Fantastic for toddlers and adults! The botanical gardens are free! And so heavenly- the Sequoia grove is my favorite part. I visited twice this trip and felt I saw new plants and trees each time. The labeling of each plot was meticulous and I only wish I could have stayed in town long enough for the plant sale! -(Not that I could've taken any home, lol!) The train rides for the kids pass through beautiful woods and are very enjoyable even for adults. read more

Tilden Regional Park - Sequoia grove - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

Visited the Little Farm and Jewel Lake a few months ago, and after a positive experience with all of the adorable animals (especially the rabbits), I made it my goal to return to explore the entire park. Well, not the whole park, it's quite massive with far too much to see and do in one day. But I did make my way back here this past Saturday to do a little picnicking in the park, go for a hike at Lake Anza, take in the views at Inspiration Point, and appreciate the plethora of trees, plants, and flowers at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden. The garden was my fave, a pleasant surprise during my time here this past weekend. I also made a stop at the farm again to see the cute bunnies, of course. It's amazing that most attractions and activities at this beautiful park have no entry fee and offer free parking lots for convenience too. Beware that wifi and internet access is limited. read more

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Lots of different trails with moderate uphill climb. There are plenty of dogs and the disappointment 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. read more

Tilden Regional Park - Seaview trail - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Very nice park with lots of things to do with your little ones 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 read more

This is an amazing park. So many trails. Some easy, some medium and some difficult. Some of the trails have 360 degree views of San Francisco, Mt Tam and Mt. Diablo and the East Bay Hills. A park for everyone to enjoy. My favorite trails are: Inspiration Trail(EBMUD trail required), Quarry trail to Lower Bjg Springs, Seaview Trail from Quarry Trail head to Upper Big Springs, Curran Trail to Lake Anza, Curran trail to Canyon Meadows and Wildcat Gorge Loop. If you are not into hiking, you can park at Inspiration Point and take in the view of San Pablo Dam and Briones Reservoir. Also beautiful views of Mt Diablo, Orinda and El Sobrante Hills. The Nimitz trail is close by for an easy walk along the paved trail. Beautiful views of San Francisco and Mt. Tam on a clear day. Some days you will see some wildlife including deer, rattle snakes, bobcats and coyotes. Please visit this beautiful park when you can. Don't forget to visit the Botanical garden where you can see so many cacti, native and non native plants and trees and more . Such a beautiful garden. Definitely 5 stars!!! read more

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All aboard! Tilden Regional Park sits atop the hills overlooking the city of Berkeley and operates a fantastic steam train to spark that inner child to come out and play make-believe. While it may be a windy trek up to the regional park, a day out to Tilden will settle your hearts on a family oriented experience with what they have to offer. From hiking/biking trails to a local farm and the infamous steam train, there's plenty to do to fill up a whole day. For us, we specifically sought out this location for the steam train and it was well worth the experience! Road signage is decent around here but we relied on the GPS to get around despite mostly two lane roads all the way up and down the hill. Some locals do tend to drive a bit faster as they're more familiar with the roads, but we took it easy to be mindful of bikers, hikers, and wildlife. After rolling into the dedicated parking lot for the steam train, you'll be able to walk a little ways down to the ticket booth and line to board the train. The parking was sparse but the high churn of patrons makes them readily available. Tickets can be purchased individually or as a five ticket family card (i.e., buy four get one free). The staff member made the transaction quick and painless (they take cash, credit and Apple Pay). Once we got our tickets, we headed to the growing line and waited for the train to return to the station to take the next group of riders. As the train rolled in, you could observe and hear the whistle blow and the crowd cheering/waving as they return. After the previous group disembarked, we were let in to pick our seats. Many of the carts had no tops and were exposed to a lot of sun, however, there are a couple carts with roofs for more sun protection. We ended up choosing one of these cooler spots and were able to fit five comfortably. After all the passengers were aboard, the conductor came by to punch our tickets and go over the safety rules (keep everything inside the cart). After a few minutes, we were off! Along the ride which felt like about 10-15 minutes, we saw many miniature sets, decorations, wild vegetation and wildlife. We also went through a tunnel twice as we made the loop (it was loud from all the screaming!). It was quite an immersive experience to ride this old timey replica of a steam train. The kids loved it and the kid in us grown adults loved it as well! Overall, Tilden Regional Park has a lot to offer but for us, the main attraction was the steam train for its fanfare among the younger patrons. The entire experience was pleasant with the comfort of the ride and the variety of things to see, relaxed due to the no hassle parking/ticketing and shaded route, and quick due to the efficient operations of the staff and open roadways to the destination. It may not be something we do regularly, but if we were in the area, it's nice to have an activity option for the family to partake outdoors. If you have a young one or are a train enthusiast yourself, this may be a bookmark for you to visit while the sun is out! read more

