The Adventure Playground at the Berkeley Marina was opened in 1979. It is a wonderfully unique outdoor facility where staff encourage children to play and build creatively. Kids climb on the many strange, kid designed built forts, boats, and towers. Ride a zip line or use tools like a hammer, saw, and paint (under supervision). By providing low risk activities Adventure Playground creates opportunities for children to learn cooperation, meet physical challenges and gain self confidence. I used to play here as a kid and I’ve always remembered how fun and different this place was, this was probably the first time I used a hammer to really try and build something.
Currently, about 1,000 adventure playgrounds exist in Europe, largely in Denmark, Switzerland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and in England. In Germany alone there are some 400 adventure playgrounds. Japan has a significant number of adventure playgrounds as well.
In the U.S. there are currently two adventure playgrounds, in Berkeley, California and in Huntington Beach, California. The Adventure Playground in Berkeley celebrated its 25th birthday in 2004. The adventure playground in Huntington Beach was one of the first adventure playgrounds in the U.S. and has been around since the 1970s. Up until this year there were three adventure playgrounds in Houston, Texas as well as a Houston Adventure Play Association. They closed due to a loss of funding. Many of the adventure playgrounds that existed in the U.S. closed for similar reasons, either loss of funding or loss of the lease on the land.
FREE for 4 or less children accompanied by adults.

Marina Division
160 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Telephone: (510) 981-6720
Fax: (510) 981-6725
Website: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/marina/marinaexp/adventplgd.html
E-mail: pad3@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Cost: 0 USD per person
Hours: Saturdays & Sundays 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed when raining

General Directions:

Take Interstate 80 and get off at the University Avenue exit in Berkeley. take a left onto University toward the Bay when you come to an intersection come to the stop and veer to the left. Continue down University, the road will straighten out and you will see a wide open parking lot on the left- At the West end of this lot is the Adventure Playground. Parking is here. The Nature Center is the next lot, down University with parking on the right. Cross the street to the Nature Center. If you go too far you will come to the Berkeley pier.

Type: Sights & Activities
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