and interesting.  Often you don’t need to hike in more than a mile or two to really feel like your way out there.  The less taxing and grueling it is the more  the kids will enjoy it.”  Click here for information about their rental programs if you want to rent a SUP or kayak.

Grass Valley The Artist Workshop

Perhaps you’re looking for a summer camp, there are still lots of great programs happening, click here for a post from earlier this spring on the Summer Camp Fair, still time to check out the Food Love Project day camps, Mud Hut Art classes, Fox Walkers or The Center for Arts  programs.  Perhaps you want to be creative, try stopping by The Artist Workshop, either for a class or their drop in open session and leave with a new art project.

Maybe you want to learn a specific new skill, like a kid’s cooking class at Briar Patch Co-op or check out their Co+op Explorers Fruit and Veggie Passports where kids can win prizes.

The Children's Festival, Nevada City, photos by Erin Thiem

There are a lot of great kid friendly events during the summer season, whether its The Children’s Festival (Friday, July 17th), The Sierra Storytelling Festival  (July 17-19) or the Nevada County Fair (August 12-16).  Or the Miners Picnic at Empire Mine (August 29th), a family picnic, gold mining demonstrations, live music and games.

Summer Events in Nevada City, photos by Erin Thiem

Otherwise take your kids to one of the many local farmers markets, First Friday Art Walks (June 5th, July 3rd, August 7th) or Nevada City Summer Nights (July 15th, 22nd and 29th).  Perhaps you want to get tickets for the PAG performance of Jungle Book.  Don’t forget the free Nevada County Concert Band concerts at Pioneer Park, it’s a great free family friendly outing (June 28th, July 26th and August 23rd).

And if you’ve made it this far, I’ve got a special treat for one lucky kid.  Post a comment on your favorite summer activity and one family will get a prize package including:  2 free movie passes to the Del Oro Children’s movie screenings, a giveaway to 49er Fun Park (2 free go-kart and 2 mini golf rounds), a Treats Treatsicle, 2 general admission Nevada County Fair tickets, a $10 gift certificate to The Artist Workshop and free 2 hour kayak or SUP rental from Mountain Rec.  Winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 10th.  *Edited to say the winner is Joyce.

The Pete’s Pizza giveaway winner is Pete K and the winner of the SYRCL Wild for the Yuba giveaway is Katrina, congrats!

© 2015 InnSide Nevada City, Photos © by Erin Thiem

53 replies
    • erin
      erin says:

      What’s your favorite local lake? Day trips to the Yuba are great and did you see that Camp Augusta made the special Sunset Summer Day Trips magazine?

  1. Stephanie
    Stephanie says:

    My favorite summer activity is anything having to do with keeping cool!! Being at the river, outside in the shade, or enjoying ice cream! I also enjoy taking photographs–the summer has so many beautiful happenings to capture!

  2. Ingrid Knox
    Ingrid Knox says:

    I love Summer Nights and the First Friday Art Walks especially if there is Treats ice cream. But I never miss the County Fair either. So many great things to do – with or without kids.

  3. Kendra Leigh Atkinson
    Kendra Leigh Atkinson says:

    There is so much to do here in the summer. I’m looking forward to watching Ghostbusters at Pioneer because we haven’t done that yet. And we’ll definitely check out the Children’s Festival. And of course we’ll be going to the fair and the river and maybe paddle boarding too.

    • erin
      erin says:

      Ghostbusters… will have to make sure we do that too- such a fun family friendly event. The Children’s Festival is great, but popular, so be prepared.

  4. Katie D
    Katie D says:

    Our family has enjoyed the past 3 summers here and it seems like there are more things happening all the time. It’s such a treat! Last year’s favorite was the Children’s Festival. I’m certain our son thought the pirates were real. This year we look forward to checking out the Jungle Book play (thanks for the link!), summer art classes & the Del Oro movies.Thank you for compiling such a great list!

    • erin
      erin says:

      With pleasure! There is so much to do… good to start mapping it out now! And who doesn’t love a giveaway! We loved the fire breathing dragons and the crafts at The Children’s Festival.

  5. Diane Richards
    Diane Richards says:

    Making a memorable Summer evenings with family and friends enjoying dinner, drinks, an outdoor concert, a little dancing and good company 🙂

    • erin
      erin says:

      There are so many great outdoor concert options– are you going to any of the Music in the Mountains SummerFest fun?

  6. chantelle goldthwaite
    chantelle goldthwaite says:

    I had no idea theat we had a mini golf/arcarde here in town….. :] guess where we’ll be going.

  7. Wendy S.
    Wendy S. says:

    We love just walking downtown and going to culture shock yogurt and the book seller. Always makes for a good afternoon.

  8. Lisa Johnson
    Lisa Johnson says:

    Taking the kids to anything with activity and water play or hiking is at the top of my list. Add music and that’s a winning combination!

  9. Lenka
    Lenka says:

    Wow, what a great collection of adventures! Lucky kids! And parents 🙂 my favorite is the Children’s Festival. Always magic!

  10. Joyce Biittner
    Joyce Biittner says:

    Summer concerts & movies at Pioneer Park are our favorite, what a great list, thanks so much for posting.

  11. Christina
    Christina says:

    Great list! If we’re not just letting the kids run wild on our property, we’re either at the pool or river!

  12. Marcia
    Marcia says:

    Everything Nevada County! Summer Nights, swimming, running, biking, Empire Mine, good food, the Fair, and on and on it goes. Love where we live.

  13. Krista
    Krista says:

    So many activities and only so much summer. Best to just dive in and partake of one adventure at a time.

  14. stephannie blanco
    stephannie blanco says:

    I wonder who the winner of this blog contest will be, so excited to see if I can take my nephew out for some fun in the sun!

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