The pool is great! And it's open way more hours this summer than the past. Pretty much 12-6pm…read moreeveryday for rec swim. FYI the pool is only open during the summer.

The Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area (SCRA) is a hidden gem located above the Cal Campus and on…read morethe road up the hill on the way up to the Lawrence Hall of Science. It features an outdoor swimming pool, a ropes course, locker rooms, fitness center, barbecue/picnic area, and the Haas Clubhouse. I've been here for a few private parties at the Clubhouse. But what I really enjoy is bringing the family here for a swim and a chance to hang out poolside or on the grass. It's quiet, peaceful and in lush surroundings. And it's only a short drive from the urban grittiness of my Albany home.

This review is long overdue form my time at Cal, but I went to RSF throughout my time at Berkeley…read moreand loved it. It was fairly good and clean gym, they do get super busy in the evenings and have time limits for machines (during busy times), but oh well. I did take taekwondo there too, though though I wasn't too keen on the teaching style. I did love the equipment, mostly running, used the pool, and it was fairly decent experience overall as a student

The RSF weight room is honestly the bare minimum. For a multi-billion dollar university like…read moreBerkeley, the lifting space feels like something you'd see in an underfunded high school.

There's truly something for every age group at this park…read more A nice playground for the kids, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts for adults and teens, and if you walk to the grassy area next to hidden cafe there's so many adults and families enjoying the outdoors picnicking. Great spot for casual hangs.

A very nice, somewhat hidden park in Berkeley…read more It seemed small at first glance, but as you keep walking, you go past the grassy area where people congregate to Strawberry Creek and some small bridges, to a playground, to basketball and tennis courts. I would describe it as long, and much easier to find on foot than in a car, that's how I found it at least. A good find in Berkeley!!

This park is just really cool. On afternoons and weekends it's usually packed full of people. It…read morecan be hard at times to find a parking spot but shouldn't be too difficult to park on a side street if needed. There are several parts to this park. One is a flat area with a play scape and a cement slide. There's actually a tunnel nearby that goes under the road and crosses over to the rose garden, which is really cool. The cement slide is a must see for anyone with kids and even if you're an adventurous adult. There are plenty of cardboard boxes around for you to try it out. When I first heard about the cement slide, I didn't think it would be very fun, (cement and sliding didn't go together in my mind) but it is great! Then just a little bit south, above that play scape area, there's a baseball field. So many different people come here to meet. Some people for picnics, some people play soccer, some people play softball, some people bring their dogs. And then inside the woods behind the park, there are a picnic benches. I have a friend who had her wedding reception there. You can reserve them with the city. And then behind the picnic area, there's a hike and if you're very adventurous, there is a waterfall hidden, but it's not easy to find if you don't know about it. I highly recommend this park. During the winter, the baseball field is blocked off with Fence to protect the grass but other parts of the park are accessible.

Nice park, good playground for toddlers, and for babies, nice large grassy area, sort of a mini…read morehike to walk around, some barbecue / camping table spots, right next to the rose garden, bathrooms.

I recently discovered this place. I actually think it's part of a school…read more Every friday they hold a round robin tournament from 6:30pm - 9:00pm. Sign in before 6:45 to guarantee your spot. *First time = free. Returning = $5 I really enjoy myself and learn a lot just playing with different people. They place you in a group of 6-10 people and you get to play everyone. I think about 50 people show up every friday so you don't have to worry about playing someone that isn't near your level. You record your score at the end of each game and BTTC will calculate your new table tennis rating and post it up on their website a few days later. -1star because of one certain staff member who is quite rude. Me and my friends were there for our 3rd times and he made us feel very unwelcome. To the point where were considering not to come back. Overall: Everyone is pretty friendly. I have a great time win or lose. Definitely recommend this place for any novice or expert table tennis player!

What an awesome place for ping-pong lovers. They have about twenty tables setup at the James…read moreKenney Recreation Center with hundreds of ping pong balls flying all over the place. Times are Friday 6 - 9:45 PM: Round Robin Tournament. Don't be intimidated. They have a wide variety of skill levels. Saturday 7 - 10 PM: Free play. Bring a friend or some friends. It's lots of fun to just hit around for fun. $5 for either. They even have ping pong ball picker-uppers: long tubes that you just push onto balls on the ground. The tables ping pong balls are both quality. This is a great place to improve your skills if you are primarily a basement table tennis player like me. Bring some exercise clothes and a water bottle--you will work up a sweat!

Very nice park with lots of things to do with your little ones…read more We recently went on the Train ride, that was super cute and fun The carousel ride is so much fun also Feeding the animals and was a great experience for the boys Parking is free, you can bring your own snacks and drinks Lots of hiking trails to enjoy

Lots of different trails with moderate uphill climb. There are plenty of dogs and the…read moredisappointment lies in owners just leaving behind poop bags on the trails. The view was great and there is parking available. I suggest coming earlier before 9 a.m. I did not see a restroom available. Families hike here with their kids.

