Others Near Berkeley,CA
The Cathedral of Christ the Light - Oakland Jefferson Santos: This church is peaceful, beautiful and everyone is very friendly, theres a parking underground with many spots available, if full you also can park outside, I really recommend it! Thank you!
Alameda Creek Regional Trail - Isherwood Staging Area - Oakland alejandra corbella: A beautiful space to have a picnic, hike, kayak or go to the beach.
Most people don’t know if this hidden gem in the Bay Area but their hiking trails are scenic.
I came here last week and it looks like the beach has been closed to the public. To get in each car pays $5 plus an extra fee if you are fishing or bringing a pet
Cesar Chavez Park - Berkeley Andrew Dowd: Absolutely one of the Crown Jewels of the bay - almost literally. Climb over sweeping hills to see the water of the bay unfurl around you, with the city and the GG bridge in the distance. I go here for my dog - I believe it is the largest open leash acreage in the Bay Area. Yes, perhaps it used it be a dump. It’s now lovely, and feels so freeing to tromp through. Great dogs go here, I never worry about who we’ll encounter. The wind can be very strong, so bring a windbreaker. The other perk, of course, are the kite flyers.
Adventure Playground - Berkeley Carol Archer: Wonderful playground that offers a unique experience for kids. Must sign a waver before entering and most definitely monitor your children. The playground offers free donated wood to build with, tools - hammers and hand saws- nails, hinges, and water based paints. In order to acquire hand tools kids must use a magnet on a string to find lost nails or pick up trash. The playground has been constructed with donated lumber. The kids use their imaginations to build something. They can also add onto existing infrastructures and paint their projects. The playground inspects all new additions daily to assess any public safety issues. The playground is a close walk to ample parking and the view of the bay is stunning! Kids love this place!!
The Lawrence Hall of Science - Berkeley Lily LI: A fascinating place for science lovers of all ages! I visited on a weekday — there was no wait at all, which made the experience even better. The museum offers hands-on exhibits that are both fun and educational, especially great for kids. Although it was foggy when I visited, the view from the hilltop location is usually stunning and overlooks the Bay.
Parking was easy, and staff were friendly and helpful. I’d recommend making a reservation in advance, especially during holidays or weekends. Great stop for families or anyone curious about science and discovery!
Rotary Nature Center - Oakland Anamarija Cvitkovic: Incredibly poor management of the Bird Yard by Lake Merritt. No fresh water for the migratory birds. There are literally signs posted saying they need the fresh water and Rotary Nature center hasnt done anything to fix the problem.
I reached out to them several times and offered to help and volunteer and never received a response.
People are not doing their jobs we pay out of our taxes for them to do.
Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park - Jackson Lillian: I was just bebopping around the Sierra foothills on a lazy weekend day this past summer. I was in Jackson, CA, driving around. I happen to drove out to the Kennedy Tailing Wheels Park. Admission and parking is FREE. The park is created around the remains of the Kennedy Mines Tailing wheels. The city even threw in a section for a dog park, but that area is a sad dirt patch with no shade.
The main attraction of the park is the glass enclosed tailing wheel #4. Its 68 feet in diameter with 178 buckets. Quite an impressive sight. The Kennedy gold mine operations ran from mid 1850s through 1942 (the government shut down the operations to focus on due WW II efforts). The original wheels were located up the hill closer to the mine operations and moved to the park for display. The whelks were reassembled and laid out in reverse order.
Wheel #4 is the only wheel restored. A portion of the financial assistance came from the local community. Awesome. Wheels 1 and 2 are across the street on the Kennedy mine property, not much of it is left. The Kennedy mine is now a tourist attraction. You can walk across the street to view wheels 1 and 2. Theyre viewable from afar behind the fence. Not much to look at though, just crumbled aged pieces of wood. Wheel #3 is near wheel #4. That wheel is also in disrepair and falling apart, but somewhat better condition than 1&2.
Behind wheel #4 is Indian Gulch. Thats the area where the mine waste carried from the tailing wheels ended up. In 1914, a dam was built so the mine waste was impounded to the dam basin.
Another thing is the park is not flat and has slight elevation, and the strolling paths are not paved and have steps. The sights are viewable from the pave sidewalk/roadway. Amenities: restroom, picnic benches, strolling path shaded in areas by old Oak trees, and dog park.
Detert Park - Raybies Flynn: It is a nice park, besides the homeless people. Theres a ball field, play ground area and community pool. The restrooms are a little funky. Theyre small, out-dated and need new locks on the stall doors.
Kennedy Gold Mine Tours - Jackson Maria Ozeruga: This is definitely an experience! The history behind this beautiful landmark if one to know! Bring your kids as well. They provide a full tour, history of the gold mine, and a gift shop with many great goodies!
