CHABOT PARK

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

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Tucked away above Rockridge near the Berkeley border, Chabot Park earns “hidden gem” status because searching for this park online is likely to point you towards a neighborhood in Oakland’s southeastern hills on the other side of town. If you avoid this misdirection, you’ll discover a well-kept recreation area directly adjacent to Chabot Elementary School. The park is named for Anthony Chabot, the 19th century businessman who founded what would eventually become the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

Park Activities

Swing by Chabot Park on a weekend afternoon and you will find plenty of athletic activity in flight. Adults practice their forehands on three courts while pre-teens take batting practice or play catch on the two baseball fields. Without a playground on site, young families occupy themselves by poking around the trees at the park’s perimeter while the traffic on Highway 24 hums above. Overall, it’s a fairly serene scene. Online reviewers applaud ample parking, safety and field conditions, while subtracting points for a lack of lights and bathrooms, concluding that Chabot Park is the “best place to play tennis in Oakland” and “one of the better fields for Oakland kids to play on.”