Albany Bulb, photo by flickr user eekim CC BY 2.0

Albany Bulb

Art • Nature

Art installations will light up your day

Just a 15 minute drive North of campus, the Albany Bulb can quickly feel like an art gallery on another planet. The area was once inhabited by the native Costanoans (also known as the Ohlone) and has since been a cattle ranch, explosives plant, folk art collective, and home to many people and animals. Along this small peninsula you will discover the remnants of a three-story shack made of found materials, a fifteen-foot woman made of driftwood, and a labyrinth. Not to mention a lovely beach, eucalyptus grove, and jaw-dropping Bay views.

A beloved local landmark with a sordid history, the Bulb has recently had a bit of a makeover and is more accessible than ever. A walk along one of several paths along the peninsula is a hybrid of a hike and a stroll through an art gallery. Sculptures fashioned out of rusted rebar and hubcaps are accompanied by paintings on a canvas made of a cement block.

Adventure Info

• Albany Bulb Art Walk – alltrails.com
• City of Albany – “Bulb”

Nearby Food

While you’re in the area, grab food from these Black-owned food establishments:

• Juanita & Maude’s
• Roux