This paved 12-mile trail along Alameda Creek from Niles Canyon to the bay attracts bicyclists, skaters, runners, and equestrians. 3It will lead3you west a couple of miles out into the salt flats at the Bay,... [read more]

Alcatraz Island, known as “The Rock,” is famed as the prison where criminals Al Capone, “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the “Bird Man of Alcatraz,” were confined. Far less well known is the fact... [read more]

At the northern tip of San Francisco's Presidio, Baker Beach offers spectacular views from outside the Golden Gate. Beach wheelchairs are available if you reserve in advance and can transport one here from Fort Mason.... [read more]

The Bay Trail is a recreational corridor that, when complete, will encircle San Francisco and San Pablo bays with a continuous 500-mile network of bicycling and hiking trails—much of it wheelchair accessible. As of 2014,... [read more]

This 720-acre park lies along the narrowest stretch of Carquinez Strait, and nearly 70 percent of the park is tidal marsh wetlands. Several miles of Bay Trail, some of it on a ridgetop, overlook grassy... [read more]

When you visit this peninsular park and marina, it’s hard to believe that in the 1950s and ’60s the city of Berkeley operated a garbage dump here and was planning to extend the city 2... [read more]

A wide, level asphalt section of the Bay Trail known as the Mill Valley-Sausalito Path, popular with cyclists, runners, and rollerbladers, follows the old Northwestern Pacific Railroad route from Sausalito to Mill Valley. Along the... [read more]

Brickyard Cove, opened in March 2022, is part of McLaughlin Eastshore State Park which stretches 8.5 miles from the Bay Bridge to Richmond along the coast. It is managed by the East Bay Regional Park District. A decades-long fight... [read more]

Nestled along the shore of San Pablo Bay in Marin County, China Camp State Park surrounds an historic Chinese American shrimp-fishing village and a salt marsh. Visitors can enjoy wildlife-watching, hiking (limited accessible trails), camping... [read more]

The eastern side of 1,064-acre Coyote Hills Regional Park is a patchwork of tule marshes, creeks, and grasslands; on the western edge is San Francisco Bay. Ohlone legends describe the Bay as a giant coyote... [read more]

Coyote Point was once an island separated from the mainland by a large salt marsh that was later filled in. Much of the 670-acre park is flat, except for a few knolls among eucalyptus trees... [read more]

With 100 acres of bayside open space, Crissy Field is a delight for strollers, joggers, windsurfers, bicyclists, dog walkers, and people looking to spot birds and even sea lions or dolphins. Spring is a good... [read more]

Devil’s Slide Trail was once a treacherous stretch of Highway 1 (just north of Pacifica) that was frequently closed due to landsides. Now it's been transformed into an exhilarating 1.3-mile multiuse trail. Perched several hundred... [read more]

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the first and largest urban national wildlife refuge in the United States, is just one piece of the larger San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.... [read more]

On any sunny day, scores of walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, and skateboarders are likely to be streaming along Herb Caen Way, the wide bayside promenade that runs for three miles along San Francisco's Embarcadero from South... [read more]

Emeryville Peninsula, a curling finger jutting out into the bay, was one of the last major landfill projects on the bay. Its marinas and park are connected by two miles of paved Bay Trail. Powell... [read more]

This beautiful 1,185-acre open space easily reached from Hwy 4 in Martinez, provides a bucolic retreat from nearby urban congestion. Miles of trails are open to hiking, horesback riding & cycling; only the 1.5-mile Black Phoebe Trail is identified... [read more]

Filoli Historic House & Gardens is a 654–acre property, including a 54,000 square foot Georgian country house and spectacular 16–acre English Renaissance garden. The name Filoli comes from combining the first 2 letters of the original owner,... [read more]

This former military site, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is a wonderful spot to watch hang gliders leap off the ocean bluff and to meet a wide variety of dogs; it's a very... [read more]

Fort Mason, a former Army post dating from the Civil War era, is divided into Upper and Lower Fort Mason with the Great Meadow sandwiched between. The main draw to the 50-acre upper section is... [read more]

The George Miller Trail, named to honor former Congressman George Miller, Is nestled between the two noncontiguous sections of Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. [read more]

Everyone who visits San Francisco wants to see the Golden Gate Bridge, for the same reason that local residents are drawn to it again and again: the graceful Art Deco span is simply lovely against... [read more]

The 1,700-acre Hayward Regional Shoreline provides habitat to hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife. Along this stretch of shoreline the Bay Trail extends for 8 miles, past marshes and creeks to the San... [read more]

Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park is a narrow strip of parkland (no amenities) in east San Rafael that stretches for three miles along the bayshore, past residences and a marsh. A section of the... [read more]

