With more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases latticing the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone, the hills of East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California, making them an ideal subject for this unique walking guide. Containing approximately 40 individual hiking loops that link multiple staircases into one- to two-hour self-guided strolls, this metropolitan trail map sprinkles in fascinating facts about the hidden staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration and accompanied by an easy-to-follow map, the circular walks follow the footsteps of such legendary figures as Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir and climb such landmarks as Easter Way and Sunset Trail. All within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and local cafes, these urban treks will delight tourists, newly arrived Berkeley undergrads, and veteran Bay Area residents alike.
Secret Stairs
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About the Author
Charles Fleming teaches journalism at the University of Southern California. He has written for numerous magazines and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Variety. He is the author of High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess and Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles and the coauthor of My Lobotomy, Three Weeks in October: The Manhunt for the Serial Sniper, and A Goomba’s Guide to Life. He lives in Los Angeles.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Susan Alcorn
Format:Paperback
Secret Stairs East Bay is a delight! I do a lot of long-distance hiking when traveling, but it's the shorter hikes around home that keep me in shape and outdoors year round. I avoid getting in a rut by looking for new trails and challenges. This book -- with its hillside walks through the residential neighborhoods of Oakland, Berkeley, Kensington, Albany, and El Cerrito -- offers a great way to stay inspired. As author Charles Fleming writes, Secret Stairs is "part travel book, part local color, and part exercise." His intriguing guide takes you to 38 of our hidden staircases. As you take each hike, you'll enjoy reading the stories about the neighborhoods, homes, and famous characters (Bret Harte, John Muir and so forth) that have contributed to our exciting urban environment.
I also like that the book provides loop routes and that they start and stop in public parks or cafes. That makes it easy to combine your exercise plan with your social life. Each path's description gives the distance you'll walk, the number of steps, the level of difficulty, and public transit details. Most routes will take an hour or two so they are well within the reach of casual walkers as well as serious hikers. Secret Stairs East Bay is fun and interesting to read. If you want to make full use of it, get out your walking shoes and your water bottle, and start checking out the hidden staircases of the East Bay.
I also like that the book provides loop routes and that they start and stop in public parks or cafes. That makes it easy to combine your exercise plan with your social life. Each path's description gives the distance you'll walk, the number of steps, the level of difficulty, and public transit details. Most routes will take an hour or two so they are well within the reach of casual walkers as well as serious hikers. Secret Stairs East Bay is fun and interesting to read. If you want to make full use of it, get out your walking shoes and your water bottle, and start checking out the hidden staircases of the East Bay.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoy this book and our family has done more than half of the almost 40 walks in it. The routes are well planned out for difficulty, views, street crossings and points of interest and provide a unique view at neighborhoods that appear very different when passing by in a car. You'll be traveling back in time to a pre-auto dominated landscape where these stairs quickly connected new residential developments with streetcar lines. Descriptions of the route are relatively light and breezy; more focusing on landmarks than history but it's a walking guide not a historical guide. Finally like a lot of other creatures of the modern age, I've been trying to figure out how I wouldn't have to haul the entire book around on a walk. With a dog in one hand and kids that need a hand to cross streets it's a bit trying on days with no large pocketed jacket. I've photocopied the maps, but sometimes you need the text to find stairs that start out of the back of parking lots or other uncertain places (the text often is very useful at giving street numbers either side). I've taken pre reading the text and adding notes to photocopied maps which works most of the time. All in all a top notch resource that until now was only available for San Francisco proper.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Our first walk today was of Trestle Glen and Piedmont. This guided walk was very precise and even the approximate number of steps one would take were noted! The surroundings were described in great detail which included notes on the architecture, horticulture, and general points of interest. I love that the tour is on a loop so that we could end where we started. Of course, we had never been to this area before, we'd probably never discover it on our own or find a reason to see this charming area had it not been for the book. We can't wait for our next Sunday stroll and plan to take photos and date the outings in the book.
By cbwc
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
wonderful guide to interesting walks. this info is hard to find anywhere, but it's all here for you to enjoy.
By basil
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book is great; was received in great condition; will order from this site again. I can't wait to try the walks that the book describes.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first heard of this book when a friend rounded up a bunch of her teacher buds to go for a long walk in Oakland one beautiful Friday afternoon after a stressful week at work. It was a great hike up and down the hills of Oakland around Lakeshore Ave. After that walk, I had to order the book! Love it!
By miel4oshun
Format:Paperback
I went on my first walk today. Loved it! Wondering if this could be a audiobook and/or smartphone app. It would make a great walking tour.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I gave this book as a gift to a friend who lives in the East Bay (Albany) and she says she "loves it."
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