Alvarado Park - Richmond 

80 Westbound
Exit: McBryde
Take a Left and follow McBryde over the highway and for about 1/4 a mile
Go left at fork in road.
Entrance to the park will be on your left. There is a nursery school (closed) on the right at the "v"
The park road has a barred gate across the entrance and the road goes down and over a stone bridge.
Park along the street on the right side adjacent to the park entrance, or proceed to the parking lot about 100 yards further on your left.
Enter the park via the park road mentioned, go over a stone bridge.
By then you should be able to find us.

80 Eastbound
Solano Ave exit (One exit past San Pablo Avenue exit)
Left onto Amador
Right at the second stop sign (McBryde)
Go about 1/4 mi. up McBryde, stay left at fork in road.
Entrance to the park will be on your left. There is a nursery school on the right.
The park road has a barred gate across the entrance and the road goes down and over a stone bridge.
Park along the street on the right side adjacent to the park entrance, or proceed to the parking lot about 100 yards further on your left.
Enter the park via the park road mentioned, go over a stone bridge.
By then you should be able to find us.

* This playground also offers hiking trails, a creek, and a grassy area for sports play.

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Aquatic Park Playground - Berkeley 
                                                                    
Aquatic Park, also known as Dreamland Playground, is located at the end of Bolivar Way. Bolivar Way runs along the east side of the Berkeley estuary parallel to the I-80 Berkeley corridor.
Take Bancroft Way to its furthest point west where it ends at Bolivar Way.
Turn left on Bolivar Way and go about 1 block to a parking area that is adjacent to the playground. Since it is close to the Bay and the estuary, it can get cold, damp and breezy, so bring layers. There is a water-play area, so extra clothes are recommended.

* This playground also offers a bike path, an estuary for wild bird viewing, train-spotting and a grassy area for sports play.

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Arlington Park - Richmond Hills                                                                              

From El Cerrito and vicinity:
Drive east on Potrero or Barrett.
Turn RIGHT at The Arlington.
Follow The Arlington, passing a golf course on your left.
The park is on the left about 3 to 4 blocks past the golf course.
Pass tennis courts and recreation building.
Play structures and an open field are just beyond that.

Coming up Moeser or points south on The Arlington
Go up Moeser and make a left onto The Arlington.
The park is a mile or two north past the junction of The Arlington and Moeser.

* This playground offers a pond and a grassy field for sports play. The playground area has been newly renovated as of Spring 2005

 

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Blake Garden  - Kensington   

(Not appropriate for bicycles. No play structures.)

From the Richmond Hills area
Drive southbound on The Arlington
Pass Moeser Lane
Pass Kensington Park Road
Turn RIGHT onto Rincon Road
Just before church yard with play equipment, make a right.
Pass gated entrance and park in the parking lot
Pedestrian entrance is adjacent to the gate on the left
Walk down the road until you reach a small circle with a big house to your right
(UCB chancellor's house)
Our group meets in the large grassy area to your left.

From the Marin Circle:
Take The Arlington through downtown Kensington,
Go about a mile past downtown
Pass Arlington Circle (no circle, just a street crossing)
Come to blinking yellow light (Intersection of Arlington and Rincon) Church at corner comes to a "v"
Left onto Rincon
Pass the church and playyard on your right.
Just past there on your left you'll see an entrance going down to a closed gate
Turn left at that entrance and veer right into parking lot.
Pedestrian entrance is adjacent to the gate on the left
Walk down the road until you reach a small circle with a big house to your right
(UCB chancellor's house)
Our group meets in the large grassy area to your left.

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Canyon Trail Park
6757 Gatto Ave
El Cerrito

Play structure, tennis courts, large grassy field, short hiking trail, path for bikes and scooters.