This 340-acre park at the southern end of the city of Napa encompasses the 2.5-mile Napa River Trail, the 1-mile paved River to Ridge Trail, several sports fields, a golf course, a boat launch, and... [read more]

The 22.47-acre Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline, located on the original location of the foot of the Bay Bridge on the Oakland Shoreline, is steeped in history. The Oakland Army Base operated at this location... [read more]

Lake Chabot is a popular destination for families and bustles on weekends. Among the many amenities you can find there are multiple picnic areas, a grassy play area, fishing, an outdoor fitness zone with interactive... [read more]

At San Francisco's northernwestern tip, this forested, windswept park is perched on steep bluffs overlooking the Golden Gate and Pacific shoreline. On a clear day, its sweeping views take in the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin... [read more]

Just north of the Marin County Civic Center, bordering McInnis Park on San Pablo Bay, four miles of hard-packed levee trails wind around more than 350 acres of fresh and saltwater marsh, irrigated pasture, and... [read more]

The Leo T. Cronin Fish Viewing Area, located along Lagunitas Creek in West Marin is one of Marin Municipal Water District's prime spots to view spawning (endangered) Coho salmon. At the small parking lot there... [read more]

Despite being surrounded by industry and in close proximity to Oakland International Airport, this 741-acre waterfront park along San Leandro Bay is green and expansive. Of the several entry points, the main one off Swan... [read more]

For an all-day excursion in northern Contra Costa County, combine a visit to the 344-acre Martinez Regional Shoreline with a stop in historic downtown Martinez. In 1974, a joint effort of East Bay Regional Parks and... [read more]

The McLaughlin Eastshore State Park extends 8.5 miles along the East Bay shoreline from the Bay Bridge to Richmond. It includes 1,833 acres of uplands and tidelands along the waterfronts of Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany,... [read more]

Driving past the countless semi trucks that barrel around Oakland’s busy port and its giant steel-limbed gantry cranes, I was convinced I would never find Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. Just as I was about to... [read more]

This former Nike Missile site has been thoughtfully restored with indigenous plant habitat which in turn assists in the protection of the ridge's endangered species such as the Mission blue and San Bruno elfin butterflies.... [read more]

This shoreline park, with adjacent Keller Beach, is a fine place for a family outing. It's mostly flat, open, and easily accessible. Its main features are a shallow saltwater lagoon, where many waterfowl feed and nest, and... [read more]

If you’re traveling through Half Moon Bay and want some spectacular, unobstructed ocean views, stop at Miramontes Point to stroll this mile-long trail. The route travels past and through a championship golf course, through the... [read more]

Mori Point is a 105-acre promontory that lies between Sharp Park and Rockaway beaches and consists of coastal bluffs, coastal prairie, and freshwater ponds. When marsh restoration work took place here to help improve the... [read more]

Just north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais State Park rises majestically from the heart of Marin County. Its deep canyons and sweeping hillsides are cloaked with cool redwood forests, oak woodlands, open grasslands, and... [read more]

Redwood Creek tumbles down from the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais through Muir Woods, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Muir Beach. Although the creek's watershed is tiny––less than nine square miles--it harbors incredible biological diversity, including... [read more]

The Nimitz Way Trail, sometimes referred to as Inspiration Point, is a very popular trail in Berkeley and the small parking lot fills up quickly. The wide-open trail, an old road built in the 1950s... [read more]

Often windswept, foggy and cold, San Francisco's main beach is nonetheless a respite from the bustle along much of the city's eastern waterfront. Ocean Beach is typically sparsely visited, though a warm weekend or special... [read more]

This 196-acre bayside park built on a former landfill is peaceful despite the proximity of Oakland International Airport. It’s a good spot to watch northern harriers and white-tailed kites, as well as the bigger birds—jets—approaching... [read more]

Tucked between Pedro Point and Rockaway Point, Pacifica State Beach, often called Linda Mar Beach, is popular with surfers and dog owners (leashed dogs are allowed on the beach). The beach itself is largely inaccessible,... [read more]

If you are a Bay Area fisher, you probably already know about Pacifica Municipal Pier, a 1,140-foot open-ocean pier (41-inch railings). In season, people catch king salmon, surf perch, striped bass, and halibut. You can... [read more]

The Baylands Nature Preserve, said to be the largest salt marsh preserve on the Bay, encompasses nearly 2,000 acres protected for wildlife, including the endangered clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. The preserve contains... [read more]

You’re sure to find peace and calm at the compact Peace Garden located on the grounds of the Gyuto Foundation’s Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in East Richmond Heights. It’s redwood-dotted grounds border Wildcat Canyon and are... [read more]

