So there are reviews from folks who hate the kids and all their running around and making trouble. Fine, I get it, I used to NOT have kids. Now I do, and when it comes to a safe, clean, easy and close place for my 2 tots to play in water, Lake Anza has no equal. It's close, cheap, and has lots of families with little ones. The revamped food stand has lots of edible options that don't make you regret you ate it...I had the chili and hotdog and it was better than any other park I've been to, including ballparks. The water was mild enough for my timid 2 year old and has a low gradient allowing for my 4 year old to run around and not harrass the smaller kids. Well worth the drive and time and money! read more

Friggin' Berkeley. Leave it to Berkeley to shove in a little lake in the hills just right for a dip, and then ROPE IT OFF AND MAKE YOU PAY to cram on their fake beach with all the little yuppie brats. No offense to you, yuppie brats, but your mother who did not raise you right did not even notice when you scrambled down the rock I was quietly relaxing on, nearly cracking your skull, while I was trying to read and detox on Lake Anza's "free", sandless, shore. And then, Little Yuppie Brat, you kicked my frigging water bottle into the nasty lake. And then looked at me like Whatcha Want Old Crusty Bizitch? Hey, kid, (insert neck roll) you don't know me. You are so lucky that I was so into the nice sun, used Cormac McCarthy, and a lukewarm beer that I didn't pick you up and throw you in after it. P.S. When I said "Try not to kill yourself," I meant it. Stupid kid. read more

The weather has been predicted to be HOT for the next week, and I am a huge fan of shirking responsibilities when the temperature rises...I had also promised the 3 Musk-A-Teers we would play hooky & go to the beach today. Well, it's Bike to Work Day as well as a Spare the Air Day. How could I, in good conscious, sit in the parking lot which the Richmond Bridge surely was to become polluting the air?? So, we reached a local compromise: no Stinson Beach or Muir Beach, instead a trip to Lake Anza in Tilden Park! It's an easy, scenic drive (yep, we drove...too steep for some bikes of ours, tho' not everyone's). We found a nearly empty parking lot at 11:00, parked IN THE SHADE and proceeded to the gate. Guess what?! For some inexplicable reason, today was FREE!!! Whooppeeee!!! Big points for this! Lots of green grass & shade/no shade options. The water was clear, clean, & cold. We brought our lunch, swam, saw ducks with 7 ducklings today, as well as turtles trying to sun themselves despite the racket of near-by toddlers with ever-vigilant moms. This is a swell local alternative to highly chlorinated pools or the long drive to the beach. I like it a lot. Here's why my review offers 4 rather than 5 stars: Snotty Life Guard...when I asked why the diving platform in the middle of the Lake had disappeared, he copped attitude, responding that he's worked there "like 10 years" & there'd never been such a thing. Well, pal, I'm here to tell ya, until very recently there HAS been a wooden diving/sunning platform in the middle of Lake Anza and I was using it happily while you were probably running around with sand in your crack while your mama attempted to change your diapers there. So, don't get snarky with me. Otherwise, a fine place to swim, picnic, sunbathe (is that still PC??), people watch, and wile away a perfectly good day. We will be back for more fun (probably when we're supposed to be at work or school...). Check it out. Just don't expect much from the Life Guards. My experience tells me they're Weenies. read more

A Southern Californian will miss the beaches when they relocate up to the Bay Area but there is a way around that and Berkeley's Lake Anza is one of the solutions. The sandy beach is open to the sun and sheltered from the wind so you can enjoy sunbathing. The water is swimmable although--to me-- on the cold side. It is safe for kids here as the swim area is roped off and there are lifeguards right there. The county does water testing during the summer months and occasionally the swimming area will be closed. This past September, Lake Anza was shut down due to the presence of toxic algae, according to the East Bay Regional Park District. Toxic algae is not something to mess with so I am glad that Lake Anza is watched so carefully. Always check the website ebparks.org. to make sure the water is okay before you head up into the Berkeley Hills. Lake Anza is near the Tilden Park Merry Go Round. I went with my friend who lives in the area and knows her way around. It can be a little tricky finding the Lake. Use Wildcat Canyon Road to enter Tilden Park and then turn left on Central Park Drive. Go right on Lake Anza Road to the parking lot. Had to deduct 1 YELP STAR because the bees just would not leave me alone. It might have had to do with the coconut suntan lotion I was using but those bees were bugging me. read more

