It's a great photo location during sunset…read more There is no parking unfortunately, so park on the side of the road with your emergency on. Be careful as cars are coming downhill and making a blind spot turn. Maintained extremely well and clean. Lots of history plaques here if you like to read. Can get very windy as it's on top of a hill.

This is a unique garden and information center, which provides information on fire and earthquake…read morehazards in the Bay Area. On the upper deck are information plaques that give a lot of helpful information. The lower portion consists of beautiful, rolling gardens. It appears that many of the plants are native California species. The lower portion has trails that you may used to stroll around the beautiful gardens. The entire facility appears to be professionally designed and well-maintained.. Probably won't be considered a five-star attraction, but it's worth a brief visit. This is a convenient way station for bikers going up the road. There's a drinking faucet right next to the road, making it super handy for the bikers. Free parking right next to the center.

Why get stuck in I-80 six lane traffic when you can take a scenic route from Berkeley northbound to…read morenearby Richmond/El Sobrante ? Or avoid Caldecott Tunnel traffic and take a drive over the mountain instead of through it? I lived in this area many years ago, luckily I remembered the views of the Bay from several stops along Grizzly Peak Drive are so worth it if you have a little time for a more casual drive. You pass the Tilden Park area along the way. Winding roads, the smell of eucalyptus trees along the way, just the way I remembered. Ahh! This is what I love and miss about the East Bay living in WNY, far away. On Grizzly Peak Boulevard, you drive for approximately ten miles from north Berkeley in total to reach the intersection with traffic light to turn west-bound towards the Bay along San Pablo Dam road. Or, east-bound towards the suburb of Orinda/Hway 24, further interior in the East Bay. Definitely take this drive if you're a visitor and want views of the Bay. Of course, if you have even more time and enjoy hiking, there are many trails off the main road to explore. What's concerning and is visible: the East Bay hills are in a serious drought and look parched. Thirsty for water. Risk of fire danger is high. This is a larger scale environmental problem for much of California. As lovely as the eucalyptus tree aroma is, it's oil is also highly flammable. I've read that when the oils in the tree heat up, the plant releases flammable gas, which ignites into a fireball. This accelerates the eucalyptus fire hazards in a region and discourages firefighting efforts. Removal of the trees has been recommended largely due to eucalyptus fire damage but also because they are taking the place of native species. The plants are considered dangerous in fire prone areas because of their habit of shooting sparks if they catch fire. Eucalyptus oil and fire are a match made in heaven from the fire's perspective but also pose a nightmare. Read more at Eucalyptus Fire Hazards on the Internet. By all means, take this drive and smell the eucalyptus while they are still here!

You should visit here when you come to the Tilden farm. It's got a great self walk thru museum…read more You can also coordinate with the facility to have a park ranger give your group educational tours. Very informative it's conducted by east bay regional parks. It's free just try and donate

This place for sure is a hidden gem lots to look at & leaves you wondering about what happened here…read moreand not in a bad way

Reserve Engineering…read more 510-acre preserve that's part of the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park and connected to one of the Bay Area's more interesting places to visit: The Bulb. The Good: *Small beach *Free parking *Restrooms that were disgusting but still a restroom. *Extremely Dog-friendly *Superlative views of both the Bay & Golden Gate bridges, as well as Angel Island. *Adjoining The Albany Bulb, which was fascinating in so many ways, but that's a separate review. *Boating *Fishing The Meh: *Parking is limited to 16 "normal" parking spots and three handicapped spots; there is plenty of parking along the fence line before you enter the official lot but they're supposedly only two hour parking--altho, I'm not sure how heavily enforced that is. So, take your chances, I guess. The Ugly: *Most--if not all--the dogs we encountered here were all off-leash, which is fine because they were all very well-behaved. But, as I like to say, they are until they aren't, and then there's potential for issues. So, if your pooch is skittish, nippy, and hard to control, then best to keep them somewhere else and not here. TLDR: Great place to visit--especially if you're a dog owner--and a must to visit The Bulb.

Beautiful day at Point Emery! I came here with my husband for a quick late lunch picnic to avoid…read morethe crowd. We were thankful to found a last parking spot when we arrived. Got to come down and sat on a bench for a quick picnic lunch. Love the view on a beautiful sunny day on a Saturday afternoon!

Close access to the beach and trail for running/biking!…read more You can still see the freeway, but overall it's a relaxing route to run/bike and to see the coastline.

There's free parking available at the Tilden Nature Area, near the Environmental Education Center…read moreand Little Farm. From that point, there are a couple different trails that lead to Jewel Lake, one is narrow surrounded by trees and vegetation, the curvy dirt pathways making for an interesting trek with fallen leaves, twigs, tree branches and logs to climb through along the way. Some parts of this trail were muddy the other day due to the rains earlier in the week, but it was still a nice little hike leading straight to the lake. The other trail is on the opposite side, mainly concrete surface and much wider (can fit vehicles). This was the trail I opted to take back to the parking lot, to avoid the mud on the first path I took. A few benches and seating can be found along both trails. And this is a very easy hike, less than a quarter mile. The lake itself is not the most picturesque and not ideal for picnicking, but visitors can still appreciate the views and observe nature. I didn't see any waterbirds during my recent visit, but I did see a bunch of adorable turtles on the logs in the lake. There are several wooden bridges in the area, as well as the spillway. Also, info boards about the history of Wildcat Creek and the formation of the reservoir now known as Jewel Lake, and reminders of how the lake provides a habitat for local wildlife.

