Day Trips East of San Francisco

Cross the Bay Bridge into the East Bay. Berkeley and Oakland are full cities, not suburbs. Warmer than SF, with food scenes and parks of their own.

3 destinations · 30 min to 1 hr · BART-accessible

🚌 30 minutes via BART

Berkeley

Home to the University of California, the Gourmet Ghetto (where California cuisine started at Chez Panisse), and Telegraph Avenue’s bookstores and street life. The UC Botanical Garden has a wide-ranging plant collection. Fourth Street has the boutique shopping. The Berkeley Hills look back across the bay at SF.

🎓 UC Berkeley 🍴 Gourmet Ghetto 🌿 Botanical Garden 📚 Bookstores

Local tip: No car needed. Take BART to Downtown Berkeley. Walk up to the Gourmet Ghetto on Shattuck Ave for lunch. Cheese Board Pizza Collective has a line for a reason. Tilden Regional Park above campus has hiking with bay views.

🚌 25 minutes via BART

Oakland

Oakland’s food scene matches San Francisco’s at lower prices. Jack London Square is the waterfront anchor. Lake Merritt is a tidal lagoon ringed by parks at the center of the city. The Oakland Museum of California is excellent. Temescal and Rockridge are the two restaurant blocks worth planning a trip around.

🍁 Food Scene 🏞 Lake Merritt 🏛 Museums 🎵 Live Music

Local tip: Take BART to 19th Street Oakland for Uptown and Lake Merritt, or Rockridge for boutique shopping and restaurants. Oakland First Friday on Telegraph Ave is worth planning a trip around. Swan’s Market food hall on 9th and Washington is the downtown stop.

🚗 1 hour

Mount Diablo

On clear days, the summit of Mount Diablo offers an expansive view of California. The Sierra Nevada to the east, the Farallon Islands in the Pacific to the west. The summit road is among the great drives in the Bay Area. Serious hikers tackle the summit trail from the base. Casual visitors can drive most of the way up and hike the last stretch.

🏔 Panoramic Views 🥾 Hiking 🚴 Cycling 🌅 Sunsets

Local tip: The summit road is a serious cycling climb. You will share it with roadies on weekends. Visit on a clear winter day for the best chance of seeing the Sierra Nevada. There is a small visitor center at the top with a viewing platform.