For a long time, this was the only patch of greenery to be found in this windswept part of Oakland where all the cargo continues to be unloaded from huge freighters. Now that the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park has been established (review: https://bit.ly/3ECAB6J), it' has become more of an annex to that park and felt like a shoreline path to a weather-worn wooden fishing pier. It does provide scenic bay views, but beyond a playground, there is little of interest to young families. The rest of us can use the narrow space to add FitBit steps unless an army of geese remain immobile in your path. RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ read more

See all

Port View Park is it!! Located in west Oakland, at the Port of Oakland, this Park is as far west as you can go and still be in Oakland. Small parking lot, with a large grassy area and play structure for the kids. There's also a long paved trail leading out to the wooden circular dock where people go to fish and catch great city views. A local hidden gem of a park!!! read more

See all

When I need to take a break from life and clear my thoughts I come here. It's kinda like a marina behind the Oakland port. It's so relaxing and the views are incredible. There are 3 main walkway view ltrails in different locations of the port view park. I like the one with the tower where you have to climb three flights of steps to reach the binoculars overlooking the bay area they do have an elevator, but it is out of order and has been for quite some time. My most favorite location however, is the best for fishing and sightseeing the Bay Bridge best without needing the binoculars. It has a parking lot as well as the others with a kids play area and bathrooms in all three locations. This location is next to the kids play park and Marine Center which is often closed. If you walk the waters edge trail you will see the fishing and crabbing pier. It's a small cul-de-sac with provided fish cleaning sink and bathroom right at the pier's entrence. All kinds of marine life live near to observe and it's also a pleasure watching the merchant seaman at work loading and unloading the cargo ship boats as you fish. read more

Port View Park - Baby ray Middle shoreline harbor - Parks Near Me - Oakland, California

Pretty views, mediocre fishing, interesting machinery. Occasionally smells really bad from seaweed washing up and decomposing.

Cool location all the way at the end of the industrial part of Oakland. Massive swath of railroad tracks. Hundreds of trucks driving in and out with metal shipping containers. Port cranes servicing the massive cargo ships piling up thousands of containers. However, no dogs are allowed. WTF? A security guard saw us and told us. He wasn't sure of the reason for this rule, possibly due to dog fighting taking place about 10 years ago. In any case, time for dogs to be allowed. Unless there is a national security risk at the ports from dogs being there, this needs to be updateed. read more

What an interesting place to walk! This place is beautiful: clean path, clear skies, and an immaculate view of the Golden Gate Bridge towards the end of the path. But there's something about this place that holds more to it's charm. Maybe it's the cranes? Maybe because it's not crowded? Or maybe it's the cute deck at the end. There's plenty of room alongside the park where people are able to walk, have a picnic, and it even has a cute playground for kids to run around. I'm so glad that my date brought me here. I haven't even heard of this place and I feel guilty not knowing this place to begin with! So yes, bring all your friends, lovers and friends here haha. read more

Port View Park - Parks Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Ok, so I am probably letting out a little secret, but for you East Bay Yelpers it is worth it. I've been to this place twice before to watch fireworks, but each time the fog rolled in. This little park is about as close as you can get to San Francisco fireworks without having to go into San Francisco (or Treasure Island). The park is a bit small, but there is a nice run/bike trail and one round pier that you can hang out. If you plan on taking photos of the fireworks... don't try it on the pier as it actually moves quite a bit! So, check this out on July 4th, but make sure you know that the fog won't roll in. read more

See all

Do you want to impress your friends with a place in the Bay Area that's known to few and is an absolute headache to get to? Well then Oakland's Port View Park is definitely the place to be. If you've ever driven/taken the Bart to or from San Francisco, you have probably seen the army of shipping containers laid out along the Oakland side of the Bay. That's where you'll find Port View Park. My girlfriend and I successfully visited the park (after failing miserably and ending up in San Francisco instead), and we agreed that it's definitely a fun, "off-the-beaten path" spot to check out if you are looking for an adventure. Sometimes, great things in life require lots of work. And Port View Park is a perfect example because getting here will be a tough one - ESPECIALLY if coming from East Bay. If you are traveling from San Francisco, it should be easy enough to navigate using your GPS. After driving across the bridge, you will exit on Grand Ave/Martime and then eventually turn right onto 7th Street. Just follow the signs and you'll hit the park. Now you'll finally answer your own question on what the heck that one exit immediately after the bridge was for! If you are coming from Oakland/East Bay, listen up. I actually recommend NOT following GPS if it recommends taking the freeway (i.e. I-80) because it may end up leading you to SF like it did for me. That's because the Grand Ave exit on THAT side might not get you to the park. The absolute "sure-fire" way is to follow 7th street in downtown Oakland ALL THE WAY until you reach the park (there's one point where you have to go onto 6th and then 7th, but it's easy to follow via a map). Do yourself a favor and don't end up paying Fastrak money when you don't need to. Once you actually get to the park, you can sit and relax because Port View Park is a really nice place to enjoy the scenery and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the park, you can get a GORGEOUS view of the San Francisco skyline - especially if you walk to the pier. And plus, you can also bring your fishing pole and try to catch some of the sea animals here for dinner. Totally legal! I can't believe I never encountered this park before; it's truly encapsulates what comes to mind when you think of an urban, waterfront park. I mean on one end, you are facing the MASSIVE shipping industry that's found in Oakland (and apparently Department of Homeland Security is there??). And on the other, you get the beauty of the Bay. The only real downsides of this park are that 1. There's not much else other than a long walkway (i.e. no real grass to play in), and 2. There's a lot of feces everywhere so be careful. All in all, if you are looking for a super, hidden gem in the Bay Area, Port View Park isn't a bad option. Though there's not much to do here, it's a great place to just relax and enjoy the scenery. I might actually come back during the night time (though it closes early so I'll try??), or even during 4th of July. I give this place a "nice-su, you can take your parents here and they'll be happy" rating. If you venture out here, I hope you find my directions helpful and not get lost like I did! Have fun and prosper, read more

