I’ve only recently started to be brave enough to go places. It helps, too, that I am on maternity leave and can do more weekday adventuring. (Weekend adventuring is too crowded.) Here are some outdoor spots in the East Bay that make great social distancing adventures for when you need to get out of the house.

Alameda Beach, Alameda / Grab a spot on the sand and feel like you’re on your own private beach. Visitors are really good at keeping a good distance away from each other.

Castro Park, El Cerrito / They’ve let the grass dry out so it’s not super lush, but there is a lot of space to spread out and have a socially distanced picnic under your tree of choice.

Shimada Friendship Park, Richmond / A lovely spot for watching sunset. There are lots of people exercising along the water and it’s bit more crowded here in the late afternoon; beware of non-mask wearers.

Lucretia W. Edwards Shoreline Park, Richmond / This one is a small park, but really lovely. There are stairs that go down to the rocks/water. Sunset here is pretty nice, too.

UC Berkeley, Berkeley / My old stomping grounds! Classes are still held virtually, so campus only has a handful of people. This is a nice place to stroll and get some ‘hill’ walking in.

Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek / It’s always fun to see what’s in bloom at the Garden. Check out their koi pond and spot all the awesome succulents with flowers!

Live Oak Park, Berkeley / This is one of my favorites because it was our wedding venue. We visited our wedding tree and took Baby Bump photos on this visit.

What are some of your favorite or newly discovered outdoorsy spots in your region? Share below!