TL;DR beautiful pool, beautiful gym…read more PLUSES: + outdoor pool = great view (campanile) + design is old, rustic, and beautiful + huge locker rooms + halls are perfect for a photoshoot

This 33-meter (108+ feet!) rooftop pool of Roman proportions and elegance is a treasure of the UC…read moreBerkeley campus. The locker room is approached by a walk through a sunlit hallway of old, multi-paned windows. The locker room is spotless, and fabulously equipped. Then, the pool itself...holy crap...first of all, it's on a ROOF, and it's made of MARBLE and mosaic tiles. And there are huge concrete terraces on which to sun and rest oneself, as well as to view eye candy from the waterpolo team doing leisurely laps as if just for show. The lanes are huuuuge so collisions are rare. In fact, it sometimes feels like the place is a secret even from the lucky students who can enjoy it, because I don't remember it ever being crowded. In fact, as the sound of the Campanile heard between breaths of the fresh Berkeley breeze blowing over the verdant quad can charm anyone into thinking that they are having a dream of liquid solitude. Here, I was able to break through my 2-lap ceiling and seal my love of swimming forever. Okay, one pain in the ass is that you have to pay a fee to rent out a locker...but at least you CAN rent out a locker! Another pain in the ass is that you have to wear a damn swim tag on your person to show that you are allowed to be in or around the pool in the first place...but the crispy, sun-yellow, and oh-so-filchable towels provided by the gym make up for all this... Yeah, so basically, there's nothing negative that can be said about this pool. It is a drop of Heaven on Earth.

Was introduced to bouldering here. Very accessible location. Super hectic on weekends and at…read moresunset. Great for families and solo projects as well. The rock (volcanic rhyolite) offers good grip but hard on the hands. Remember to bring a crash pad!

Indian Rock Park offers a serene escape, perfect for quiet reflection or quality time with family…read more The views are nothing short of breathtaking.

This is an idyllic place to hike and picnic in Tilden. There is a lake (pond?) that has a swimming…read morearea, but I personally don't think it is especially clean for that. But there are lots of turtles and birds to watch. For picnics, there are tables and a large grassy expanse for laying down a spread and also playing frisbee. For a hike, the loop around the lake (pond?) is perfect for kids and adults who are able to climb rocks and scramble comfortably along a few narrow strips of the trail. There is a bridge and an area where kids like to explore the creek. There are other paths off the lake, but those do tend to have more mountain bikes. This is an especially nice park when we have our late summer weather in September and October. Plenty of parking.

Lake Care…read more Recreational swimming reservoir located in Tilden Regional Park that was named after Spanish "explorer" Juan Bautista de Anza. The Good: *Free *Swimmable *There's a beach area** with actual sand *Fishing allowed (w/ CA fishing license [$62]) *±3/4-mile loop trail around the lake that has some gorgeous almost Hoh Rainforest-like vibes (IYKYK). *Restrooms** *Large paved lot The Meh: *Area has signs about a dangerous algae bloom in the water, so if you do go swimming, make sure not to intake too much water--and keep your pets away from it! *There's also signs telling you how to prepare any fish you catch here. The Ugly: *As the signs state "Rough Trail," and boy howdy is it rough. Especially when it's wet, as some of the trails around the backside were ultra thick, slippery mud which had us fighting for our lives! Bring a hiking pole(s) or a hiking stick to help with steadying yourself. Conclusion: Cool spot with a trepidatious hike that's for a good payoff. Gird your loins and just do it! **area was under construction when we visited in Dec '24, but we're assuming it'll be done by summer?

I love love love this park. There are several parts to it. There's a very nice grassy hill,…read moresurrounded by trees that you can lay a blanket down on and read a book or hang out by yourself or with your friends or family. And then there are tennis and basketball courts and then there's a kids play scape for younger kids and we spent so much time at this park. The community center is also very nice and they have plays or other events there. I've seen quite a few events there and have also taken Zumba classes. There's also an area between the two parts of the park that has a stream and picnic tables and we often met groups down there and had celebrations. I've also seen work groups meet there for lunch. My kids loved to go hang out there because there were so many things you can do there. The Parks in Berkeley, in general I find just amazing.

This is a lovely park with plenty of lush green grass for picnicking and trees providing ample…read moreshade, as well as concrete stairways connecting to the creek and a bridge leading to the Live Oak Theater. I attended the showing of SF Mime Troupe's "Disruption" this past Saturday, an entertaining and comedic musical production reminding the crowd that everything is politics. In addition, I laid out my mat in the grass to enjoy a meal and read a book, appreciating the relaxing and carefree atmosphere.