Bay Area Parks & Getaway Spots

The Bay Area is a busy, hustling place, and it is also filled with some wonderful parks and spaces where you can get away from it all. If you need a few hours to yourself, or just some quiet time and fresh air, we have a few suggestions for you to explore. Here are a few of our favorite parks and getaway spots in the Bay Area. Just grab a Gig, pack a picnic, and go!

East Bay:

• Stop and smell the roses (quite literally) at Berkeley’s Historic Rose Garden, considered by many to be the finest rose garden in Northern California. Did we mention the views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge?
• In Albany, a stone’s jump from Berkeley, the Albany Bulb offers windy walking trails, art sculptures, and even a “castle” with a beautiful view of San Francisco from across the Bay (and you can bring your dog!)
• Joaquin Miller Park is a 500-acre park in the hills of Oakland. Here you will find biking, walking, and equestrian trails, an off-leash dog park, a playground, and even a fountain. Pick your path, as there are paved trails as well as lush, creekside wooded trails.  

North Bay:

• Head over the Golden Gate Bridge to the quaint town of Sausalito. Here, Dunphy Park offers a large lawn area, a waterfront gazebo, and sand volleyball and bocce courts. Grab some takeout from a local eatery like Fish and make it a picnic.

San Francisco:

• Bernal Heights Park not only offers trails and green spaces, but also a 360-degree panoramic view of the city. The park is also a natural refuge, with native grasses and flowers, lizards and gophers, and even the occasional hawk.
• Visit the Garden of Fragrance in San Francisco’s Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Take a stroll and enjoy the wonderful smells around you, like rosemary and mint.
• You may not think "greenery" when you think of Salesforce, but the Salesforce Park is a site to behold. This 5.4-acre rooftop park is located above the Salesforce Transit Center, and is open to the public. Come explore the 200+ species of plants on this living roof. There's even a children's playground and an amphitheater.

South San Francisco:

• Oyster Point Park is a 33-acre park (part of the large San Francisco Bay Trail) located near the Oyster Point Marina. Here you can walk along the shoreline on paved trails and enjoy the view of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Before you go, Grab a Gig Card

The Gig Card helps Members to communicate with their Gig — even when there is no cellular service, and Bluetooth isn't working. Grab a Gig Card before your next trip to assist locking and unlocking your Gig, no matter where you might take it — whether you're out exploring, or just need to use a parking garage that may have little or no cell service.