Bay Explorer
Aquatic Park
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Location: 80 Bolivar Drive, at the foot of Bancroft Way
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Phone: City Recreation Office at 510-981-5150
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Website: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Parks_Rec_Waterfront/Trees_Parks/Parks__Aquatic_Park.aspx
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Pricing: Free
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Hours: 6am-10pm
Description: Aquatic Park located in Berkeley's waterfront district has a little bit of something for everyone! It is easily bike-able and then has vast paths that connect down the waterfront for further riding or over the bridge to connect you to the Berkeley Marina area. There are wide paved roads through the park, perfect for taking little bikers, trikers, and scooters on. The Park has a big field for playing running games as well as somewhere to spread out for picnics or birthday parties. The play structure itself is very nice, made of wood, and has so many different spots and activities for children to play in. This is also a great structure for hide-and-go-seek as well as any form of tag. The structure is huge and spans across the whole play area of the park. There are slides, swings, wobbly bridges, a hand-glider, hiding spots, monkey bars, and a hidden tire swing. Children will be occupied for hours. There is also a first come, first serve picnic bench fun for birthday parties and a small enclosed grassy area next to it perfect to continue the party on. The park is located right next to a small lake that is next to the freeway. The water is a nice spot to feed ducks or if you are more adventurous they have various water sports such as kayaking and canoe rentals that are available that you can partake in.
Highlights: The play structure is awesome! Built by 2,000 volunteers, and designed by Berkeley School children under the guidance of an architect. It is also called "Dreamland for kids" it really does have in mind what kids love and you can tell the children put serious thought in to the structure- it may be the biggest play structure in Berkeley!
Tips: Bring Layers! Aquatic Park is pretty close to the Bay, just separated by the lake and the freeway so it is certainly more sheltered from the wind than it's neighbor the Berkeley Marina but can get pretty nippy at times.