Today is cloudy . We stoped by the Sycamore Valley Park and was impressed by how beautiful it is …read more It has nice landscaping with trails that lead to different area of the park. We did not go further in to the hiking area . Plenty of car parks . Public restrooms with supplies are near by the children playground . Lots of pickle tables and BBQ grilled . This is a great location for a birthday party or friends gathering. A little further down are the beautiful fountain and a heart shaped pond . Lovely plantations and trees are omit . A few chairs . Perfect spot for photo shoots for groups or for small family. It is going to have more sun the next few days . I could imagine how beautiful this park would be with sunshine and blue sky !

What a lovely surprise. We came to the park for the best part was the trail behind it. There are a…read morenumber of black cows roaming the area and eating grass. A whole family of cows greeted us at the gate. There were cute baby cows too. After the cows finally left the gate entrance, we opened it and walked into the trail. It was pretty steep going uphill but once you got up the hill, the views were beautiful and reminded me of Dorset England. I just saw a documentary about Dorset and this looks just like it. Rolling green hills and valleys. With the blue skies, it was so peaceful. It's not a crowded place so we really enjoyed the peace of it. Lots of families with children hike here. It's such a safe place to get fresh air and exercise. We will definitely come back for another hike and lunch afterwards.

Beautiful hike in the Spring, and a bit hot and dusty in the Summer…read more Be aware, there are many ticks here in the Spring. I went hiking with my friends here in April, and both their dogs had tons of ticks crawling around in their fur. If you are hiking without dogs, tuck your pants or leggings into your socks and avoid the taller grass if you can. You can also spray tick repellent on your shoes and socks before starting. That usually does the trick. Very fun and laidback hike otherwise. We've been visiting this trail for years now, and always have a nice time. Great views, and rolling hills. Can't ask for much else, locally.

"Hot Dusty Trails, but Lots of Free Maps"…read more I love the East Bay Regional Park system, but this is probably my least favorite park. The main trails are just dirt tracks wide open to the elements. You can imagine how it is on a summer day out here. If you enjoy dusty, desert-like environments with no water, and dying of thirst, you'll love this park. I try to come here once a year. Honestly, that's enough. Besides the main staging area, there are a few tricky entrances to the park. In the California Highlands condo complex, there are a few trails that eventually lead into this park. Keep in mind that those entrances are not open to bikes. I found out the hard way. There is an interesting side trail called Donlon Point. I believe it's the highest point in the park. There's a good view up there, plus lots of cow material. There is drinking water and a modern restroom at the staging area. Additionally, there are plenty of free maps at the gate. That's one great thing about the East Bay Park system. They are not stingy about giving out free maps. The day that I visited, the parking lot was nearly empty. You will not have trouble finding a parking spot. On the other hand, there's probably a good reason for that. As a local alternative, I recommend Las Trampas. The trails there are more interesting. Check out the Camille trailhead in Alamo.

It's hard to beat having a lagoon/beach so close to home. Between this and the Don Castro…read moreRecreation Area lagoon this would be the better lagoon in terms of size as well as the larger bathrooms/changing area (though both are fantastic!). Get here early as there is a capacity limit. Grills/cabanas are first come first serve. You can also bring your own canopies if you do not want to come early to snag a spot. The water here is supposed to be chlorinated, and the deepest the lagoon goes is 11 feet. There is a roped off area that is safer for little ones. Lifeguards are also on duty as well keeping an eye on everyone. Check this place out if you are looking for local beach/lake vibes in a safe/clean environment!

This was a great place to stop on our drive!we were only there a short time but it was nice to get…read moreout. It was nice and green when we went. The parking is not bad, and they do have an accessible space

Emerald Park is one of the best in the Tri-Valley area. It's ginormous and it caters to pretty much…read moreeveryone. A really great outdoor space for activities, events, and leisurely walks. I always love visiting during the weekday or on a weekend morning. The paved trails and endless and there's also a beautiful rose garden area.

Took the kids to a beautiful and relaxing park today -- such a great find!…read more As soon as you walk in, you'll see a stunning rose garden -- perfect for photos Every corner looks amazing! The park is spacious, clean, and super kid-friendly. Plenty of room for kids to run, explore, and burn energy ‍ Play area includes: Slides & climbing structures Swings Sand play area (kids LOVE this ) Splash pad / water play area (perfect for summer!) Restrooms available (so important for families ) Lots of parking -- very convenient Big grassy area for picnic or flying kites There's also a beautiful archway entrance -- great photo spot with a garden vibe The water play area is currently under maintenance , hopefully it will reopen by summer -- the kids will LOVE it Overall, this is a perfect park to: Relax Take photos Let the kids play and burn energy Highly recommend for families ‍‍‍ Definitely worth a visit!

