Summer’s around the corner. Outdoor barbecues and picnics are great ways to enjoy the summer weather and spend time with family and friends. Rather than having the usual backyard barbecue, go out to the park, invite a whole slew of family and friends, and have a good old-fashioned picnic. So what are the best places to have a summer barbecue in the San Francisco Bay Area? Here’s a list of some of the choice spots to fire up the grill, bring out the coolers, and have a great summer blast.
San Francisco
Located near the Presidio, Crissy Field is the perfect spot for a picnic. It features picnic grounds, local activities, hiking trials, and with one of the most amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay around, making the experience even more pleasurable. But be sure to get there early-parking and picnic spaces go pretty fast. And also plan ahead for weather; it gets pretty foggy in this area.
Angel Island is open to the public and has a picnic area with grills and picnic tables. Featuring a short ferry ride from San Francisco, Tiburon, Oakland, and Alameda, Angel Island has panoramic views of the entire Bay Area, including spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Known as the “Ellis Island of the West,” Angel Island also has hiking trails, guided Segway tours of the island, and tours of the island’s military and cultural history.
Marin
There are plenty of spots in Marin for picnics and barbecues. One of those spots is Paradise Park in Tiburon. Located near the beach, Paradise Park has picnic grounds with tables and built-in barbecues.
The East Bay is rich with picnic and barbecue areas. Briones Regional Park, located in the hill backcountry of Contra Costa County, near Lafayette and Martinez, is a great place for open picnics for large groups. It also features miles of trails, an archery range, and youth campgrounds.
Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont is another great spot for a picnic. The visitors center, picnic grounds, and group campgrounds are located at the base of hills, protecting picnickers from the stiff breezes coming off the Bay. It’s also a great place to cool off during those hot summer days.
Diablo Foothills Regional Park might be small (978 acres) but it provides the kind of seclusion small picnic parties might appreciate. Located in Contra Costa, its recreation area, Castle Rock Recreation, is the northeast corner of the park, providing picnic and play areas, a swimming pool, food concessions, a dance floor, and archery range, offering plenty of activities for picnic goers.
Point Pinole in the San Pablo Bay near Richmond has 5.5 miles of beaches, a 1,250 foot fishing pier, bluffs, a eucalyptus grove, meadow, pond, and marshes, adding to the spectacular visual enjoyment for any picnic goer. A playground and picnic areas are also located here, as well as trails for hiking, equestrians, and bikes.
Tilden Regional Park is the oldest park in the East Bay Parks system and is also the most popular in the Bay Area. Located in the Berkely Hills behind University of California, Berkeley, its 2,077 acres offers plenty of activities for the family. It includes a swimming pool, miniature rideable steam trains and carousel for the kids, a golf course, botanic garden, and pony rides. Picnic and playing areas and playgrounds are also located here, making Tilden Regional Park a paradise for a summer picnic.
As you can see, there are many places in the Bay Area that will make for a great summer picnic or barbecue. Plan wisely, send out the invitations, and throw a picnic or barbecue that your family and friends will remember for years.
For more information, go to www.pages.prodigy.net/rhorii/ebaypark.htm and www.sfgov.com.
