Clean, great walking path & beautiful! The are lots of…read moretables & beautiful trees. Very tranquil here. I highly recommend coming here. Plenty of street parking places. Have fun. Chill in nature.

Located in a quiet residential area, this park offers plenty of entertainment. We love fishing for…read morecrawdads, and the two playgrounds next to each other are great for kids. There are ample seating areas and a spacious grassy field for relaxing or playing. Plus, the concrete car ramp adds a unique touch. A wonderful spot for family fun!

Beautiful views! Nice place to sit next to and read a book. The lake really is hidden! Was…read moredifficult to spot without maps.

This place is a gem. Really good for walking your little dogs, for hikes, playing basketball, or…read morekids playground, and has a beautiful soccer area. There are picnic tables and plenty of parking. Clean bathrooms that the city of Martinez does a good job of keeping clean. We go to this place over and over again because it's just so nice.

The Martinez shoreline is definitely one of the highlights of this city!!…read more Lots of trails to walk or run on, great views of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, and just the overall serenity of this place is amazing!! There are also plenty of picnic areas along with people fishing on the dock. I did like the short bridges throughout the trails going over the water in some areas. And there was plenty of parking all throughout this area. I will definitely come back here again!!!

Beautiful park in Martinez!…read more It seemed to have two separate areas: the park/parking lot and water/shoreline/trails area. I visited on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy some time by the water. Whether you decide to walk, hang at the park, or sit by the water, you get to see some beautiful views. There were quite a few ducks, birds, and squirrels hanging around near the water, in the water, or in trees. I really enjoyed my time here. There's nothing like that ocean scent in the air. I definitely will come by this park again!!

Out for our weekend walk the honey and I ambled into Hidden Valley Park after walking through…read moreHidden Lakes Park. Personally, we enjoyed this park more as it was paved and had more amenities, such as exercise equipment and children's play spaces. It could definitely use more culture and zhuzh as there were many spots where a bit of design (such as a mural) would have improved the vibe. But that being said, it wasn't too bad for a mid-sized neighborhood park. Our favorite areas were the small overlook with stone bench and the bridge that connected back to the trail towards Lakes. Sadly, like Lakes, some of the trails that lead down from the bridge were a bit washed out so we didn't get explore as much as we would have liked but all in all we much enjoyed getting some steps in and would definitely come back - but perhaps on a day where it's not raining.

A really nice and super clean park. I stumbled across this park while doing some light hiking at…read morethe adjacent Hidden Lakes Park. These two parks are often confused as one park, but they actually intercept each other. This is an excellent place to bring the kiddies as there is a pretty large play structure in tow. There's also a huge grassy field that's perfect for picnicking and other recreational activities. The walking paths are all paved and lead to other trails within nearby Hidden Lakes Park. There's tons of picnic space and each picnic area can be reserved for special events. You'll find a good amount of exercise equipment near a few of the walking paths. Parking is easy and there are clean restrooms on site. This is the perfect spot for a leisurely stroll or a light run. The large grassy field space is also very desirable for dog owners. I immediately noticed how clean this park was as soon as I arrived. They definitely do an excellent job of cleaning and maintaining this area. I'd say that this is one of the better local parks in the area.

Life's a beach, enjoy the waves! Okay, I just made that up...but, it sounds cool, right? I know! :)…read moreIf you think that was cool, then you must check out Benicia Public Pier & Beach! Beautiful views (including Carquinez Bridge in the distance, mountains, Amtrak was chugging along in the far distance also!), ocean air, and a breeze. It was pretty cold and foggy when I first arrived. Then, the sun peaked out more and got some vitamin D. I took a nice stroll on the sidewalk that winds around the pier and by a restaurant and some homes. The ocean view stayed front and center the entire time. There wasn't many people there at the time I went. It felt like I owned the area to myself for a little bit :) There's street parking (free). There were benches all along the sidewalk and the pier, if you just want to sit and watch the ocean waves. I definitely will be returning for some more Vitamin sea time! :)

Very Clean Pier with lots of stripe bass. OG fisherman's are very friendly and helpful. Would…read moredefinitely recommend this spot for first timers..

