5 Parks, Nature Areas To Enjoy In Berkeley This Summer

BERKELEY, CA — The East Bay area is lush with places to get a breath of fresh air and reap the benefits of nature with its swaths of green parks, beaches, trails, lagoons, farms and lakes.

Whether you love swimming, hiking, horseback riding or setting up a picnic — there’s a place for it in this eco-friendly corner of Northern California. In and around Berkeley, there are a handful of dog and family-friendly parks that are just a short drive away. Some offer areas for boating, camping and even archery.

The East Bay Regional Park district helps maintain dozens of historic and storied parks across the region.

Visit this page to find resources to travel to these parks by public transit.

According to research from the University of Tokyo published this month, the connection between human well-being and nature is much stronger than the academic community previously thought.

"Aside from clean water, food and useful raw materials, nature provides many other benefits that we might overlook or find it hard to grasp and quantify," according to a news release from the university.

The research, published Friday, demonstrates that spending time in nature can be vital to a person's mental and physical health.

Here are 5 parks and beaches to soak up all that nature has to offer in and around Berkeley this summer.

1. Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park

Tilden is one of the oldest parks in the district and its recreational amenities have become a staple for generations of East Bay residents.

The 2,079 acre park has so much to offer — from a botanical garden to carousel ride to a swim at Lake Anza.

Tilden offers areas for horseback riding, biking, camping, dogs, fishing, golfing, hiking, swimming and more.

2. Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

Nestled between the Berkeley and Oakland hills behind the historic Claremont Hotel, this scenic, 208-acre preserve offers trails for dogs, hikers and horseback-riders.

3. McLaughlin Eastshore State Park

The East Bay Park District calls this parks "one of the most outstanding achievements in the history of open space protection." The 8.5 mile shoreline parkland was named in honor of Save The Bay co-founder Sylvia McLaughlin.

The area includes 1,833 acres of uplands and tidelands that extend along the waterfronts of Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany, and Richmond. It welcomes families, hiking and biking throughout.

4. Tilden Nature Area

This 740-acre preserve is nestled just North of Tilden Regional Park and includes more than 10-miles of hiking trails. The park boasts a blend of native and introduced plant communities, including oak and bay woodlands, grasslands, eucalyptus forests and streams.

5. Tilden Regional Parks Botanical Garden

Nestled within Tilden Regional Park's beautiful Wildcat Canyon in the heart of the north Berkeley Hills, this family friendly garden has dedicated its space to the collection, growth, display and preservation of California's native plants.

Find more parks to visit through the East Bay Park District's search here.