Public Market’s Food Hall is a great place to sit down with your friends for a tasty meal. You can also take your food to-go, pack a blanket and set the GPS to one of the region’s beautiful open spaces.

Here are some top spots to picnic east of the Bay Bridge:

Briones Regional Park
2537 Reliez Valley Road
Martinez, CA 94553
This sprawling park northwest of Walnut Creek offers both free access and reserved picnic areas equipped with tables and barbecue stands. First-come, first-served picnic areas can be found at both the Alhambra Creek and Bear Creek Staging Areas, located near two of the five major park access points.

Del Valle Regional Park
7000 Del Valle Road
Livermore, CA 94550
Ten miles south of Livermore, Del Valle Regional Park’s top attraction is the five-mile-long lake popular for fishing and surrounded by 4,300 acres of oak-covered hills. The park offers a number of picnic areas in addition to two swimming beaches, boat rentals, fishing and campsites.

Lake Chabot Regional Park
17600 Lake Chabot Road
Castro Valley, CA 94546
One of the most popular recreational areas in the East Bay, Lake Chabot is a 315-acre lake just north of Castro Valley. First-come, first-served picnic areas with tables and barbecue pits and group reserved picnic spots are conveniently located near Lake Chabot Marina. Adjacent to the lake is Anthony Chabot Regional Park, another popular picnic destination.

Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood Road
Oakland, CA 94619
Beyond the northern border of Anthony Chabot Regional Park lies the popular Redwood Regional Park featuring the only remaining stand of old-growth redwood trees in the East Bay. The 1,830-acre Redwood Regional Park offers a number of first-come, first-served and four reservable group picnic areas. Among the most popular picnic sites are at Roberts Regional Recreation Area, located within one of the two groves of historic redwoods in the park.