I like Lake Anza a lot...it's pretty and I don't think there are a lot of places like it in the Bay Area. Some girlfriends and I got the chance to go up there recently and we lay in the sun, tried to get a little color, and then had lunch. Then everything went wrong...first we went in the water and I looked around and realized that there were like 60 million kids in the roped off area, and I can guarantee you they were all peeing like crazy in that lake. The "hot-spots" in the water totally freaked me out and I ran screaming out of the lake. Ok...I thought...I'll just lay here and enjoy myself...enough with that water business. All of sudden lifeguards start freaking out, people start running like crazy and all children are asked to check in with their parents. Aww, missing kids at a lake are so much fun. So then there is still a kid missing, the life guards form a chain and start searching the lake for a body, then they asked all adults on the beach to help them search for a body. A BODY PEOPLE!!!! Then the medical helicopter shows...and we decided that was our cue to leave. read more

Location: I didn't even know this was here until Monika T. suggested we go here. She and I have both hiked nearby at Inspiration Point and checked out the botanical garden nearby. Parking is pretty awesome. no one is hogging spaces, and there's more spaces than actual needed, being that the lake is small. Fees: there's a fee to go in. I paid $6 total for both my son and I to get in. There are no parking fees, so it's not a bad thing. You can bring your own food in and drinks, granted no alcohol or glass bottles. There's a concession stand there. It's a $10 minimum for charge, so buy accordingly. LOL I purchased 2 ice cream cones and a soda for $9.75, I didn't make the $10 minimum, but I was okay'd by the employee. View: it's a lovely view. Serene, quiet, lots of trees. We even saw a heron or two lurking between the low branches in the water. Ducks were swimming by us and dunking their heads in to catch some food. I don't know if I saw tadpoles or mini baby fishies, but they were their swimming around with us. Lifeguards: okay, the ratio to water, people, and lifeguards? I never felt so safe in my life. 2 Lifeguards in the tower, one on a surf board in the drop off water and another where the life vests are locatd. They have buoys to block off the depths of the water. Anytime anyone swam out of the buoys., lifeguards are on their megaphone to let them know they can't swim there. No kidding about the 'drop off' literally can be waist deep, one step later it's like you're in about 8ft of water. So be warned! also, free vests to check out for the kiddies as well as arm floaties! Amenities: bathrooms are as clean as can be for a public place. Like I said before, concession stands are there. You got nachos, chili cheese dogs, sodas, ice cream, snack items, etc. Showers are there. Tables to eat near the concession stands. I didn't see any grills. Only people bringing their own party trays of food. :) But there's garbage/trash cans aplenty for clean up. Please use it. The lake is clean and the areas surrounding it. It's a great lake to bring families too, it's not overly crowded, it is small so please don't hog the areas. There's both sand to relax on and grass hills to lull about on as well. Totally recommend this place for small groups. It is secluded, there's not phone reception, and if there was any, it was briefly. LOL, Be warned, reception is BAD. read more

The lake is great but if you don't want a side of racism with your swim, I wouldn't go here. I had an encounter with a life guard that was very unpleasant. (Mind you that I had just stepped into the water for all of a minute before this happened) Soon another life guard stepped in and tried to justify the other life guards comments towards me. Finally another swimmer in the lake who witnessed everything came and told their supervisor about everything that he just saw/heard and got them to apologize and admit their wrong doings. This is definitely something that should not happen when you are just trying to spend a nice day with you family at a lake. Although I don't think the life guards know the severity of their words, I hope that in the future they learn that racism is not, and will never be tolerated. read more

This is a fun safe spot to take young children to. We've never had any issues there at all.

