Creekside park 

Creekside is hands down my favorite spot to shoot at in Brentwood. Located off of Balfour Rd. near Safeway, the park is surrounded by trails that offer a variety of pretty backdrops. It also offers shade on hot days. The colors change throughout the year, from green to gorgeous fall colors. There are so many niches and it's a great location for getting some nice light. 

Downtown Brentwood

Downtown Brentwood is very cute and easy to get to. There are a variety of wooden walls, cool structures, some plant areas, and a short walk away are some brick walls and the movie theatre. 

Black Diamond Mines

Black Diamond Mine is a beautiful location near Pittsburg with grassy fields, hills, and some fun areas to explore. Some of the cooler areas do require a bit of hiking. Nothing too crazy though! 

Note: there may be a parking fee on holidays and weekends.

California Theatre/Downtown Pittsburg

Located near the California Theatre in Downtown Pittsburg, this location is easy to get to and has a lot of fun brick walls, some foliage, and some empty lots that make for cool backgrounds. There are a lot of murals and this location offers more of an urban feel.

Mt. Diablo - Regency Drive (near clayton)

While there are a lot of areas near Mt. Diablo that make beautiful backdrops, this is one of my favorites. This location does require more hiking. The parking is on a street in a residential area and has a slightly steep downhill to get to the trail which can be a bit challenging, but there are creeks, sometimes flowers, lots of trails and Mt. Diablo in the background. 

Mt. Diablo - Rock City

This is a fun little trip. While it can be a windy drive up the mountain, there are beautiful views of the Bay Area. There's are lots of pull offs along the side with beautiful views - and if you're feeling adventurous Rock City is beautiful with lots of easy climbs and trails. Fee is $10 to get into the park, but totally worth it. 

Old Borges Ranch

This spot has some more rustic wooden buildings and greenery and has dirt trails nearby that are a short trip up to get beautiful views of the hills! It’s near the Walnut Creek/Clayton area.

Roberts Regional Rec. Area (Oakland)

One of my favorite redwood spots this side of the bridge. Super pretty, not super busy, and lots of great redwood backdrops. There is a parking fee to get into the redwood grove area though!

Grizzly Peak (Berkeley)

Grizzly Peak has a beautiful view overlooking the Bay. Parking is along Grizzly Peak Dr. in a small lot which can be tough to find, but after a short hike to this open area, there are a lot of pretty views. There is grass, some logs to climb around on, and some trails around the area to move around and find fun backdrops. 

Tilden - Near Little Farm

Tilden is full of beautiful areas. This area near Little Farm - a small farm that is great for the kids to feed cows, pigs, goats, whatever - is especially beautiful with this wooden walkway and tons of greenery. There is also a botanical garden nearby that is a great backdrop.