One of the hidden gems in the East Bay is Tilden Regional Park. Now you are probably thinking, why would I want to take my family to a Regional Park when visiting the San Francisco area. Here is why we think you should come:
Steam Trains: The antique steam train is a 12 minute ride through the scenic ridge of Tilden Park which includes a beautiful view of the Bay as well as some fun tunnels. There are covered and uncovered seats on the train, but my little guy always prefer the covered seats near the caboose. Tickets are $3/ride for everyone age 2 and up, but we always buy the 5 punchcard for $12. We usually ride the train twice and then head off to our next destination.
While there are many options in Tilden such as:
*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. Tickets are $2/ride and $10 for 7 ride ticket.
*Ardenwood Historic Farm‘s horse-drawn train ride takes kids more than 100 years back in time on a ride into the park with docents dressed in period costumes.
*Little Farm If you ask my little dude, after finishing up on the Steam Trains he highly recommends loading up in the car and heading out to the Little Farm. Along the way you can stop and check out some of the most beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay.
So what is the The Little Farm? It is a working farm that is open every day of the year and free of charge…SCORE! Kids can meet, greet and pet cows, shorthorn cattle. goats. bunnies. chickens, geese, pigs and the like.
Our suggestion is to bring lots of celery and lettuce so you can feed the animals. Another plus, the area surrounding the Little Farm is fabulous for picnics and walks; however, if you prefer to explore the area a little more, I highly suggest heading down to Lake Anza which has a fun beach, fishing and more! While we could go on and on about how much we love Tilden Park, we think you should come join us one of these weekends!
Other Family Travel Tips:
- Head to Rick and Ann’s, a local favorite, for a hearty breakfast
- Bring a picnic with you to Tilden, a waterproof blanket and some toys
- Check out the North Face Outlet in Berkeley, about 15 minutes away. We tend to wander in on days with an extra 30-50% off or on Sample Sale Days.
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