We got married here and it was amazing. The space is intimate and really a hidden gem. In fact, so hidden, we got lost twice when we were making the arrangements and my husband took the wrong exit with his best man on the way to the actual wedding. Fortunately, we all arrived in time and everything went off with a hitch (get it?) We had our ceremony in the court yard and our reception in the Beach House. The court yard is a tropical oasis filled with azaleas, ferns, rhododendrons and even a waterfall. The Beach House is a humble Craftsmen gem that East Bay Regional Parks keeps in sparkling shape. The fees to rent the Beach House for a full 8 hours were really reasonable. Although you do have to choose from a list of pre-approved caterers, we found Culinary Excellence, who did an amazing job. After dinner, we cleared the floor and turned the little beach house into a dance hall. When it got too steamy inside from all the rug-cutting, our guests were able to relax in the courtyard under the stars and enjoy the beautiful Oakland night air. All in all, a night to remember and our guests left knowing a side of Oakland they never knew existed. read more

A beautiful oasis in Oakland. What a wonderful place to walk or have a picnic. There are always people fishing in the lake, a permit is needed. Dogs are welcome on leash. If you get caught with a dog off leash, the ticket is over $250. There is a beach and swimming area that is open in the spring and summer. $5 for parking in high season but it is free the rest of the year. I enjoy walking Sweet Pea, the pug, around Lake Temescal. Highly recommend. read more

Got a little lost finding the entrance. But the lake is lovely, has plenty of shade with areas of sunlight, plenty of picnic/bbq areas.

If you lived in Oakland you probably been to a baby shower hosted by one of your friends once or a few times here at Lake Temescal. Theres two areas in the picnic area (North and South) and once you've parked in one of the parking lot you can't move to the other parking lot so make sure you know what side you are on, but you can also park outside of the rec area for free if you want to go that route. You can reserve the picnic area for your party which is great and better than first come, first serve. Theres a swimming area with life guard on duty during the summer time so it's great for the kids as they provide sand around the area to make it look like a beach. You can also take a walk on their easy trails on the south side of the lake. This is a great location for large family picnics/barbecues and small get togethers with friends. read more

I appreciate how quiet and relatively serene Lake Temescal is compared to busy Lake Merritt. This lake and park/beach are much smaller (you can see the whole perimeter of the lake) but I like the grassy area, which is ideal for a picnic or small bbq. read more

I live sooo close to this place and for some reason it doesnt strike me as a great place to hang out. We used to have b-day parties here as kids and stuff, but there is NO way Id ever swim in it, it is really too short to walk around and get any exercise out of, and my dog wants to eat the ducks there, oh and the grass always seems mushy and wet... Not to be a hater, Im just not that into it. read more

We've been in the east bay since 2005. Until last weekend we had never been here. We came accross it during a East Bay Hills bike ride on the way home! What a great place! Lot's of open lawn and picnic areas, swimming at the lake. It's so close! Who knew! A great family friendly, clean, beautiful spot just off of 24. Go here! read more

Love coming here... discovered this place on accident after moving here. Had no idea that this little treasure was just down the street! Its a nice place to relax, have a cigar, go fishing, have a picnic or BBQ, there are berries along the trail, good for a hike, and the fish do bite! There's lots of green grass and healthy trees and it's absolutely beautiful on a cloudy day. My fiance and I like to come here and simply relax during the week when its relatively vacant. We have not gone swimming, but I'd rather not swim in the same lake where I cast my line. Personal preference. Only complaint is that some of the fisherman are a bit inconsiderate. If you are coming later in the evening when the light isn't great, make sure you watch where you're sitting if you're going to that dock. Apparently someone likes to gut - yes - GUT their fish on the bench.... Disgusting. So be careful lol Almost ruined an evening. If its wet, dont sit there. read more

What a great little gem tucked up in the hills! Perfect for picnics, casual walks or an easy run around the lake

Beautiful place, but this lake is man made, used to be a dam.. Went swimming in the lake on the 4th of July, definitely caught something from it.. The water did not pass the water test, should of listened to my mother when she told me not to swim in it... Now I have body aches and a major headache and upset stomach :/ read more

I strongly believe this place has some magical qualities. So great.

