Mare Island Heritage Trail is great if you're looking for an easy, scenic walk with a little…read morehistory mixed in. The trail runs along the waterfront with really nice views of the bay, the Napa River, and the old naval shipyard buildings. You get a mix of open water, boats, and historic structures, which makes it feel a little more interesting than your typical flat walk. On a clear day, the views are especially good and it's super peaceful. It's very dog friendly, which is a huge plus. Plenty of space for pups to walk and explore, just make sure to bring water for them since there's not a ton of shade in some sections. Also definitely bring tick spray.

I work on Mare Island and I haven't had a chance to check this area out yet. Visitors try to find…read morethe highest peak where the Ghost ship art pieces are or the cemetery but I have yet to go through the trail. I felt like drivers were driving fast on the road. There's a parking lot at the bottom before the trail. I saw some runners and people with dogs but I plan to go check it out with a group of coworkers one of these days.

A very scenic waterfront park. A place in the greater bay area that I have not known at all until…read moremore recently. This is a beautiful part of the bay. It isn't very popular or well known and that might be good - if you want to come on a special holiday. San Francisco can be overrated sometimes and this wouldn't be so crowded. San leandro waterfront - the mayor seemed to give up on about 10 years ago. This still has some boats - and that adds to the mood even if you don't sail. A lot of people in my family like the water - I'm not really one of them - I like to look at the water but not necessarily be in it or on it - sailing or swimming. YOu wouldn't swim in this water anyway. I think its more of a cesspool in that respect. THe whole bay is. Its brown and probably has all sorts of stuff growing in it - only people who have looked through a microscope would know. When I was a kid 35 years ago the water was still decent looking. It was sort of blue - maybe with a tiny tint of green. Today it is brown as toilet water after some bad Taco Bell. Still, I enjoy looking at this Taco Bell water - I just don't want to be in it.... even if I am so to speak. So many of my friends moved to Texas and Vegas to get away from the cesspool. My friends with kids that is. The whole situation reminds me of my favorite Jingletown Oakland blog writer Sandra Tavel - she somehow lives in the filth but somehow is above it in her fancy condo.

The Vallejo Waterfront Park has to be my favorite area in town. My siblings and I have so many…read moregreat memories here we used to ride our bikes all around, fly our kites or even just walk our dogs along the water. There is always something to do and the sunsets here tend to be nice. There's always a great crowd and lively energy around, especially since the ferry stops right here and there's a bar and a nice restaurant nearby if you want to grab drinks or dinner. On a personal note, I actually came here on my very first date when I was just 18 years old haha.

Whether it be biking, fishing, or even just for a walk you'll get an exceptional view of the…read moreCarquinez Strait. The majority of biking or walking is done on asphalt and for this type of activity is completely free. There are three self-contained RV sites available at first come first serve basis. No dump available. Restrooms are at the other end of the park and far from these sites. Majority of the time there are no staff at the entrance, but parking fees can be paid via drop box.

Really pretty trails, watch out for bikers. Even on a hot day by the water so nice and windy great…read moretrails. Gotta pay for parking.

First time hiking Rockville Park, and it was a great experience! As others have noted, parking is…read morelimited, but you can park along the street nearby. The entry fee is $5 per person and $1 per dog--though I noticed not many people were paying. I chose to pay, as I believe these fees go toward maintaining the trails, which were in excellent condition. Once you park, walk past the gate--there's a trail map posted, though it's not especially detailed. I'd recommend snapping a photo just in case, but honestly, the trails are well-marked and easy to follow. There are warning signs about rattlesnakes and mountain lions, but I didn't encounter any wildlife on my hike. The main trail leads to a kiosk area with restrooms and a paved space, which is a good sign that you're headed in the right direction. From there, follow signs toward the lake--it's a short and scenic hike, about 1.5 miles from the parking area. The lake itself is beautiful and peaceful, definitely worth the walk. There were quite a few mountain bikers, so just be aware and share the trail. I didn't explore the other trails this time but plan to return soon to see more. It's a beautiful, well-kept park and a great way to spend a morning or afternoon outdoors.

Not sure why it's taken so long for me to come back to this beautiful park! I had a great hike…read moretoday, even tried a new trail! It was definitely worth it because the views at the top are amazing.