This Lake is the bomb~!! It's in the middle of Tilden Park and you just would never expect to find a beach there. That's just awesome/ Nicely manicured sand and grass in the area to chill, and a sectioned off part of the lake to play complete with lifeguard. I didn't actually get in the water, so I can't vouch for cleanliness or anything - but it is a lake that doesn't move - so take it for what it is. You gotta pay $3.50 to get in, $2.50 for kids... But you can do the fun 1.5 mile hike around the lake for free - which is awesome in itself. It's not a paved road, its a real hike -but not uber challenging - so it was a fun little daytime walk. This is like the definition of a hidden gem....except people know about it. =P read more

Many great memories of hanging out here as a kid. Swim, sun, swim, sun, snack, repeat! If you just want a great piece of lawn to hang out on and don't care about the lake, there is a good picnic spot just outside the entrance by the closest parking lot. Good times, good times! read more

Loved this place here! Within an hour drive from SF, you get to tan! Real sun, son! I couldn't believe it! This is a huge park and this lake is mos def a huge plus. Maybe because we went on Thursday, we saw only a handful people, just 3 children (yup I hate kids at public places), no lifeguard or no paying at the door. The water is so clear here, and I didn't think it was warm but I guess it wasn't freezing. Maybe it was only like 75F, but it felt warm enough to be laying around just in your bikinis. Go on weekdays, bring picnic, chilax, and save the 2 hour drive to some other beaches around here I guess. read more

This is one of my families favorite places to go on a hot day. It's cheap, and fun. They have life guards there for safety. The scenery is absolutely lovely. You can even swim with ducks!!! Pack a lunch, and have a good time for hours! read more

Lake Anza is a small lake---I've seen ponds bigger than this in New England---and is overcrowded on weekends and has a teensy little roped-off swimming area. But here's the thing: should you find yourself with a non-holiday weekday off, go here. Walk around the perimeter. Take the Wildcat Gorge Trail. Swim in the areas where you're not supposed to swim. It's MARVELOUS. read more

Lake Anza is a great spot to get some sun, go swimming, have a picnic. A few comments. There is a charge to enter the beach area, I think $3.50. Parking can be a bit of a burden when it gets really busy. The beach area gets packed when it's really hot out, so be prepared to deal with crowds and tight quarters. read more

It's a hidden gem that I wished I visited more often during my years in Berkeley. Lake Anza is great for when I want to tan and relax at a beach without driving so far. The sand and lawns are clean and it has restrooms. It's great for people watching toddlers and middle age singles hitting on each other. Just a friendly, diverse group of young families, teenagers, young adults, mature adults, and really tan old guys. Driving here can be confusing, but parking is easy. I love how you can picnic here and also buy food at the concession stand. However, beware of the soft serve ice cream that always comes out like milkshake. An afternoon spent at Lake Anza is a good afternoon. read more

