Bay Nature

464 acre Park managed by: Oakland

Knowland Park is the City of Oakland’s largest park. It’s best known as the home to the Oakland Zoo, but the zoo covers only 45 acres of this nearly 500-acre park, which also has hiking trails with great views of the Bay.

The Oakland Zoo has been in operation since 1922, and it’s a popular attraction for families from across the East Bay. The zoo does have critics, however, including the Friends of Knowland Park, which charges that the zoo’s expansion plans will do more harm than good.