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We had a wonderful visit to Tilden on a nice Sunday afternoon in November. There were a lot of other visitors but the park is so spread out, it was still quite tranquil and beautiful. We brought some food and picnicked by the lake. The service (T-Mobile) was spotty but that wasn't important to us. We only walked around the Lake Anza area after sitting on a bench to eat, but it was so nice and we look forward to coming back and exploring more of the park. read more

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This is a great park with lots of activities. They have a gorgeous botanical garden, lots of hiking trails, a steam train and a carousel. There is also a golf course, small farm and plenty of picnic areas.There is free parking but it does get quite crowded on weekends so be ready to do a little walking. This place is perfect for outdoor adventure, relaxing or just spending time with family. I highly recommend you check it out. There really is something for everyone here. read more

Tilden Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

Hiden gem for kids and great place for us ( all big big adults ) to enjoy every moment like a kid. It's amazing drive way to reach the park. We got there around 8:30. Made a few hikes around then come back to the train station. It's open at 11. Usually the train runs only in Weekends. But I do believe they open daily for summer season. Plan to get here early. You can enjoy the wonderful sun rise view. There's couples stop spot for taking pics. Park has plenty of free parking. Two toilet spots. Just ok!!! Not so clean. Steam train ticket : $4/person. Discount for groups of 5. Cash and card payment accepted. No need to make any reservations. It's easy to purchase right before the right. Ticket booth right next to the train entrance area. It's just 15 mins ride but very pleasant and good for kids to enjoy the beautiful peaceful redwoods. Even small kids . Highly recommended for family. After done the steam train. You can stop by the tiny train museum. Where they are doing engines maintenance. Aside from the fun steam train. You can go for hiking around the park. Just make sure be careful and bring some emergency essentials. I feel a little bit scared for going hike here as someone had seen coyotes and some buffalo around area. Further than that you can go for a really fun "merry go around " - 2 mi drive from the steam train. You can hike there but i'm not so sure about the trail map if it's available online. As google map just show the drive route. Tilden's located right next to Berkeley city. 10 mins from golden gate. Highly recommended for family with kids. A lot of fun for half day experiencing the nature. read more

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I've been meaning to visit Tilden's Steam Train for years, and I finally got the opportunity to (My cool, cute, hot and awesome boyfriend drove me here and we rode the train together)! It is $4 pp, you can pay with card too-- I don't know why their website mentions cash only. You get your tickets, board the train, and get your tickets punched. I was worried we'd be riding wet because it was sprinkling, but there are plenty of train cars with an overhead. It was a bit hard to see due to the mist, but I still enjoyed it. There was a short section at the end of the ride, with small artworks of wooden towns and such. I wish that was seen more throughout the ride since there scenery is not that mind-blowing. Did not get to ride the carousel because we were on a tight schedule. Still had fun because I was with my super cool and cute and smart and hot boyfriend!! read more

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This is a nice 12-minute steam train ride. The only part we didn't enjoy is the 1hr drive each way. ‍ They had two overflow parking lots. But with the ride being short, there was a constant flow of cars in and out of the lots. Tickets are $4 per person or the $16 ticket for 5 rides. There's a small cabin (a museum?) where they have a couple of the engines behind a plexiglass screen. Good for a one time visit Staff were very friendly. read more

