Tilden Regional Park is the reason Berkeley residents do not have to leave the city to get properly outdoors. It sits in the hills directly above town, it is enormous, and the entrance costs nothing. For a great many families on this side of the bay it is the default Saturday, and it has been for generations.

The park is run by the East Bay Regional Park District and is open daily from 5am to 10pm. Entry is free. Individual attractions inside charge their own modest fees, which is where most of the confusion comes from, so this guide separates the two clearly.

The steam train: Redwood Valley Railway

The single most searched thing in Tilden, after the park itself, is the train. The Redwood Valley Railway is a miniature steam railway that runs a loop through the hillside woods, and it is the memory most people who grew up here keep.

It runs Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 6pm, with extra days over spring break and holiday weekends. Fares are 5 dollars per ride, or 20 dollars for five rides, and children under 2 ride free. The five-ride ticket is the obvious buy for a family, and it does not have to be used in one day.

Hours are weather dependent, which in the Berkeley hills is not a formality. Check the park district’s current listing before driving up, particularly between October and May.

The merry-go-round

The Tilden Merry-Go-Round is the other classic, a genuine antique carousel housed in its own building so it runs regardless of drizzle. It opens Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 5:30pm, with extra hours during spring break and on Family Fun Days.

Fees are 4 dollars per ride or 24 dollars for seven. The building also does a decent line in popcorn, and the sound of the band organ carries a surprising distance through the trees.

Little Farm

Little Farm is the free one, and for children under about six it is often the highlight of the whole park. Cows, goats, sheep and chickens, viewable up close. It sits closest to the Canon Drive entrance on the Berkeley side, which is the entrance to aim for if the farm is your main destination.

The long-standing local tradition is to bring celery or lettuce to feed the animals. Do not bring bread. The farm asks specifically for vegetables, and the signage explains why.

Lake Anza

Lake Anza is the swimming lake, with a small beach, and in a hot Berkeley September it is the best answer in the city. Swim season, lifeguard coverage and fees vary year to year, and the lake has closed at times for water quality, so this is the one attraction you should confirm before setting out. The park district information line is 1-888-327-2757, option 3.

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is the most underrated thing in Tilden and it is completely free. Ten acres devoted entirely to California native plants, arranged by the regions of the state they come from, so a short walk takes you from coastal scrub to the Sierra.

Hours are 8:30am to 5pm from October through May, and 8:30am to 5:30pm from June through September. For anyone gardening in this climate it is also the single most useful place in the East Bay, because everything in it survives a California summer without irrigation.

Hiking in Tilden

Tilden is a genuine hiking destination rather than a park with a path through it. Trails range from flat and stroller-friendly to steep hill climbs with views across the bay to the Golden Gate on a clear day.

The practical Berkeley advice: the hills hold fog in the morning far longer than the flats do, so a grey start downtown often becomes a bright day up here by eleven. In winter and spring the trails hold mud well after the rain stops, and proper footwear matters. The Nimitz Way paved path along the ridge is the one to take if you want the views without the mud or if you are pushing a buggy.

Summer brings the opposite consideration: fire risk is real in these hills, and seasonal restrictions are posted at the entrances. Read them.

The Brazilian Room

The Brazilian Room is Tilden’s event venue, a wood-panelled hall set among the trees that has hosted a very large share of the weddings in this part of the East Bay. If you are searching for it, you are almost certainly planning something, and it books a long way ahead through the park district.

Getting there and parking

Tilden sits above Berkeley in the hills, reached from the Berkeley side via Canon Drive, Spruce Street and Grizzly Peak Boulevard. The roads are narrow and winding and they are shared with a steady stream of cyclists, so drive accordingly.

Parking is free at the lots, but the lots serving the train, the merry-go-round and Lake Anza fill on warm weekends, and by midday on a hot Saturday you may be walking in from further out. Arriving before eleven solves nearly all of it.

Note that the park spans Berkeley, Oakland and Orinda, so a map pin dropped on the wrong side of the ridge can send you a long way around. Aim at the specific attraction rather than at the park.

A full day in Tilden, in order

Arrive around ten. Start at Little Farm while the animals are active and the crowd is thin, with your celery. Walk from there rather than driving; the farm, the Environmental Education Center and the nearer trails connect on foot.

Do the steam train and the merry-go-round in the middle of the day, buying the multi-ride ticket if you have more than one child or intend to come back. Eat something you brought, because the food options inside the park are limited and the picnic areas are excellent.

Spend the afternoon either at the Botanic Garden, which is free, quiet and shaded, or on a proper walk along the ridge. In hot weather, swap that for Lake Anza if it is open. Leave before the light goes, because the hill roads are genuinely dark and twisting after sunset.

What it costs a family

A realistic figure, because this is one of the cheapest good days out in an extremely expensive city. Entry free, parking free, Little Farm free, Botanic Garden free. A family of four doing the train once and the carousel once lands around 36 dollars. Bring a picnic and that is the whole day.

In a city where the median home passes 1.5 million dollars and the average apartment rent runs over 3,400 dollars a month, that matters. Our guide to free things to do in Berkeley collects the rest.

More Berkeley guides

Eating: best restaurants in Berkeley, pizza, bakeries, Italian, Indian, breakfast and brunch, coffee shops and bars. Out and about: Tilden Regional Park, things to do, parks, free things to do, with kids, dog friendly, date ideas, farmers markets and events. Living here: neighbourhoods, cost of living, moving to Berkeley, schools and safety.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tilden Park free?

Yes. Entry to Tilden Regional Park is free and so is parking, and the park is open daily from 5am to 10pm. Individual attractions charge their own fees: the steam train is 5 dollars per ride, the merry-go-round 4 dollars per ride. Little Farm and the Regional Parks Botanic Garden are both free.

What are the Tilden Park steam train hours?

The Redwood Valley Railway runs Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm, with additional days over spring break and holiday weekends. Fares are 5 dollars per ride or 20 dollars for five rides, and children under 2 ride free. Hours depend on weather, so check the park district listing before driving up.

What are the merry-go-round hours and prices?

The Tilden Merry-Go-Round is open Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 5:30pm, with extra hours during spring break and on Family Fun Days. It costs 4 dollars per ride or 24 dollars for seven rides. It is housed in its own building, so light rain is not a problem.

Can you swim at Lake Anza?

Lake Anza has a small beach and a swim season, but lifeguard coverage, fees and opening vary year to year and the lake has closed at times for water quality. It is the one Tilden attraction worth confirming before you set out. The park district information line is 1-888-327-2757, option 3.

What is there for young children at Tilden?

Little Farm is the highlight for under-sixes, and it is free: cows, goats, sheep and chickens viewable up close, nearest the Canon Drive entrance on the Berkeley side. Bring celery or lettuce rather than bread. Add the steam train and the merry-go-round, both weekends, and that is a full day for a small child.

Is the Botanic Garden in Tilden worth visiting?

It is the most underrated thing in the park and it is free. Ten acres devoted entirely to California native plants arranged by region of the state, open 8:30am to 5pm October through May and 8:30am to 5:30pm June through September. For anyone gardening in this climate it is also the most useful place in the East Bay.

Where should I park at Tilden?

Parking is free, but the lots serving the train, merry-go-round and Lake Anza fill on warm weekends, so arrive before about eleven. The park spans Berkeley, Oakland and Orinda, so navigate to the specific attraction rather than to the park itself, or you may be sent to the wrong side of the ridge.