I-80 EAST
Exit: Potrero Avenue
Go straight at light onto Eastshore Blvd
Cross San Pablo Avenue onto Hill Street (Target store on your right)
Next light is Richmond. Make a soft left onto Elm Street (up the hill)
Elm turns into Cutting Blvd.
Left onto Hagan Blvd.
Cross Mar Vista, Hagan turns into Canyon Trail
Prospect Sierra school field on left.
Park is down in the gulch on right

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Castro Playground - El Cerrito  

Bicycles prohibited, scooters & skates OK  
                                                                          
80 Eastbound
Take the Portrero Exit
Take a right after exit onto Portero
Cross San Pablo Blvd.
Go 5 blocks and turn right onto Richmond Avenue
Go 1 Block and turn left onto Gladys
Go 2 blocks to Norvell
Castro Playground is on the corner of Gladys and Norvell

* Completely renovated in Spring of 2003, this playground offers a bike path, a unique kid-sized climbing  
wall, a basketball court, and a grassy area for sports play.

* The southern end of the playground, including the basketball court is Castro School property, and is used by the school children during their recess.

* El Cerrito Park restrooms require a key which can be purchased at the El Cerrito Community Center on Moeser.

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Cedar-Rose Playground - Berkeley

Cedar-Rose Playground is located on Chestnut Street between Cedar Street and Rose Street.
It is six blocks east of San Pablo Avenue and three long blocks west of Sacramento Street.

MapQuest Directions
                                                                          

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Cerrito Vista Playground - El Cerrito 

Bicycles prohibited, scooters & skates OK                                                                    

580 E
Exit: Bayview Avenue
Left onto Bayview
Turn Slight Right onto Carlson Blvd.
Turn Left onto Tehama Ave.
Turn Right onto San Pablo Avenue
Turn Left onto Moeser Lane
Pass the EC Community Center on your left and;
The El Cerrito Preschool Co-Op on your right
Turn Right onto Pomona Avenue
Playground is half way down the block
Up stairs on your left-hand side.

* This playground also offers a bike path and a grassy area for sports play.

Note: El Cerrito Park restrooms require a key which can be purchased at the El Cerrito Community Center on Moeser

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Codornices Park & Playground
1201 Euclid Avenue
Northeast Berkeley
                                                                  
Westbound on Marin Avenue
Go to Marin circle
Go less than half way around circle
Make a right onto Los Angeles Avenue
Los Angeles runs into Spruce at 2nd stop sign.
Right onto Spruce Street
Left onto Eunice St.
Left onto Euclid Avenue
Berkeley Rose Garden is on your right
Codornices is in the hollow on your left
Playground entrance is almost directly across the street from Rose Garden entrance.

* This park also offers a small bike path, a basketball court; a grassy area for sports play; a long cement slide, and a tunnel under the street that leads to the Berkeley Rose Garden and tennis courts.

 

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Golden Gate Park - Children's Playground - San Francisco                                             

Take the Bay Bridge into San Francisco
Exit toward Mission St/Fell St.
Exit Mission Street toward Van Ness Ave/ GG Bridge
Right onto Mission Street
Turn Left onto Hayes Street
Turn Left onto Gough Street
Turn Right onto Fell Street
Take Fell Street into Golden Gate Park
Veer Left and follow road as it bends to the right
Take a Right at the light and go into the park
Take the first Right and the parking lot will be on the right.
The playground is at the far end of the parking lot.

Park Map

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Hercules Swim Center - Hercules

Take 80 East towards Sacramento
Take the CA-4 exit
Bare an immediate right as you exit onto CA 4, following the sign to Hercules
Bare right at the next junction onto Willow Avenue
Turn left onto Sycamore Avenue
Turn right onto Refugio Valley Road
Go about a one-mile and turn at the light onto Community Center Road
This brings you into the the community center and pool parking lot.