I used to come up here all the time with my family and head to the lake! we aren't supposed to swim but we did anyways.... I would always be the first to try to catch a turtle! they are huge! I love the idea of being one with nature, swimming next to turtles and ducks! such an awesome place... but recently there has been way to many people for comfort but i'll go back one day soon!! read more

Definitely a nice treasure in Oakland that I hope stays a secret for a long time to come! Huge park with a lake for fishing and also swimming (during certain times with a lifeguard on duty), nice trails for walking and running, and also areas for BBQs and picnics. Love this place! read more

10 minutes from my house and feels like a vacation. love it. especially in the summer. also, thanks for hosting the fishing derby field trip for my students. they were so psyched to catch big fish and take them home, even when it started pouring. read more

Came to Lake Temescal for my nephew's birthday and unfortunately it was raining that day. As we arrived at the Lake, I ended up in the wrong parking lot. I was suppose to enter from the South Gate. When I asked the attendant how to get there, he was very hesitant to give me directions to the South Gate. He suggested we park along the street and walk over to the other side. I was pretty annoyed the attendant wouldn't give us directions so I said f*** it, we'll walk. So rude! Anyways, the walk wasn't too bad. Took about 10-15 minutes to get over there (IN THE RAIN). The park had a swimming at the lake but you have to pay to swim at the lake. I think either $3 or $5. Couldn't remember. You can also go fishing in the lake I believe but will need a fishing license, It eventually stopped raining and the walk back to the car wasn't too bad. read more

This is a cute park to picnic and relax at. Not so much for sports. Dozens of trees provide tons of shade and there's a good amount of picnic tables to go around. A decent trail circles the lake and manmade beach, but I don't know about swimming in their water - you literally swim with the ducks. read more

Hard to believe that I visited this park for the first time just the other day. I walked up Broadway Terrace from 51st and Broadway. It was mostly up hill but it was a great walk. We had a great little picnic on the grass with our babies. Nice day! read more

I don't know why I don't come here more often. I went there this morning and it's perfect. It's green and has redwoods in it. You can stroll along and watch the dew melt in the sun. Around you are birds and little creatures. Maybe this is what one expects from a park. I don't know. Just wanted to write a little blurb to encourage you to go--not to make it crowded, but just to make sure it is enjoyed. read more

this is place is amazing...it's like a a little get away tucked in the middle of oakland. you will be surprised and delighted of how wonderful this getaway is. Pack a picnic! read more

Great place to cleanse your mind and just get out, quiet, you can walk, run, jog, hike, take the kids on a picnic or something , just a soothing place to go , when you just need some quietness in your hectic life..... read more

I love Lake Temescal. A welcomed refuge from the hustle and noise of a busy city. I was Baptized in that water!

I loved Lake Temescal! Gorgeous park... I lived in the East Bay for four years and never made it to the lake... Great place for a BBQ or gathering of friends. read more

I often hike here with my dogs. It's a fantastic little park with a beach for swimming in the summer, BBQ pits and nice stretches of lawn. You can also fish off the little docks for bass and rainbows. The lake is stocked through out the year. Great for a peaceful brisk walk around the lake in the evenings. read more

Gotta love the lap around the lake! U can use it for a run, a romantic walk, a dog walk but you need to have a leash of course! Then during the summer time the lifeguards come out and guard off the designated swimming area!! They are for sure top of the line guards with there training and there services they provide! The park has many benches with BBQ on them and then up on the upper level they have a huge grass area where someone could set up some volleyball nets and get a pick up game going.!! (hint hint) lol Def worth going to have a blast! read more

I love this place...it's so relaxing, and great for a bbq with lots of friends. I do recommend reserving a spot of you want a grill and table, but it's usually easy to get one. They have a swimming in the lake and small rental facility for parties. The Southern parking lot is better, but also farther away from the lake beach. read more

Wow, never realized how close Lake Temescal is! Not as much hiking as I expected but great place to relax, picnic, walk, hang at a lake other than Lake Merritt. Definitely planning on going back, even biking there! Maybe fishing sometime too :) read more

I parked on the street (at the top of Broadway) to avoid paying parking. I did pay the $3 fee for swimming. The beach area is nice with a quite coarse sand, and, just so you know, the lake water is greenish. THe water was a tad warmer than I'd expected. There was a roped off swimming area. There were kids swimming in the lake. read more

