Today's guest blogger is Megan Morrone of Jumping Monkeys, a podcast that ferrets out the coolest sites on the web. Turns out that Megan is just as resourceful at finding cheap and cheerful family fun in her own neck of the woods. Here are five of her favorite free outings in San Francisco's North Bay:

Salmon Creek Beach: If you come to California expecting to swim in the beaches in and around San Francisco, you have another thing coming. And that thing is frost bite. Our family enjoys the beaches on the Sonoma Coast even though we know we can't swim and it's often not even sunny. Our kids run from the waves, hunt for jellyfish, and make sand castles. Older kids can learn to surf. Some beaches charge a fee for parking, but Salmon Creek is totally free.

Cline Cellars: Some people think that visiting wine country with kids is inappropriate. I am not one of those people. However, some wineries are better for families than others. Cline, in Sonoma, does a great job of catering to families with a mini bird-zoo, large koi pond, and a fabulous museum with scale models of all the California missions. Admission to the winery and museum is free and they have free wine tastings every day from 10am to 6pm.

Bay Area Discovery Museum: I've been to my fair share of children's museums around the US and I have to admit that I find most of them to be pretty similar. Maybe I'm biased because I'm from the Bay Area, but I think our museum in Sausalito does a great job of teaching kids the great things about Northern California. Plus, you can't beat the views from the outdoor play area. And you can't beat the fact that museum admission is free on the first Wednesday of every month.

Marin Cheese Factory:  Ever since our boys have been old enough not to run into the duck pond, The Marin Cheese Factory, in Petaluma, has been one of our favorite destinations. The cheese isn't free (unless you count the free samples), but the tours and picnicking don't cost a thing. This is also a great place to stop on your way to the beaches in West Marin.

Point Reyes National Seashore: Point Reyes is located about 30 miles north of San Francisco on scenic Highway 1. We love it because of the views and because there's no entrance fee to the park. There are more rugged trails that we took in our single days, but there are also trails suitable for families. Don't miss Earthquake Trail where kids can explore the San Andreas Fault Zone.