Willard Park — Attraction in Berkeley

This is the best Berkeley Park for UCB Students and nearby residents. It has a large grassy open space perfect for small gatherings, really nice Tennis Courts, a Children's Playground and well maintained restroom. There are, as other parks, several homeless people about who are mostly Berkeley Regulars and generally nice.

However, amongst all the great folks there are also significant bicycle thieves in the area who will take any opportunity to steal your bike in a mere heartbeat so bring a lock and remain mindful.

This is not a dog park however it might as well be as there are frequently loose dogs about. These are usually well behaved pets with generally responsible owners who generally ignore posted signs indicating dogs are required to be leashed. On occasion this can be an issue as Berkeley Types sometimes cannot contain themselves and you might even see people arguing over this issue.

I have to say, Berkeley does an excellent job of keeping everything maintained. This park seems a bit cleaner than other parks in the area.

Parking is readily available. I sometimes wish there were more shade trees but overall this is one of my favorite neighborhood parks in The City...

🌳 Scenic and Relaxing: Spacious green lawn with mature trees offering shade and calm.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-Friendly: Safe and clean playground area with modern equipment.

🏀 Recreational Facilities: Includes basketball courts and open fields for sports and activities.

🧺 Great for Picnics: Plenty of grassy areas and picnic tables for casual outdoor meals.

🐶 Pet-Friendly: Popular spot for dog walkers; dogs must be leashed.

🎓 Student Hangout: Close to UC Berkeley, making it a favorite for students to relax or study outdoors.

🏡 Neighborhood Vibe: Feels very local and community-oriented—frequented by families and longtime residents.

🧘 Peaceful Atmosphere: Ideal for yoga, reading, or just enjoying a quiet break.

🅿️ Parking: Limited street parking nearby; best to walk or bike if local.

🕊️ Known for Its Activist History: Nicknamed “Ho Chi Minh Park” by locals due to its 1960s...

Was a lovely park but now during "taxpayer-funded remodeling" a fascist message came over a loudspeaker starting around 6pm & periodically repeated this evening saying that Willard Park is private property and police will be called if people didn't leave. Seriously? Toddlers at the playground, students getting some sun, families relaxing and then this hostile repetitive messaging?! Berkeley already ruined historic Peoples Park by cutting down old growth trees and surrounding it with two stories of shipping containers & concertina wire. Blue no matter who gov't really wants to eliminate public places for people to relax in favor of a disneyfied overpoliced sterile playground for the rich. Good...