Having grown up on the shores of Lake Superior, I usually find myself sniveling that there is no good swimming in the Bay Area during the summertime...I want clean, clear water in which my feet are still visible at 5 feet down, and warm, unpolluted sand to rest my little picnic on. And NO WIND. Sigh. I've resigned myself to the fact that it's not going to happen. Not here. So after a notable trip up into the hills of Berkeley yesterday afternoon, I found my findings worth sharing...a actual lovely little swimming hole!! First point scored: can get there via public transit; BART and the 67 (AC transit drivers are much nicer and more helpful than MUNI, btw) takes you to the Brazil building in Tilden Park, and then a 5-10 minute hike to the lake. (Obviously, this is much simpler if driving; there is a parking lot right by the lake). Second point scored: location, location, location. Lake Anza is tucked away, sort of sitting there where you would not expect some water to be. We hiked UP a path to get there originally, and it's surprising to arrive at the crest of a trail and look down onto this protected spot; it was like little oasis! Lots of trees, rock formations, and in an area that is spared from major wind, and received ample sun to warm the water and sand. Third point scored: the general vibe was alright. Yes, there are families that go, and yes, there are children that swim in the water, but that familial feel was welcoming and reminded me of being a kid again, myself. I watched some young teen girls ask some older british women if they would be the judges for their mini-Olympics diving competition, and it wasn't weird that these girls were talking to random strangers. That kind of feel. Final point scored: The waters. No, I could not see my feet, but that was overridden by the fact that the waters were mild and felt clean and refreshing, and there were minimal encounters with floating seaweeds. The swimming area is roped off into a few different sections; a toddler area, another area pre-drop-off, the deeper waters, and then an area for just doing laps. The swimming hole was as rewarding as it appears when you walk up on it. Overall, a great find!! read more

It's not flanked by the alps, it's not going to cleanse you of your sins, it's probably got kids who pee in it ... but it is just up the hill from home, it's quaint and it's picturesque. It's visited by nice folks, with nice dogs, enjoying the weather and each other. Pack a picnic (or just a chilled watermelon and a knife), bring some towels, bug spray might be nice too. Avoid the poison oak , turn off the cell phone (you won't get reception anyway) and kick back and enjoy a lazy afternoon. read more

Pretty awesome lake, nice and quiet, has a beach and some cool trails. I checked this out over the weekend, Google maps took us a convoluted route over the hill to get there - that's probably the biggest downside - versus the very similar Lake Temescal which is really close. Still, it's free to park and go in (except the beach), wasn't at all busy on a Sunday evening. There's protected wildlife here too - shame on the dog owners for not controlling their dogs in signposted areas though. But check it out, I bet you'll be surprised. read more

Another perk of living near Tilden Park--Lake Anza! Another spot the family and the Girl Scout troop used to come for a dip in the lake. I used to wish for a backyard swimming pool--there was no need for a chlorinated pool when there is Lake Anza. Nothing like swimming in nature's cool clear water. The first time for me was on a Girl Scout field trip. Then the parental unit brought us here for swimming when they did not feel like making the long trek to the swimming pool at the naval officers' club in Alameda. When the relatives used to come for visits, this was one of the places we would take them to for a swim. The life guards were ever present and alert. There was a buoyed rope indicating the limit as to how far people were allowed to swim. I hear there is more at Lake Anza these days. There is the Lake Anza Beach Club that sells frozen treats. I think they are owned by the same guys who own Mudpuppy's Tub and Scrub and the Sit and Stay Cafe. Lake Anza is another place I must make a return visit to for ol' times sake. Fresh Yelp Review #86 for 2013 read more

It has been a very beautiful-wonderful weekend hangout spot for my family.The lake is small and especially not scary for beginners to swimming like me.The sandy beach makes a perfect picnic spot for kids.It's lovely to watch them make sand castles.We have found the lake to be cold even on some days of summer during evenings.There is a nice woody trail running around the lake.We love to hike enjoying small talks,the trail is not so rough unlike posted.Across the bridge almost 3/4 way up the trail it can get a little tricky especially for small kids.The small rocks and the sand can get slippery when it has been raining; be careful with kids.The trail remains open round the year but the swimming area is closed for winter. For first timers here it goes: *sandy beach * picnic tables *pack your lunch/snacks/drinks *plenty of restroom/changing rooms *lifeguards present during summer when the lake is open *calm woody trail along the lake in a loop *dog friendly trail read more

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Gorgeous! Really gorgeous, but the lake stinks! I had to move further back to get away from the smell. The rank swamp smell is still in the swim clothes after two cycles through the wash! Just a warning... Otherwise, it's very picturesque, family friendly, more affordable than public pools these days, and has nice changing rooms. I don't think we'll ever go back. read more