I randomly came across the John Muir National Historic Site, and I'm so glad I did!…read more You first enter through the visitor center, where I happened to overhear a gentleman at the desk telling another guest about the property and a tour happening at 11am. This was on a random Thursday, and luckily, it was 10:55am! So naturally, I decided to stick around for the tour lol. You walk up a short path to John Muir's house, where a docent leads a quick tour that's about 20-25 minutes. Afterward, you're free to explore the rest of the house, including the second and third floors, at your own pace. I especially enjoyed reading about the lives of John Muir's in-laws, wife, and daughters, which gave the house a more personal feel. The top-floor bell tower was a fun surprise -- you can actually ring the bell! I also enjoyed walking around the rest of the property and seeing all the different fruit trees that were planted there. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit. It's always cool stumbling across a local historic site and getting to learn a little more about the history of the area. Definitely worth a stop if you're nearby!

4.4 stars We all…read moreknow some of his famous quotes: "The mountains are calling and I must go." "Going to the mountains is going home." "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." According to Brittanica, John Muir was largely responsible for the establishment of Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park. Muir was a preservationist that didn't agree with allowing industries to harvest resources within the national parks. He was able to swing public and congressional opinion in favor of national forest reservations through his writing, which led to the establishment of Mt. Rainier National Park in 1899 and Grand Canyon National Park in 1919. His home became John Muir National Historic Site in 1964. Much of the exhibits within the home discusses his personal life and achievements. He was the eldest of 8 children, immigrated to the U.S. in 1849, and he married Louie Wanda Strentzel in 1880. He and his wife had 2 daughters named Wanda and Helen. In his lifetime, he has written 300 articles and 10 books, which can be purchased online and at Muir Woods National Monument and Bear Valley Visitor's Center. I highly recommend visiting this site if you'd like more information :) there's a lot more details here.

Might I suggest if you are interested in seeing the flocks of waterbirds on the small lake here…read morethat you park in the vacant space just as you make the turn onto Waterbird Way. You will get the best view from this vantage point. Don't bother driving up to the established parking lot for the preserve. First, you're too far away from the waterfowl to appreciate what you're seeing unless you want the oil refineries in the background of your shots. Second, the designated trail is nowhere near the water, fully exposed, and the short circular route provides little of visual interest beyond a concrete destruction plant. Third, the parking lot was populated by trucks and RVs with blaring music. I didn't have the feeling they were ornithophiles. RELATED - Exploring Martinez? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2x1rlsD

Nice area to watch migratory birds and hike the rolling hills nearby, lots of wildlife around, We…read moresaw 2 Deer, a Coyote,3 Lizards, 1 snake, its a clean park with a nice restroom, picnic bench is covered for rainy weather, I would recommend this park to anyone want a break from the hustle and bustle of city life, Parking lot can be busy with weary travelers taking a break from driving, so keep noise down for the folks resting here, There's even a Rooster that lives there, super friendly little guy.

** Business Update ** Dog Bar Bay Area has moved from…read moreStoneridge Mall, Pleasanton to Classy Canine Wiggle Rumps in Castro Valley. No longer offering doggie daycare but Doggie Summer Camps: Sunday Fun Days events from 10am-1pm with homemade dog treats based on the changing themes. 4-legged nephew has enjoyed 2 Sundays in June mingling and playing with other pups and tires out after 1.5 hours of outdoor play. Great place for dog socializing and mingling. Fun, unique activities and events for you and your pup to enjoy EVERY SUNDAY from June - August Summer 2025! Cost: $25 @dogbarbayarea

Dog Bar is a spectacular little place. My husband found it online, and we decided to check it out…read moreon our free Saturday. Steph is so kind, creative, and awesome to create this space for us in the East Bay. There are so many little touches that show her love for dogs! There are these little photo opp rooms that are made from the old fitting rooms. THEE CREATIVITY!! We didn't do these today because we want to come back when ronja is in costume. However, you gotta know that each little photo space is unique and masterful. There's hanging mustard and ketchup bottles! There's a backdrop made of different tickets !! The lattes and dog drinks are tooooo adorable. Ronja ate it up! If your dog doesn't finish, fear not! It won't be wasted! Steph's dog will happily take what's left! There are a lot of events. You should definitely come by and see the space!

On our tour of playgrounds we stopped here. Small and hidden. I really liked it. Playground is…read morebuilt for the bigger kids but we still had fun. There is also a half court for shooting hoops, a horseshoe area and hop scotch. Quiet park that you would never guess was up there.

Decent park. Located in a quiet residential neighborhood. They have a small field, a half…read morebasketball court, and a playground for children. There is no parking but it's the streets are always empty. Everything in this playground is brand new because it was recently remodeled. The clean and well-maintained play structures were a big hit with the kids. Dogs, on the other hand, are welcome here and may occasionally be seen roaming freely. To top it all off, dogs will relieve themselves just about anywhere. Make sure you watch where you step.