I went hiking at the Reinhardt Regional Redwood Park for the first time and loved it!…read more Plenty of street parking at the Redwood Bowl lot and we had no issues with vehicle break ins, luckily, although there were a few warning signs up to remind you to put your valuables away. There are bathrooms by the Redwood Bowl but we couldn't find any helpful maps so just used our phones to navigate. The trail we ended up taking was around 4 miles and took 2 hours. Most of it was shaded and among redwood trees so I really enjoyed that this could work as an afternoon hike. It's a moderate difficulty level with some steep areas. There's also a popular picnic area with grills and an archery range. You could even walk to the nearby swimming pool or visit the Chabot. We only did one half of the hiking loop so will be back to check out the other side.

Peak My Interest…read more ***PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE YELP PAGE FOR REINHARDT REDWOODS REGIONAL PARK*** I was attempting to change the name to the proper moniker that included "Reinhardt," but Yelp mods, being the highly regarded sort, somehow decided in their infinite wisdom that they should change it to "East Bay Regional Park District"?! What the what?? 0_o So, that's on me, kids. My bad. Onto the review... A giant ±1,833-acre redwood forest nestled in the Oakland Hills, this park was a former logging site back in the 1800s. Fortunately, there has been a nice resurgence of redwoods to replace those that were cut down. It ain't old-growth, but we'll take what we can these days. The Good: * Free at certain times of year and at certain entrances (more below) * Mountain biking on certain trails (check map and trail signage) * Horseback riding on certain trails (check map and trail signage) * Camping available (check website for info and reservations) * Reservable and non-reservable picnic tables (check map & website) * Restrooms available in parking lots, as well as at some campsites * Nearly forty miles of trails with something for everyone * If you're looking for a moderate ±4.5-mile loop, go to the Skyline entrance and take the Serpentine Prairie Trail to Dunn Trail to Golden Spike Trail, then back to Dunn Trail The Meh: * $5/vehicle entrance fee on weekends and major holidays between April and October, only at the Redwood Gate entrance * Most of the trails are pretty decent, but some are in rough shape due to water damage The Ugly: * One of the few parks I've seen with "off-leash" sections for dogs--which is fine, except you know there's a good majority of dog owners who think they can control their dogs but really can't. We saw a panicked guy chasing his dog down a trail at one point, and who knows when--if ever--he caught up to it. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Great park with tons of trails and lots to see and do.

I did myself a favor and started purchasing yearly parking passes for the reservoir, so I don't…read morehave to deal with the parking meters anymore. The Lafayette Reservoir is one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Love it here.

Lafayette Reservoir is a beautiful local park! And there is so much parking and bathrooms with…read moretoilet paper and soap! That's honestly way more than I was expecting. The parking lot we parked in had a max 2 hour limit, which isn't enough time to walk the entire perimeter of the reservoir but it looks like there are other lots that don't have as much time restrictions. Beautiful little walk - not much of a hike because of the paved path, but it's a nice distance and has beautiful views. We would definitely come back again.

Charming little park with rides for kids, a sports field, and a stage. May even spot a giant bird…read morelike I did. The winning aspect for me was the lovely trail at the edge of the park. Felt like Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" traveling down it!

An excellent park in Moraga that has it all. If you drive by you can't miss it as its on a main…read moreroad and on the corner. It will lure you in with its beauty. Best place around for a picnic. Play area and tables and green area for days... all in the perfect setting... a little manmade park carved out of nature. It has the footprint of a big triangle and is beautiful no matter which direction you look. The design and layout needs to be redone in many other cities - why reinvent the wheel? Little trail if you just want to walk too. Perfect for the pooch. Mr Wolfie will want to come with you on this outing. Family friendly. Bring the kids too. Super clean and safe and no worries. Different playgrounds to please kids of all ages. Very relaxing for everybody. Moraga has a slogan 'parks make life better.'

What a nice park; filled with greenery and trails galore…read more Park near the ranger station. Be sure to walk over to the nursery garden area too. The Sunset trail is a winner; get a brochure to view your route. Enjoy.

Beautiful park in Oakland. Lots of nice trails and there are dedicated off leash dog areas and dog…read morepark. Plenty of parking is available as well. There is a playground for children and steps for those that want to use stairs for their exercise routine.

After all these years of hiking in Contra Costa county we finally decided to go on a hike at…read moreOursan Trail in the Briones area. We parked at the Oursan/Bear Creek Trailhead staging area which is an about 1/2 mile down from the Briones Park Main Entrance on Bear Creek Road. It's fairly large parking lot in comparison to the other entrance at the corner of San Pablo Dam Road and Bear Creek Road. Both the Oursan and Bear Creek Trail require an EBMUD permit which can be purchased at the EBMUD website or at their Headquarters on San Pablo Dam Road. The trail runs along the beautiful Briones Reservoir to the left and the hills of Briones, Lafayette, Orinda and El Sobrante. The trail length is about 1 to 10miles, but you can hike as far as you can and turn around. We hiked about 3 miles in and then turned back since it was getting late. This trail is moderate to easy with a few up and down hills. A few are fairly steep and luckily I had my walking poles to help me. We had our normal tennis shoes on, but the next time we will definitely wear our hiking boots. This is probably one of the best hiking and most serene trails we've been on this year. The trails we've been on at Tilden Park are nice, but Oursan trail is different. On our entire hike we only saw 5 other hikers. If you are looking for a nice trail with very few hikers and spectacular views of the Briones Reservoir, and the hills of Orinda, Lafayette and El Sobrante this is the trail for you. We encountered some cows, but they were off in the distance and were not an issue. Other hikers have told us that the best time to do this trail is in the spring when all the flowers are in full bloom and the hills are nice and green. Dogs are allowed, but will need to be on a leash. No bikes are allowed.