This park is awesome!! And huge!! You can hike here for days with all the trails in this huge park. But don't worry, their are signs everywhere telling you where to go, how far, even if you have zero sense of direction, you won't get lost here. So much here!! I always enjoy going to Lake Anza, which is pretty popular. The walk around the lake is really nice, Another popular place is Inspiration Point, and I think that's where the Nimitz Trail starts. There is also Peak Trail, Jewel Lake, Wildcat Canyon, the Little Farm with all the animals, I rode the steam train long ago, very fun. Located in the Berkeley Hills, this is a hiker's heaven, great park!! read more

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I did the Seaview trail with my family and it was a wonderful hike! The views are amazing and the elevations aren't too steep. There is a fair amount of shade so you're not always so exposed to the sun. There are plenty of little bugs and thankfully none of them bite you. This park is such an East Bay gem that is easily accessible. I'll definitely be back someday, especially since I haven't ridden the steam train yet! read more

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My 100th review on YELP goes to Tilden! Where do I even begin!? I LOVE Tilden. Its one of my favorite nature places to visit. It's such a beauty and very much so underrated. This review is a combination of my many visits to Tilden over the last two or three years. There is so much to do here. Lakes, bridge walking, small streams, botanical gardens, Merry-go-round, museum, steam train, little farm, walking and hiking trails, snack bar and so many other neat and amazing places. I have been here for a number of different reasons. Picnics with friends, enjoying a day out in nature, relaxing in the botanical garden, to name a few. Tilden expands through so much of Berkeley and I am sure that I have enjoyed every single acre of it LOL I think some of my favorite places to explore and go to here would be the garden, steam trains and nature walks. It honestly brings me so much joy being here and I feel like it's the first time every-time I visit here. I would recommend this place to anyone, especially if they have small children. I have recommended it to loved ones and they have loved this place so much and have been surprised by how much there is to do here. FYI I blurred the girls' face because of obvious reasons.... They're kids. But I hope you enjoyed all of the pics from our many visits here. read more

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Tons of trails to explore and a decent amount of parking at the trailheads. Came here on a very foggy morning for the Vollmer peak hike. Enjoyable as always read more

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What a wonderful park. Such a luxury to partake in the plentiful hiking trails, the magical little farm, a old steam train, and a merry-go-round in the middle of the forest all in one place. We have been coming here since the kids were tiny and even at almost 13 years old we still find fun magical things to do here. read more

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Awesome and beautiful place. We rode the Tilden Train twice which was a nice long ride. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. The line is long and parking can be hard if you don't get there early. We got on the ride fast because my son has a disability. My kids enjoyed it a lot.... There's also other things to do in the park. They even have a carousel that we went on. Would do it again!!! read more

Tilden Park is a great way to spend "Grandparents Day" with my daughter's family. The carousel built by Herschell Spillman was built in 1911. It brought back so many nice memories. The steam train provided a 15 minute ride along the scenic ridge of the park. The best part of the day was when my daughter said in front of my wife "Dad, you always got lost in this park." read more

This is a huge park / area to explore and enjoy in the Berkeley hills. We came here on a Saturday morning to ride the steam train. They open at 11:00 and by 10:45, there was already quite a line for tickets. The ride is about 20 minutes and takes you through some beautiful redwoods. There are plenty of paths, picnic areas, and hiking spots. Because the area is so large you may need to drive from one spot to another. For example, from the train to the carousel is about a 10 minute drive. The carousel is pretty large and it goes quite fast. There are a few picnic tables and a small lawn area by the carousel. Lots of families and little kids. It's a fun place to enjoy nature and let the kiddies run around. read more

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This is a huge park! Plan accordingly - it's not like you can park in one place and walk to all the different activities (i.e., walk from merry-go-round to the train). Definitely pack a lunch - very limited food options in the park. There are plenty of places to sit and rest and enjoy the view. Parking is free. Get a map of the park from any of the attendants. read more

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Great park, tons of hikes, lake, merry-go-round, steam trains, barbecue spots, safe, serene.

