Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley

After a bit of a false start today, my daughter and I managed to have a really nice time on San Francisco Bay at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley. Click read more to see the map, photos, and a write-up of our little adventure.

My original plan was to go to McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, which is run by the EBRPD.  I followed the instructions for parking in Berkeley as they are posted on the EBRPD's website, but when I arrived there was a substantial tent encampment for the homeless right at the intersection of University and Frontage Road (which is exactly where I was planning on parking, in the unpaved lot behind the Seabreeze Market ). I just didn't feel safe hiking in those conditions when it's just me and my very young daughter.

​I knew that there was another park nearby from having studied the map, so I continued onto Marina Avenue, and the area immediately appeared much nicer even though it was just around the corner.

It turns out that I could have parked along Marina to access McLaughlin Eastshore, and that entrance actually looks like it would be a nice walk, but then Cesar Chavez Park caught my eye and it looked like it would be even better. So without having a map, my daughter and I just started walking the perimeter along the handicap-accessible paved trail. Eventually we peeled up to a small hill where we saw the entire Bay peeking out from behind all of the sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, link). Then we made our way back towards the start of our loop, which was in eyesight from the hill. We probably only walked a mile in length.

This park is great for kids. We saw lots of kids practicing on their bikes on the paved trail, and lots of grandparents walking with their toddler-aged kids on both the paved and the dirt trails. There were ground squirrels everywhere, and lots of folks were flying kites or walking their dogs. There is a section of the park that allows for dogs to be off-leash, and at least one professional dog-walker had her clients there for a good romp. We also saw a man attempting to paraglide; however, we never did see him achieve lift. The paved paths are totally appropriate for strollers. The picnic tables are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but you can bring a picnic blanket to make your own space for a small picnic (just you and your household members). Everyone was super good about wearing their masks and keeping their distances.

I bet that this park has lots of nice wildflowers in the spring, but we mostly saw wild radish and sweet fennel today in early-mid July. Even without the wildflowers, summer was a great time to visit because the cool breezes from off the Bay made for a really pleasant way to beat the heat.