Website

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John Hinkel Park - Berkeley

From Richmond/San Rafael Bridge
Take 580 toward Oakland
Exit at Buchanan Street (Exit is on the left side of frwy)
Make a left onto Buchanan Street, going under the overpass
Continue on Buchanan
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue on Marin a little over 2 miles
Arrive at the Marin Circle (bear fountain in the center)
Go around circle to (The) Arlington Avenue
Go 0.3 mile up The Arlington
Turn right onto Southamton Avenue
Go a short block to the corner of Southampton and Somerset Place
John Hinkel Park is on the northeast corner.
There is parking along either street or at the far
(East) end of Somerset Place.

From 80 Westbound
Exit at the Albany Exit
Make a left at the end of the off-ramp onto Cleveland
Follow Cleveland until its end
It will curve to the left and under the railroad/Buchanan Street overpass
It then brings you out to a stop sign, which is Buchanan Street
Enter Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue on Marin a little over 2 miles
Arrive at the Marin Circle (bear fountain in the center)
Go around circle to (The) Arlington Avenue
Go 0.3 mile up The Arlington
Turn right onto Southamton Avenue
Go a short block to the corner of Southampton and Somerset Place
John Hinkel Park is on the northeast corner.
There is parking along either street or at the far
(East) end of Somerset Place.

From 80 Eastbound
Exit at Buchanan Street, towards Albany
Make a right at the light onto Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue on Marin a little over 2 miles
Arrive at the Marin Circle (bear fountain in the center)
Go around circle to (The) Arlington Avenue
Go 0.3 mile up The Arlington
Turn right onto Southamton Avenue
Go a short block to the corner of Southampton and Somerset Place
John Hinkel Park is on the northeast corner.
There is parking along either street or at the far
(East) end of Somerset Place.

From the Richmond Hills area
Drive southbound on The Arlington
Before you reach Marin Circle and Bear Fountain
Pass Yosemite Road on your right
Make a U-turn at your first opportunity,
This will be Mendocino Avenue
Proceed northbound on The Arlington
Turn right onto Southamton Avenue
Go a short block to the corner of Southampton and Somerset Place
John Hinkel Park is on the northeast corner.
There is parking along either street or at the far
(East) end of Somerset Place.

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Keller State Beach - Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline - Point Richmond                     

Take the I-580 West towards San Rafael Bridge
Exit at Canal blvd.
Turn Left under the freeway
Turn Right at the second light
(Chevron gas station on the corner)
This is West Cutting blvd.
Continue West on Cutting until you come to a Stop Sign
(You will have just passed Washington Elementary School on your left)
Turn Left at the stop sign and head into the Municipal tunnel
(Tunnel is to the left of the Richmond Natatorium, AKA "The Plunge.)
Kellers State Beach is on your right as you exit the tunnel.
You will be on Dornan Street - Park and walk down.

Note: There are picnic tables under some shade trees and a sandy beach to play and swim.
Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline

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La Loma Playground - Berkeley Hills

From 80:
Take the University Exit
Head East on University Avenue
Left on Shattuck Avenue
Right on Cedar Street
Go all the way up Cedar to the “Y”
Left onto La Loma Avenue, heading north
Just past Rose Avenue La Loma curves around to the right.
La Loma then SPLITS and turns into Glendale Avenue.
** Watch for street signs**
Southbound Glendale makes an abrupt right and goes uphill – DO NOT GO THIS WAY.
Make a sharp left onto Glendale going north.
The short steep road will go up and curve to the right
Just after the curve take a quick left DOWN into the entrance driveway to the playground parking lot.
The entrance comes up quickly and is hard to see.
If you reach the intersection of Campus Drive and Glendale you have gone too far.

See Map - Please note that the red star on the map indicates where La Loma changes to Glendale, it is not the park location.

Lindsay Wildlife Museum/Playground - Walnut Creek                                          

24 East
680 North
Exit: Treat Blvd./Geary
Left over Frwy.
Go 3 Lights
Left on Buena Vista
Right on First Avenue
Museum is on your Left
Playground area is directly behind Museum
http://www.wildlife-museum.org/

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Memorial Park Playground - Albany                                                                   

This newly renovated playground is behind the Albany Highschool
It is one block east of Key Route on the corner of Portland and Carmel.

