San Francisco Bay Area Parks And Recreational Areas

The Bay Area is loaded with parks and recreation areas. We have done our best to include most of them in our list, but if we inadvertently missed one please use the link at the bottom to let us know.
If you have a special park that you want to share with the rest of us, please do so on the BayWideWeb.com message board.

Angel Island - Off of the Bay Bridge - Camping, biking, boating, scenic view of the Bay as well as San Francisco skyline, the Marin Headlands and Mount Tamalpais.

Año Nuevo - San Mateo County - Breeding grounds for elephant seals, Stellar sea lions, California sea lions, and harbor seals, with occasional fur seals and sea otters. Contains sea bird nesting colonies and historic buildings.

Ardenwood Historic Farm - Fremont - Ardenwood is a working farm, the daily activities change from season to season so no two visits will be exactly alike.

Bean Hollow - San Mateo Coast - Features fishing, picnicking and beachcombing. Visitors can explore tide pools with anemones, crab, sea urchins and other marine inhabitants. The beach also has a self-guided nature trail. Swimming is not advised due to the cold water, rip currents and heavy surf.

Benicia Capitol - Benicia Capitol is the only pre-Sacramento capitol that has survived.

Benicia State Recreation Area - Covers 720 acres of marsh, grassy hillsides and rocky beaches along the narrowest portion of the Carquinez Strait. Cyclists, runners, walkers and roller skaters enjoy the park’s 2 ½ miles of road and bike paths. Picnicking, bird watching and fishing are also attractions.

Bethany Reservoir - Northeast of Livermore - Popular place for water-oriented recreation, especially fishing and windsurfing.

Big Basin Redwoods - 25 miles northwest of Santa Cruz - California's oldest State Park, established in 1902, consisting of over 18,000 acres and over 80 miles of trails. Big Basin is home to the largest continuous stand of Ancient Coast Redwoods south of San Francisco.

Black Diamond Mines - Antioch - Camping, hiking and exploring.

Botanic Garden, Tilden - Berkeley - Imagine 160,000 square miles of California set in a 10-acre garden that can be walked in a day.

Burleigh H. Murray Ranch - San Mateo Coast near Half Moon Bay - Hiking, observing a rich assortment of wildlife.

Butano - San Mateo Coast - 2,200 acres lie in a secluded redwood-filled canyon. Hiking, camping, guided nature walk and weekend campfire programs are offered during the summer.

Candlestick Point - S.F. next to 3ComPark - Wind-sheltered picnic areas, fishing (including two fishing piers) and hiking trails (including a fitness course for seniors and a bike trail.) The park has an area popular with windsurfers.

Carnegie - Livermore - 1,500 acres of motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, and (limited) four-wheel drive off-roading.

Castle Rock - Santa Cruz Mountains - Rockclimbers, horseback riding trails, hiking. Primitive campsites for backpackers are the only overnight facilities.

China Camp - San Rafael - Museum, fifteen miles of hiking trails, wildlife-watching, hiking, swimming, boating and windsurfing.

Coyote Hills - Fremont - Hiking, picknicking, bicycling, nature studies.

Don Castro - Hayward - Swimming, picknicking, fishing and hiking.

Eastshore - Oakland - Under development - Eastshore State Park will become one of the rare places where an urban area reconnects with its waterfront to enjoy magnificent vistas and healthful outdoor recreational activities.

Gray Whale Cove - (a.k.a. Devil's Slide) San Mateo Coast - Clothing optional beach. Features a sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs that drop abruptly into the Pacific. A steep trail leads down to the beach. There is a small picnic area on the bluff above Gray whales can often be seen close to the shore the beach.

Half Moon Bay - Four miles of broad, sandy beaches stretch out to welcome visitors to Half Moon Bay. This picturesque setting is ideal for sunbathing, fishing and picnicking. A campground provides accommodations for those who wish to visit longer.

Henry Cowell Redwoods - Santa Cruz Mountains - This park features 15 miles of hiking and riding trails through a forest that looks much the same as it did 200 years ago. Limited fishing season.

Lake Chabot - Redwood Road, Oakland - Boating, fishing, horesback riding, hiking, camping, bicycling. Chabot one of the District's most varied parklands.

Lake Del Valle - Livermore - This area as 4,000 acres of park and 750 acres of lake. The area is ideal for picnicking, horseback riding, boating, fishing and swimming.

Lighthouse Field - (a.k.a. Point Santa Cruz), The lighthouse is home to California's first surfing museum. Tourism, surfing, bird-watching. Monarch butterflies are drawn to this area as well as sea lions.

Manresa - South of Aptos - Beautiful expanse of sea and sand, with surf fishing, surfing, and recreation.

Marconi Conference Center - Marin County - Lodging, most rooms have stunning views; all are smoke-free, with private baths and study desks. Jogging trail with a paracourse, volleyball and badminton courts, horseshoe pits, bicycling on nearby country roads, bird-watching, and fishing in Tomales Bay.

Mission Peak - Fremont - Hiking, one of the Bay Area's most underrated summits.

Montara - San Mateo County - Beach tide pools, surf fishing, exploring, hiking. Restaurants and grocery stores are nearby.

Mount Diablo - Danville - Discover for yourself the mountain's beautiful wildflowers, its extensive trail system, fascinating wildlife and distinctive rock formations. View the stars from its lofty heights, bike ride to its 3,849 foot summit or explore the more remote trails by horseback. The park offers hiking, biking, horseback riding and camping.

Mount Tamalpais - Just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate - Hiking and Bicycle Trails: More than 50 miles of trail are within the park and connect to a larger, 200-mile-long trail system. Bicyclists are challenged by the twisting road to the top of the park's summit. The park has the Bootjack Picnic Area with tables, stoves, piped drinking water and flush toilets.

Roberts Regional Recreation Area - Skyline Boulevard, Oakland - Hiking, picknicking, swimming, biking, features a baseball field, playfields and volleyball courts (all available on a first come, first served basis), and a children`s play area.

Shadow Cliffs Park And Water Slides - Stanley Boulevard, Pleasanton - Only 1 mile from downtown. Picknicking, swimming, fishing, boating (17' and under, no gas motors), and water slides.

East Bay Regional Parks

California State Parks

We highly suggest you visit the linked site, or call to confirm park information before visiting.

Click here to add a Bay Area Park to the list