Ships, planes, pomp and celebrations honoring the men and women of our nation’s armed forces is making its return to the Bay Area this week! Fleet Week is back and taking the San Francisco Bay by storm kicking off the many exciting October events to come. The event runs from October 1 through October 9, and includes ships and planes from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Canadian Navy participating in parades and air shows.

There are a ton of events taking place all weekend long but to help you easily navigate this Bay Area wide celebration, I've put together a list of my personal favorite ways for families to experience the festivities.

Blue Angel Practice

Thursday, October 6-8, 12:00pm-4pm, Bay Area Wide.

To avoid the crowds, practice is a great time to see the Blue Angels. Don't forget water, sunscreen and layers of clothes. If your child is sensitive to sounds you might want to bring earplugs.

Anywhere along the waterfront in San Francisco is great viewing but parking is a challenge unless you get there early. Some of my favorite land bound spots include:

Southview Park, Sausalito
Fort Baker, Sausalito
Marin Headlands, Sausalito
Downtown Sausalito
Downtown Tiburon
Strawberry Point
Angel Island
Berkeley Marina

Air Show

Friday, October 6 thru Sunday, October 8, 12-4pm, Bay Area Wide.

Taking place over three consecutive days in the skies above the City’s waterfront, this air show event attracts over a million people around the Bay.

Air Show Performers Include:

United States Navy Blue Angels
Canadian Snowbirds
Sean D. Tucker and Team Oracle
Lucas Oil Air Shows
Air Force F16
USCG
Patriots Jet Team
Navy Leap Frogs

Ship Tours

Fleet Week provides an opportunity for the local community and region to learn more about the mission and operations of the U.S. Sea Services. There are a number of ship tours that provide you with a glimpse into the day-to-day life aboard an active military vessel, and the opportunity to see military equipment and demonstrations up close, and in some cases, even hands-on.

All Ship Tours are FREE of charge at Pier 30-32, Pier 80, and Pier 15/17. Best to get there as early as possible to avoid waiting.

Parade of Ships

Friday, October 6, 11am-12pm.

The annual SFFW Parade of Ships will take place on Friday, 06 October 2017

The SFFD Fireboat “St. Francis” will be the first ship under the GG Bridge at 11:00 AM

Bark at the Park

Saturday, October 7, 10am-1pm, Duboce Park, San Francisco

Demonstrations include dogs trained in urban search and rescue, detection and more. Learn why these K-9’s are heroes to so many!

Marina Green Festival & Humanitarian Village

Friday, October 9, Saturday October 10, & Sunday October 11, 10am-4pm, Marina Green, San Francisco

The Humanitarian Assistance Village is an interactive demonstration of U.S. Military and Civil capabilities in responding to a disaster. The 2017 Village will include an educational program for participants to learn about these capabilities. Guided by a “Passport”, participants will be encouraged to explore four different theme camps and receive a stamp from each: Mass Care and Shelter, Power and Utilities, Community Response & Rescue, and Environmental Management & Decontamination. Participants who turn in a completed Passport with 4 stamps will be eligible for a prize drawing.