Things to Do in Alameda

A chalky hand swings over the top of the wall, grasping onto the red hold embedded in its surface. After a tense moment, a second hand swings up, pulling the rest of the climber's body up with it. Having successfully scaled 18-foot top-out boulder, the climber scurries back down the wall she has just conquered, swapping places with her spotter below.

This cycle repeats throughout the day at Bridges Rock Gym, spurred on by a crew of climbing enthusiasts and instructors who initiate people into the low-altitude sport of bouldering. That form of climbing emphasizes solving climbing problems and chasing archaeologists through ancient caves. The gym unleashes visitors' inner mountain goats with their well-maintained climbing facilities, including an overhanging indoor-climbing cave that thoroughly punishes muscles into growth and top-rope climbing walls that help beginners get the hang of scaling the crag.

While specializing in the art of ascents, Bridges also bolsters patron fitness. Yoga and fitness classes, as well as a fleet of cardio equipment, facilitate heart-strengthening workouts. Waves of free WiFi allow mountaineers uninterrupted access to videos of their pet rocks, best enjoyed with a grilled sandwich or all-fruit smoothie in the gym's organic café and lounge.

In addition to leading circus classes for adults and children of various experience levels, the specialists at Trapeze Arts also manufacture custom circus equipment. At their 10,000-square-foot Oakland facility, they perform firsthand research to create solutions for high-flying performers.

The team has built equipment for Cirque du Soleil, UniverSoul Circus, Flynn Creek Circus, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, and several other professional performing companies. At their own facility, they teach students to use the flying trapeze, trampolines, hoops, silks, ropes, tightwires, unicycles, and juggling implements to increase confidence and babysitting abilities. Trapeze Arts has had such success imparting the aerial arts that several of their alumni are currently performing for Cirque du Soleil and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

Each year, thousands of fans of Apple products power down their MacBooks to attend the Macworld/iWorld expo, an event dedicated to using, appreciating, and admiring Apple products and their surrounding culture. The expo features main events such as a hall buzzing with more than 250 exhibitors, including iOS and OS X developers sharing their latest projects and magical spells. Every attendee can also venture into the Live Zone, an interactive center that showcases Apple-technology-integrated displays such as an iPad-sketch station, an iPhone-photography gallery, and a music studio presented in collaboration with the Berklee College of Music. Visitors can also join activities such as a drum circle, create their own games such as bobbing for iPods, or attend special events, which have included a concert by Little Feat, an iPhone film festival, and forums on Chinese technology.

Since 1994, when the first iteration of Terra Mia Decorative Art Studio opened, Christine Simmons and her team have been helping kids and adults get creative. The studio eventually relocated to its current site, a large space full of natural light and color splashing from finished ceramic pieces. The wide variety of paintable pottery the space contains, as well as the helpful input of friendly staffers, earned the studio SF Weekly's award for the best DIY ceramics shop in 2012.

After adding finishing touches to pottery, guests can sit for spells on an outdoor patio loaded up with plants. The patio leads to a cozy, sunny-walled room that's ideal for birthday parties, girls' nights out, or private gatherings of people born with brushes for fingers.

Peruse and sample the flavors of five chocolatiers, five breweries, and two bands. Chocolatiers include Bittersweet: the Chocolate Café, Galaxy Desserts, , TCHO, Vice Chocolates, and Teeny Cake. Brewers include Trumer Pils, Drake's Brewing, Triple Rock Brewery, Napa Smith, and Linden Street. Bands such as The Beehive Spirit and Tornado Rider will entertain during the festivities. Also featured at the event will be a booth accepting charitable donations for Saffron Strand Inc., a non-profit dedicated to finding employment solutions for the local homeless.

Dragonfly Designs is a socially conscience jewelry business that offers exceptional handmade jewelry and the opportunity to create it, while promoting social justice, personal style and fun! We offer handmade jewelry, supplies, birthday parties, jewelry making classes for adults and children, Jewlery making camps!