Tilden Regional Park
add photosFrom the website...Park Features
Steam Train The Steam Train offers rides along the scenic ridge on a scaled-down steam train. Parking, drinking water, and restroom facilities are wheelchair accessible. For information, including hours and ticket prices, call (510) 548-6100 or see www.redwoodvalleyrailway.com.
The Botanic Garden The Regional Parks Botanic Garden contains the world's most complete collection of California native plants, including rare and endangered species. Its visitor center (wheelchair accessible) offers tours and lectures throughout the year. The Botanic Garden offers accessible drinking and restroom facilities. Call (510) 841-8732 for information, or visit the Botanic Garden page. See also the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden website (www.nativeplants.org) for more information on the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.
The Merry-Go-Round Tilden's Herschell-Spillman merry-go-round is a splendid antique carousel with hand-carved and beautifully painted wooden carousel animals to ride. The calliope plays music to make any child's heart sing. The facility offers a wheelchair accessible snack stand, drinking water, restroom, and parking. For information call (510) 524-6773.
Pony Ride The Pony Ride is closed for infrastructure repairs to the facility.
Tilden Nature Area and The Little Farm Learn all about Tilden's surprising variety of plants and animals through the nature programs at the Little Farm and the Environmental Education Center (EEC) in Tilden Nature Area, both accessible to disabled persons. For more information about the Tilden Nature Area, visit the Tilden Nature Area page. Back to top
Park ActivitiesPicnicking Picnic areas are plentiful in Tilden. Reservable picnic areas include Carousel (35), Quarry (35), Big Leaf (50), Buckeye (50), Fern (50), Lakeview (50), Meadows (50), Orchard (50), Island (75), Willows (100), Laurel (150), Padre (150) and Mineral Springs (200). There are barbecues at most picnic areas. To reserve a site, or for more information, call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1.
Swimming and Fishing Just over the hill from Berkeley, Tilden Park's Lake Anza is a favorite getaway. Its sandy beach is open to the sun and sheltered from the wind, with lifeguards posted during the swim season. Wheelchair accessible features include drinking water, ample parking, and trail access. Picnic grounds are located nearby.
There is a beach access fee to the swim area, which has changing rooms. For fee information and lifeguard service schedule, visit the Swim Facilities page. The refreshment stand is currently closed for renovation. The lake is open for fishing throughout the year. A state fishing license is required for persons age 16 or older. The lake is not stocked, but has naturally occurring largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, and channel catfish.
Group Camping Group camping facilities for organized groups include Gillespie Youth Camp (75). Phone 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1 to make a reservation.
Equestrian Camping Equestrian camping is accommodated at the Es Anderson Equestrian Camp (50 max). Call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1 to reserve. Water for horses may be arranged upon reservation; there is no potable water for human consumption at the site.
Golfing The Tilden Park Golf Course is an 18-hole public golf course with a driving range, pro shop, practice green, and the Tee Club restaurant. Phone (510) 848-7373 for fee information and reservations. See their website at www.tildenparkgc.americangolf.com.
Hiking and Biking A walk along Nimitz Way, paved and wheelchair accessible, is popular with hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, and affords spectacular views from the crest of the East Bay hills. The best trail staging is at Inspiration Point on Wildcat Canyon Road, but there is no drinking water at this staging area. The East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail follows Nimitz Way and other Tilden trails during part of its 31-mile route. Dogs must be on leash on Nimitz Way.
25 Reviews for Tilden Regional Park
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'11, '12
0 families found this helpful
"Great All Day Outing!"
What a great family day we had here. If you plan and bring a few bucks and a picnic you can have an amazing family day at Tilden Park. Tilden Park is located in the hills of Berkley. It is very much like Griffith Park in Los Angeles as there is a lot of little things to do in the same regional park but you must drive to each separate thing.
While driving up the mountain it is a must to check out the views. You can see the whole San Francisco Bay Area and it is AMAZING! If you like views this is one of the best in California. We then stopped at the train to take a ride. It is a real steam engine train that takes you through the forest. Unlike most train rides for kids that go in a circle of only last a couple minutes this takes you through so much forest and you on on the ride for what seemed like 10 minutes...it was a really nice long ride. When then drove up the mountain a bit more to the 100 year old carousel. There was a sign that indicated it was celebrating there 100 year. Unlike Griffith Parks that has a kind of spooky feel, this one felt very innocent and magical like they should all feel. The area is very clean, has bathrooms and a nice hill that all the kids where rolling down and playing on. We brought a picnic and spent a couple hours on the hill alone! MAGICAL day with the family!