See all

The views are impressive, the park seems like the setting of a film where you are the last person on earth. It's a rare find to have a quiet place that's out of the way. I visited this place on a sunny afternoon, and we had a great walk. There were some folks fishing on the pier, but that's about it. While I didn't feel unsafe here, I can see where it might make someone feel uncomfortable. If you like biking, this is pretty ideal. Flat, lots of space, and not many cars. It's worth a visit, just to see a place you may not have known was there. read more

So I'm confused. This park looks as though it used to be something back in the day but funding was halted or something like that. There's poop everywhere, the pathways aren't tended to. It looks like a deserted park. Almost like when you go to Vegas, and there are those deserted parts that you know were the hit thing in the 70s and 80s but now it's not because places like SLS and The Venetian are taking over. read more

This place is beautiful on a clear day, especially during sunset. One of my favorite parks in all of CA. Portview has a cool little fishing pier but I've never seen anyone actually fishing here. There is also a nice little playground with a crane that digs sand for those of you with kids. Or people who like to act like kids. The only negative thing I can say about Portview Park is that it gets kinda creepy after dark. A couple days after I was last here some chick's car got shot up at a sideshow http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2013/09/23/ugly-scene-as-oaklands-illegal-sideshows-make-comeback-video/ . But hey if you're into that kinda stuff then I guess that'd be another reason to come here lol. read more

Port View Park - Parks Near Me - Oakland, California

A surprisingly lovely park out in the middle of nowhere. Large modern playground, abundance of accessible trails, decent parking, and unbeatable view. The hours listed here are correct - it's open until a shocking 10pm. A long pathway connects Port View Park with adjacent Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, so you can feasibly get a really decent walk here. As with Middle Harbor, dogs are NOT allowed here. Only service dogs on leash. Bummer. read more

I love cranes. This spot allows me to bring someone here to drink in a view of the city while I spend time reveling in all the crane-glory to be had. It gets windy here often, so layer up. Careful on the drive over. The roadway up here is a favorite site for Oakland's famous side-show drivers. read more

Completely clean and safe for my family. I was pleasantly surprised when the park was clean and only families were present. The views are spectacular and other families were fishing. The public buildings were closed but it looked like two nice museums are available to the public. The bathrooms were also immaculately clean. read more

As for fishing this pier is the worst I have ever been to. Getting there is confusing too. The port of Oakland :-! The shape of the pier is cool. Its got a octogon shape nice views & clean bathrooms.But rhe batheooms have no stall doors. I would not go back here read more

Went here today bad weather and all to go fishing not one bite and there was two seals swimming around scaring the fish away

I am only writing a review in regard to watching ( or NOT watching ) fireworks from this location on the Fourth of July... DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!! It sounds like it a great place, "right"? Unfortunately, the parking lot is small & dead ends. There is a trail that MAY lead you to a great view, BUT- we never found it. In the evening its creepy since you are unable to see where it leads. After walking awhile & giving it the, "Old College Try", we turned back around. As people were approaching us along the trail I asked a few strangers if they were able to see an fireworks further down, they replied, "No"... Keep in mind even if the fireworks were visible, the buildings in the area are so bright I imagine it would diminish their intensity. What a bummer & a waste of time, read more

This park has great potential. The view is fantastic and it's a nice open space. There's no better place in the region to stand and watch the enormous container ships go by. But be careful around sunset. read more

I spotted this park as I was taking the Ferry to San Francisco one morning. I'm so glad I made the effort to come here. The park is kept very well. There's lots of space for the kids to run around and plenty of benches and BBQ spots. Great view of the city especially on a sunny day. We plan on coming back with bikes and or strollers next time. read more

See all

best spots for fishing, but -1 star for not 24hrs... you will catch jacksmelts, striped bass, small rock bass, surfperch! but no shark or bat ray there!! cuz, the water surface not deep, so not much big fish there!! read more

No dogs allowed, so would be 1-star, but security was not enforcing that policy when we visited (or just missed us), so thumbs cautiously sideways. read more

Hidden Bay Area gem. You get an exceptional view of the SF skyline and Bay Bridge and it's very secluded with few people on the two times I went. Don't be dissuaded by the industrial area you have to go through to get here. read more

Lots of wind. Lots of geese guano on the grass. But I love love love this park. It feels like you are in the middle of the economic engine that is the Bay Area. When I was there a couple years ago, the blue roofed building was a trains, planes, boats and ferry self-serve history museum, where from the 2nd floor you had an expansive view of the bay and boats/cranes/trucks/bridges. It had just opened, and I feared for the unsupervised nature of the facility vis a vis tagging, vandalism and theft of pictures and artifacts, but if the park gets monitored, and this building is locked up after limited hours, maybe it has faired well. I will revisit soon to check out the condition, with a new friend into trains who wants to go. read more