Great Escape: East Bay Regional Park Adventures

Your Valentine's Day may have been rained out, and if you're in certain areas of the Bay, you might see traces of hail in the crevices of the concrete, but one look outside tells you that spring is almost here.

We all know how lucky we are to live in an urban environment surrounded by natural beauty. Tilden, Redwood, Wildcat, Briones are all close by. Out east you have Black Diamond and down south, there is the Ohlone Wilderness.

Opportunities to get out and enjoy the area are all around us, but personally, all these choices often leave my mind reeling. I only have one or two weekend afternoons and I want to spend them well.

Thankfully, the East Bay Regional Park District is incredibly well organized, on paper (I found my guide in The Journal in El Cerrito) and online. With the district guides you can go well beyond your average hike with classes for everybody — from newt-seeking little explorers to the keen-eyed photographer.

Explore Black Diamond Mines (Antioch) through Ansel Adams' eyes this Saturday, learn about coffee and tea at Ardenwood Historic Farm (Fremont), discover the Diablo Foothills and even learn Native American basket weaving in Sunol — all within a 30-minute drive, and within the next two weeks. 

Check out the January-February 2011 Program Guide, Regional in Nature to find these and other classes and activities for grown-ups, kids and families. Look ahead to the spring season with the newly published March-April 2011 Program Guide, and please share your adventures with us here on El Cerrito Patch.