There is also a botanical garden and petting zoo that we did not go to.
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"LOVE the Railway!"
Tilden park Redwood railway is a must for train fans.
YOu can ride in a covered car or out in the open. Long ride well worth the $3. fee (5 rides for $12 can be used by multiple passengers...)
Tilden park makes me nauseous to drive around- and each kid-friendly activity requires a drive to get there... but the train is well worth pursuing.
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiful park, lots to see and do"
My kids love Little Farm and the railroad, but we've also enjoyed the park for hikes and picnics. Little Farm is wonderful for the animals, but there are also some great trails around the farm that are easy on preschoolers. My kids love taking a nature walk to Jewel Lake, where you can sometimes see turtles!
0 families found this helpful
"Plenty to Do and See!"
Tilden Regional Park has a variety of wonderful activities for kids! There is the merry-go-round, a botanical garden, Lake Anza and plenty of hiking trails. Lake Anza is a great place for kids to swim during the summer when there is a sectioned off swimming area. There is also a trail going around Lake Anza that is a nice walk for older kids.
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"Something for Everyone"
Tilden Park is an East Bay institution, featuring ample picnic grounds, hiking with breathtaking scenery, a miniature farm/petting zoo, and an antique steam train which you can ride through the fragrant eucalyptus trees.
In short, this is a must see destination for anyone with a taste for recreation. For young children, the 'little farm' is an experience not to be missed. Come equipped with carrots for the cows and ponies, and the staff will sometimes let you feed the overstuffed animals. For train buffs of all ages, the steam train ride is thrilling. As you ride the train, you can peer down below and see the serious hobbyists at work setting up model train tracks. And the carousel is classically elegant, a treat for all ages.
Plan on driving from attraction to attraction, since they are miles apart from one another. Also, if you plan on picnicking, make sure to find an unreserved spot. Many of the reserved spots are spoken for, especially on the weekends, and you don't want to have to relocate halfway through your lunch. If you hike, be on the lookout for poison oak and rattlesnakes (I have sighted both on several occasions), and bring a jacket, as it will become chilly when the fog inevitably arrives.
0 families found this helpful
"GREAT PLACE"
There is a train, pony rides, a elaborate carousel, and a petting zoo! This is an amazing place for children of all ages. Even at 24 i went to the carousel this winter to check out the festive holiday decorations. Bring old veggies for the animals at the zoo! There is so much to do here one trip just isnt enough.
1 family found this helpful
"Great for families and kids."
Such a wonderful place for families and kids. Well, you can take your kids there to visit the Little Farm and to feed the animals like cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, ... They will learn a lot about animals. Also, there are two beautiful lakes there, the Jewel lake, and the Anza lake. The Jewel lake is a bit small, so it's good to go if you don't have much time. If you have time, you definitely should visit the Anza lake. It's just unique. Take a round trip around the lake, and you will have the refresh feeling.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice Place"
My kids loved to go here. The farm was their favorite because they were allowed to feed the animals. There are cows, pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chicks, and ducks. There are also botanical gardens that were nice to wander around in. There is a train ride, and carousel ride, there is a little trail that is through the woods to a lake, along with many other trails. There are picnic areas and golfing, horse back riding, and camping. It is tucked away in the hills so you feel like you are "away" from everything. We enjoyed it everytime we went. Our kids loved it.
0 families found this helpful
"Tilden Park!"
Tilden park is a must for every family. This is at the top of the Berkley hills and is a true gem in the Bay Area. There is a old style carousel, large picnic area with tables, petting zoo,train, park, museum and hiking area! There is also plenty of parking and you can bring food into the park. There is a small snack bar (may not be open all the time though). Great place to go to be outdoors.
1 family found this helpful
"What a discovery!"
We really do love this park! The Little Farm is one of the most favorite things to do for my daughter. Don't forget to bring some celery for the animals! And try to come earlier in the day (9-10 am are the best) because animals are not as hungry later in the day and many of them are napping.
Then, you should go to the steam train station. Oh my, what a surprise that train is! The road is pretty long (takes about 10 minutes per ride), the views are amazing, and the tickets are only $2 per person!
There is also a merry-go-round close by, but we don't go there as often because it's on the expensive side and there is not unusual about that carousel.
The park itself is gorgeous with several vista points and many picnic areas.
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"Tilden Park - a train, a farm, and a merry-go-round!"
The view from Tilden Park is absolutely breath-taking. Once at the top, there are several activities for your little ones. My toddler boys (3.5 and 1.5), who are huge Thomas the Train fans, absolutely love the steam engine ride. It is about a 15 minute scenic ride that costs $2/person 2 and over. We went on this ride multiple times in one day!