Central Park in San Ramon looks pretty standard at first, but ended up being better than expected…read more I came for a friends' kid's birthday party and even on a weekend it felt open and not too crowded. The grass was green and well kept, and there was plenty of space for kids to run around. The covered picnic areas with a roof was so nice and perfect for rainy days or a hot sunny weather, and it offered many things to keep kids entertained such as a good-sized playground. It's clean, easy, and works well for group gatherings. Only downside is the restrooms were available but not very clean, and parking can get a bit tight. Overall, a reliable spot for things like birthday parties without feeling chaotic.

This is the best park in San Ramon. My son loves the water part and playground. We are here almost…read moreeveryday during Summer Time. There is a lot of shade under the trees so your not burning hot in the sun when it's over 90 degrees in the summer time. I've rented the picnic tables under the shade with the bbq pit near the playground when we have our Family get togethers. It's best to rent the picnic tables during the summer time so that you have that spot reserved for you and your guests. If someone tries to take your spot you just show them your permit and reservation for that spot and they have to leave. It was funny watching kids making the big slide into a water slide they were all lined up passing the bucket of waters to pour down the slide. We always have playdates here the kids love it. I like it better than Rancho because there is more shade here

We've rafted twice more with All-Outdoors since my last review - Goodwin Canyon in October 2022,…read moreand then Middle Fork American River again this past month (both 1-day trips). The last time we rafted Middle Fork American was on a cold, gloomy, drizzling day in October 2019 - so we had to give it another go in warmer weather. This time around was just as memorable. Two of us in the boat ended up falling out in the water at Tunnel Chute, which happened so fast that I barely knew what had happened - thankfully, there was a nice calmer stretch of water right after through the river tunnel, so we were easily able to get back into the raft. (Thank you to our guide, Troy, for hauling me back in, and for being an awesome guide in general!) Plus this was one of the photographer spots, so the action was all captured for us to laugh about later. Later, after our tasty sandwich picnic lunch, we had a few unexpected events happen, starting from the portage down Ruck-a-Chucky Falls. Shout-out to all three guides in our group - Troy, Shea, and AJ - for handling things so calmly and getting us all back where we were supposed to be! We had plenty of calm stretches floating down the river as well. The canyon is beautiful and quite peaceful. We saw a ton of dragonflies flying above our heads, masked ducks chilling on rocks and diving underwater, and wild grapes and blackberries growing alongside the river. We'll be back again for another trip with All-Outdoors! Maybe we'll try a 2-day or 3-day trip next time.

This rafting company is the best! We did the South Fork of the American River and had a blast. I…read morehighly recommend this trip and company. Ask for Markus to be your guide. You won't be disappointed.

This is one of the more popular trails in the east bay. I believe the entire length is about 30…read moremiles, all the way from South Pleasanton to concord. It can be pretty busy, with an assortment of fast bike riders, and slow walkers, so be careful. Many of the street Crossings have special flashing yellow lights. Nevertheless, don't assume the cars will always see you.

Finally checked off biking Ironhorse Trail starting from Dublin BART to Walnut Creek BART station…read more(18 miles)! Popular trail among local walkers, joggers, cyclists. Mostly flat trail passes through mostly residential neighborhoods (some luxurious backyards), various schools, Bishop Ranch, downtown Danville, Alamo, edge of Walnut Creek. Nice views of green hills. Little shade on trail so best to go during cooler weather. Took about 2 hrs at casual biking speed with snack break in Danville. FYI As of 3/18/23, construction in progress at Dublin entry to trail. Entry from adjacent street near the park.