From 80 Westbound
Exit at the Albany Exit
Make a left at the end of the off-ramp onto Cleveland
Follow Cleveland until its end
It will curve to the left and under the railroad/Buchanan Street overpass
It then brings you out to a stop sign, which is Buchanan Street
Enter Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue West on Marin to Masonic.
(Albany Library and Community Center on NW corner)
Make a Left onto Masonic
Cross Solano and Washington
Make a right onto Portland
Cross Key Route and go one block to Portland and Carmel.

From 80 Eastbound
Exit at Buchanan Street, towards Albany
Make a Right at the light onto Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue West on Marin to Masonic.
(Albany Library and Community Center on NW corner)
Make a Left onto Masonic
Cross Solano and Washington
Make a right onto Portland
Cross Key Route and go one block to Portland and Carmel

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Pleasant Hill Playground - Pleasant Hills

Horseshoe pits, a basketball court, big field, and several play structures

From Eastbound 80:
Take Hwy 4 toward Martinez
Pass Martinez
Take 680 south toward San Jose
Go a couple of miles
Exit: Gregory Lane
The exit lane parallels the freeway for 1/4 mile
Turn right onto Gregory Lane.
Go about two lights and cross Cleveland
The park is on your right just past Cleveland
Turn right into the parking lot
The play structure will be west of the parking lot
To access it you need to walk between two buildings.

From Eastbound 24:
Take the 680 North (left exit toward Concord/Sacramento).
Take exit #49A Contra Costa Blvd. toward Pleasant Hill
Turn left onto Gregory Lane
Go about two lights and cross Cleveland
The park is on your right just past Cleveland
Turn right into the parking lot
The play structure will be west of the parking lot
To access it you need to walk between two buildings.

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Refugio Valley Park - Hercules

80 Eastbound
Exit: CA-4 towards Hercules/Stockton
Immediately take Hercules exit to the RIGHT
Take the ramp toward Sycamore Avenue
Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto Willow Avenue
Turn LEFT onto Sycamore Avenue
Go about .3 miles
Turn RIGHT onto Refugio Valley Road (Mapquest instructs you to turn LEFT - this is incorrect!)
Park flanks Refugio Valley Road on the left
Google Maps indicates that you may have to make a u-turn to access the entrance.

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Remillard Park - Berkeley Hills    
                                                                          
From 80 Westbound
Exit at the Albany Exit
Make a left at the end of the off-ramp onto Cleveland
Follow Cleveland until its end
It will curve to the left and under the railroad/Buchanan Street overpass
It then brings you out to a stop sign, which is Buchanan Street
Enter Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue on Marin a little over 2 miles
Arrive at the Marin Circle (bear fountain in the center)
Go half way around the circle and continue on Marin up the steep hill
A few blocks down from Grizzly Peak is Hilldale.
Turn right on Hilldale and go to Poppy Lane.
Poppy Lane forms a T-intersection, so you can only go one way on Poppy Lane.
Follow Poppy Lane to Remillard Park.

From 80 Eastbound
Exit at Buchanan Street, towards Albany
Make a Right at the light onto Buchanan Street
Within a few blocks Buchanan will turn into Marin Avenue
Continue on Marin a little over 2 miles
Arrive at the Marin Circle (bear fountain in the center)
Go half way around the circle and continue on Marin up the steep hill
A few blocks down from Grizzly Peak is Hilldale.
Turn Right on Hilldale and go to Poppy Lane.
Poppy Lane forms a T-intersection, so you can only go one way on Poppy Lane.
Follow Poppy Lane to Remillard Park.

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San Pablo Park Playground (South Berkeley)

Tennis, baseball, basketball, bicycles, etc.

