Directions

You’ll find us at Lake Merritt. Our address is 666 Bellevue Ave, Oakland, California. Click on the image above to get directions from Google maps.

Entrance to the gardens is free, but there are parking fees to enter Lakeside Park on Bellevue Ave. Week days after 1:00 PM it is $2.00. On the weekends the parking fee is $5.00.  The gates to the gardens are open by 9:00 AM daily and the gates are closed at 4:30pm in the late fall & winter and 6:00 PM for the rest of the year.

Summarized Directions:

1. Public transportation – Take BART to 2Oth Street Station in Oakland. Exit station at the 20th Street entrance. You can see Lake Merritt from the 20th Street entrance. Walk one block to the corner of 20th Street and Webster. Cross to the opposite side of the street. Catch the #58 bus. Get off at the first stop at Grand Ave. Walk into the park on Bellevue Avenue. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.

2. Driving from San Francisco- Take Bay Bridge to Hwy 580. Exit at Grand Ave. Off-ramp becomes MacArthur Blvd. At stoplight turn right onto Grand Avenue. At the fourth stop light Bellevue Avenue, turn left into park. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.

3. Driving from Marin and Sonoma Counties- Take Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Highway 580. Follow I-580 along I-80 {East Shore Freeway). At the maze follow I-580 toward Hayward. Exit I-580 at Grand Ave. Off-ramp becomes MacArthur Blvd. At stoplight turn right onto Grand Avenue. At the fourth stoplight, Bellevue Avenue, turn left into park. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.

4. Driving from South Bay and mid Peninsula-Find your way to interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and exit at Oak Street in Oakland. At Oak and 6th Street turn right onto Oak. Oak Street becomes Lakeside Drive. Follow Oak/Lakeside Drive to Harrison Street. Turn right on Harrison Street to Grand Avenue. Turn right on Grand Avenue around north end of Lake Merritt. Turn right or Bellevue Avenue into park. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.

5. Driving from Sacramento, Martinez, Walnut Creek-Take Interstate 680 to Hwy. 24 in Walnut Creek. West on Hwy. 24 through the Caldecott Tunnel. Follow Hwy 580 toward Hayward exit at Grand Ave, off-ramp becomes MacArthur Blvd. At stop light turn right onto Grand Avenue. At the fourth stop light, Bellevue Avenue, turn left into park. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.

6. Driving from Stockton, Tracy, Livermore, Dublin, Hayward – Take Interstate 580 to Grand Avenue exit in Oakland. Left under Freeway on Grand Avenue. At the fifth stoplight, Bellevue Avenue, turn left into park. Beyond the kiosk at the entrance to the park, you’ll immediately pass children’s Fairyland on the right, then the Lakeside Garden Center on the left.