Photo of people drinking by Michael McKay via Unsplash. Photo of Cesar Chavez Park by Bill Williams via Flickr.
Ah sweet sweet summertime! Beaches, parks, shorts, and of course drinking outdoors! And there is no place finer to enjoy a clandestine cocktail than the beautiful East Bay. Take my hand, let me show you some places to crack some brews near nature.
Photo by Mx. Granger via Wikimedia Commons.
Roses are red — Violets are blue — Beer!
Photo by Bill Williams via Flickr
While this lovely waterside park will soon be having a name change, it is still a killer spot to have a drink. Near the water, it stays kind of cool, and it’s a perfect stop if you are cruising around on your bike. This park hosts the Kite Festival every summer which is bad ass and I once saw a dead baby shark washed up on the shore. What’s not to love?
Photo by Mx Granger via Wikimedia Commons
A little less glamorous and a lot less lake situated than good ole’ Lake Merritt, this park is no frills and bad ass. Located near the MacArthur BART Station, this park has sprawling grass (no goose shit!), an always kickin’ basketball court, and a well-loved softball field so you can lounge around and enjoy your tall drink of whatever and take in the atmosphere. Plus it’s home to possibly the best music festival in the Bay Area, Mosswood Meltdown.
I have written about this place before (guilty), but I cannot stress enough how fucking awesome this waterfront park is. The view of the city is insane, there is almost no one there, and the geese are just as mean as ones featured at other Bay Area parks, so you won’t feel out of place. Enjoy yourself an adult beverage and a breathtaking sunset for the ultimate double header.
It goes without saying, Albany Bulb has gone through a pretty serious refresh in recent years, and I am not really sure how I feel about it. But that doesn’t diminish its destination as a great place to wander around, look at trippy art installations and graffiti and have some drinks.
I love dogs, but my current housing situation and lifestyle do not translate to my being able to have one. This in no way lessens my obsession with them though. What is a dog-less dog lover to do? Point Isabel! This Richmond dog park, also located along the Bay Trail, is dog heaven. Stroll along the paths with a discreetly bagged cold one and take in all of the beautiful happy doggies running around like crazy. Just watch where you step…
This originally appeared in a slightly different form in 2016.
