Eco-Choo Choo: San Francisco’s mini-Golden Gate Express Garden Railway was such a holiday hit last year, it’s back for an encore. Starting tomorrow, tiny trains, cable cars and streetcars will wind their way through the miniature cityscape built inside the Conservatory of Flowers. Look for the Ferry Building Marketplace, constructed from corks, forks and cheese graters, and a Transamerica Pyramid featuring computer bits. It’s a celebration of recycling creativity, with cool new visual and aural effects too. Tuesday through Sunday, Nov. 19-April 18; $2-$7.

Ride the Trains: Watching tiny choo-choos is fun. Riding them is even better. Board the steam trains at Tilden Park’s Redwood Valley Railway and go for a jaunt through the Berkeley hills. Open weekends; $2.
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Five ways to have fun with the fam…

Charlie Brown: Danville’s new Village Theatre Art Gallery is celebrating its grand opening with a “Peanuts at the Bat” exhibit of Charles M. Schulz’s comic strips, liv music, hot dogs, popcorn and a guest appearance by Snoopy. Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 233 Front St., Danville.

Up, Up and Away: The Hayward Public Library goes cinematic this weekend with a family movie matinee featuring “Up.” The captivating Pixar flick about a 78-year-old dreamer, a pudgy scout, a few thousand balloons and the adventure of a lifetime, starts at 1 p.m. Saturday at the library’s Weekes Branch, 27300 Patrick Ave.; 510-293-5366.
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Five ideas for weekend family fun:
JOIN THE CIRCUS: Oakland’s brand new Kinetic Arts Center is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with circus classes for kids, plus Tai Chi and trapeze fun. Free; 785 7th St.

PAINT THE TOWN: Oakland’s Museum of Children’s Art and the Kids Paint the Town group is hosting its biannual children’s art showcase, with kids’ art exhibitions in Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and San Leandro. The whole thing kicks off this Saturday with a free Art Stroll on College Avenue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at Rockridge BART to pick up a map or visit kidspaintthetown.org.
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Five ideas for weekend family fun:
Dia de los Muertos: Once the trick-or-treating’s done, head over to the city for a dash of Mexican music and culture at the San Francisco Symphony’s Dia de los Muertos Family Concert on Sunday. The matinee includes family activities, colorful displays, refreshments and, of course, music. Lobby festivities begin at 1 p.m., concert downbeat is at 2 p.m. $15-$65, children younger than 17 get in for half price.
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Five ideas for weekend family fun:
Trombone petting zoo: Berkeley’s Crowden School hosts a free instrument petting zoo and community music day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 25. This day long musical carnival includes face painting, singing, dancing and drumming sessions, as well as toddler-friendly performances by members of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra at 11 and 11:40 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.

Time Out with Books: The Time Outs, that popular kid-friendly band, are hitting the books with a series of library shows. Among them: a free gig at San Ramon’s Dougherty Station Library at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23.
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The entire Yerba Buena arts district turns into a free family block party for Target Family Day this Sunday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Among the offerings:

Suddenly Sendak: Celebrate wild things and enjoy hands-on art activities and live music at the new Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco. Free.

Creepy Crawly Sculptures: Cruise SFMOMA’s exhibits and new rooftop garden, then make your own mobiles, creepy crawly creatures and foil sculptures, and watch acrobats create living sculptures. Free.
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Five ideas for weekend family fun:

Fin Fest: It’s Sharktober time over at Pier 39’s Aquarium of the Bay. Take a shark-y scavenger hunt, touch live sharks, and watch a shark feeding presentation (Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m.; free with museum admission). Then, come back on Oct. 17 for a shark film fest ($17) and family sleepover ($60).

Good Witch: One of Tomie de Paola’s most popular characters steals the limelight at San Ramon’s Front Row Theater this weekend in “Strega Nona.” Oct. 10-18; $15-$19.

Family Fair: Pony rides, bouncy houses and carnival games abound at First 5 Contra Costa’s eighth annual Super Saturday Family Fest for kids, ages five and under, and their parents. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 10; John F. Kennedy Park, 350 South 41st St., Richmond.
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BLAST OFF: Forget the moon. The Lawrence Hall of Science’s brand new exhibit is all about “Facing Mars.” Design your own rocket, check out your flight readiness with more than 20 space simulations, and answer that burning question, “Would you recognize a Martian if you saw one?” $4-$12; now through Jan. 3.

ROOT BIERGARTEN: The hills are alive with the sound of German music and family friendly fun at Newark’s Swiss Park Oktoberfest this Saturday from 6 to 11 p.m.
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Staggering numbers of California sea lions – a record-breaking 1,585 of them – are suddenly calling Pier 39’s West Marina home. So many, in fact, that the harbor master is planning to install more sea lion floats by the K-Dock. “Usually during this time of the year,” says harbor master Sheila Chandor, “we typically have only a few smaller sea lions on the docks, as the larger males head south to mate.”

No one knows why the numbers are up so much. We wanted to blame the economy – perhaps real estate foreclosures are affecting sea lion condos too – but Marine Mammal Center director Jeff Boehm says a shift in food source availability is likely at work. “The current run of anchovies has a lot of them hanging out in some areas in greater numbers than we’ve grown used to,” he says.

Paddle a Dragon: The dragons come out this weekend at the annual San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival on Treasure Island. Watch the races, check out the Children’s Dragon Land and enjoy Taiko drumming, live music and entertainment, and tasty food. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; free admission.

Suddenly Sendak: Enjoy the artistry of Maurice Sendak — and a few wild things too — at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum’s “There’s a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak” exhibit. Open daily, except Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets $10, kids free.
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