The Petaluma wetlands complex encompasses some 500 acres of tidal salt marshes and freshwater marshes, and has more than 7 miles of contiguous public trails that connect Alman Marsh, Shollenberger Park, and Ellis Creek. The... [read more]

In 1912, the Marin Municipal Water District created seven reservoirs on the eastern slope of Mt. Tamalpais to provide water to the residents of Marin County, while also creating a vast network of rugged trails... [read more]

If you have a dog or simply like them, check out Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, a 23-acre park where dogs are allowed off leash. It's one of the largest public off-leash dog parks in the... [read more]

Within this 2,315-acre park, the largest on the northeast bay shore, you'll find a variety of habitats; meadows, marshlands, rocky beaches, while views of Mt.Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline, and San Pablo and San Francisco Bay... [read more]

This magnificent expanse of parkland is one of the nation's great treasures. Its 71,057 acres include rolling grasslands, forested ravines that open onto steep, rocky blufftops, broad beaches, lush salt marshes, and 600-foot-high granite promontories... [read more]

This extraordinarily lovely park, located a few miles over the ridge from downtown Oakland, has several entrances. Once the site of extensive logging, this thickly wooded canyon is a pale shadow of what it was... [read more]

The island of Alameda boasts the Bay’s largest and warmest beach, Crown Memorial Beach, with shallow water and tiny waves. Also known locally as Alameda Beach, it's a wonderful place for strolling or picnics, with... [read more]

This national park was created to tell the diverse story of the home-front efforts during World War II by highlighting the city of Richmond, which played a critical part in building ships, jeeps, and tanks.... [read more]

Rush Creek Preserve is 522-acres of wooded and grassy hills alongside two contiguous marshes (Rush Creek & Petaluma River Marsh) and turns out to be more extensive than they seem from the highway. The main... [read more]

Samuel P. Taylor Park is located in the steep, rolling hills of Marin County, only a few miles from Point Reyes National Seashore. Covering 2,882 acres the landscape ranges from shady canyon groves to oak... [read more]

The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge (SPBNWR) was created in 1974 to protect migratory birds, wetland habitat, and endangered species. The refuge and San Pablo Bay supports the largest wintering population of canvasbacks on... [read more]

Tucked inside an industrial park on the banks of the Petaluma River is Shollenberger Park, a wetland teeming with wildlife and native plants. It is contiguous with Ellis Creek to the south and Alman Marsh... [read more]

Stinson Beach and its 3.5 miles of sandy oceanfront are very popular during summer. Part of the beach is maintained by the National Park Service, which provides volleyball equipment free of charge, runs a snack... [read more]

Bedrock mortars used by Native Americans for pounding acorns that were found in the area are reminders of Sunol's first inhabitants. For the past century, however, the land known today as Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve... [read more]

At this 847- acre developed park dotted with stately Sycamore & Oak trees, you'll find a 2.5 mile paved trail stretching between the two parking lots, a network of dirt trails, restrooms, and picnic tables. It's... [read more]

Tucked between the intersection of Highways 24 and 13 in Oakland, you'll find Temescal Regional Recreation Area, one of East Bay Regional Park's first parks. Don't let its proximity to these freeways deter you from... [read more]

Tennessee Valley is an offshoot of the Marin Headlands that offers hiking opportunities where you might see a variety of wildlife from mighty raptors to common swallows, deer and coyote. One trail, the Tennessee Valley Trail... [read more]

A U.S. Army post for nearly 150 years, San Francisco's Presidio has been a national park since 1994 and a national historic landmark since 1962. Archaeological digs have uncovered remains from some of the city's... [read more]

On the eastern shore of Richardson Bay, at the intersection of Tiburon Boulevard and Greenwood Beach Road, is a 12-acre public open space called Blackie’s Pasture, dedicated to a celebrated horse named Blackie who grazed... [read more]

Tilden Nature Area is at the northern part of Tilden Regional Park which encompasses 740-acres and is centered around a developed canyon with a3lake (Lake Anza), a nature center, a childrens’ farm, a large merry-go-round... [read more]

With sweeping views of San Pablo Bay and the Napa-Sonoma Marshes, Wetlands Edge Pasrk located in American Canyon is a fantastic place for the beginning birder. Over 300 species of wildlife call the park home. Posted... [read more]

Wildcat Canyon Regional Park encompasses 2,789 acres along the Wildcat Creek watershed and the surrounding hills and ridges. The park extends from the Tilden Nature Area above the Berkeley hills in the south to historic... [read more]

I would not call this a destination trail but a visit to Wildcat Marsh and the Landfill Loop Trail will give you a close-up look at where our trash goes (the "garbage mountain"), where our gasoline... [read more]