San Pablo Park is on Russell Street between Mabel and Park Street. The park is two large city blocks long. The playground is on the south end of the park.

From the 80 north/south bound:
Take the Ashby Avenue exit.
From Ashby Avenue go left (north) on San Pablo Avenue for two blocks.
Make a right turn onto Russell.
Go three blocks to playground.

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San Ramon Playground
Aka: Central Park                                                   
12501 Alcosta Blvd.

680 south
Exit: Bollinger
Left onto Bollinger
Left at Alcosta
Parking lot and playground is on the left

Bring swimwear and extra clothes. This playground has a large play structure and features a mushroom fountain and a small creek for water play.

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Shorebird Park & Playground
160 University Ave
Berkeley Marina

80 Northbound
Exit: University Avenue/Berkeley
Take a left onto University toward the Bay
Pass one stop sign and continue straight into the Marina
Veer left at the ‘y’ in the road.
The road will curve around then straighten out
Go about 20 yards further and enter a parking lot on the right.
If you go too far you will come to the Berkeley pier.
The parking is directly across from the entrance to Shorebird Playground.
Cross the street to the entrance to the playground.

* Shorebird Playground is directly west of Adventure Playground

880 Southbound:
Exit: University Avenue/Berkeley
Veer to your left and use the lower ramp that goes under the freeway.
Take a right at the first intersection (Hearst) go up Hearst to 6th St. (light)
Take a right onto 6th and the next right onto University.
Go over the overpass and continue straight into the Marina.
Veer left at the ‘y’ in the road.
The road will curve around then straighten out
Go about 20 yards further and enter a parking lot on the right.
If you go too far you will come to the Berkeley pier.
The parking is directly across from the entrance to Shorebird Playground.
Cross the street to the entrance to the playground.

* Shorebird Playground is directly west of Adventure Playground

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Terrace Park
1548 Terrace Street
Albany

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 'TERRACE VIEW PARK' WHICH IS BELOW.

From Marin Avenue
Turn south onto Neilson (Btw Peralta and Curtis)
Go one block to Sonoma
Make zigzag to the right
Continue on Neilson
Go two blocks
Make left onto Terrace *

*Your best bet is to park on Neilson. Terrace is a tiny block with not much parking.

Note: Newly renovation playground with two play structures, a grassy field, basketball and
tennis courts, and a paved circle to ride bikes, etc. There are a few picnic tables. Parking is
limited and you may have to park a block or so away.

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Terrace View Park - Berkeley Hills 

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH 'TERRACE PARK' WHICH IS ABOVE.
                                                                                
The signage gets a little tricky. Make sure to stay on the street indicated.

From the Marin Circle:
Proceed up Marin Avenue
Go right on Grizzly Peak
Turn right on Shasta (1st stop sign)
Almost immediately you'll come to somewhat of a fork in the road.
Stay left around the curve to stay on Shasta
Left on Queens Way (Blue mail box and small beige fire house on your right)
Wind around quite a bit to somewhat of a 'T' in the road
This is the junction of Fairlawn
Right onto Fairlawn Drive (Deep gulch on your right with eucalyptus trees)
Go around a curve or two
Park is on your left on hill
There is a small parking lot

Note: This park has a cement slide, four basketball hoops and a large area for bicycling.
There are a few picnic tables, but no bathroom at the time of this entry.

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Vincent Playground - Richmond                                                                         

I-580 Westbound
Exit: Marina Bay Pkwy/S 23rd Street
Turn Left onto Marina Bay Pkwy
Wind through many blocks of gated condos
Pass Shimada Friendship Park when you reach the bay
Marina Bay Pkwy then turns into Peninsula Drive
Follow Peninsula Drive to its end (1/8mi)
to Vincent Playground

* This park also offers a bike path, a sandy beach, and a grassy area for sports play and kite flying.
* It has little to no shade and can be quite windy at times.

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