Newly remodeled parts of Refugio Valley Park make it more welcoming especially on hotter days. The…read morenewly constructed shade ports offer shaded seating near fire pits. The parking lot has been remodeled with a designated crosswalk and two handicap parking spots closer to the middle of the park. The play structures remain the same with three benches nearest the bigger kids play area and one bench in the vicinity of the little kids play area. The duck pond remains a delight to experience, watching the ducks splash, chase and swim. When ducklings are present it is a treat to see. Today, we saw far more ducks than usual, sunbathing and enjoying cooler weather with constant wind gusts.

A great place to get some steps in…read more Stopped by for my daily walk and was reminded why this is one of my favorite places to be active. Features: Walking paths Benches Restrooms ( Dog friendly Playground Water views with ducks Shade Parking The park was clean, felt safe, and had plenty of space for walkers, runners, families, and people simply looking to enjoy the outdoors. Still under construction tho Definitely a place I'll continue returning to.

A great place to get some steps in…read more Stopped by for my daily walk and was reminded why this is one of my favorite places to be active. Features: Walking paths Benches Restrooms Dog friendly Playground and basketball courts Shade Parking The park was clean, families were there, and had plenty of space for walkers, runners, families, and people simply looking to enjoy the outdoors. Be careful on the walking trail by the train tracks. It's secluded and a lot of bushes and trees.

I love this park. Truly I do. I have so many fond memories here as a child and now I'm creating…read moremore memories with my children. That's why I want to write this review in hopes that as a community we can maintain and even maximize the things we love about this park. The small play area is due for a remodeling. Graffiti throughout, broken structures, broken fencing, and trash. The basketball courts have uneven pavement so I can only imagine what could happen when the older kids or even adults are playing. Even the bathroom, while better than before, some of the items aren't stocked or the fixtures/appliances don't work. Hopefully some things can be repaired soon, but overall the park needs some love poured back into it.

What a great park! As a new mom, I'm always on the hunt for great parks throughout the East…read moreBay...and Arlington Park has made the list. There's a few things I currently look for in a park before frequenting: is there easy/convenient parking, are there swings for not just the older kiddos, is there an open grass area for play or picnic, are there slides or safe infrastructure, and most importantly, is this a place I can make memories with my little or just unwind a bit. The answer to all of the above for Arlington Park is yes. I'm surprised how many parks don't have swings anymore, so grateful to those that do. Arlington Park has an incredibly large grass area to throw a blanket and bring a book to meet friends/take a break as well. Easy and free street parking, and did I mention there are ducks? Large enough to walk and spend some time, while also a great meeting spot. Would def recommend if looking for a new park or just a resting space and place. Well-kept grounds, perfect for keeping up the well being :)

Cute park with lake of ducks and turtles. Safe and pretty. Only issue is you have to go through…read morehoops to buy a key for the bathroom :-(

At first glance, this is a lovely old pocket park built along a terraced hillside with old shady…read moreoaks, a creek, and mossy cut rocks. There is a fireplace and picnic tables. The temperature was significantly cooler in the shade, and it was very peaceful. However. This park was in need of a power washer. There is a cement slide, but the steps were caked with bird poop. Yuck. There are swings with rusty chains that are quick to pinch. There are not much clean options to sit. The bathrooms are locked and the drinking fountain tasted bad. I would not take my kids if I were concerned about germs. My kids are big enough to not put their fingers in their mouths, so we did stay a bit, but they were pretty grossed out by the slide.

My review is based on a recent evening gathering but I'm shocked that I somehow missed this…read moreadorable little park when the kiddos were little. It's a multi-tiered park with a basketball court at the bottom, restrooms and tables/grill in the middle and playground with more tables/grill at the top. Stairs are used to access each level. As with all El Cerrito parks, you can purchase a key to access all the restrooms. Limited driveway (maybe 6 cars) and street parking. If you're a caregiver of small children, note that the play equipment is dated but fun. Cool (old) slide, swings that are too high for a normal person to access. (Example: baby swings are RIDICULOUSLY tall. I don't see how anyone under 5'6" could possibly lift their baby in/out. And regular swings are perfect height for an adult). Otherwise, it's a sweet spot for a hangout. Enjoyed the vibes of a cookout last night on the first day of autumn.

Albany Hill Park is aptly named, as it's just one big hill, or one big rock off of I-80!!…read more You can drive to the top and follow the trails or stairs back down. Or you can start at the bottom and work your way to the top. On the way up one trail, I saw a cross and a swing, and plenty of dog walkers. There are some good views at the top looking through the trees. When I was here, I felt like I was at a super small version of Golden Gate Park. Albany is a really small city, just driving through you can pass through it and you might not know it, but when you see this big rock, you'll know you're definitely in Albany!! Very nice park, seems like the highlight of this little city to me!!

