Benicia State Recreation Area

You directed me to park in a certain spot and I ignored you. I made you walk a quarter mile up the trail, kiss me, then turn right back around and walk to the car. You seemed not to mind.We came back a few weeks later and you saw my head in a fluorescent pill and you let me see yours safely capped in your own little pill. A+ for safety! We stopped to try the pullup bar. I guessed your favorite tree. We offroaded to a picnic table and you hated my lychee jelly so now I know to bring you cold Yukon gold potatoes. We rated bridge aesthetics and sat a while with each other at that bench. Then we swapped bikes and you liked how zippy my single speed was. We ended the afternoon blasting AC inside the car and exploring some hang ups which turned out not to be hang ups.

Pay your small fee for a window sticker and drive down to the end of the road for doing some hiking. The path along the shore from there is fairly short, but interesting, the best is the hiking above to some of the view point. Very worth the time for those hikes and they aren't very long. Great views - especially of the bridge from Crockett.

Very nice in the FALL with warm sun, cool breeze, and the fall leaves. Sad I didn't get any pictures of the beautiful trees with all the fall color. Had a great 3 mile walk in the best weather. Lots of folks were out as well. There is an entrance fee to get it at $6.00. When we went, there was a park employee taking parking payments at the gate. She offered a map, which we didn't need. She was very pleasant.

In need for a walk but don't got the funds to go here?Rent a state park pass from your local library! It's super duper worth it especially being able to go to various state parks in CA. Support your local library This is my second time visiting Benicia State Park & I would say it's so worth going here if you have the time. The park ranger was nice & gave me a map and a brief overview of the state park. There are various places to park your vehicle & various walking trails with different levels of walkability to walk around at in the park. The path I took while here was the one at the end of parking area. This pathways walk along the bay, you can see various types of animals(usually squirrels & smaller rodents) walking alongside this trail. When I went there wasn't much people. This pathways is more easy going & doesn't require that much willpower to walk alongside this path. Going down this pathway you can see the Carquinez Bridge & the train across the bay, if you like relaxing & beautiful view of the bay I would recommend taking this pathway. Another interesting thing about this park is the mini garden area, at this place they have various types of plants & flowers. The layout of the garden is in a zigzag pattern so you'll spend most of your time walking around this area if you do explore it(around 20-30mins). If you get tired walking around the area there are many benches along the main road & on the pathways.

This makes for a nice, scenic walk. Not much of a hike, but a nice, consistent stroll for a sunny day. The trails near the water are quite peaceful and there are interesting plants to admire along the way. **Beware of the critters**. On this particular day I saw a snake, squirrels, and a rat! This was closer towards the water, if you walk on the path that is paved, you will probably see less of the critters.

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **On the outskirts of Benicia (if you can imagine Benicia in a skirt, a pencil one probably) is this rustic area of grassy hills and marshlands hugging the north shore of the narrowest part of the Carquinez Strait. I only point out the narrowness because big storage tankers came chugging by precariously close to the rocky shore. There's a $6 car entrance fee which explains why Jamie W. and I saw a lot of locals walking on the winding road to Dillon's Point where quite a few people had fishing poles firmly planted. Otherwise you could do what we did and just stroll along the water toward the Carquinez Bridge. That was about it, but with the views, it was enough as social distancing was no problem here.RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Beautiful park for a jog, walk, bike ride or hike. Not much traffic as far as cars and people. But during the rainy season it has been a number of trees down and debris. Always someone here fishing as well. Plenty of parking at a small fee or park in the shopping plaza across the way and walk over the over pass. You can see Mt Diablo across the water and other nice views. So make a visit for a workout, picnic outing, leisurely walk or whatever your WooSah is!

I have many, many fond memories of this park. As a child, my Dad and I would come here to walk and utilize the exercise "equipment" that can be found along the trail. Many times, my entire family would come here to go on a family walk. As I grew older and started preparing myself for the Police Academy, I again utilized this park's 5 mile jogging path to get myself at least somewhat conditioned. There's also been times that my Father, Gramps, and I took advantage of the good fishing that can be found near the end of the parks border. As you can see, there's plenty for a family to do and enjoy here. I've always found it to be safe. Never had an issue where safety's concerned. Exercising, fishing, photography, nature walks....all this and more can be done. Parking fee is $6 bucks if you park in one of two main parking lots. One side there's a Ranger there collecting fees but on the other side, it works on an honor system. Parking can be found along the street just outside the park for free.

Benicia is filled with so many wonderful little hidden gems, and Benicia State Park is definitely one of them. First off, how about those views?! The main walking path will take you along the outskirts of the Southampton Bay. It's so peaceful and serene here. The sunsets are truly heartwarming, especially when they're being casted right off of the bay. Although this park is entitled "Benicia" State Park, a large portion of the recreation is actually located in Vallejo too. There's a parking lot near the entrance that charges a $6 day use fee. My advice: unless you're planning on lugging a bunch of stuff into the recreational area, but find parking along the street and walk over. I was able to find lots of street park less than a half mile away from the entrance. There's a mix of paved and unpaved walking, running, and biking trails within the park. None of the trails are intense, so I wouldn't come here with the intention of doing any strenuous hiking. However, the trails are perfect for walking, running, and biking too. There's lot of places to picnic near the recreation, and there's even a beach-like cove where that's perfect for getting your feet wet on a warm day. This park comes equipped with picnic tables, barbecue pits, and restrooms. So many shady spots to relax near while you take in the views. There are some excellent views of the Carquinez Bridge along some of the trails. What I really enjoy most about this recreation is how few people that you'll actual find here. It's incredibly peaceful and at time you'll be able to have certain sections of the park all to yourself. Maybe I shouldn't be exposing this gem because it's just too beautiful NOT to share. If you're looking for a peaceful place to explore in Solano County, Benicia State Park is it.

I love this place. It's incredibly stunning all year-round and peaceful every single time I go. Beautiful place to walk, jog, bike, explore, hike, BBQ, picnic. There are bathrooms and garbage cans and water fountains at the end and a few spigots along the way if you need water. There are also receptacles to put your used fishing hooks in along the water. A cute little botanical garden. Lots of shaded and unshaded picnic tables with gorgeous views. Lots of wildlife, mainly beautiful sea birds and various ground squirrel type creatures, butterflies, dragonflies and such. I only deducted a point because the road signs/markings seem to confuse people. Drivers should go slow please because you will need to carefully and cautiously maneuver around people walking and biking on all parts of the road. It requires a bit of patience so if you have road rage, maybe steer clear. It's a breathtaking place to be outdoors, get some exercise and breathe the fresh air.