I wasn't able to run my last half-marathon to this awful flu/cough that's been going around nor was…read moreI able to get past the feeling of failure. Having trained for and run multiple half-marathons, I decided to create my own. I began my journey a block from the IKEA parking lot(lots of side street parking) and then made my way onto the trail which is literally across the street. It's a fast flat route but felt awfully lonely around 7am Saturday. Several cyclists passed me but I was the lone runner. There was a man sitting on one of the benches along the trail and I definitely got anxious. I carried on and saw many more walkers and runners at the Oakland parking lot. From there you can take the trail to a fishing pier or go onto the bridge. This was the highlight of the route as you get amazing views of Oakland and San Francisco and appreciate the structure of the "new" bridge. For those of you wanting to increase miles, add on Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island. There are steep inclines so they were fun challenges. I also checked out the fishing pier when I came back.

This trail starts at the IKEA parking lot in Emeryville and goes all the way to Treasure Island…read more It goes under the freeway maze and along the Bay Bridge. Round trip from the start at the parking lot to the Treasure Island entrance and back is about 6 miles. It's a great place to run or bike, there are some bathrooms halfway along the trail. I've run here a few times, and running under the freeways and along the Bay Bridge is a good change of pace!!

We just went last month again and went different direction---we all LOVED it! Great parking lot…read more Water views, horses, birds, ground critters, trails thru meadows, woods, by river, by reservoir, by creek, behind peaceful subdivision w beautiful backyard gardens, tons of dragonflies when we went this time! Love seeing these pics of my kiddo growing up on the same trailhead.

The Upper San Leandro Reservoir was created in 1926 by impounding the San Leandro Creek. The dam…read moreget most of its water from the Mokelumne Aqueduct that brings water from the Sierra Nevada's. The original earthen dam was deemed seismically unsound and a new dam was build just past it in 1977. The water is distributed to local communities by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. There is an extensive public trail system that surrounds the lake, but no fishing or boating is allowed.

I was surprised to find these redwood hiking trails a mere 20 minutes from my house. Plenty of…read moreparking lots, clean restrooms and picnic tables throughout the park. Parking was free when we went on a Monday morning. There's a variety of trails for everyone, even my preschool age kids. We hiked the stream trail which was a good level for them. They were pleased to stumble upon a playground during the hike. The stream itself was quite low and dry this time of year (summer, August). Perhaps it's livelier in the spring or winter. We did not come across much wildlife other than bugs. They recommend wearing long pants in case of ticks.

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!

When I was a resident of the Bay Area (up until mid-2001), I took full advantage any chance I got…read moreto go mountain biking, hiking, and enjoy all the picturesque views that the Bay had to offer. This takes me to the one and only "Bay Bridge Trail", one of the most anticipated trails to open in the 21st century. And I have got to say that this is something I highly recommend everyone should try at least once. The trail that I am focusing and reviewing on here is a 2.2 mile span that starts in Oakland and eventually ends at Yerba Buena Island. As many people are wondering, where exactly is the easiest place to park? The answer to that is there are various access points to get here. Some of the closest that I recommend are Shellmound St. in Emeryville which is across the street from IKEA. I do not advise parking at IKEA since parking enforcement may ticket your vehicle. A few other access points are Burma Road Trailhead as well as the Eastbound Bay Bridge Toll Plaza which is accessible via-AC Transit. As far as the trail itself, the foot wide path stretches to a reasonable 15.5 feet wide going each direction; one for bicyclists and an outside lane designated for pedestrians. This path also has fairly decent hours on the East Span of the Bay Bridge as it is open daily from 6:00am to 9:00pm. Dogs are permitted; however they do not allow skateboards, scooters, or rollerblades. This trail also has a maximum speed enforcement of 15 mph. Since this is totally free, I would have to say that this is one of the best places you could go for your workout. Keep in mind that the trail does run parallel to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and it can get very noisy due to how close you are to the traffic. My advise is if you bring earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones, this will eliminate a considerable amount of noise. Furthermore, it is extremely windy (no matter what time of year it is) so make sure to bring a windbreaker and an extra layer since this area can get very foggy and cold. The panoramic views of the Bridge and the skyscrapers of San Francisco from a distance are absolutely beautiful and surreal; especially on a clear sunny day. Once going up the steeper incline (by bike), make sure you take your time and use the lowest possible gear. Since I have a mountain bike, this was a task all in itself. But I have got to say, this was well worth it in every way possible. My rating for the "Bay Bridge Trail", a unanimous five stars.

To see a beautiful view of the new span of the Bay Bridge, take this trail. Talk a stroll. Take…read moreyour bike and go to Treasure Island and have lunch. I don't know why it took me so long to come but glad I did! It was a nice clear weather late Sunday morning but it was a little windy and to be expected. There was no fog in site! though and we were lucky today. We parked at the Bay Bridge Parking lot where there is about 50 slots and a nice clean bathroom. It's well marked so it's easy to find. We can late about 10am and there is only about 7 cars so not to worry about not having a parking space. There is a small incline going up towards Treasure Island but can be difficult if you are biking against the wind. It was easy going back but make sure to keep your speed to 15 mph and watch out for people walking. Pass by the Observation Pier to chill and see more views of Treasure Island and SF views. Definitely a must bookmark and come for some exercise! [84th R]

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.

When is a rock a park? Well, here's an answer to that question. It's less than a third of an acre,…read moreand most of it is a big immovable rock formation. Geologists might have a field day assessing the volcano-based outcropping, but the ignorant (not the igneous) might beg to differ as it is a quick walk around and then you move on. Zealots can climb on it for views, but I'm not that adventurous even though there are carved stairs. Let's just say I'd be the character telling people not to climb the upside-down Christmas tree in "The Poseidon Adventure" and die five minutes later. RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

All of the three rhyolite exposures in the Berkeley Hills, this, Grotto Rock Park, is definitely…read morethe one with the easiest and best view of the bay. But it's also the least maintained, most run-down, and most overgrown of the three parks along Indian Rock Road (Mortar Rock, Grotto Rock, and Indian Rock).

Amazing Park on the edge of the Oakland / Berkeley hills. I guess you could call this an urban…read morepark, although after a short walk on the trail, you feel like your deep in the forest. This is another one of the hidden gems in the San Francisco Bay region. Probably not worth a special drive for a hike here, because it's relatively short. But I recommend a little exploratory walk from the Claremont.

I know some people say that people here are soft because they complain about the elevation. It is…read moreno joke! A friend and I met up for a walk and we decided to meet at Garber Park. Based on the reviews here, we designated a meeting spot (Evergreen Lane) which is crucial since there are multiple entrances to the "park". Also, it's not much of a "park" - it's a few different fairly vertical trails. That would be okay if that's what we were looking for....but we were looking more for a casual amble. It's also tough to chat because the trials are narrow and you typically have to walk single file. That being said, it's a nice, vigorous hike that's fairly accessible and easy to get to.

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.