There are other activities to do as well including a Merry-Go-Round ($2/person over 2), a Botanic Garden (no charge), and a Little Farm (no charge). My only problem with the park is that it is very spread out and it requires driving from one park feature to the next.
For more info about the park, please visit: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden
0 families found this helpful
"Steam train and Little Farm!"
My 2 yr old loves this place! He is a train fanatic, and every weekend that its sunny he asks to go to the trains. It's about a 10 min train ride, complete with tunnels and amazing views. Not expensive either, I think it was about 4 dollars for the two of us. The little farm is also a favorite place. Make sure you bring celery for the animals! Your kids will get a kick out of feeding all the animals!
0 families found this helpful
"Love the Steam Train!"
The antique stream train is fabulous for kids under 8 and train buffs of any age. The trains meanders through the woods and into a tunnel- the whole ride is about 10 minutes.
For reasons I don't completely understand, the various kids attractions are at opposite ends of the park- after you ride the train, you will have to get back into the car and drive across the park to the carousel or the petting farm.
We love how down to earth Tilden is- there is no hype, glitz, or snobbery. Just a well maintained park full of wholesome families and devoted docents. Excellent place to spend the day.
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"The "Other" Side of the Hill"
We've lived in the Bay Area forever, but I've only recently become acquainted with Tilden Park. We live in the East Bay and frequently find activities on our side of the hill. However, Tilden has a lot to offer and is worth the trek. Our 2 year old, who is a Thomas the Tank Engine afficionado, loves the little steam engine. It's not too intimidating, and he loves to sit near the engineer and the whistle. We also have older kids, ages 9, 12, 13, and 16 who enjoy the train as well as the carousel. There's just a lot of space to picnic, explore, and enjoy being a kid. We haven't even visited the lake yet, so I'm sure there will be plenty more visits.
0 families found this helpful
"Cute little park"
This is a nice regional park in the Berkeley Hills. There are enough things to do for a full afternoon of fun. Do not forget to bring a picnic.
One of my children favorite thing: the train! Children and adults will have fun riding that little train in the hills
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"Variety of things to do!"
Ah, Tilden park brings back memories of when I went there as a kid! It's a huge park which has many different parts that you can drive to. There's the steam train, a carousel, a little farm, and many places to play and picnic. We did a lot of barbecues here. There's also good hiking around the area. Before you go, check out their website http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden which has a lot of helpful info!
1 family found this helpful
"Poison Oak"
I like Tilden a lot and have spent many hours hiking, picnicking and enjoying the various offerings, and you will find many reviews extolling its virtues. I must take off a star however for the high levels of poison oak (California Poison-oak, Rhus diversiloba, not Atlantic Poison-oak or poison-Ivy). With so many hiking trails to offer, the chances for poison oak exposure is high, even in the winter. A lot of people leave this park with an uncomfortable souvenir if not careful. Make sure to get familiar with photos before you visit.
1 family found this helpful
"Lots to do!"
There is A LOT of different things to do at Tilden which is why it's such a great park. My kids love the Train ride, carousel, and petting zoo. We go on short walks but there are great hikes if you're kids older. It's a beautiful place! There's plenty of lawn areas throughout the park for a picnic lunch too. My only grief with it is that it's all pretty spread out. So, you have to drive from place to place. Parking can be hard when it's crowded on the weekend. Get their early and you're better off.
2 families found this helpful
"We love Tilden!"
My family has spent many a great day at Tilden Park. There is so much to do, from swimming in Lake Anza (which should be its own review) to biking, to feeding the animals at Little Farm. I highly recommend checking out the farm and make sure you bring lettuce or celery to feed the animals (that is all you can feed them). We are also big Lake Anza fans. It is inexpensive and the kids love it. It is similar to Lake Temescal (see my review of that) in that it is not crystal clear water and the beach area is a bit dusty. The steam trains are fun too. Tip: If you are going in the winter months, you cannot cross through the main road in the park due to the newt migration path- I love Berkeley! It is a LONG way around the outside of the park so plan accordingly. Tilden is a Bay area treasure.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
A vast, green open space for hikers, bikers, and picnickers. Littlekids like Little Farm, where they can pet and feed animals and birds, as well as ride ponies and a 1911 carousel. Lifeguards are on duty for swimming at the sandy beach, spring through fall, at Lake Anza. Take a ride on a miniature steam train through the redwoods and a tunnel. An easy 1-mile walk through woods and meadows circles Jewel Lake, leading to a marshy pond where frogs and ducks hold court.
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