I took my dogs to the park today. This place has plenty of trails for walking. All the trails have markers reminding you to keep your dogs on leash.This is a good reminder as today we saw a big coyote in the open field next to the trail. We finished off the day with a train ride. All dogs ride for free. Humans have to pay read more

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Tilden is a gem in Berkeley. First thing to understand about Tilden Park is that it is enormous. Absolutely huge as far as parks go. We've been hiking the trails for years and still not done all of them. So pick an area to explore one day and head up there, but don't get too ambitious and plan to see everything. Its simply not possible. With reduced budgets and increased costs, a lot of the regional parks are now charging fees for parking. Tilden still does not! Enjoy it while it lasts. The most majestic trail in the park is the one right by the stream. It winds next to the stream for about a mile, then forks off into different trails. If you are looking for a workout, do one of the trails that climbs the hill. It will take you on a nice adventure with great views, but it will be a lot of effort to get up the hill. Maybe I should describe it as a mountain. read more

Gorgeous views, peaceful lake, great hiking trails, vibrant green and beautifully tall trees. How can you go wrong? read more

Tilden Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

So many cool trails to go hiking on. Insanely large park with a steam train for kids and a lake to go swimming in. Or hit grizzly peak if you need a view of the sunset on the bay. The options are endless with this place !! Enjoy read more

this is an amazing park in east bay...my husband is a berkeley alum, but strangely, never came here! on the first day of our winter break, we decided to come here for an afternoon hike. it was a gorgeous winter day, low 60s and sunny, perfect for a midday hike. the terrain was fairly easy, maybe a couple little climbs along the way, but suitable for beginners. we chose to park & start at the brazilian room (free parking!) and hike towards jewel lake, passing lake anza, the merry go round, and the little farm along the way. it was a lovely scenic hike, with quite a bit of shade, so it never got hot. this would be helpful for a spring/summer hike when it gets warmer, since the trees would shield visitors from excessive sun. the amenities here are great, there were restrooms (with flush toilets) almost every 1/2 mile, as well as water fountains along the way. we passed by several other parking areas and some camp sites, all of which offered free parking. this park is very convenient to berkeley, oakland, and el cerrito. read more

This park is tranquil for meditation and transcendental thinking. The Anza lake is small but very quiet with ducks swimming on the lake. Beneath the vicissitudes of the water there are rich of lives to share the tranquility. The creek in the wildcat canyon flows in the woods with sun lights spot on the surface. read more

Who doesn't love Tilden Park! ? So much to see and do! You can be lazy and have a-picnic lay in the sun and play horseshoes. You can hike your ass off near water or not. There is a golf course. A kids carousel and a petting zoo. Or seriously just driving through ( watch out for bicycles) is stunning.. highly recommend for those days you just want to leave the house.. read more

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Beatiful park with many hiking options available from easy, moderate, to hard. On this gorgeous sunny day the hike choose was approximately six miles and fairly easy. The hike started at Inspiration point and then we went down the curran trail towards jewel lake. From there the trail we took went back up towards Wildcat Peak. There are different trails to choose from when heading back up to Inspiration Point and the route we chose was the Sylvan trail to the Wildcat trail and then Nimitz. Gorgeous views at the top! The Bay bridge, the Golden Gate bridge and the city could all be seen from the top. The trail up is a gentle switcheback and not intensely steep, my opinion, but it is long. Once you get above and out of the gorgeous eucalyptus groves below, the views begin. It is spring time too, so we saw a lot of gorgeous spring flowers. Parts of the trail are shared with dogs and mountain bikers too, so be warned if you don't care for that element on a trail. Everyone we came across was friendly and happy to be enjoying nature. Lots of bathroom opportunities at the different parking lots each train comes across too, which is nice when stayin hydrated for a hike. Can't wait to explore more of this beautiful park. Cheers, Happy Yelping. read more

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Had a wonderful walk at Tilden today. The park is well kept and has bathrooms/ rest spots. I loved the view of the city skyline. I came with a group, but think it'd feel safe to come alone too. read more

Tilden Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This park is a little hidden gem and a great place to spend time outdoors exploring what's right in your own backyard. We enjoy spending time on the weekend and taking our son to ride the steam train. It is vey fun and the kids enjoy it very much. read more

Tilden Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Berkeley, California

Tilden regional Park is a world class park. This park is a must-see for locals and tourists alike. You'll find everything ranging from model trains that the family can ride on to a miniature farm for the kids to visit animals, oh and adults can visit the animals too. There's tons of hiking and some of the best views of the San Francisco Bay area. read more

