Heron Bay Nature Trail is one of my favorite local trails for a morning/sunset walk. There's…read moreconveniently parking at the entrance roundabout of the Heron Bay neighborhood. There's only 3 spaces + 1 handicapped space but I've usually had good luck and have found parking. If not, you can also park in the neighborhood right outside Heron Bay or at the Food Net plaza. You'll just have to walk a bit farther. There's two sides to the trail: one that goes towards the San Leandro Marina and the other that goes towards the Hayward Shoreline. The San Leandro Marina side tends to be the most popular as it ends at the park and you can continue your walk around the water and park. From Heron Bay, it's about 1.5-2 miles to the park. The terrain is all flat and paved. There are a lot of people who use this trail so sometimes you may have to step aside into the gravel for other walkers, runners, bikers, etc. This trail is right along the water which is always really beautiful. But know that it also gets windy sometimes. I recommend wearing a hood, hat, or beanie. There's also no shade so plan to wear sunglasses and sunscreen on a sunny day. A lot of people take their dogs walking here as there's a dog park at the end as well. Most folks have their dogs on leashes but there are some who let their dogs roam. If you have an anxious dog who isn't great around other dogs, I'd recommend either skipping the Marina side of this trail or just being very aware. There's lots of regulars on this trail (me included) so if you walk here enough, you'll start to see the same folks. Everyone's always greeting each other with a hello or good morning - a great start to each day/evening!

I to run and walk this trail. Great views of the peninsula and San Francisco. Always a nice place…read moreto visit.

EBMUD, Oakland I…read moredidn't want to mail in my water bill so I came by to drop it off instead and the staff that helped me was very helpful. Would recommend it whenever in the area.

I've been on EBMUD watershed trails before but never wrote a review, searched and someone already…read morestarted one so here is mine. Hiked Sat 11.28.20 Chabot Staging Area EBMUD Watershed. You need a permit to hike in here, my friend has one so I tagged along. There's one pit toilet, make sure you bring your own tp cuz not always available. No drinking water here. We started on the Ramage Peak Trail to Dinosaur Trail. To Dinosaur Peak it's 2.2 miles one way. It's got lots of steep hills to climb, at least it's short. Nice rocks that look like the back of a dinosaur, worth it for the photos. On the way back we did 1 mile each way on Ramage Peak Trail where trail split. It's close to me since I'm in Fremont and Castro Valley Is only 30min each way.

I live super close to this park so I come pretty often. I really love it here :)…read more PROS: - good place to practice your casting skills - peaceful - family friendly - never too packed so it's easy to find street parking - dog friendly (there are some NOT on leashes, but very well behaved) - good place to run/jog if you want to avoid hills I don't really have a negative thing to say about this park, but for safety purposes, come when there are others in the park casting or running with you! :)

"No Trout, but Ducks and Turtles Floating Around Might be Mistaken for Trout"…read more This is a rustic urban park, good for fishermen as well as families with small children. The day that I visited, several fishermen were using the casting ponds to improve their angler skills. The casting ponds have circular objects--I guess that's what you aim for. The whole thing reminds me of golfing, except instead of hitting a little ball you swing hooks at the water. The beauty of this method is that you have fishing line connected to the hook, so it's easy to get the hook back. Just think if they did that for golf how much easier it would be. Next time I'm bringing a fishing line to give it a try. They have signs reminding you to not jump in and swim around. Good idea. Of course the ponds are about 2 feet deep, so it wouldn't be much of a swim, even if there weren't fishing hooks flying overhead. I suppose if they wanted to, they could have designated swimming areas, where the fishermen don't aim the hooks at you. I'm pretty sure that would work okay. The park is reasonably well maintained, but the facility is obviously old. I saw a sign that proudly proclaimed, "Trout Fishing." Even though I'm sort of a chump, I didn't fall for that. Another visitor confirmed there really aren't any trout here. But there is a cute family of ducks and ducklings, and nearby a bunch of turtles. Maybe the sign maker confused ducks with trout. Easy to see how that could happen. Beside the casting ponds, the other ponds are pretty, and young children will certainly find the ducks a good attraction. One visitor pointed out a family of turtles close by. The turtles didn't seem to be doing too much today--just sort of floating in the water. They have several decent picnic tables as well. This would be a pleasant place to bring your family for a picnic. I did not see any restrooms or drinking faucets, but they might be hidden somewhere. So overall, a good place to visit with your young children. I can't imagine staying here more than an hour or so but it's a decent place for a quick visit. Plus, it's 100% free, with close parking as well. Just don't expect to bring home any trout for dinner.

Love this as a short hike! It starts in Lot E of Merritt College. Pretty tucked away (this is the…read moreback parking lot). Parking is $2 for the whole day if you don't have a student pass. Dogs are allowed off leash. +1 just for that! My dog loves this trail! It's not extremely long and does have some fairly steep inclines. The middle of the trail is covered by trees, so on a sunny day you have some protection. There's also a stream that runs along part of the trail that I've seen some dogs splashing around it. Not a crowded trail. Good if you want some peace and quiet and a nice view.

Great hidden trail that is part of the East Bay Parks system. I take my dog here, sans leash This…read moreis a great alternative to the crowded scene at nearby Redwood Park where hikers, dog walkers and bike riders sometimes fight it out for trail supremacy. Perhaps this place is a hidden gem because it's a little hard to find. Take Keller up the hill heading east, pass Skyline Pizza and a little shopping center off to your right then make the first left on Campus Drive. Make your first right into Shadow Woods condo complex and head left or all the way to the back of the condo complex and you will find the trail parking lot. It's about 2 miles of moderate up hill and connects to the Merritt College campus. A creek runs along the trail the whole way. Dogs love it because they can run around and take cooling dips when they want. Even on weekend it does not get that crowded.