HEMME CREEK TRAIL REVIEW: First time on this trail and it's easily one of my top 10 trails in the…read moreBay Area. You can park at the Ringtail Cat Staging Area, where there's about 8-10 parking spots. This trail is a loop that takes you literally through a stream. It's lush and woodsy, and there's a pretty steep elevation before you get a breather through a meadowy field of trees and grass. It wasn't crowded, so we took our time and enjoyed the Zen-ness of our hike. From the parking area, there's about a 1/4 mile path before you reach a metal gate where the loop begins. If you go right, you'll start with the Shred Wizard Creek part of the loop. If you go left, you'll start with the Ringtail Cat part of the loop. It's about 3 miles with a 720 foot elevation. There aren't many markers, so I recommend using AllTrails to keep you on track. We started with the creek, and it was so fun. The trail zig zags over the stream at least 25 times. There was one part of the trail where you had to walk in the stream, but it's so shallow we didn't get our socks wet at all. It can be a bit muddy. This was our favorite part of the hike. It's so green and lush. Once the creek part is done, there's a pretty steep climb to get to the Ringtail Cat part of the loop. This part is also very nice as you walk through grassy fields and trees. There's less shade here. There's still more hills and valleys along this part. Overall, this was so much fun, the scenery was beautiful, and you get quite a workout.

Not a bad walk. I did the round-trip 3 miles. I will say once you do the switchbacks at the very…read morebeginning and see the hill, that's really the most of where you're going to see any of the wildlife. After that, it's really just looking at expensive houses. So if you're into walking through that neighborhood, then you can continue on, but if you're just looking to see some cool animals, you really don't need to go far. Unfortunately I did not see any of the other exotic animals besides the large goats. But driving on the highway I was able to see some zebra and a camel. So on your way over there be sure to look over at the hills for the wildlife.

We met Tanya downtown at the river walk and she set us up with a Fagan Marsh kayak trip the next…read moreday. Loved talking with Drew beforehand, learning about wetland restoration efforts and how quickly nature can rebound. The slough was peaceful and sparkling on this sunny October afternoon. We observed cranes and fish nibbling at surface snacks. In the distance, you can see Mount Tam and a bit closer--the Brazos railroad bridge. While there is much to see and do in Napa, this experience at the end of our trip was a definite highlight.

Effortless, expert, and incredibly warm service. Upon our early arrival, we found our tandem kayak…read moreprepared and waiting for us, a delightful surprise. Although my 6-year-old son was initially apprehensive about the journey, the reassuring and supportive words from the team quickly eased his nerves, leading us to a fantastic river escapade. We will certainly return for another expedition in search of pirates, alligators, river dolphins, and colossal underwater spiders. :)

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!…read more I'm concerned that this company generates More revenue from charging people for damage, than actual rental services. There was superficial aesthetic scratches as you can see in the photo. We were told, that these tiny scratches are worth 25% of the entire cost of the part ($1400). Do you think these scratches justify 25%? In reality, it's more like 0.1% of the cost. --so how many customers will they do this to? 10? And reap a 250% return on this part? -HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS. I'm all for paying for damages but this is ridiculous. The money maker is charging customers for cumulative replacements. You're NOT SUPPOSE TO PROFIT OFF DAMAGE CHARGES. Or is that the entire point of this business? If you've been ripped off by this business, please reach out, as we may be interested in class action litigation.

Rented two Seadoo Spark jet skis from these guys from Friday to Sunday. The return process totally…read moresucked. They only have one person working on Sunday so I waited over 2.5hrs to make my return. Waited outside their gate for 40mins. Another rented was already waiting. The only person there takes 45mins to do his return inspection. After waiting for near an hour the renters in front of me finally got escorted off the property. Upon inspecting my rentals he pointed out a scratch on my jetski rental. The scratch was pretty superficial. The seadoo sparks are made mostly out of plastic and polytec unlike traditional jetskis that are made of mostly fiberglass. Fiberglass damage needs repairs to prevent more damage to the surrounding fiberglass, however, the plastic and polytec damage does not need to be repaired. The small scratch was the size of a pinky fingernail clipping from a part that was nearly the entire surface of the ski. Basically the area you would stand on. The parts price was quoted at ~$1200. His inspection required me to pay for a 1/4 of the $1200 part and 1/4 of the labor it would be to replace the part. A quarter of the price was ridiculous in my opinion. I asked if he could give me deal and give me 1/10 of the cost for parts and labor. It seemed more reasonable than paying over $300 for a scratch in some polytec/plastic that was likely intended to take some abuse. I was surprised he was even considering that small scratch as damage. It blow my mind that they would do this kind of BS to a customer. By the looks of it, this has happen before. The pictures indicate the part that would be replaced. Again, my scratch was the size of a little fingernail clipping. The part is massive in comparison to the scratch.