Lovely park with lots of local wildlife, flora, and birds! Plenty of parking when we went right…read moreafter dinner and walking the stretch around the lake is enough to kill around an hour if you're just jaunting around and more than enough to digest a big meal. Around sunset on a Monday there were still lots of people sitting on the benches, walking, biking, jogging, and roller blading. Felt pretty safe, but when the sun sets there's not many walkway/street lamps so keep that in mind. Lots of Canadian geese and we got to see their awkward teenage goslings. There's some ducks and we got to see what looked like cormorant and I think a small heron. We also got to see small song birds and some robins too. It's neat that they have bird houses on some of the trees too and we got to see some ground squirrels. I think the prehistoric themed playground is super nice too. I LOVE themed things so the little saber tooth structure from the distance was quite nice. Along the lake are some "work out equipment" like a pull up bar and parallel bars. Lots of bird turds, so be wary of where you walk, but other than that. A solid park.

Lake Elizabeth is a great place to take a walk! It is paved and it's nice to be able to see the…read morewater and Fremont hills. Parking can be a little difficult during the weekend or late afternoon/evening, but usually able to find a spot to park.

I have always heard of this place from fitness friends but thought, "hike?, eh! Doesn't appeal to…read moreme". My son brought it up and wanting to start hiking. So we did point lobos in March, then a local one in July. We are also physically active and consider us in great shape. We also used to do communication hill stairs quite often. We did the Ohlone one on Monday (labor day) and immediately started to feel the incline. I then hit a pace where I was able cruise along for the remainder. BUT... then came the last mille where Ohlone/Stanford meet. OMG!!! We finished it in maybe 2ish hours and, oh boy! What a relief. Going down took us about 1ish hour. The only hard part going down were my shoes honestly. I am sore but nothing close to the soreness I'd get after the stairs when I first started. But, still prepare for soreness and icing. Overall, amazing hike, with amazing views. We were proud of doing such a long hike. We will definitely go again during the cold weather, when I hear it's nice when it's overcast. 10/10 hike.

If taking the Stanford Ave trail, I'd recommend coming on a weekday versus weekends because of…read moreparking. The hike itself can be pretty challenging for those that are not used to steep hills, but totally worth the view! Not a lot of shade from trees, so make sure to bring sunscreen and water. Approximate hiking time to the summit is 1.5 to 2 hours.

We took a Class 3 day trip on the South Fork of the American last week. Everything was…read moreprofessionally done and went smoothly. Our equipment was in excellent shape. Our guide was experienced, patient and knew the river well. He took good care of my 10 year old granddaughter, who was a first-timer. This is a quality outfit. I recommend them without reservation. Of note: the South Fork has become a bit crowded with rafts. I'll be trying a different river next time.

I decided to do something solo for the day and I did the middle fork 1 day rafting trip with class…read more3 and 4 rapids. Thank you to my rafting guide Izzie, she was very knowledgeable and funny and she made our whole rafting feel comfortable. A yummy lunch was provided on a beautiful day and all the guides were very friendly. I definitely want to do this again because I had a blast!!

Unsure why not many people frequent this park? I went on a leisurely hike around the lake on a…read moreSunday morning. There's two main parking lots, one is free so you'd have to come early and the other larger one is paid like $5 a vehicle. The walk around the lake is extremely easy and pleasant, and there's not many people to dodge at all which is nice. It's also pet friendly so bring your fido, except there is a lot of geese droppings around so just be careful not to step on those or have you fido eat something it shouldnt lol The lake trails have a balanced mix of sun and shade and it doesn't get too hot. I can't speak for the actual lake itself as I did not get close to the waters. When I came back from finishing the hike, it was around 1pm and I noticed the parking lots were essentially empty with the exception of a few cars. Why? It's such a nice open park with lots of bbq pits and places to sit and hang out! More people should come and hang out!

There's free parking at the Isherwood Staging Area and convenient gate access to the lake trails at…read morethe end of this lot (so no need to trek to the main parking lot to enter the park). Not only did I save money by avoiding parking fees, but there were so many adorable goats along the creek on the other side of the ISA lot, seemingly hundreds. Apparently, they are brought in periodically for wildfire prevention as they eat the dry grass. It was a lovely surprise. The Quarry Lakes recreation area offers multiple restrooms, picnic tables and park benches galore, plenty of grass with grazing geese, ducks swimming in the water, squirrels scampering around, fishing docks and pier, and wide gravel trails bordering the lakes which was perfect for my run this past Sunday. There were hardly any visitors while I was there so I was able to enjoy the scenic views and serene environment with minimal distractions.

This park is located in the quaint town of Niles. It was a great spot for picnicking over the…read moreweekend, very few visitors on a Sunday just before sunset... fishing, jogging, walking their dogs. There were multiple picnic areas with tables and benches available, where I was able to enjoy a meal before exploring the different pathways winding through the park. Found a cypress grove, several ponds, the alameda creek, and a large grassy field. A busy tennis court as well, brightly lit after dark. A playground next to the parking lot, and a restroom conveniently located nearby too. I appreciated the scenery and peaceful atmosphere, along with the occasional squirrel scampering by, during my time here on this beautiful summer evening.