Lake Anza is pretty dang gorgeous, and right here in Berkeley. I'm a ridiculous beach fan, but we all know that ocean waters in the bay area are less than warm. Lake Anza is a beautiful alternative, at which you can comfortably swim in blissful temperate waters. There's a sandy beach on which to lay out and sneak a cooler full of "drinks;" coupled with some trashy gossip magazines, this makes for an essentially perfect afternoon. There's an abundance of green space to play frisbee or picnic, and hiking trails all around the lake area, so I hear. It's best to drive, as the trek up to the lake is steep and winding, but totally worth it once you arrive. Four stars because: 1) you have to pay to get in. Granted, it's only $3.50, and I totally support park maintenance, but seems a little silly. 2) It's often super crowded, and 3) let's face it--the beach is a little bit man-made, and that's not as awesome as a natural beach. Despite those things, I love Lake Anza and treasure its presence so close to home--it's gorgeous and happy and a perfect summer afternoon place. read more

Lake Anza is a great place to have a family fun day! The only downside is that it costs money to get in, but you get what you pay for. The beach is nice and the water was clear and warm while we were their. They have a snack bar where they sell drinks and ice cream. read more

Lake Anza - Lakes Near Me - Berkeley, California

Good place to take a rest with family and for sunbathing. However do not anticipate that you will find a place to eat. Because they have only one place with food. Lifeguards are watchful and friendly. read more

I'm a sucker for a good hike especially when it's around a beautiful lake. I went with a couple of friends this weekend for a hike around Lake Anza and I had a lovely time. I live in Marin so I don't hike in the East Bay very often, but I really enjoyed myself. The setting was beautiful and there are many different trails that you can take. I also love the fact that dogs are off leash! My puppy Rosie would have really enjoyed the hike, if I come back i'll definitely bring her along! read more

Simply beautiful. It has a nice and quiet environment surrounded by gorgeous tall trees. I heard about this gem through a friend and was blown away by it. It's such a nice place to spend and afternoon with friends. Love it! read more

Lake Anza - Lake Anza. 7/28/2015 - Lakes Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Nice lake in the Berkeley hills! It's an oasis in the middle of the woods. Lots of parking close by. Beware though, the trail closest to the lake can be dangerous. There are lots of trees and rocks blocking the path and steep inclines. Almost fell! read more

Lake Anza - Lake Anza - Lakes Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I hiked to Lake Anza from Lawrence Lab with my girlfriend. The hike wasn't too bad, and it was beautiful with all the scenery nearby. When we ended up at Lake Anza we circled the lake, and noticed that there were picnic tables & bbq pits, and swimming. So next time I'm up there with my friends, I'll be doing hiking, picnic and swimming for a lovely summer day. read more

Lake Anza - They exaggerated! - Lakes Near Me - Berkeley, California

Lake Anza often has warning signs up saying swimmers itch may be a problem for waders and swimmers. The lake itself is peaceful to be around, when there aren't dozens of noisy swimmers in the paid section of beach. Some of the trees on the far side of the lake make great hammocking spots for reading and relaxing. read more

They have a nice huge lawn area next to the fairly large parking lot, great for picnicking with large groups, but you can't have your dog off leash here apparently. But after one person got yelled at by the pOlice for not having their dog on a leash, the officer left and everyone else who showed up after that had their dog off leash and no one scolded them. You can have your dog off lease on the little trail that runs around the edge of the pond (I guess it's supposed to be a lake??), and that's cool because there are some rocks to scramble up and down, and a couple of good places for pooch to jump in and cool off. But it's a very short, small distraction. I can't speak to the "beach" area, but the bathrooms for the beach are outside the pay gates and open to everyone so that's all I cared about. PS. I have to say this because I have not seen it anywhere else....they have a big sign outside the bathroom that says something like "DON'T leave your dog unattended" Did they have a problem with dogs running amuk while their humans go in to take a pee?......poor pooches...but there were no unattended dogs there whenever I've been there. read more