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For all the years I've lived in the Bay Area and would constantly go to the Stinson beach area to do hikes, I can't believe that I just now finally have gone to Tilden. I would drive by the area whenever my gps would reroute me during traffic while driving to and from work in the East Bay. Such an easy drive to get here and parking isn't too bad. You can either get here through the Berkeley/Albany Hills from 80 or off of 680 and fish French road/Lafayette side. I took the Berkeley hills/Albany route to get there, it's pretty hilly and residential. I looked up All Trails because I wanted to do a pretty easy hike with beautiful views of the Bay Area, inspiration point you can see an over look of the San Pablo Reservoir on one side and another side you have a view of the Bay and Bay Bridge, close to a golf course, the botanical garden, they have trains for kids, and the Brazilian room. We did the upper and lower big springs trail and it was about 3 miles round trip, we parked at the brazilian room and walked about a mile to the start so it made it about 5 miles and takes no more than 2 hours to complete. If you come early parking should be fine and free. There was even a Tesla meet up and tons of Tesla's were driving through the hills. Lots of barkers and dog walkers (leashed). Drove out of Tilden park through the scenic route into Lafayette right before the tunnel. Highly recommend this place! read more

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Inspiration Point is a popular, nice spot for lunch and a hike! The lot was full when we arrived around noon on a Sunday. However, there was plenty of overflow parking along the road, and at that point, there was lots of turnaround so our two cars easily found parking spots close to the parking lot. There is a shaded, grassy area at the parking lot with a few picnic tables for a relaxing lunch. The main trail is paved. I wish I had known this and brought our stroller for our young kids! You can also take detours on dirt paths for extra elevation and views. You can get some great views of the bay, the bridges, Mt Tam, and the city! read more

This is pretty big a park with high mountains and lush forests. It's much colder than other places of Bay Area so it's very necessary to wear warm to come here. The bathrooms are not well maintained, very dirty and smelly. read more

Tilden's Botanical Gardens was amazing. I went on a foggy day and it was perfect. I will definitely be coming back. So beautiful and serene! read more

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Great place to spend the day with kids The bay view is stunning you better get a stop in your way to enjoy the /sunset read more

What a dope park. Immaculately well-kept with benches and trash cans throughout the trails. Ample parking on a weekend with various trail starting points and lots (unlike other spots, cough Mission Peak). Another HUGE plus was alllll the bathrooms every parking lot it seemed. No graffiti anywhere or typical gross public park restrooms. Note that there is toxic algae in the lake and streams so no swimming (obvs) but there are warnings everywhere not to let your dogs off leash. We saw a couple dogs in the stream drinking water which was unfortunate. Pro tip: there's a cute zoo that right now is appointment only which we didn't realize till we walked by. Next time we'd def make an appointment. read more

Truly, what an expansive gem. From the many highlights: Lake Anza, the little farm, the steam train, to the carousel and the 100s of hiking trails, to a botanical garden; Tilden has it all. Yes, many of those things are closed during COVID, but it still is a brilliant park that encompasses so much. The only con: people love it so much that parking is hard, and during this time, it's even trickier since some of the lots are closed. Overall, Tilden is a wonderful way to explore nature and all that the East Bay, from Berkeley down to I believe San Leandro has to offer! read more

Great views of SF and Bay bridge from this park when it's a clear day! The trail we took was nice. We parked at Quarry parking but go early as it's limited parking. This trail is popular due to the views. Came here with my family. I thought this was an easy trail for me compared to my last hike. This trail was considered moderate too but we finished it quick for five miles. There is not much shade so I recommend wearing a hat. Wear sunblock or go early or during winter or spring. My only gryp about this trail is the lots of loose rocks. I recommend to wear mid-top hiking shoes as you can easily loose balance or twist your ankle. A few of us could feel it but we were careful. If your clumsy like my daughter you may feel the twist more so be careful people! I would recommend this for a daily hike or first timers. Oh and also be wary of rattle snakes here as along the trail, many saw a baby one in the middle of the trail that we past. Make sure not to approach it and walk way around it. They are actually more of afraid of you! [43/100] read more

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