Berkeley, Ca: Tilden Regional Park

Golden Gate’s counterpart in the East Bay, just up the hill from the campus of world-famous UC Berkeley is TIlden Regional Park, a veritable oasis of nature enjoyed by students and residents of the Bay Area alike. Similar to Golden Gate, Tilden Park offers several wonderful facilities for the whole family to enjoy, and some that are real crowd-pleasers with the juniors. Lush, green patches off windy, hilly streets welcome you wherever you turn at Tilden (especially if you happen to be around the golf course) but here are some of our favorites:

The Steam Train

A scenic ride on this mini steam train is a sure thriller for all Thomas fans and otherwise with whistles and tunnels and passer-bys to wave to. Kids under 2 ride free and tickets are $3/piece or $12 for 5. The only thing that tops the steam train in my son’s view is ice-cream. So you know it’s good!

The Merry-Go-Round

Tilden’s Herschell-Spillman merry-go-round celebrated its 100th birthday this year. An artist will appreciate the hand-crafted animals you can choose from: horses, zebras, camels, lions and of course carriages for the little ones. When you are done, grab a cotton candy or popcorn at the concession stand nearby and squat on the greens or one of the picnic tables. For information call (510) 524-6773.

The Little Farm

Part of Tilden’s 740-acre Nature Area, Little Farm features a variety of farm animals including cows, sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits and chicken. You can bring lettuce or celery to feed the animals and learn about how the animals are kept and bred. No dogs are permitted at The Little Farm.

Lake Anza

For water lovers like me, Lake Anza is the icing on an already deelish cake! The sandy beach at Lake Anza is open to the public and lifeguards are posted during the swim season (May through September). For a small fee, you can access the “beach” and change rooms. You can also check out the new refreshment stand, the Lake Anza Beach Club. With a license, Lake Anza is also open for fishing.