10 Favorite Benches, Overlooks and Sitting Spots in the Bay Area

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The Bay Area has a remarkable track record when it comes to sitting.

It’s where Otis Redding famously sung about sitting on the dock, watching the tide roll away. It’s the home of the 504 Disability Rights sit-in of 1977. Hell, this is the place where E-40 sat in his scraper watchin’ Oakland Gone Wild. Ta-dow.

I’ve long traveled this region in search of the most prominent perches to park my posterior, from benches along bumpy Bayshore Road on the backside of Benicia to the barracks at the old naval air station in Alameda. I’ve watched the ground squirrels dart across the grassy terrain while relaxing at Bedwell Bay Park in Atherton. And I’ve stretched out while witnessing flocks of birds fly over the muddy shores of Suisun City’s Montezuma Slough.

Below are my favorite benches, views and overlooks, drawn from years of exploring the Bay Area.

Wharf Road in Bolinas

Just behind a seawall that stands about a dozen feet tall, there’s a bench at the end of Wharf Road, and it’s calling your name. One sit on it and your mind will flow out into the Pacific Ocean, sinking into a current of thoughts and reflections. Meditation? Nope, this is traveling space and time, all because of a seaside bench.

Alviso Marina County Park

Let’s take a trip to a subterranean seat. On the other side of the Bay Area is San José’s Alviso Marina County Park, situated 13 feet below sea level. The views from the park, meanwhile, place the bay’s southern coast in full context, allowing you to see from Fremont to Palo Alto on a clear day. Leaning on a railing or sitting off a boat dock both encouraged.

Battery Mendell at the Marin Headlands

Now let’s head to the high cliffs of the Marin Headlands, where the natural landscape and military bunkers create a unique mix of Bay Area history. With over 2,000 acres of hillsides and beaches to explore, it’s hard to choose one spot. But at the end of Mendell Road, just past Battery Mendell, you’ll find an old military bunker that faces the ocean. What was once the site of a high-level defense apparatus is now an optimal place for sitting.

The Spirit Ship at Mare Island, Vallejo

Another remnant of the Bay Area’s military history is Mare Island. The former Naval shipyard is home to some of the most unique views in the region, including the convergence of the Sacramento River, Napa River and San Pablo Bay. Just past the island’s military cemetery and up a wide trail stands a huge metal sculpture in the shape of a ship. It’s adorned with thin metal pieces inscribed with names and uplifting messages. Dedicated to the shipyard workers, the piece was erected after the island was decommissioned and reopened for public use.

The Albany Bulb, and specifically the swing

Many know about Albany Bulb, one of the coolest landfill sights in the world. It’s an open-air museum. It’s a dog park. It’s an exhibit of political messages wrapped up in a piece of land that juts out from Albany like a miniature peninsula. And between the industrial ruins, leftovers from encampments and graffiti marking two teens’ undying love for one another, there’s a swing. And it’s a really good swing.

Training Hill near Cool, Calif.

If you’re looking to get a little further out into the greater Northern Californian region, there’s this place called Cool, California, just outside of Auburn. At the intersection of the North Fork America River and the Middle Fork American River lies the Western States Trail. There are a number of paths to take, some calm paths through woodland, others rocky riverside walkways. And then there’s the Training Hill. It’s a beast. A 14-mile loop that takes an average of six hours to complete.

And at the top of that trek, there’s a magnificent bench. Donated by a local Boy Scout troop, the polished slab of wood is a beacon for hikers who’ve just traversed the tumultuous terrain. As you sit and take in some fresh air, you might even realize that you can see the Sierra Mountains from there.

Briefly noted

Stones Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Elk Grove

Looking to take a day trip, get out of the Bay and see a place off the beaten path in the Central Valley? May I present to you: Stones Lake National Wildlife Refuge. It’s quaint, not much to it. A walking path and an amphitheater. There’s a cool directional sign that marks how far you are from San Francisco (as well as Pelican Island, Kauai and Moosehorn). And there’s wildlife: birds, rabbits and even an occasional lizard. Most importantly, there are some really peaceful places to sit.

BIG ART at Point San Pablo in Richmond

If public art and nature are your jam, look no further than Point San Pablo in Richmond. It’s tough to get to — one missed exit and you’re in Marin County. But if you’re leaving Richmond, and you take the last exit before the Richmond Bridge, after about a 10 minute drive down a windy road you’ll find one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area. A huge bumble bee, an ancient sculpture. A stage. Goats. A small restaurant and even a handful of house boats. This place has it all. It even has a few benches.

Alameda Creek Overlook (Little Yosemite), Livermore

Enjoy big historic pieces of nature, but need to save on gas? Alameda Creek Overlook in Livermore is often called “little Yosemite,” and guess what? It isn’t Yosemite. But if you squint… it’s still not Yosemite. But it’s nice! There’s hiking paths, a creek, plants, birds, horses and huge boulders that one can climb to check out the entire overlook.

USS San Francisco Memorial overlooking Battery Lobos

On the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge at the northwestern edge of San Francisco is Lands End, home to the USS San Francisco Memorial. Walk through the parking lot down a set of stairs (or you can get there by taking the trail), and there’s a bench where you can sit and watch the pelicans fly by at eye-level. On certain days, the fog rolls in all around you.