Destination: Berkeley Marina, Berkeley
Fly A Kite At Cesar Chavez Park, Get Wild At The Adventure Playground
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying with my kids once social distancing and shelter in place isn’t the norm any longer.
Photo by Heidi Kaden on Unsplash
Social Isolation — Day 34
I feel the uncertainty of the future trickling down from far too many directions. I see people trying to make plans in this vague future, and it’s frustrating when nebulous plans affect you.
It's a good reminder to practice transparency and talk about potential issues with those involved and be patient when making decisions. Practice flexibility.
Destination: Berkeley Marina
Stop by Fourth Street in Berkely for some picnic goodies
Fly a kite at Cesar Chavez park
Get wild at the Adventure Playground
Stop by Fourth Street in Berkely for some picnic goodies
By Simon Cobb — Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74900744
This is a lovely little shopping district close to the Marina, just opposite it over the I-80 freeway. You can find metered street parking here and have a nice little walk around, maybe grab a coffee if you got an early start. This is a good opportunity to pick up some extra’s for your picnic, or if you are really going at the last minute — the picnic itself. And if you need a picnic blanket, REI is just north of here off Gillman and you can probably find something there.
We loved stopping in at Market Hall Foods to pick up some cold drinks and charcuterie. There are a lot of cool little shops here, it’s worth a quick stop on your way to the Marina, or even on your way out to get a tasty treat before the ride back home.
Fly a kite at Cesar Chavez park
Each summer there is an incredible kite festival (link above) held here, with some massive kites put up into the air. It’s a great day to head out with a picnic, but it can get crowded. I have parked over on Fourth Street and walked across the pedestrian overpass when I’ve gone. Other times of the year, you can find this place open to anyone who wants to put a kite up into the air. There is usually a good ocean breeze here.
Hiking around the park can be nice too, there is a really cool solar calendar (link above) here you should check out. It’s a nice walk around, small hills, a good chance to stretch your legs.
Pro-tip: If you don’t have a kite, stop by Highline Kites and see if you can pick something up. http://www.highlinekites.com/
Get wild at the Adventure Playground
By Rhododendrites — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66546270
This is a very unique spot, one of only four in the United States. Here is the description from Wikipedia.
The park opened in 1979 based on the ideas of Danish architect Carl Theodor Sørensen, who had made use of scrap junkyards for playgrounds when Copenhagen was under occupation during World War II. The adventure playground model, sometimes referred to as a “junk playground,” is to provide children with the resources to build. The available tools include saws, hammers, workbenches, and nails. The legal liability raised by giving children relatively unrestricted access to these tools has made adventure playgrounds rare in the United States, with the Berkeley Adventure Playground being one of only four in the country.
Yes, you and your kids can paint, hammer, saw, climb in rustic homemade jungle gyms, slide down a zip line, and so much more. You will have to sign a waiver on entering, and this isn’t a time to let your attention wander while you visit, this is a great opportunity for your kids to get their hands dirty.
Free for individual families (contact them if you have a larger group), make sure you review the rules on the website (link above) before visiting.
This will be a memorable experience.
Cody Tolmasoff is an author and publisher for Adventuring.in. He is a recovering programmer and a San Francisco native, raising two daughters, and regularly finding new adventures around the SF Bay Area. This article is an excerpt from an upcoming book, 52 San Francisco Bay Area Weekend Adventures, Day Trips With Your Kids!
Find him on Twitter @codyo, and read his most recent title Adventures in Getting Out on Amazon, filled with advice on successfully getting your family out for day trip adventures.
Originally published on Medium on 16 April 2020