Lake Anza is officially welcoming swimmers for the summer season! The 10-acre lake in Tilden Regional Park has a sandy swim beach on its shore with lifeguards on duty. Visitors are known to come from Berkeley and around the Bay Area to experience this charming lake destination, which makes for a fun alternative to nearby coastal beaches. Here’s what you should know in order to make the most of Lake Anza.
Swimming in Lake Anza
Lake Anza’s swim beach is about 70 yards long, with both sandy and grassy areas along the shore. Kids, families, and waders have plenty of space to enjoy the shallow water, but it does get deep enough for swimmers to fully submerge. Amenities include a snack bar, picnic areas, restrooms, and changing rooms.
The swim beach opened on weekends and holidays starting in April, but it is now open on weekdays from May 26-September 5, 2025. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. When capacity is reached at the swim beach, no new entries will be allowed for the rest of the day.
Water safety
Like many lakes in the East Bay, Lake Anza is tested weekly for bacterial levels and blue-green algae. They use a stoplight system to advise visitors of water quality: green means the beach is open with low health risk, yellow means that the beach is open with an increased health risk, and red means that the beach is closed. No matter the water quality, the East Bay Regional Park District recommends that you keep water out of your mouth and shower after swimming.
More activities at Lake Anza
Note that recreational activities in Lake Anza are limited to just swimming and fishing—no kayaks, boats, or other watercraft allowed. If you have a California fishing license, you can enjoy fishing for rainbow trout, catfish, and bass.
You could also go for a pleasant stroll around the lake via the 0.7-mile Lake Anza Trail loop, or continue on to enjoy the rest of Tilden Park. The park has some charming attractions like a carousel, a botanical garden, a steam train, and picnic areas.
Travel times and prices for visiting Lake Anza
If you’re traveling to Lake Anza from San Francisco, it’ll take you about 30-40 minutes to reach the lake by car. You can also reach it by public transportation by taking BART to the Downtown Berkeley station and catching the AC Transit bus #56—just keep in mind that it’ll take you 1.5-2 hours to get there.
Finally, be prepared to pay a day-use fee at Lake Anza’s swim beach. Prices are $5 for ages 18-61, $3 for ages 2-17 or 62+, and free for kids under 2. There is also a $5 flat parking fee.