adventureplayground@cityofberkeley.info. Berkeley's Best Playgrounds - CBS San Francisco - CBS News If you are traveling with kids and want to do something for cheap that they will enjoy a lot, this is the place to go! Hands-on Creative Fun at Berkeley's Adventure Playground Adult supervision is minimal. Patty Donald has worked at the the Adventure Playground for about 35 years. It has age-specific climbing structures, swings and tons of sand. The adventure playground model, sometimes referred to as a "junk playground," is to provide children with the resources to build. In Europe there are lots of these kinds of free-range public playgrounds. I'm going again," yells Tyler. There are also walk-bike paths for family members who have outgrown the jungle gym. This 45-foot long aluminum "super slide" is nestled into the hillside and has an elevation change of nearly 30 feet; you can access it by steps leading to the top or by climbing the rubber surfacing area . The park opened in 1979 based on the ideas of Danish architect Carl Theodor Srensen, who had made use of scrap junkyards for . Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more. 92% of travellers recommend this experience. The City of Berkeley The story goes that in Europe after World War II a designer built a series of modern playgrounds. No, parents don't need to stay. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. ", "I like how you can land in the dirt, but the dirt is really soft. Escondido | 742 Clarence Lane | 92029 This unique park is one of the best kid friendly spots in the East Bay. One man's collection of found art, sculpture, and ephemera adorns his two side-by-side homes. This waterfront park offers a playground with sandy areas for toddlers. As of March 12, 2022, Covid restrictions about reservations and masking are over. (A pinata outside perhaps?) Coronado | 2000 Mullinex Drive | 92118 Among them are safety-obsessed, overprotective parents shepherding hyperscheduled children, and the fact that in America's cities and suburbs, play itself is in decline. Six-year-old Rhiannon Edison seems annoyed that an adult is encroaching on the Good Ship Zip Line. Berkeley's Adventure Playground opened in 1979 and still has that old '70s feeling, where kids run free and let their creative impulses go wild. Follow Frontage Road to University Avenue (Seabreeze Market is on the corner). Orange County Ropes Course. 160 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710-1617, $$ - $$$ American Seafood Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Japanese Steakhouse Seafood, $$ - $$$ American Diner Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ Japanese Asian Vegetarian Friendly, $ Quick Bites Indian Vegetarian Friendly. There is a lot right across from the playground in the marina. Rise and Dine in Americas Finest City. Theluxury whale watching On Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-close, enjoy a Small Pizza or Smokey's Burger PLUS a Beer for only $15. My recording gear gets a little sandy and roughed up, like it used to when I was reporting from the Middle East. The park opened in 1979 based on the ideas of Danish architect Carl Theodor Srensen, who had made use of scrap junkyards for playgrounds when Copenhagen was under occupation during World War II. "It's really central that kids are able to take their natural and intense play impulses and act on them," says Dr. Stuart Brown, a psychologist and the founding director of the National Institute for Play. Ride the zip line. I tell them I'm here to do a story on the playground. Ride the zip line. There's a REASON for that waiver. The park was opened in 1979 based on the ideas of Danish architect Carl Theodor Srensen, who used scrap junkyards for playgrounds when Copenhagen was under occupation during the Second World War. Not a comfortable place for helicopter parents, but I enjoyed watching them create and take risks. This week, NPR Ed is focusing on questions about why people play and how play relates to learning. Children can paint, hammer and build with a minimum of adult intervention. BERKELEY's BEST Attractions Adventure Playground 160 University Ave., in Shorebird Park. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. They explored, created, collaborated, played on the zip line and cleaned after they were done. User Submitted. Adventure Playground (Berkeley) - Wikipedia The adult with the fuzzy microphone can stay. Footer Top. There are only a handful of these "wild playgrounds" in the country. My kids were in heaven sawing and hammering everything they could dream up. Braden Swenson wanders into a semi-rickety wooden shed on his search for gold, treasure and riches. Older preschoolers and young grade-schoolers love it. It is a wonderfully unique outdoor facility where staff encourage children to play and build creatively. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Singapore. Berkeley, California 94710 Phone: (510) 981-6720; Website Save. Berkeleys Adventure Playground opened in 1979 and still has that old 70s feeling, where kids run free and let their creative impulses go wild. Parents are required to sign a waiver before entering the Adventure Playground with their children. Remember building forts in backyards with scraps of plywood and old nails? Ride Tilden Steam Trains (Summer Schedule), Model Trains at the Golden State Model Railroad Museum, Open Hours at Shoreline Interpretive Center, FREE Family Movie Matinee: Race For Your Life Charlie Brown, Orinda July 4th Pancake Breakfast & Parade, Concord July 4th Fun Run, Parade & Fireworks, Family Storytime @ Downtown Berkeley Farmer's Market, Sunday Storytime with Special Guest Sandra Salsbury, Kidchella: Reading & Music Series -- Purple Fox and the Heebie Jeebies, Space Expo | Voyage of Dreams: From Apollo to Artemis, the region we celebrate is the unceded territory of native peoples, Join Amazon Family 30-Day Free Trial (save 20% on diapers! The Adventure Playground is at the west end of this lot; you will need to follow the path around the south side to the find the entrance The Adventure Playground is accessible by bus; take the 51b Berkeley Marina-bound line. Berkeleys playground is located right next to the Berkeley Marina on San Francisco Bay, and has views of the bay and the surrounding metropolitan area. As Lenore Skenazy wrote in her Salon piece The War on Childrens Playgrounds, they dont make em like they used to. 95% of travellers recommend this experience. About Adventure Playground in Berkeley, California. The Adventure Playground is located near the Berkeley Marina at 160 University Avenue. Mature trees provide shade over picnic areas. Sign up to receive the latest news, events, and updates about San Diego. hide caption. There isn't anything else to do in the museum aside from observing the trains running behind the glass windows. Encinitas | 95 North Vulcan Avenue | 92024 Encinitas | 425 Santa Fe Drive | 92024 place in Berkeley and in our country. just the playground I have been looking for. Some educators advocate "dangerous play," which they say helps kids become better problem solvers. The intricate layouts are really amazing and it's fun to watch the trains running BUT the kids would probably be ready to move on after 30 minutes. There's a nice little beach, trails, barbeque pits and picnic tables. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Grab a bucket and brush: Kids can paint on almost anything here, except each other. We are visiting from out of town and found this searching for kid activities in Berkeley. "We're way overprotective. She did meet very kind people staffing the park, and I met great people from all over the Bay area. Hotels near Adventure Playground: (0.40 mi) DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina (2.15 mi) Hyatt Place Emeryville/San Francisco Bay Area (6.50 mi) Harbor Court Hotel (6.47 mi) 1 Hotel San Francisco (7.08 mi) The Orchard Garden Hotel; View all hotels near Adventure Playground on Tripadvisor [8-days] Conquering the Korean Peninsula & Jirisan National Park Hiking, Private Vegan Food Tour By Scooter in Ho Chi Minh City. It has a. Berkeley's Adventure Playground 160 University Avenue Berkeley, CA Part playground, part kid-built construction site, Adventure Playground is constantly evolving, thanks to the creativity of all those who visit. It is a wonderfully unique outdoor facility where staff encourage children to play and build creatively. Visitors to Adventure Playground can enjoy playing on the many kid designed and built forts, boats, and towers, riding the zip line or creating with hammers, saws, paint, and recycled materials. ), Where to Watch the Womens World Cup with Kids, Park Profile: Whale Park in Alameda Point, Fun Things To Do in the East Bay This Weekend: July 22 23. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. copyright 2012-2021 Carole Terwilliger Meyers. Report Online (510) 981-2489 Visit. Another was super unfriendly to my older kid who will turn six next month. Del Mar | 1628 Lomas Santa Fe Drive | 92014 Real Estate & Homes For Sale - 9459 Homes For Sale | Zillow Seven-year-old Tyler Swenson uses a rope and a ladder to climb a wooden structure at the Berkeley Adventure Playground in California. Turn left onto University Avenue (toward the bay). But in the U.S. today there are barely a half-dozen. San Diego | 1549 El Prado | 92101 The playground also has a tire swing, climbing net, and fast-moving trolley hanging from a pulley. No purchase necessary. Berkeley residents then voted to keep it here, but their decision might not be final. The kids give me a bon voyage countdown in unison. My 13 year old was at the edge of the recommended age for this place, but spent a couple very happy hours here, building. 160 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710-1617, $$ - $$$ American Seafood Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Japanese Steakhouse Seafood, $$ - $$$ American Diner Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ Japanese Asian Vegetarian Friendly, $ Quick Bites Indian Vegetarian Friendly, This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. With acknowledgment that the region we celebrate is the unceded territory of native peoples, our mission is to share activities for East Bay families. They keep a careful yet mostly distant eye on the children and what they're doing. I cautiously climb the zip line's wooden ladder to a waiting area that's kind of like the crow's nest of a ship. Play in the dirt, play with tools, zip line, climb, get dirty.awesome good fun! Berkeley, California, USA, North America. We did not have kids here, but we watched all of the kids skip the "regular" playground for this. Taking that cue, he designed the first adventure playground. Catalina Aerial Adventure. ", Ten-year-old Deion Jefferson and 7-year-old Samuel Jefferson push and roll a piece of culvert piping down a hill. Adults $10, Jrs & Seniors $6, Extra pole stamp $4. Artist Fred Fierstein is said to have placed it here himself in 1985 when he got tired of waiting for Berkeley politicians to decide to do it for him. A creek runs around the park with bridges and there are picnic areas with beautiful California Coast Live Oaks and California Sycamores. Spectacular views, eats, adventures and more, Classically-inspired, Contemporary masterpieces, Petco Park flies the pennant for spectacular ballpark bites and beverages, Luxury Whale Watching Onboard Catamaran. I didn't get a ticket, but I honestly spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out what was acceptable parking and what wasn't. Read our. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The three we had interactions with seemed like the hated their jobs and/or kids. Last Updated: July 24, 2023. See it now.While youre here, take a walk out on the Berkeley Municipal Pier. It's funded largely by docking fees from the adjacent marina. By Soumya Karlamangla. If you have children under sayyyyyy 12. this place is a blast. These motifs characterize the modern architecture that can be found all over San Diego. (510) 981-6720. Adventure Playground is an unusual playground run by the city of Berkeley and if you haven't taken your kids there yet, you are in for a treat. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. For some kids that involves swing on monkey bars and race down slides and theres now better place than a San Diego playground. 2023 Atlas Obscura. There is a tot lot with a slide and crawl-throughs and a magical sculpture garden Queen Califia's Magical Circle designed by acclaimed artist Niki de Saint (check the park calendar for Magical Circle operating hours). This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. Donald has been on a crusade to promote kid-driven, hands-on play. Start at the Visitor Center at 1549 El Prado (in the hospitality . Connect with us online, by phone, or in person. It features a series of educational, musical play panels and a hopscotch-like surface game Hop, Shuffle and Roll for children to be active and play together. A pier that used to act as a busy ferry dock is now a decaying favorite of local fisherman and urban artists. "Probably 75 percent of the parents that come in do that," Donald says. Europeans more readily embraced spaces for children to engage in what developmental psychologists like to call "managed risk." But, in many ways, this is Patty's place. The map below will show you where Adventure Playground is located and also provide driving directions. Young children are welcome as long as they are within an arms reach of a parent. [Photo credits:Photo credit: Patrick Buechner, Wendy Copley, Norma Evans], Your email address will not be published. 92% of travellers recommend this experience. Adventure Playground is a world-renowned play space where our goal is for every child to have a fun and safe The only museum of sake in the United States is nestled in an unlikely California college town. Spend the day doing "stuff"! Keep it simple, the kids will just want to play in the park and hunt for sand crabs on the beach. No state fishing license is required, only a permit from the General Store. Where The Wild Things Play : NPR Ed : NPR Right now, father and son are checking out the zip line. They had us at hammers, nails, saws, and paint. The older one constructing, the younger one playing. San Diego | 1549 El Prado | 92101. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Rec. It's a huge draw at the Adventure Playground, and the rule is kids go first. Fun for the family: The 5 best playgrounds in Berkeley - Hoodline All eyes are on me. ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND (Berkeley) - 2023 What to Know BEFORE You Go You can sign out tools at the front desk and find a corner to start building, It's a great time, but it is also a free play environment so it carries everything that goes with that dynamic. Little ones are given free rein to be as wild and creative as they want by adding their mark to the playground with real tools (yes, including saws . Plus, enjoy Rotisserie Chicken and Fries for only $12 (this special is to-go only). I ask a little girl, a zip line pro, for advice. Sports Camps & Clinics Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks. Adventure Playground 4 4 reviews #22 of 32 things to do in Huntington Beach Playgrounds Visit website Write a review About Suggested duration 2-3 hours Suggest edits to improve what we show. There are more permanent features like the climbing web and zip line too (for folks over six). Nails, hammers, and buckets of paint are just part of the fun. hide caption. More cities should have this type of play opportunity. This is not your local suburban park playground with a rubber floor and lawsuit-proof play structures. I took him down to the Berkeley Marina to go biking, but the moment he saw the Adventure Playground, the bike went into the trunk and the grandson went up the zipline. This is a large adventure ground with lots of opportunity to build on existing structures, ride a tire swing, or have the kids go down the zip line. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Make sure you reserve spot for your group in advance and everyone needs a waiver. There are old tires lying around everywhere, a huge cargo net to climb up and (my kids' favorite) a cable and pulley slide: you stand on a a wood platform, grab a rope attached to the pulley on the cable overhead, wrap your legs around the rope (which has a tiny seat attached) and zoom down into a pile of sand. "A lot of people learn by touching and feeling and doing, and they excel that way," she says. Ride the bridge, Bike the Bay for the 16th annual ride on Sunday, August 27, 2023! Between the two buildings is a native plant garden designed to attract birds and butterflies. The Adventure Playground is closed on holidays and rainy days. (Parents beware - your kid has to meet a height requirement to do this.). The park area features small climbing structures, three slides, a fire pole and swings with toddler bucket swings. Or, for a fun outing, catch the ferry across San Diego Bay. one staffer yells to a young girl as she makes her way across an old surfboard precariously balanced on a barrel. This 125-acre park offers five playgrounds (soon to be renovated) in the upper area. The two-year-old park is an easy exit off the five freeway and offers a quick road trip break for fresh air and some exercise with swings, teeter totters and spring rockers as well as a few small trails nearby. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. It overlooks the bay, all blue, calm and sunshine this day. That could almost be the motto for the Adventure Playground. There's an awesome zipline too. If you live in the area, it's probably worth the trip, but I don't think we'd make the trip from the city again. Nothing fancy or slick. If your kids like to climb this is the place to take them! San Diego | 1100 West Mission Bay Drive | 92109 Joseph Straus, 6, rides a zip line at the Berkeley Adventure Playground, where kids can "play wild" in a half-acre park that has a junkyard feel. He had offered The Guardian to the city at no cost, but after long deliberation it was rejected as too aggressive--not to mention that the animal appears to urinate when it rains. Get vaccinated for COVID-19, report a crime, access homeless services. At the Berkeley Marina, this is one of the coolest play spaces in the Bay Area - a free outdoor park encouraging creativity and cooperation where supervised kids of any age can help build and paint their own structures. Parents can help dig dirt back onto the top of the landing pile at the end of the zip line (or in other ways--ask the staff where they need help.). . Tours of the factory arent offered, but you, This museum boasts a fine collection almost 15,000 pieces of art and cultural artifacts sourced from across the Jewish diaspora, particularly Jewish, With a stainless-steel exterior wrapping around a 1930s printing plant, this museum holds multiple galleries showcasing a limited number of artworks, from, Despite the title, this isn't a museum, but rather a research facility that's closed to the public. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued reams of playground regulations and actually gone so far as to recommend against tripping hazards, like tree stumps and rocks. Maybe we should just bulldoze the local parks and put in a couple of blobs this time, made of plastic. "I dare you to go inside one and I'll push you down the slide.". Enroll in a camp or register for a recreation program. Adventure Playground | Berkeley, California - Lonely Planet They learn how to use tools in the Small tool area by the front. (There are boards with instructions about this too.) It is a parent group that has a club house with a kitchen, toys, and an outside area. FYI kids 7 and older can be dropped off at the park for up to 3 hours if you register! When you go, you might want to take along a picnic and take a walk along the Bay - the area where the playground is has a tiny beach, paths, and picnic tables. The playground also has a tire swing, climbing net, and fast-moving trolley hanging from a pulley. Joseph Straus, 6, rides a zip line at the Berkeley Adventure Playground, where kids can "play wild" in a half-acre park that has a junkyard feel. The Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Department maintains the City's parks, playgrounds, pools, camps, community centers, and waterfront facilities; provides diverse recreation programs and special events throughout the year; delivers resident camps opportunities for youth, families, and seniors; operates the largest public marina on the Bay; and . Five staff members handle everything from replenishing the zip line's dirt landing zone to facilitating wood-painting and other play activities. Explore an array of Adventure Playground, Berkeley vacation rentals, including boat rentals, hotel suite vacation rentals & more bookable online. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The park is a half-acre of dirt and quirky chaos hugging the Berkeley Marina on the San Francisco Bay. [1] The available tools include saws, hammers, workbenches, and nails. I recommend having pizza delivered and bring a cake. Next to, Telegraph Ave has traditionally been the throbbing heart of studentville in Berkeley, the sidewalks crowded with undergrads, postdocs and youthful. Not far away, Ethan Lipsie, age 9, clutches a framing hammer and a nine-penny nail. Enjoy Berkeley's parks, facilities, camps, and recreation programs. It can get really busy on the weekends with lots of kids running around. hide caption. There are plenty of opportunities for scrapes, falls, or injuries. Inland Valley, Mountain & Desert Neighborhoods, Book online or call 1-800-350-6205 to speak with a local expert, Davey's Locker Whale Watching & Sportsfishing, Copyright 2023 San Diego Tourism Authority. visit adventure playground. David Gilkey/NPR "You know, to fall in the dirt like this is just great!" See http://www.pram.net/. The fog was, If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture, No one could have predicted the cultural force City Lights would become when it first opened in 1953. Adventure Playground - Visit Berkeley Adventure Playground is an urban park and adventure playground in Berkeley, California, located at the Berkeley Marina. Children under the age of 18 must have a supervising adult registered to attend and watch them during their . Include all your phone numbers, email addresses, and locations of interest to get critical emergency information wherever . Lots of outdoor and hands-on building and exploring opportunities for youngsters. I took him down to the Berkeley Marina to go biking, but the moment he saw the Adventure Playground, the bike went into the trunk and the grandson went up the zipline. [1] The available tools include saws, hammers, workbenches, and nails. Great for kids who like to build stuff, climb, and/or ride a zip line (in other words, most kids). Where The Wild Things Play. "The cellphone probably is the biggest problem we have. Berkeley's Adventure Playground Favorited by 510 Parents 160 University Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710 Call: (510) 981-6720 Visit Website Favorite Review THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BERKELEY'S ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos), Hotels near University of California, Berkeley, Hotels near UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, Hotels near San Francisco Intl Airport (SFO), Hotels near Mineta San Jose Intl Airport (SJC), Hotels near Metropolitan Oakland Intl Airport (OAK), Motels near Mineta San Jose Intl Airport (SJC), Motels near Metropolitan Oakland Intl Airport (OAK), Motels near San Francisco Intl Airport (SFO), Hotels near Expression College for Digital Arts Emeryville, CA, Hotels near Church Divinity School Of The Pacific, Hotels near Starr King School for the Ministry, Hotels near Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley: Tickets & Tours, Half Day Snorkeling &Sunset Komodo Island : Kelor , Menjarite & Kalong island. Theres also a dog park for four-legged family members. The idea spread slowly across Europe and beyond; today there are approximately 1,000 adventure playgrounds worldwide (mostly in Europe). This is the most creative kid's playground I have ever seen and more than I could imagine. Escondido | 3333 Bear Valley Parkway | 92025 See. When you come to an intersection, veer left. An amazing collection of fantastic reptiles, amphibians, spiders, and insects. Adventure playground is a lot of fun at this age. "You got it! And there are kids RUNNING around holding hacksaws and hammers and nails and random pieces of wood up and down those rickety-ready-to-collapse-at-any-moment-structures everywhere. Next door, in the Strawbale visitors center at the. The newly-renovated treehouse-like play structure is intended for children of all ages and abilities. The lower area is ideal for picnics. David Gilkey/NPR Parks & Recreation | City of Berkeley There is a picnic table right outside the park and many other tables/barbeques close by. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. All rights reserved. PDF Rec. Division Shorebird Park Nature Center 160 University Avenue Shorebird Park Nature Center & Adventure Playground. Adventure Playground is an urban park and adventure playground in Berkeley, California, located at the Berkeley Marina. The United States has just one other permanent adventure playground, in Huntington Beach, CA. BERKELEYs BEST AttractionsAdventure Playground 160 University Ave., in Shorebird Park. 5 Best Playgrounds in the East Bay for Kids - Mommy Nearest It's free to get in and the kids really enjoyed it.