Yesterday was all about family. Today is all about buying stuff.
It’s a weird contrast. We celebrate the simpler things in life. Then as soon as the last crumb of pie is consumed, we flock to Amazon to start buying air fryers, robot vacuums, and all manner of things that are decidedly not simple.
If you’d like a bread from the intensity and crowds of Black Friday, there’s a redwood grove in Tilden Regional Park you need to check out.
It’s tiny, but still is one of my favorite in the whole Bay Area. You access it by walking into the Tilden Botanical Garden (not to be confused with the UC garden), going to the left, walking past the building that sells plants, and going across a little lawn to the grove itself.
Once there, you’ll find a circle of trees surrounding you–towering overhead and creating beautiful sunburst patterns with the light, while also providing shade and quiet.
I visited this week with my family, and it’s the perfect place to take a momentary break from the hustle and bustle energy of the holiday season.
And even better–in contrast to the general vibe on Black Friday–it’s entirely free. The garden is part of the East Bay Regional Park system, so you can enter and explore without paying a dime.
There’s a small parking lot across the street, though it does tend to fill up on busy days. There’s also a restroom with a real toilet and sinks (a rarity this far out into the woods) and a newly-built, handicap accessible ramp to enter the garden.
If you’re looking for a little escape without going too far, this is the place to do it. To visit, set your GPS to: 1550 Wildcat Canyon Rd, Berkeley, CA 94708
