Hidden in the Berkeley hillside is a beautiful and huge park that has endless family-friendly activities—a carousel, a steam train, a little farm of animals, a lake, and endless hiking trails with sweeping Bay Area views.
This is a great day-trip option, but give yourself some time to get here; the roads are windy and steep, and it takes about 20 minutes from the freeway to make your way to the park.
Read on to find more about:
2. Redwood Valley Railway (Tilden’s steam train)
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Dress in layers – Bay Area weather is unpredictable
- Bagged lunch and snacks
- Sunscreen and hats
- Stroller or baby carrier
- Closed-toed shoes (farm can be dusty)
- Romaine lettuce and celery for the farm animals
Here are some of our favorite things to do when we make the trip to Tilden:
1. Tilden Little Farm (~30-60 mins, free)
Not a pet-the-animals place but a feed-the-animals place! Bring a bag of romaine lettuce or celery to feed a bunch of very friendly cows, horses, chickens, bunnies, ducks, geese, goats, and sheep. Kids can feed the animals from a friendly distance through the fence.
My daughter was a little spooked by the sheer size of the cows when you first enter, so I would recommend heading towards the smaller-sized furry friends to warm the kiddos up. You make a counterclockwise loop around the farm (some of which is uphill) stopping to feed animals along the way. Come early, because it can get crowded!
If you get a chance, try to arrive around the time of the goose parade and walk behind some big geese as they make their way through the fields. Also, check out the museum you will pass by on your way in/out!
2. Picnic in the Park
After you get your fill of farm animal sightings, head over to one of the picnic tables near the parking lot for a snack, a picnic, or play on the playground nearby. Or, you could spend your afternoon letting your baby enjoy splash in the water fountains (the only thing she wanted to do…)
3. Redwood Valley Railway (~30-45 mins, $3.50 per rider over 2 years old, less if you purchase a booklet)
Tilden Park’s little steam train that could! This is such a fun little secret to stumble upon deep in the Berkeley hills. For just $3.50 per person (even less, if you buy a 5-ticket pack for $14), you get a 12-minute train ride through the redwood-studded Berkeley hills, going through tunnels, passing by a mini-train depot, and choo choo chooing the whole way.
There is always a line of people waiting to get on the train but don’t dismay–the train fills up quickly and the line moves faster than you think. Bring a jacket just in case you get cold while the train moves. The little parking lot fills up quickly, but you can find overflow parking just past the entrance and a short walk away. Bring a snack to enjoy pre or post-ride at the picnic benches nearby.
For an extra dose of railroad fun, visit on a Sunday to ride the Golden Gate Miniature Railroad (open 11am-3pm, donation-based). Also, visit during the holiday season to see the trees decorated and all lit up!
In our experience, weekend afternoons were much more chill than weekend mornings.
4. Merry-Go-Round (15-30 mins, $4 per rider or less for a booklet of tickets)
Did I say merry-go-round? YES, I DID! Tilden Park has a steam train AND a merry-go-round! And not just any merry-go-round folks, but one with the coolest hand-carved antique ride-on animals like a pig and a cat.
Complete the carnival-in-the-middle-of-the-woods feel with some carnival food sold at the merry-go-round cafe. Fancy a cheap hot dog or some popcorn? Why yes, thank you!
Our daughter loved this so much, we try to do both the little farm and the merry-go-round every time we come. Bring a snack to eat at the picnic tables right outside. There is also plenty of parking too!
If you are looking for something to do over the holidays, the merry-go-round is a great place to stop! They decorate the outside picnic area, the inside with trees, and everything is lit up at night.
*COVID UPDATE* You can purchase tickets in advance or when you arrive. If you book ahead, you get priority entry (first in line to choose your animal) and do not have to wait in line.
5. Hiking (1-2 hours, free)
There are miles of trails ranging in difficulty throughout Tilden and linking some of the attractions (if you don’t mind hiking 3-4 miles).
Wildcat Gorge and Lake Anza Loop Trail – We started this hike at the Wildcat Gorge Trailhead and made our way up a slight uphill and very green trail to Lake Anza trail. We made a left and went clockwise around the lake. Beware of the poison oak lining the trail and some rock scrambling which was ok for a 3-year-old but made things a little more nerve-wracking…
Most of the trail is open and easy to walk with a few roots to hop over, but a portion on the Eastern side of the lake was more narrow and challenging for little feet. You get to cross a bridge over a small river and walk by the bathrooms of the Lake Anza beach (closed for us at the time). Keep an eye out for birds and maybe a turtle sunning on a log!
Sample Itineraries
You could spend your whole day here. One sample itinerary could be:
- Little Farm
- Museum
- Playground in the parking lot by Little Farm
- Drive to the Merry-Go-Round
- Eat lunch at the picnic tables nearby or at the merry-go-round
- Ride the merry-go-round
- Head home
Another plan –
- Hike early and play in the woods (with the reward being the train!)
- Drive to the train
- Ride the train
- Eat lunch at the tables near the train
- Drive to other Tilden activities or head home for a nap
Tilden Regional Park is a great way to escape from the Bay Area cityscape into nature. It is really a kid’s paradise – farm animals, playgrounds, hiking trails, a train, and a merry-go-round. You could spend a morning, afternoon, or a whole day here!
Most visitors are local families, so you’ll meet many BIPOC families along the trails or in line for the rides.
It always surprises me how windy the roads are and just how long it takes to get to Tilden from the highway. I always forget to budget enough time for the trip to the park into our itinerary. There are almost too many things to do in Tilden for one day. Good thing it is not hard to get to from anywhere in the East Bay!
What’s your favorite thing to do in Tilden? Share in the comments below.
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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