Oh, how I have missed the Bay Area! Flew up last week for a friend's bachelorette weekend and the group decided to stop by the new Bayfront Park to kill a bit of time before our next activity.
Notes:
~ Public waterfront park (5.5 acres) located in Mission Bay and opened in late October 2024 right by Chase Center
~ Designed by team from Surfacedesign, Inc. and Mission Bay Development Group (also a bunch of other collaborators I'm missing)
~ Promenade with unobstructed views overlooking the Bay and Oakland
~ Bioretention gardens thoughtfully developed with coastal and prairie plants to support climate-change resilience
~ Integration of steel structural features that were originally part of the eastern Bay Bridge is creatively placed throughout the park as a reminder of why it's so important to preserve and repurpose materials
~ Really well designed public space for outdoor activities (biking, picnicking, jogging/walking/running, rollerblading/roller skating, paddle boarding, etc.)
~ Pet-friendly as I saw some locals with their dogs
~ The San Francisco Bay Trail runs through the park
~ Plenty of spaces for vehicles at the Pier 52 Parking Lot (remember to pay at the meter)
~ Missing: public restrooms, basketball court/hoops, and playground (perhaps these will be installed some time in the future)
I accidentally left my phone at the Airbnb so no photos to attach unfortunately, but would love to come back to this vibrant city park. There's just something calming about standing in a well developed land that was once underutilized, but now fuses an urban area with maritime elements. read more