Not sure why this park has below four stars. Sure, when I went on a walk it was a bit muddy, but…read morethat's expected after the rains. I went around 4:30pm during the week after putting it off since last July. It was a pleasant walk with lavender fragrant lavender bushes along the way. This walk leads onto the beach across from South Shore and I really wanted to keep going, but it was getting too dark. The pics I posted are from on the way back. Definitely worth checking out. I loved seeing all of the fur babies along the trail too!

Loved the visit this morning to my old 'running space', back when I was a very proud Alamedan with…read morea key to a door of a house in a veritable secret gem of small-town living in big-bad Bay Area! (my huge claim to fame is that I quite literally lived across the street from Xmas Tree Lane (Thompson). So cool every year walking with my coffee mug, and not having to bear the nutsoness of driving my way out of that mayhem. The region of Alameda between the main isle and Harbor Bay/Bay Farm island is a wonderland of nature and beauty, views and water, sea breeze and outdoor happiness. This little Towata park is found just before the bridge crossing over into Bay Farm, just off Otis Dr. Turn right into a space that allows for about 10 parked cars, and from there, enjoy the underpass to the blue pedestrian bridge which parallels the auto one, and enjoy the water from both sides!!! It's really very special, this ability to walk out toward the estuary side and see rabbits and chipmunks, and lizards too. Facing McAfee and the Oakland hills, I came to circle the golden round of Shoreline Park that juts into the water, taking a peek at the Aegean marina folk and the activity on their boats today. On the other side, after making the mile+ circle, one can opt to turn onto the wooden-planked bridge to cross over to the shores of Bay Farm Island.... with gorgeous views of the Bay... Lovely piece of Alameda enchantment. And awesome weather to boot.

This is a gorgeous trail frequented by walkers, runners and bikers…read more You will see a gorgeous skyline of the SF bay area and wonderful sunsets and sunrises here. It's the perfect ppace to train while enjoying the scenic views here and it's quite the hidden gem!

A Hidden Waterfront Gem for Biking, running and Walking…read more If you are looking for a flat, peaceful, and incredibly scenic escape in the East Bay, this section of the trail where San Lorenzo Creek meets the bay is a must-visit. The trail setup is great because it caters to everyone. There is a beautifully paved main road perfect for walking, running, and easy cycling, but if you like a little more texture, there are wide gravel off-paths that are incredibly fun to ride on. It's a heavily trafficked spot for locals who come out to get their daily steps in or catch a sunset. They have also placed dedicated benches at perfect intervals along the path so you can sit down, take a break, and just soak in the unobstructed shoreline views of the San Francisco Bay. What makes this trail extra special is that you are riding right through a massive, protected nature preserve (the Oro Loma Marsh). The wetland is teeming with wildlife--if you look out into the pickleweed and mudflats, you'll see tons of unique shorebirds, egrets, and ducks. It's amazing to think this peaceful sanctuary used to be an industrial commercial salt flat decades ago before being restored back to nature. Tip for visitors: The trail is completely open and exposed to the elements. There's no shade out here, which means when that bay breeze kicks up, it feels absolutely amazing and refreshing on a hot summer day. But if you come later in the afternoon, definitely bring a light jacket as it can get quite windy. The Stretch: This section acts as a perfect bridge connecting San Leandro to Hayward. Heading north to the San Leandro Marina is about 2.25 miles of smooth pavement, while heading south into the Hayward Shoreline is another 2.25 miles of rugged gravel. You can easily do a flat, 4.5-mile round-trip or push it all the way to a 10-mile ride! Very relaxing, clean, and highly recommended! Cheers!

One of the city's oldest parks. Located at the intersection of Bancroft and Callan avenue across…read morefrom Bancroft Middle School There is a play structure , picnic tables and restrooms available as well as bbq pits Small but cute park Parking lot is also small

Memorial Park is an appropriate name as there's a memorial plaque to memorialized men from san…read moreleandro who have died in the korean, vietnam & WW II wars. as a park, it's small with a children's playground/swings, benches, grassy area, walkways, parking lot, picnic areas/tables, & a couple trees. it's great for the area but not a destination.

Right around the corner from my place, this park serves the needs of BBQ'ers during the summer and…read moremost neighborhood dogs year round. The Canada geese can also migrate through here and leave a huge mess behind them, so if you intend to picnic here I would bring a tarp-lined picnic blanket. There aren't too many amenities here. A bathroom that is a little sketchy, but no BBQ pits so bring your own (and somewhere to put your ashes, if you so choose to use charcoal), as well as something to douse your flame. Anyway, a couple benches here offer a great view of downtown and sunsets. Just a grassy knoll along the lake, there isn't a fence or much to stop kids or pets from running onto lakeshore ave so be careful. Oh, and parking is scarce. More a neighborhood spot vs a destination, but the neighborhood thinks that's juuuuust fine.

This little park is easy to overlook at the corner of Hanover and LakeShore. From the street it…read morelooks like nothing more than a lone park bench on a patch of grass. But it you walk up the hill and venture into the park, there are several benches, a nice paved path and PUBLIC TOILETS that are clean and well maintained up there. Who knew? From the benches there is a wonderful view of Lake Merritt and downtown Oakland, and peace and quiet. The is no signage marking the name of this park, and the only recent updates are the f'ugly "no dogs in park" signs. That being said, it's a great place to walk your dog.