Turkey sighting. I usually see them out around San Pablo Ave., near the Albany city services area…read more-- Police, Fire, City Hall. It was nice to see one out in nature and not doing the casual street stroll. Apple maps showed me two different routes to destinations of this name, depended on the day. One was up Taft, the other was to a path near Ranch 99. Well, the Ranch 99 route starts with a long walk that includes a long stair climb. On the bright side, there's your warm up. Downside really only if you have someone already there waiting for you. Live and learn. Enjoy the outdoors and a good walk.

A nice, peaceful, small, but adequate neighborhood park located on the edge of Hercules just in…read morefront of the railroad tracks and Bayfront Park. It's also right next to 'Leila by the Bay' restaurant. The playground is designed mostly for younger kids with the floor deck made from recycled rubber materials. It has a couple of toddler swings so definitely not for teenagers. We didn't have these kinds of playgrounds when I was growing up. It has three benches and three picnic tables with lots of grassy area. Depending on the time of day, the surrounding trees will provide some shade. I've taken my friends here during the pandemic just to get away from the pandemic madness while enjoying the outdoors while maintaining social distancing. The city of Hercules also does a good job of maintaining and cleaning this park, and the garbage bin is never full, which is a sign that it's being serviced in a timely manner. Best part of all, you can watch the Amtrak passenger trains and freight trains pass by on their scheduled routes. There's something hypnotizing about a train going by; no matter how many times I've seen it, you can't help but look and enjoy. It's definitely appropriately named Railroad Park.

Love this park. It's a tot lot with a few picnic tables and a grassy area. No shade…read more Best part...it's never busy and I always feel safe here. 2 toddler swings, a tic-tac-toe board, a slide and some cones to yell into. What more could you ask for from a corner park?

I choose this park as it was half way between my home and church. It's a nice neighborhood park…read more This means NO BATHROOMS! The park area was well maintained - wood chips around the structure and wood around the edge where there are some trees and weeds. The grounds outside of the play area was overgrown with weeds and vine like bushes but didn't detract from our playtime. It being close to a liquor store I was worried about homeless people but did not see anyone. My twins are 3 and accessed most of the features easily. It loved the rocking toys the best. Will for sure come back and enjoy.

Kern playlot seems to be where an d house was. One of the best things about the Bay Area that we…read morelove so much is that quite often it's gentrification goes back to nature! We love nature. I love that the park stays clean most often times. Sometime there are kids (teen) and shady characters hang out in the back of the lot, but it's seldom; not as shady as those at wildcat. Chaucer seems to LOVE this place... In fact he kinda thinks he owns it, lol! He must investigate(sniff) anyone who enters his kingdom! Super friendly welcoming for all!! Seriously, if you want a chill spot instead of a full on dog park, come here! Everyone is family. PS: My only criticism is that they could use a water fountain after all this play!

Wish I knew about this garden when I was a student at CAL. This park is part of the landscaping…read moreprogram at CAL. Even the door was inconspicuous and at first glance, we were not sure if the entry was the secret staff entry or an actual entryway. It was my first time here and it was hidden in a quiet Kensington neighborhood. I accidentally found this park on Yelp and didn't think much about it but my hubby and I were surprised how charming this park is. It was like a little fairyland full of ethereal cottage flowers such as wispy cosmos moving with the breeze and happy bees everywhere. There were volunteers planting Benary zinnias and other flowers. There was a clean bathroom inside their office and plants offered for a donation. I saw mothers with their babies talking as if they come here all the time. There was a group of elderly women chatting and enjoying the peaceful garden. I was there for 30 minutes before lunch and only saw about 35 percent of the garden and I look forward to another trip to this secret garden in Kensington.

This garden is a bit off the beaten path, it's part of UC Berkeley but 3.5 miles north in the hills…read moreof Kensington. I was surprised because it was much bigger than I had imagined. At 10 acres it's a pretty decent size with a maze of little trails to explore and over 1,500 plant species. I wish they had more signage of what everything was, there were a few placards but for people that are really into botany it would have been more interesting. My favorite parts were the views of the bay and the redwood forest nestled near a creek. It's very calm here, probably because it's only open on the weekdays so it doesn't get too crowded. It's is ideal for a romantic stroll, or to take a meditative walk and it has many benches around to sit.