I had been curious about Briones Reservoir because driving on Bear Creek Road, it looked inviting -…read morethough it turns out to be quite a restrictive area when it comes to recreational activities. That explained the complete absence of any boats, canoes, or kayaks on the water. I had read about this particular trail online as it hugs the northern side of the lake from two different staging areas. I stopped first at the Briones Overlook, but found the trailhead blocked by some major excavation occurring around the dam. I then drove over to the Bear Creek staging area which has the trailheads for both the Bear Creek and Oursan Trails. I inadvertently walked on the Bear Creek Trail for a bit but it was dull as dirt, so I went back to get on the right track. I knew I needed a EBMUD permit and indeed I wrote down my permit number on the sign-in sheet. Good thing I had a pen in my pocket because someone stole the one that was attached to the clipboard. From the outset, there was a gentle climb before the reservoir came to view, and then it got very woodsy and surprisingly hilly. That was where the moderate part of the trail came in because I had to side-step a lot of loose gravel to make it down some of the slopes. The trail eventually evened itself out though some stretches were overgrown with tall stalks. I went as far as Hampton Trail and then headed back because the total distance was almost ten miles. That was enough, right? Especially since there were no benches or restrooms en route. I did run into a couple of snakes which froze the moment I walked by. My testosterone clearly intimidated them. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Hidden gem - full sun trails…read more This hidden gem as a small car park so it is not the ideal spot for large gatherings that you may want to organize. However it is a great point for some beautiful trials that I recommend you undertake in late fall or winter as they are in full sun and it feels very hot. Epic views from the top worth your while.

"Cute Little Park--just ask for TP"…read more This is a surprising little gem with fun, interesting trails. There are two levels of parking. The lower parking is just a few spaces, near the restroom. The upper area has far more. There are several gorgeous trails, especially in the springtime. The day that I visited I went up to Mulholland Ridge Open Space. It's a bit of a steep hike but completely doable. For those interested in geocaching, there are several geocaches in the park. They have restrooms on the lower level, but they're pretty rustic. They appear to have no toilet paper. Other than that, they're really great restrooms.

Amazing 10-15 min ride through the park. Nice scenic views, great smell of nature…read more I highly recommend

We've been wanting to do this train ride for quite some time now and we're super happy we finally…read moregot around to it! Children 2 and under are free Ages 3+ $5/ per person The entire staff is so friendly and inviting. We came on a Thursday afternoon around 4pm Parking was super easy and quick, right in front in the main parking lot. As soon as we arrived there was already a train waiting to load up and depart, we quickly purchased tickets and walked right on. We were on the train in less than 5 minutes from the time that we had parked. The bathrooms are clean, they have two and a portable toilet behind the restroom building. The ride itself claims to be 12 minutes but I'd say more around 10. Not much of a difference but something to note. The view is absolutely beautiful and we'd love to do it again. I highly recommend it!

What a cute drive leading up to it and easily accessible from other east bay cities. It gets a…read morelittle cold at night fyi I would go around sunset time though

Quality/Quantity - If you are following, just had Uber Eats from Gold Medal Restaurant (see…read morereview). And my buddy did NOT want me to share the views from his hidden Oakland hills home. So this park is a VERY good example of his views! Atmosphere - Cut and pasted from the internet: "The peak was named for the California grizzly bear which inhabited the local area until the late 1800s. Grizzly Peak is a summit in the Berkeley Hills above Berkeley, California. The peak is located on the border between Alameda and Contra Costa counties, within the boundaries of Tilden Regional Park, and directly behind the University of California, Berkeley campus." Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Thanks for having this peak for me to share my buddy's views. :)

I've spent so much time on my couch lately, I left a permenant indentation in one of the cushions…read more I decided to get some exercise and tackled York Trail. It was a beautiful, shady hike, with a nice view from the top. The path winds it's way along a creek, and over some old wooden foot bridges. It's a very picturesque location. It wasn't very difficult, but there is some elevation, so I was sweating. I brought two bottles of water and only had a little left at the end. There were some friendly people on the trail enjoying the sights and walking their dogs. It was fairly easy to navigate even without a map, but I don't recommend it. I just like to live dangerously.

Nice park just make sure to wear good shoes & clothes ,and just make sure to be careful when…read morewalking back down

Perfect, relaxing, fun, members for 14 years. Come join us and will see why we love this place.read more

Sequoians is an inclusive body-positive space for all ages, genders, and body types (including…read morepost-surgery or modified bodies)! It's an overall pretty chill space with a clubhouse, bocce ball, hiking, and pool/hot tub. It's member-only, and the community is tight-knit and welcoming. We have been members for the last year, and my girls (9,7,5) love going. They are treated with incredible love and respect by all the members and there are currently several families with kids, ranging from 5-14 years old. Yes, it's naked. Yes, you will see naked people. Yes, you will be naked! Kids under 18 do not have to be naked if they don't want to, but adults are expected to be clothes-free most of the time. Let me tell you why Sequoians is walking the walk on inclusivity, and why it isn't creepy. 1) Creepiness is gross and bad for all ages; sexualizing kids is wrong, full stop. 2) Creepiness is bad for business! Getting accused of improper activities is bad for business! Sequoians, and nudists in general, have a vested interest in keeping their spaces safe for everyone. 3) Inclusivity is more fun! More people can be included and feel safe, and that feels good. Therefore: Sequoians makes a big deal of vetting potential members, and everyone is educated about body positivity and etiquette. You see consent engagements in real life, in terms of playing with the kids, hanging out in shared spaces, keeping spaces clean, and working together for the benefit of everyone. Everytime we do out there, my kids say "ohhhhh we love it here!" and I do too. If you are interested in learning more, please read the website. And come visit!