Hayward

Hayward is a city in the inner East Bay in the San Francisco Bay Area region of California located next to the San Francisco Bay.

Hayward is located near premier tourist locations (San Francisco), first rate educational institutions (Berkeley and Stanford), and an economic powerhouse (Silicon Valley), however relatively speaking Hayward does not have as much to offer as its neighbors. Even so, its central location may make it a very economical home base for tourists and commuters, and its panoramic views of the Bay alone are worth the side trip for visitors.

On paper, the landscape of this city of 163,000 people (2020) sounds nearly perfect. Hayward boasts of a central bay shoreline, a quaint city center with a small town feel in the city flatlands, hills which overlook the bay, and a hub of highways that connect everywhere in the bay area to the inland areas of California. Unfortunately the shoreline is mostly filled with warehouses and marshland, and the city center is slightly run down, although it is slowly being renovated.

Get in
As is the case in most of the U.S., you will find it easiest to get to and around Hayward by car.

That being said, there are several options for arriving by public transport. Amtrak runs multiple trains per day on its Capital Corridor route between Sacramento and San Jose, via Oakland. Long distance trains calls at, located at 22555 Meekland Ave. Commuter rail is provided by BART, which serves serves Hayward via its Warm Springs/South Fremont–Daly City line with two stops within city limits. at 28601 Dixon St and at 699 B St, the latter one within walking distance to many shops and restaurants in the city centre.

There are buses run by AC Transit, but these do not go to all parts of Hayward.

Get around
Hayward does have a lot of traffic in the Downtown area and on Highways. Hayward has several bus systems that serve the city. AC Transit and All Nighter Bus Network provide bus service and Union City Transit provides service in the Southern Hayward Area along the Union City Border. SamTrans service was discontinued in 1999. The HillHopper Bus System provides service to CSUEB. BART Has two stations (Downtown, South Hayward) with BayFair and Castro Valley BART stations nearby. Hayward has an Amtrak station in the Burbank District.

See

 * Swimming (fee) in the lagoon is the park's main attraction from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Swim hours are from 11AM to 6PM, and only when lifeguards are on duty. There is a bathhouse, a vending machine, a sandy beach and large lawn areas. Dogs are not allowed in the swim complex.
 * Picnic sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, although some reservable group sites are available (fee).
 * Fishing Anglers along the lake may catch trout, bass, catfish and bluegill. The lake is stocked regularly with trout and catfish. A California state fishing license is required for anglers age 16 or older. In addition, a Park District daily fishing permit is required and may be purchased through a self-registration process located at the swim complex entrance - exact change required. State fish and game regulations apply.
 * Trails are open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.
 * Fishing Anglers along the lake may catch trout, bass, catfish and bluegill. The lake is stocked regularly with trout and catfish. A California state fishing license is required for anglers age 16 or older. In addition, a Park District daily fishing permit is required and may be purchased through a self-registration process located at the swim complex entrance - exact change required. State fish and game regulations apply.
 * Trails are open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.

Do


Hayward is home to the CSUEB, the California State University East Bay. The highlight of Hayward is in the beautiful panoramic views of the bay which can be seen from and near the university in the hills. Visitors anywhere in the bay should definitely take this detour. From the Hayward hills, one can see Fremont, Silicon Valley, Oakland and San Francisco at once.

The drive from Hayward/Castro Valley to Oakland on Redwood Road is quite beautiful. This road is usually empty, and has the feel of being in a remote area despite the fact that it is near the bay. Beware of the cyclists and the Import racers that frequent Redwood Road.



Buy
The best shopping in the Bay Area is found in the cities of Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The downtown lost a lot of its smaller businesses when Southland Mall opened off of 880, which is a fine place for mall and big box store shopping. Cinema Place in downtown on B Street is a new theater with shopping and restaurants.

Every Saturday at Main St. and B St. 9AM-1PM the Hayward Farmers Market is held.

Southland Mall is a large sized old fashioned mall, with a central closed building, and satellite businesses, including some good restaurants like Elephant Bar. Anchor stores include Sears, Macy's.

Eat
Although the overall number of restaurants in Hayward is respectable by the standards of most cities in the United States, the choices are disappointing compared to those in nearby gourmet powerhouses Berkeley and Oakland. The advantages here: plentiful parking, lower prices, shorter waits. Most of the Mexican restaurants, especially the taquerias, are excellent inexpensive places to chow down on authentic, if non-gourmet, traditional dishes. If you choose to find a place to eat in Hayward, the city center is normally the best place to go, though many eateries can be found all around Hayward. You can also find food on Mission, Jackson, and Foothill Blvds.

There are also the usual chain restaurants including Dominoes, Taco Bell, McDonald's, The International House of Pancakes, and so on.

Budget




Drink
The downtown area has enough odd little hangouts and events, one can easily perambulate on a Friday night and pick up on blues or other music at the Music Depot (944 B St.), "pub" crawl, see a movie at Cinema Place. Always plenty of parking.



Stay safe
Like most cities in the United States, Hayward does have its rougher areas. Most of these are small areas right off of the five main streets in Hayward that run east to west. (A St, Winton Ave, Jackson St, Tennyson Ave, and Industrial Blvd.)

Connect
The City has a free Wi-Fi network or "Hot Spot" for the Downtown area. This area of coverage is approximate and may vary in strength and availability and best reception is found at the Main Hayward Public Library (835 "C" Street). The City does not provide technical support for this Wi-Fi system.

Go next
Due to its central location it is easy to get to most parts of the Bay Area using a car, BART, or Amtrak.

San Leandro - Hayward's eclectic neighbor to the north, home of the Otis Spunkmeyer headquarters, worldwide industries, malls, hotels and regional parks and shorelines.