Bay Area Pet Fair

     The Bay Area has a lot to offer pets and pet owners, from numerous beautiful dog parks to swimming beaches to outdoor dining at countless restaurants. And every year, there's even a fair for pet families...The Bay Area Pet Fair, California's largest adoption event. According to their website, the pet fair boasts over 70 visiting rescues and shelters, around 1,500 pet adoptions, and about 50,000 visitors.
     The pet fair takes place at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and admission and parking are free. Although temperatures in Pleasanton are usually pretty high during September, the fair had a few Big Fogg stations for cool-down, buckets of water literally everywhere, and most booths and adoption areas were indoors or under a large canopy. Driving is really the only practical way to visit, especially if you hope to go home with a new family member, and plenty of volunteers are on-hand to get the many visitors parked quickly and hassle-free.
     For visitors not looking to adopt, there are numerous pet food and pet product booths, almost all of which hand out free samples. You can get a tote almost right away to hold it all, but taking a bag is also a good idea. In between collecting samples and learning about different pet products, you can watch dogs going for distance at Splash Dogs, meet a variety of rescue pups and K-9 officers, get a snow cone or some other goody from the food vendors, and meet all the pet guests. Those looking to adopt can additionally get a Wag Bag upon adoption.
     My sister and I were interested in grain-free products, and we weren't disappointed. Most booths had a grain-free line. We also found hemp treats, dental chews, coupons for all kinds of pet products, and a variety of soft and hard foods. We were especially impressed by the Weruva brand. Although the samples were free, there were also booths where one could buy pet-themed floor mats, coffee cups, pillows, bags, and more. We even talked to an animal rescue group about adopting rescued chickens and other animals.
     If you or your pooch get easily overwhelmed by crowds, this pet fair can be a challenge. Each building we entered was deafening with pet chatter, but there was a quiet grassy area with plenty of benches to get away from the chaos for a while. And the Splash Dogs area and Big Fogg stations provided nice open areas to re-ground.
     Overall, the pet fair is ideal for new pet parents looking for the best food options, experienced pet parents looking for more advanced food, training, and supplement options, and for prospective pet parents looking to expand their family. If you like a carnival atmosphere, love animals, enjoy meeting other pet owners, and/or want your pets to have some socializing time outside of the dog park, The Bay Area Pet Fair is definitely a Bay-Area-Miss-Me-Not.

Parking filling up quick before 10 am

 

Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park

     There's no question the Bay Area is becoming a very expensive and crowded place. This makes free activities away from the hustle and bustle all the more important for people who want to relax and have fun while still making rent.

     A little oases I enjoy that allows me to unwind and still feel like I'm not missing out on the wonders of the Bay Area is the Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park. The marina itself provides 1100 berths--a great place to do some boat watching--as well as a public pier that doesn't require a fishing license.

     Cesar Chavez Park, which sits adjacent to the marina, provides large stretches of open grass and hilly terrain, wildlife and bird watching opportunities, and views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge. On a clear day, one can see the Bay Bridge, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate at the same time from the parking turnabout (see photo below).

     The Bay Trail is nearby so the park is accessible by bike as well as vehicle, and parking is free and plentiful. The Dorothy Stegmann Trail, which is 1.25 miles long, runs around the diameter of the park and is paved. The paved path is mostly flat and is wheelchair friendly. And, happily, the park is dog friendly; there's even off-leash--though unfenced!--dog areas.

     My favorite part of visiting the park is doing a little bird and wildlife watching. There are so many birds, in fact, that birdsong is a throbbing, palpable force depending on the time of day. One side of the park belongs to the red-winged blackbird, and these daring individuals often zip over the path right in front of walkers and joggers and forage in the long grass at the path's edge. Another part of the park belongs to the burrowing owl, though I haven't seen one yet. It's also quite magical to watch the Forster Tern hunting for a meal; this bird hovers above the water like a helicopter before diving for its prey. One can also watch ground squirrels sunning themselves on rocks or munching on seed heads in the long grass. On the water, one can see grebes, a variety of ducks, pelicans, and more going about their birdy business.

     The whole park has a wild feel I have found few other places in the Bay Area. It always feels like I'm deep in nature while wandering the park and yet I'm not too far from Berkeley and the freeway, and the park provides such comforts as bathrooms (or rather, port-a-potties), benches ideally placed for the views, and water fountains.

     For those who don't mind spending money on a trip to the marina, there are three restaurants nearby including the Sea Breeze Market & Deli. There is also a Doubletree Hotel on site for Bay Area visitors, and Golden Gate Fields is just down the road for the horse racing enthusiast. In the summer the marina offers classes at its Shorebird Park Nature Center on water activities and marine biology for children up to 16 years old (more here: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/summer_programs/). Participants can learn about canoeing, sailing, dragon boats, and local wildlife.

     So whether you're a visitor to the Bay Area and need a break from the tourist activities or you're a resident and need a break from the tourists, Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park are definitely Bay-Area-miss-me-nots.

 

 

Yep, that's the Golden Gate out there.

 

 

San Francisco

 

 

Notice the shipping cranes in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold, the red-winged blackbird.

 

 On the horizon from left to right, the Bay Bridge (new span in front, old behind), San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge.