A fun family outing on a nice, sunny day. Train ride tickets are $5 each and the train ride itself…read moretakes you on a loop through the Vasona County Park. Very relaxing ride that takes about 10 minutes. All seats are uncovered so make sure to bring your hat or sunscreen. Right next to the train is an antique carousel, tickets are also $5 per person. The ride lasts relatively longer than the average carousel ride so I feel like you get your money's worth. Billy Jones Railroad is located within a larger park so there are several playgrounds and lots of open, grassy picnic areas or picnic tables to enjoy some lunch or snacks outside.

Came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. Tickets for train and carousel is $5 per person and…read morefree for kids 2 and under. The train ride is less than 10 minutes with no cover so we brought our hats. It's a quick ride and you pass by the parking lot and a park. My girls enjoyed it. After we played by the nearby park. There is a bathroom close to the train ticket booth and lots of tables to enjoy a snack or even lunch. They were just starting the grill to cook the food for lunch but our girls were hungry so we left to get food elsewhere.

Monterey Bay is always a nice getaway. Love the wharf, even if it's touristy, but I like that vibe…read more The shops are cute to browse and get souvenirs and gifts, it's never crowded, the views are incredible, you can spot some Marine life. It has an old-school vibe which is more than OK with me. Not a lot to do, but it can be a good stop on a road trip or you can kill time if you spend the night in town.

The views are nice of the Monterey Bay and the boat harbor. Otherwise, the wharf area has become a…read morevery touristy / borderline junky collection of souvenir shops, plus a few restaurants hanging on. It feels like an area that's trying too hard to get attention and extract dollars from visitors. Dear Hubby and I normally wouldn't be visiting the wharf when in the area. Especially because I have a dear friend who lives in Carmel and knows all the best places to go from a local's perspective. We rolled in to town just as the sun was setting, and we wanted to get something simple and have a view of the water. I had Googled "clam chowder, water view" and there was a listing for the Grotto, and it was close to our hotel, so off we went. I hadn't been to the wharf in probably twenty years, and I was surprised at the transformation. I remember it as being more of a place to find / buy freshly caught fish, with a few restaurants serving tasty seafood dishes. It was more about buying and enjoying food, with only a few options for other kinds of shopping. Now it's about all the kitschy shops full of forgettable souvenirs that line the foot of the wharf. There were a number of families walking around with young kids begging and pleading for their parents to buy them stuff they didn't need. We did end up having a good meal, and the weather was pleasant with no wind or fog. That made enjoying the views out over the Bay and the boat harbor very pleasant. Paid parking is required until 8 p.m., seven days a week. I think it was $1.25 an hour. There are pay stations readily available to use with a credit / debit card to pre-pay for parking.

If you're in the Carmel/Monterey area with kids, you have to stop here. It's a total hidden gem…read more There are so many wonderful play structures that kept our kids (ages 2 and up) entertained for hours--everything from the suspension bridge to the hedge maze and the classic steam engine. The park is also very well-maintained and clean, which isn't always a guarantee with public playgrounds. It's the perfect place to let the kids burn off some energy in a safe, fun environment. Highly recommend!

PLEASE place updated schedule on website/Yelp!!!!!…read more Went on a Tuesday and it was closed. Other than the aquarium this was the main reason we chose to come to Monterey and stayed an extra night just to have the day to visit the park. Lucky (I guess) I saw a worker and asked why it was closed. He said if kids are in school, then Tuesdays is when they close for maintenance.

My only complaint about Oak Meadow is the parking situation is super tricky! The lot is way too…read moresmall for such a big and wonderful park! Other than that, the carousel and train are so much fun and I can't say enough good things about the staff that work tirelessly here on weekends! I had my kid's birthday party here and it was so much fun. The only downside was parking was difficult for guests and our magician. I had to haul ass to the parking lot multiple times to help with parking and it was a bummer. But I will love this park forever.

We used to really love this park, but about three weeks ago, something terrible happened during a…read moreplaydate. My son ran toward the airplane play structure and came down the slope, crashing directly into one of the wings. The metal edge cut a deep hole on the bridge of his nose. We rushed to the ER -- the doctor had to close the wound in four layers, about 30-40 stitches in total. It was heartbreaking to watch. He lost a lot of blood, and the scar may never fully fade. We've spent around $5,000-$6,000 even after insurance, and he now needs daily scar care for at least a year. I'm writing this to warn other parents -- that airplane is dangerous. Please keep a very close eye on your children there. No family should have to experience something like this.

