ALBANY, Calif. — One city’s trash is an artist’s treasure. At least, that's the case for one Bay Area park. Concrete, rebar and all sorts of building material is what you’ll be walking on at the Albany Bulb.
Before it was a park, it was a massive landfill. The Albany Bulb is a man-made piece of land created as a result of dumping construction debris into San Francisco Bay from 1963 to 1989. During that time, trash was polluting the water and caught the attention of environmental group Save the Bay, who ended up stopping the landfill and turning it into a park.
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Locals simply call the park "the bulb” because the isthmus of the park leads to a bulb-shaped piece of land with a number of trails. One of the things you'll notice on the trail is that it’s a bit smelly. When it was a landfill, it was not uncommon for methane fires to start.
Eventually artists took note of the place and in the 1990s they started decorating. Not all the trails in the park are well marked or handicap-accessible, but each path has its own uniqueness to it. Like most art, it is up to interpretation. Some displays are more interesting than others.
The Bulb has become a popular place to walk dogs, or go for a hike and take pictures for social media. The rock labyrinth at the end of the park is a popular place, especially at sunset. It’s a fun, free and unique way to experience the Bay Area.
DAY TRIP IDEA: Rancho Obi-Wan, home of the world’s largest Star Wars memorabilia collection is less than a parsec away in Petaluma.