I live 5 minutes driving time from the lake. So it's very convenient for me and my family come here to get some fun and spend some time outside making BBQ. However I'm writing this review about the men who is responsible for tickets. He is always very rude and critical to everyone. I understand that it's probably very hard to work when it's hot outside but it's not our fault.. Right? I'm just asking for some respect especially when you are working in costumer service! read more

My BFF had her rehearsal dinner here and it was the perfect spot. The space is so pretty you do not need any decoration. The caterer put some candles on the tables and it was beautiful. They had about 80 people and had a nice sized dance floor. They used Serves You Right Catering and the food was outstanding. 10 times better than the food for the wedding meal. The service from the catering was great. I wished they used Serves You Right for the wedding. This would be the perfect location for a small wedding or rehearsal dinner. On a side note my friend was really worried the place might be noisy with the beach so close. It was not a problem. The beach clears out at about 3PM, the ranger told us and he was right. read more

This park is simply phenomenal. It has a great atmosphere and several fun things to do. The proprieter, Byron, cleans the park himself. However, I wouldn't swim in the water because I have pooped in there numerous times. read more

me, boston biggie, and in-laws show up at Temescal to check out what all the buzz was about. I guess it is a nice place to bbq and watch other ppl's kids swim in the agae filled dirty duck poo water. It's ok considering that DeValle Regional Park is a lot bigger and prettier. I came here to hike around but didn't expect it to be so small compared to other places like Chabot, DeValle, Redwood... read more

Another Oakland gem. Very fun park to spend a couple of hours walking and exploring. I like parking at the the south entrance lot - I think the north parking lot is most exposed to the freeway noise. But starting the walk from the south entrance, along the west shore of the lake, is a wonderful experience. When you get on the east shore, take a short detour and explore the terraced garden behind the clubhouse or whatever that structure is. read more

Convenient and beautiful spot. I'm so glad they renovated the waterfall. It's a very relaxing place and I love walking around and witnessing all the families and friends getting together for birthday, weddings, etc. read more

I could really see myself having a birthday party here. There's great space to have a large family get-together, and enough so that you don't feel like you're stepping into other people's spaces. I also like that there's different areas to see: lake, "beach," play structures, meadows, etc. I was just a little disappointed that one of the trails was closed. We definitely could have used up our time more if we got a chance to explore the trail. read more

I was just biking around town and started following the signs for Lake Temescal. I had no idea there was a little hidden gem of a lake with sandy beaches and a life guard. I'm definitely going to come back with my beach blanket, swimsuit, and a good book one day soon! read more

Lake Temescal is so pretty and it's right here! This park is landscaped beautifully and is such a nice spot for a picnic, a family outing or a super easy hike with my dog. I personally wouldn't go swimming in the lake but will always enjoy hanging out there. I think everyone who lives in Oakland/Berkeley should check out Lake Temescal at least once since it's such a peaceful place right in the city. read more

Temescal's a nice spot. It would be my third choice of lakes in the near East Bay Area (doesn't include areas further out), after 1) Lake Merritt and 2) Anza. read more

A small park by the Oakland Hills. The lake is beautiful. Looking West and South, you think you're out in nature not in the urban Bay Area. But if you look North toward the hills, you see the cars driving through the highway. Plus, you can hear the noise of the traffic zooming, which takes away the feeling of serenity. But there are beautiful trails around the lake that are totally easy and doable for hikes. The only thing I don't like are the restrooms, on the north side at least. They don't have real flushing toilets, just latrines, with no sink to wash your hands! So bring some moist towelettes or just wash your hands in a water fountain nearby!!! read more

An Oakland oasis, this is a terrific green space for the whole family! There's a creek as well as the lake, lots of ducks and geese, redwood trees, paths to run/walk/hike/bike, swimming and fishing in the lake (though I haven't tried either), a sandy beach, a couple of playgrounds, plenty of picnic areas, three restroom areas, a great maintenance crew, and lots of parking between the two lots. Hooray for East Bay Regional Parks! read more

I love this lake. Swimming in it is so lovely, especially on the hot summer days. The water feels so much better than a pool and the ducks swim and fly so close, it really feels like you're immersed in nature. I try to avoid the lifeguards and the fees, which is a definite after 6:00, but I think it's more leisurely before then as well. It's great on holidays and weekends when lots of different families spread out and fiesta! read more