Hayward, California is an excellent place to live because it’s affordable and convenient to travel around. It’s near the water on the East Bay and if you go up into the hills you can see a big view of San Francisco, Fremont, Silicon Valley and Oakland all at once.Its a lovely place with a friendly atmosphere.
Here are the Things to do in Hayward California
There are so many fun things to do around Hayward. You can visit all the cool places in San Francisco, check out fancy universities, see what life is like in Silicon Valley or just enjoy the pretty views by the bay.
Let’s see what Hayward has to offer.
Explore Best things to do in Hayward California
- Hayward Regional Shoreline
- Garin Regional Park
- Mural Arts Program of Hayward
- Local cuisine
- Sulphur Creek Nature Center
- Oakland
- San Leandro
- San Jose
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Now let’s check out the shoreline.This part of the East Bay has lots of marshes where birds live.When you go for a walk at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center.you can borrow special glasses called binoculars.With these you might see birds like double-crested cormorants and long-billed curlews.A while ago the Hayward shoreline used to be used for sailing but in the 80s it was changed back to wetlands to help bring wildlife back to this area of the East Bay.The San Francisco Bay Trail goes through the park. If you want to take a longer walk you can go for a few miles along this path. It’s really long, stretching around two thirds of the Bay for 345 miles. see more
Garin Regional Park
People who live by the bay have been visiting these hills for about a hundred years especially in the evenings when the sun sets over the western part of the bay.There used to be a ranch here before the owner Andrew J. Garin sold his hilly land to the district. You can still walk through the ranch’s old orchards and in the fall there’s an apple festival with games, apple tasting and live music to celebrate the harvest.The hills are tall reaching over 500 metres high. From the top you can see all around the Bay Area.
Mural Arts Program of Hayward
For a while Hayward had some trouble with graffiti. But in 2008, the city came up with a clever idea. Instead of letting the taggers have their way they decided to turn things around. They chose walls and pillars that usually got tagged and asked artists to come and paint beautiful murals on them instead. It was a way to make the city more colourful and give talented artists a chance to showcase their work.Instead of wasting money to clean up graffiti city decided to invest it in something creative.They paid artists to make beautiful paintings instead.So when you walk around downtown you’ll see some really awesome artwork on buildings and other empty spots.
Local cuisine
Hayward might not be as trendy as some nearby areas but it definitely has its own unique charm when it comes to food choices.As you walk around you’ll see lots of different kinds of people in Hayward This diversity is reflected in the variety of restaurants you’ll find here. You can try yummy Mexican tacos, tasty Korean barbecue, delicious Vietnamese food, authentic Japanese dishes, or classic American diner meals. There’s something for everyone like taking a tasty trip around the world.
Sulphur Creek Nature Center
In a park in Hayward there’s a place where you can learn about animals for free. It’s a wildlife centre that helps injured animals and it’s a great place for kids to learn about nature.Every year, at least 900 animals come here to get better. They stay in open areas so you can see them up close. You’ll usually spot eagles, grey foxes, rattlesnakes and long-toed salamanders.
The people who work here are nice and like to share what they know. Kids can watch the animals eat and be taken care of. The place is really cool too. Sulphur Creek is in a deep forested valley that feels far away from downtown Hayward even though it’s just five minutes away.
Oakland
Oakland used to be known as San Francisco’s rough neighbour, but now it’s getting better. You should visit for the amazing food.Downtown has many kinds of food from around the world. You can try delicious Asian dishes from Cambodia, China, Vietnam and India at the great restaurants there. Your taste buds will love it.
To discover Oakland’s past near the water visit Jack London Square. It’s named after a well-known writer and it’s located in the heart of the city’s wharf district.
San Leandro
San Leandro nestled gracefully just beyond Hayward has stood as a beacon of community since its inception in the quaint year of 1872. That’s a really long time ago, especially in California.The town started because of the oyster beds near the bay, which used to be the biggest oyster fishery in the Americas.In the olden days, the water got too dirty for oysters to live well, so the oyster business disappeared. Now the place where they used to live is kept safe because it’s important in California’s history.
In San Leandro, there’s no shortage of activities to enjoy making it a vibrant destination for visitors and locals alike.Outdoor enthusiasts can lose themselves in the natural beauty of Lake Chabot Regional Park where winding trails serene fishing spots and breathtaking lake vistas await exploration.Adding to the historical charm of San Leandro is Casa Peralta an elegant mansion from the early 20th century fashioned in colonial style. The city has kept Casa Peralta as a museum honouring California’s Latin heritage with grace and respect.
San Jose
Travelling from Hayward to San Jose is very easy, just a quick trip along the shoreline.San Jose is in Silicon Valley one of the wealthiest and priciest areas in the USA.
You can go to a great farmer’s market on Fridays and Saturdays. And any day is the best time to try out the amazing restaurants in Japantown.
Santana Row is a stylish area for shopping, dining and finding cool local shops that are popular among the trendy crowd in San Jose.
And if you want to learn and have fun go to the Tech Museum of Innovation. It shows how technology is used in everyday life and it’s really cool.