We had a great day out here today, it was very clean and staff were friendly. I wish we had taken a beach shelter as there isn't much shade will definitely go back read more

Lake Anza - View of the sand and lake - Lakes Near Me - Berkeley, California

I just hiked to this beautiful oasis this past weekend. The only downside was getting to the lakeshore and realizing that I had spent the entire hike going downhill.....you can see where I'm going with this: the whole way back was uphill. Not that I'm complaining! There is some poison oak on the trails, so wear long pants. read more

I love that we have this awesome lake in the Berkeley hills. The weather is usually warmer. And they have really stepped up the food at the snack bar. It's a little pricey, but the quality is high and the staff are super cute teenagers. read more

I took my dog here today for a hike and swim time and it was perfect! You can have shade or sun...there's plenty of both. I saw people hiking the trail around the lake and folks posted up pitching sticks into the water for their pup. The trail around the lake is pretty rocky so no danger of running into horses either. Our favorite spot to play is at Point Isabel but it can be a bit of a trek and on the weekends too many dogs. I have a feeling that this will be our new fave spot for a while. Yay! read more

I will be back! We celebrated the 4th of july here and had a lot of fun. If you bring your music, food&drinks and friends it's awesome! The lifeguards thought we were drunk so they were making signals at each other to look out for us :D There's a lot of families just relaxen here and it looks just very nice. You gotta pay 3,50 dollars to get on the beach and water. Some of my friends didn't think it was necessary so they didn't pay and just relaxed on the big grass space they have. At the end of the day there was a family that started fighting with each other i don't think it happends to often over there but security came pretty fast. read more

If into swimming, hiking and picnic this place has all that...or you can do one thing and still have a good time. Fun place in nature. Swimming area has nice facilities. Walk around the lake see some ducks, people walking around some with their pets. The lake is beautiful. Large parking lot and large green area for groups to play in. Part of the greater Tilden Park read more

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Being at Lake Anza, to me, feels like being in one of those classical Chinese landscape brush paintings. Trek the trails at least one revolution around the lake, and take in the scenic views from the various vantage points. Or find a quiet, sunny rock by the lake (away from the family swim area if it's weekend) to read a book. Oh yeah, in the summer it's great for swimming too, if you like swimming in a more natural environment. read more

This would be a much nicer place without all the kid haters who post on this yelp page. For those of us who appreciate our fellow humans no matter what age they happen to be... enjoy the laughter of children while you can. Once you become bitter and think pleasures belong to adults only, you will lose your joy. Lake Anza is a treasure. read more

My roommate, Gary L., had a dream. He wanted to combine his love of junk food with his love of competitive triathlons. And so, where would this event be held? Lake Anza provided the perfect venue for the First Annual Iron Stomach Triathlon. Starting with a 400m swim in the lake, competitors moved on to eat 4 Krispy Kreme donuts. The next stage was a 6 mile bike ride on Lake Anza Blvd followed by an In-n-out Double Double animal style with fries. Finally, a 2 mile run ending with 2 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. First to cross the line without puking wins. Lake Anza also had ample grill and picnic table space for the bbq and donut eating contest* following the race. Parking wasn't a problem and waste disposal was also easy with the several provided trash/recycling receptacles. Rental for the facilities was reasonable and Lake Anza will definitely be the site of the 2nd annual Iron Stomach. So if you have an event or are just LARPing (we saw quite a few of them), come to Anza. *I ate 7 in 5 minutes...and lost. read more

last i remember, you could treck to the otherside of the lake and swan dive 15 feet off the huge rock for free. otherwise it was 2 bucks. granted, the lifeguards would start to rowboat out and threaten you via megaphone. with what, i don't know. when i did abide, i would swim laps and get my toes nibbled by turtles. i used to hop the fence at midnight and naked yoga in the moonlight. the cops were busy with drunk minors by the carousel, so i felt free. read more