MY PHOTOGRAPHS: (1) Hawk perching on tree that is next to trail. I used a 300mm telephoto lens on…read moremy camera; (2) Tree next to trail with red berries; (3) Isolated grove of palm trees surrounded by an ocean of tall wheatgrass; (4) Pickleweed (has red color) and birds (a northern flicker and two quails); (5) Cracked mud in a dried marsh in a long strip of land between trail and the bay. The plants in the dried marsh are likely to be Frankenia salina. Mr.Rick Shroy, a photographer living in Oregon, told me that my photo is of a red-tailed hawk (and that it is not an osprey). ATTRACTIONS. Mare Island San Pablo Bay Trail provides access to a part of the S.F. Bay area (the shoreline of San Pablo Bay) that few S.F. Bay area residents have ever seen. The trail allows hikers to see plants and birds that thrive in marshlands and tidal zones. What I liked best from my two visits in November 2020, were the views of several hawks zooming here and there over the vast fields of tall wheat grass, taking photographs of a hawk perching on the top branch of tree, and taking photographs of the thick tangles of alkali heath (Frankenia salina) that grow between the trail and San Pablo Bay. The alkali heath surrounds the dried mud flat situated between the trail and the Bay, and the alkali heath also grows in oval-shaped patches situated in the middle of the dried mud flat. These oval-shaped patches are cute looking. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAIL. From the west, take Route 37 to reach Mare Island. During your drive from the west, you will pass the parking lot and trailhead to TUBBS ISLAND TRAIL, which provides a nine-mile round trip hike, and access to the shore of San Pablo Bay. In contrast, the trail on Mare Island provides a round trip hike of only 2.8 miles, and the closest that this trail gets to San Pablo Bay is about 200 feet. If you are driving from the east, you need to find Tennessee Street in Vallejo, then drive south and cross the blue-colored bridge, and continue on to Azuar Drive, and then turn at Dump Road. At the end of Dump Road is a parking lot and the trailhead. Once on the trail, you hike south (towards San Pablo Bay) for 500 feet. Then, the trail takes a left turn (towards the east), and from there it is 7,000 feet to the very end of the trail (2.8 miles total round-trip hike). BIRDS AND PLANTS. Birds found on Mare Island include a type of raptor called an osprey. A survey from the year 2013 revealed the presence of 60 adult ospreys nesting on Mare Island. My photographs include a large hawk sitting on a bare tree. It is possible that this is an osprey. Hikers will notice the vast expanses of tall light-colored grasses. The stems of these grasses are all dry and easy to snap in half. My two visits were in November 28 & 29 (late autumn), and so it is possible that these grasses are green in the spring. I believe that these are tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia pontica), the dominant plant at Mare Island. Tall wheatgrass tolerates soil that is high in salt. Pickleweed is green in the summer and red in the autumn. Hikers will enjoy the palm trees situated next to the trail, and the distant palm trees. The distant palm trees appear like isolated islands surrounded by an ocean of tall wheatgrass. REFERENCES. (1) McGuire & Dvorak (1981) High salt-tolerance potential in wheatgrass. Crop Science. 21:702-705; (2) Ferner (2011) A profile of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (511 pages); (3) Brake, Wilson, Leong (2014) Status of ospreys nesting on San Francisco Bay. Western Birds. 45:191-198; (4) Mare Island Regional Park Task Force (2007) Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve (94 pages); (5) www dot mareislandmuseum dot org; (6) www dot sfbayospreydays dot org.

Access to more people. The island is kind of wasting away. The city of Vallejo should sell the…read moreisland because they can't afford to maintain it. You have all these streets that were put up and no houses. The historical buildings are nothing more than rat and bat nests.

This park is near my house and was recently renovated to the tune of $5 million. It has beautiful…read morewater foul and it has also been a good place to walk dogs. They now provide bags for dogs and more new garbage cans to dispose of waste. They built a brand new restroom here. Hopefully it will be open one day.

Beautiful example of reclaimed wetlands. There's a wonderful walk around the lake where you can…read moreleisurely take in the nature. It's a level path, good for strolling or jogging.

Things I like about this park: - it's halfway between the…read moreBay Area and Sacramento so it's a great place to meet friends halfway for a picnic - lots of shade from large trees - ponds with fountains providing lovely water sounds - well maintained lawn - picnic tables - lots of free street parking Things I don't like: - no bathroom - the waterfall feature isn't working - so many ants invading my space

Cute and very small park in a residential area in Suisun. There's only street parking. There's a…read morelittle stream, waterfall, and park bench to enjoy while hanging out here.

Life's a beach, enjoy the waves! Okay, I just made that up...but, it sounds cool, right? I know! :)…read moreIf you think that was cool, then you must check out Benicia Public Pier & Beach! Beautiful views (including Carquinez Bridge in the distance, mountains, Amtrak was chugging along in the far distance also!), ocean air, and a breeze. It was pretty cold and foggy when I first arrived. Then, the sun peaked out more and got some vitamin D. I took a nice stroll on the sidewalk that winds around the pier and by a restaurant and some homes. The ocean view stayed front and center the entire time. There wasn't many people there at the time I went. It felt like I owned the area to myself for a little bit :) There's street parking (free). There were benches all along the sidewalk and the pier, if you just want to sit and watch the ocean waves. I definitely will be returning for some more Vitamin sea time! :)

Very Clean Pier with lots of stripe bass. OG fisherman's are very friendly and helpful. Would…read moredefinitely recommend this spot for first timers..