Jewel Lake is in the Tilden Regional Park area very close to Little Farm. The lake itself is…read morenothing spectacular, but the hike there is perfect for little ones. It's a 0.2 mile hike through beautiful redwoods from Little Farm. The path is flat, partly paved, and partly gravel. We also found a wooden pathway that parallels the trail, that our kids loved running through. It's shaded by trees and very safe from little trips. There's also a few benches along the way, which is perfect for resting and have a little snack. Our 2-year-old hiked all the way to the lake and back without needing to be carried. The lake itself was a bit of a disappointment. It was covered with algae, and we only saw 1 duck. This was late June, so it's probably nicer earlier in the year.

After spending a sizable portion of my spare time has been spent in East Bay parks. I think they're…read moresome of the sweetest parks anywhere! They're kept clean, well maintained and a really nice level of service when it comes to facilitating our needs reserving a spot for a party, renting a boat, or simple obtaining some good information. Right near this address there are trailheads all around. A few of the trailheads will put you in and around redwoods. Mountain bikers are loving it. Hikers are loving it. Fisherman are loving it. Everyone seems to be having a great time in the East Bay at these parks. Say you unfortunate enough to still be working. You get home, jump in the car, and in in 10-15 minutes, you're walking around giant redwoods, in what feels like " deep in the woods", even though you're just a few minutes from home. Maybe you want to go to a lake. Got Chabot and San Pablo Reservoir in minutes. These parks ARE the great escape!

My husband and I have been recreating at contra loma and Black Diamond for over forty years…read more One park staff should be more concerned about keeping the park clean then harassing members for throwing a few kernels of corn out for the geese and ducks. The fishermen are pigs.There is so much trash in the water and along the shoreline. That should be their conservation concern instead of driving around in their trucks all over the grass. Oh, and how about watering the grass overnight instead of the heat of the day? You wonder why the grass is all burnt. You might try watering the grass and not the asphalt too. WASTEFUL! I also don't appreciate this particular worker talking down to me. I have more " common sense" in my little finger than he has in his whole body. Besides that, there is no signage that says do not feed the wildlife. Super disappointed, but it is california government management, so what do you expect.

Flynn and I spent the day exploring Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, and it couldn't…read morehave been a more perfect day. The weather was cool, comfortable, and ideal for hiking. One of the things I love most about this park is that it's only about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Oakland, yet once you're surrounded by the towering coast redwoods, it feels like you've escaped deep into the mountains. It's hard to believe you're still in the middle of the East Bay. The park is home to one of the largest remaining natural coast redwood forests in the East Bay, with many trees reaching around 150 feet tall. The area was heavily logged during the 1800s before being preserved and allowed to recover. In 2019, the park was renamed in honor of Dr. Aurelia Henry Reinhardt, former president of Mills College and one of the original East Bay Regional Park District board members. Parking is easy with several lots throughout the park. The regular parking fee is $5 per vehicle on staffed weekends and holidays, but during this America 250 celebration weekend, parking was free. With nearly 40 miles of interconnected trails, there's something for everyone--from easy family-friendly walks to longer, more challenging hikes. You could visit multiple times and still discover new trails, such as the French Trail, East Ridge Trail, and West Ridge Trail. Whether you're a beginner, trail runner, or experienced hiker, there's something for everyone. Families will enjoy the picnic areas, BBQ grills, playground with swings, open grassy areas, and plenty of tables and benches to relax. There are also water fountains for both people and our paw friends, which Flynn definitely appreciated. I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the restrooms were. They are individual restrooms with flushing toilets, and there are sinks with running water outside for washing up. The park is also popular for mountain biking, horseback riding, birdwatching, photography, and of course hiking. Dogs are welcome on many trails, on leash, making it one of my favorite places to spend time with Flynn. If you're hoping to camp overnight, the park offers primitive group camping by reservation only at designated hike-in campsites. There are no showers and I'd recommend bringing a portable filtered water system like Sawyer. Reservations are required in advance through the East Bay Regional Park District, and fees vary depending on the group campsite. If you're visiting the Bay Area or even if you've lived here for years and haven't explored this hidden gem, I highly recommend adding Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park to your list. Bring comfortable hiking shoes, plenty of water, and your camera--you'll leave wondering how such an incredible redwood forest has been hiding so close to Oakland. Flynn gives it two paws up! A friendly reminder to stay on the designated trails and be aware of your surroundings. Like many natural parks in the Bay Area, ticks, poison oak, and coyotes are present. We stayed on the trail, had no issues, and enjoyed a wonderful hike. After your visit, it's always a good idea to check yourself and your dog for ticks Cheers!

Came here as a stop to enjoy our pastries and coffee while watching our grandson play. Love that…read morethere is a lot of shaded areas. Looks like there is a hiking/walk path nearby. Love the area and we relaxed and enjoyed the calmness.

Had an amazing day in the park yesterday watching taming of the shrew. The park is always so…read moregorgeous with such beautiful trees and well maintained. The event was well organized and everything went very smoothly. The actors were incredible and our family had such a great time being outdoors in the amphitheater watching a show.