5 Parks, Nature Areas To Enjoy In San Leandro This Summer

SAN LEANDRO, CA — The East Bay area is lush with places to get a breath of fresh air and reap the benefits of nature with its swaths of green parks, beaches, trails, lagoons, farms and lakes.

Whether you love swimming, hiking, horseback riding or setting up a picnic — there’s a place for it in this eco-friendly corner of Northern California. In and around San Leandro, there are a handful of dog and family-friendly parks that are just a short drive away. Some offer areas for boating, camping and even archery.

The East Bay Regional Park district helps maintain dozens of historic and storied parks across the region.

Visit this page to find resources to travel to these parks by public transit.

According to research from the University of Tokyo published this month, the connection between human well-being and nature is much stronger than the academic community previously thought.

"Aside from clean water, food and useful raw materials, nature provides many other benefits that we might overlook or find it hard to grasp and quantify," according to a news release from the university.

The research, published Friday, demonstrates that spending time in nature can be vital to a person's mental and physical health.

Here are 5 parks and beaches to soak up all that nature has to offer in and around San Leandro this summer.

1. Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline

Just south of Oakland International Airport lies the Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, a natural gem with a diverse wildlife profile. Visitors can find panoramic views of the Bay and may spot marsh hawks, black shouldered kites, red-tailed hawks and shorebirds around.

The park is a friendly space for picnics, hiking, dogs and families.

2. Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

Nestled between the Berkeley and Oakland hills behind the historic Claremont Hotel, this scenic, 208-acre preserve offers trails for dogs, hikers and horseback-riders.

3. Leona Canyon Open Space Regional Preserve

This 290-acre wooded canyon is located near Merrit College in Oakland. While restoration is in progress along Rifle Range Creek along Leona Trail to protect the riparian ecosystem, there are trails open for hiking and dogs.

4. Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline

Also close to Oakland International Airport is a 748-acre park which offers areas for biking, boating, kayaking, sailing, fishing, hiking and picnics.

5. Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

This redwood forest is just a few miles over the ridge from downtown Oakland and is a 14 minutes drive from San Leandro. This hidden gem offers trails for biking, camping, dogs, hiking, horseback riding and picnicking.

Find more parks to visit through the East Bay Park District's search here.