East Bay parks simplifies parking costs, eliminates dog fees to encourage visitor growth

The Diablo Foothills Regional Park in an undated image. The park district will simplify parking costs and eliminate dog fees in an effort to encourage more visitors to the park. (Photo courtesy Michael Short/East Bay Regional Park District)

Parking costs have been simplified, and dog fees have been eliminated to encourage visits to East Bay Regional Parks, the park district said.

The updated fees include a flat $5 parking charge where kiosks are present, according to the park district. Previously, parking cost $3 to $6, depending on the park.

The East Bay Regional Park District in Alameda and Contra Costa counties is the largest regional park system in the U.S., drawing an estimated 30 million visits a year, according to the district.

The new parking fee doesn’t apply to Del Valle Regional Park on weekends and holidays April through Labor Day, when there is a flat $10 entrance fee on peak days that covers parking and other charges, the district said in a press release Friday.

Dog fees, formerly $2, have been removed for 2025. Dogs are required to be on leash in designated areas, including trailheads, parking lots, paved trails, and picnic areas. Dogs must also be on leash around horses and in parks where cattle are present.

A dog permit is still required to walk more than three dogs at a time. Professional dog walkers are required to obtain a permit regardless of how many dogs they walk at one time.

Charges have also been updated for swimming fees, day camp fees, special event fees, concessionaire fees, parking citation penalties, and vehicle release fees, according to the park district.

The fees streamline pricing and better reflect the cost of providing services, the district said.

The post East Bay parks simplifies parking costs, eliminates dog fees to encourage visitor growth appeared first on Local News Matters.

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