Within driving distance from Piedmont, the Bay Area is rich with amazing views. While some may be crowded, overwhelming, or difficult to find, searching for these locations is well worth the effort. I’ve gathered my favorite spots in the area.
1. My favorite view in the entire Bay Area is Hawk Hill, located in Sausalito right next to the Golden Gate Bridge on the Marin side. This view gives you a great look of the bridge, downtown and south San Francisco, as well as the mouth of the Bay and where it connects to the Pacific Ocean. If you’d rather be closer to the bridge, walk down the hill to Battery Spencer. The only downside this spot has is the distance, as it is roughly an hour drive from Piedmont, as well as the crowdedness. However, the drive is very beautiful and pleasant, and with such a great view a crowd is to be expected. To get there, simply type “Hawk Hill” into Google Maps, and the directions should take you over the Richmond Bridge before reaching the viewpoint.
2. The close drive to Yerba Buena Island gives a great look at San Francisco’s cityscape, just over 15 minutes away from the edge of lower Piedmont. Yerba Buena is the island that connects the Bay Bridge to San Francisco. My favorite spot is just above the Bay Bridge, overlooking the traffic and the beautiful cityscape. To get there, drive up the hill after taking exit 4 off of 80 West to San Francisco, take a right to drive up the hill, and then take a left at the stop sign. Find parking, and walk until the yellow traffic barrier on Signal Road. Pass the barrier, walk up the hill, then take a right at the edge of the fence. Walk down the offroad hill and you will be able to view the whole city from up close. This spot can be hard to find parking at.
3. The Berkeley hills offer some spectacular views that come with a great spot for a hangout, first date, or picnic inside of a treehouse. There are two treehouses with views on the hill, and one has a swing. Climb into the treehouse, and sit down to look out at the lush greenery and streets of downtown Berkeley. This spot is roughly a 20 minute drive with a small hike to the treehouse. To get here, drive to Panoramic Way, and drive up it until you can park. From there, walk up the steep road until you reach one of the “fire roads,” or simply just the trails that go up. Next, walk up the trails until you reach the treehouse.
4. “The Rail” is a view located in the hills just past the Piedmont reservoir, showing all of Piedmont and downtown Oakland. While this view might not be as great as some of the others, its proximity makes it worthwhile, as it is only a five to ten minute drive from any given point in Piedmont. To get there, drive to Pershing Dr. until reaching the guardrail. Park your car, and enjoy the view.
5. Lastly, Mt. Tam is a popular spot for ocean and mountain views and the high elevation above the fog adds to the amazing and plentiful views the park offers. There are different views at Mt. Tam, with hiking trails to get to each one. You can see the vast horizon of the Pacific Ocean on one side and the entire Bay Area on the other. The variety of views makes this spot unique every time you go. To get there, put Mount Tamalpais State Park into Google Maps. From there, pick one of the hiking trails to get to the viewpoints. The flaw with this location is the far drive, as it is around an hour drive.