This is the most thrilling attraction at Gilroy Gardens. We did have to wait almost an hour for it…read more(we went during holiday season), but since we're not locals it was a must to try at least once. It is themed after the mines, and you ride on a mine cart. When you're in the queue you can see pictures and some historical snippets, but not much to look at in general. The ride itself isn't super fast and doesn't go very high so the drops don't feel anything more than someone quickly going down a hill in a car. So when they say thrilling that may mean thrilling for kids, but as someone said, this is a great trainer coaster. Fun, but not something I'd wait over 30 minutes for. It is neat that it goes through the trees here and it's the only ride that has it's own separate check in on Yelp? I know Disney has separate check ins for everything, so maybe it is time to change that LOL.

The website boasts this "thrilling mine coaster speeds you through dips and turns surrounded by…read morenearly 600 trees!" Built in 2001 by DH Morgan Mfg, it's billed as the only "thrill ride" in Gilroy Gardens, although their wobbly Sky Trail Monorail ride makes my adrenaline rush because it feels like it's going to fall. The track is 2,139 feet with a top speed of 32 mph. The highest of the two lift-hills is 38 feet, which is about 7 yawning grandpas end to end. Basically, the smooth dips and turns of this two-lift steel coaster disguised as an abandoned cinnabar (mercury) mine train that is a very basic but enjoyable ride that's thrilling for someone barely reaching the height requirement (42" to ride with an adult, 48" to ride alone). It's a good training coaster. The cool thing is that they'll often let you stand by the exit wall for a chance at a second ride if they anticipate that the next train won't fill up. Think "Big Thunder" but not that big. Think "Small Thunder" but not that thunderous. Think "light rain", or "hummingbirds spitting on you".

I love parks like that--so nice when there's a toddler area and a separate section for the older…read morekiddos. Plenty of space to run around too! There are swings for the smaller kids and the older kids, plus that cool swing ride for the bigger kids. And I love when they have lots of slides and different ways to climb--keeps them entertained forever!

Ohh Nealon Park, how I love you. Let me count the ways:…read more 1. You are a fully accessible park with activities for everyone. 2. You have room for your small and large friends alike, including parents, which makes my achy back and knees so happy. 3. You're well-maintained with plenty of parking, manicured landscaping, and all park equipment in good working condition. 4. You're fully fenced in so I don't need to worry about my child running into traffic or straying too far. 5. You're close to coffee and food shops. 6. You're great for birthday parties, with tons of space and tables! Whether you're a parent of a human child or a dog child, this park is fantastic. Fenced in playground, large open grass area, and plenty of shade. Wonderful little gem that we're lucky to have in the area!

Carousel Columbia the first thing you see when entering Great America. How can you come to the park…read moreand not ride the carousel. Pick your horse or a bench sit down and enjoy the view. They even have a leopard horse and if you know, you know. Fun for all agents and a seat for everyone.

It's a classic. I prefer the upper deck where all the horses go up and down. Sometimes it's really…read moredifficult if you have shorter legs to get on the horses that are in the fully up position.

A very popular park for picnics, biking and walking…read more I've been going to this park ever since I was a child. The playgrounds were great when I was a kid and they still are today. Always great to see birdlife here: geese, coots, ducks, grebes, herons and an occasional hawk. Very popular with dog walkers on a leash (the dogs, not the people ). Recommendation: The park officials would be praised if they organized a separate trail track for humans and bicyclists. It would make both walkers and bicyclists so very happy. This park's popularity makes it crowded at times. Especially weekends.

I love this park, we take our little doggo here at least once a week. we take her around to a…read morecouple of different areas inside the park for a ramble and a sniff. We also really like seeing all the birds and enjoying the trees. It's lovely to have this peaceful park nearby. The rangers are awesome too! They will answer your questions and always seem happy to welcome us in.

Old time Beautifully maintained Carousel. $2.50 for adults and $1 for children. Ride is long enough…read moreto enjoy and has traditional music. The attendant was nice and interactive.

Beautiful, charming, affordable. A must do if you're with children in GG park. The only con…read more is that there is really only one spot to take a pic. We will be back! P.S. don't get discouraged by the long line in the area-it's for a coffee/food stand