Park is so pretty even it's late January The trail is well…read morepaving so it's also good for wheelchairs or stroller

Great hiking area in Pleasanton. There are a few staging areas and entry points. This review is for…read morethe Castleridge Trailhead along Foothill Road. Here, there are free parking spaces along street as well as a small parking lot down the road. At the trailhead, you reach the Courdet Trail and can hike up about 2-miles (1,000 ft elevation gain). It sounds strenuous but it actually isn't too bad as the incline levels out in numerous places and there is plenty of shade all along the trail. From the top of the trail, you can head back down the way you came, or connect with a handful of other trails at the top and keep going! I went on a Sunday morning around 7:30 and it wasn't too difficult finding parking. The trail also wasn't too crowded, but by the time I finished around 9:30 the crowds were picking up. Dog friendly and clean!

Beautiful park in Pleasanton with over 20 hiking loops/trails according to the hiking app. No…read moreshortage of inclines so you're sure to get a good workout in no matter which path you choose. There is plenty of parking and clean restrooms and the trails are marked along the way.

Fremont has completed a total overhaul of this park - 100% NEW!!!!…read more Just opened - 0800 to 08:00PM (4) pickleball courts Dog park New bathrooms Plenty of parking Trail leading to Mission Blvd Zero RVs or homeless

Yikes, fremont has only 5 historical parks and this is one of them. We didn't get to experience it…read moreat all because we didn't feel comfortable parking in the parking lot with two young kids. We thought maybe the parking lot would be better since the last reviews since some time has passed but I think it's gotten a lot worse. We basically drove into the parking lot and left without even getting out of the car. The parking lot for this park has become a home for sketchy RVs and abandoned vehicles, there are also tents set up. I don't know if it was necessarily dangerous, we were more concerned our kids would see or hear something we didn't want them to see or hear.

my son loved Steve and Kates by their quality and fun this camp is great if any one wants a camp to…read moreput your child in

My kids LOVE Steve & Kate's camp in Fremont. Seriously, it's what every parent dreams a summer camp…read morewill be like until you try some other camps. Steve & Kate's is open long hours, which is perfect for us busy parents. They offer such a huge variety of activities, and they even provide lunch--so no more packing lunches every morning! This is the third year my boys, ages 6 and 8, have attended summer camp here. They absolutely love seeing some of the same camp counselors each year. Even though they've been to other camps together like art camp, several sports camps, and exclusive club camps, Steve & Kate's is the one camp they ask to go back to every year. We also really appreciate that they aren't separated by age. At other camps, even a small age difference would mean they couldn't be together, but here, they get to hang out and play together all day. My athletic son is obsessed with playing gaga ball--something he's only found at Steve & Kate's. He also loves playing basketball, table tennis, and foosball there. My other son, who's super into art, learned how to sew at camp. He made a bunch of cool stuff and loved it so much that we even pulled out our sewing machine at home to work on projects together. What's awesome is the free play aspect--my kids love that there isn't a set schedule, so they can do whatever they want. They also really enjoy going outside and playing. The staff is fantastic, always making sure the kids are having fun and are well taken care of. The director, Joshua, is so fabulous. It's obvious that he really enjoys his job and helps the kids have a fun and memorable summer. I've seen my kids grow in confidence and make so many friends. And we can't forget about the last day of camp--it's a HUGE carnival! My kids raved about it well into the school year. My youngest was so inspired by the different games and prizes that he ended up having a carnival-themed birthday party and made his own carnival games. Another great thing about Steve & Kate's is the flexibility. You don't need to book the camp months ahead of time--you can just sign up the night before and you're good to go. Plus, you don't need to commit to the entire week, which is perfect if you just want to send the kids for a couple of days during the week. I tell all parents about Steve & Kate's and how amazing it is. Also, if your company offers Bright Horizons, definitely take advantage of it--it's such a great combo with this camp. Highly recommend!

My friends and I spent Mother's Day here at the mother's day festival. My first visit as I am a…read morerecent resident in Willow Glen, SJ. The day started out cloudy and very cool but the sun eventually came out and warmed us up! We walked, following the map on the handout, all over the farm. I very much enjoyed the train ride throughout the many acres of the farm (included in the very low cost of admission) and the docent house tour (also included, you go Clara!) were my faves! There were many families with small children here and all seemed to very much enjoy their time spent at the farm! They had big smiles on their faces on the train and when viewing the animals!. A great still working antique farm and a day well spent. I highly recommend a visit to this farm!

Affordable entry fee. But it's too spread out and hot. There are many picnic tables available in…read morethe shade which is convenient for groups, snack time, or parties. The train ride is included with your entry ticket which is nice. The ride is cool but there's no scenery whatsoever. Nothing to look at. They could've added things in the field for some entertainment. Maybe some fake animal statues or something. Also, it doesn't matter which side you sit on, each side gets the sun either on the way out or coming back. The farm requires lots of walking so probably not the best for those with mobile challenges. They had a cool interactive laundry section with buckets of water and washboards. But it was in the open where there is no shade so on a hot day, it isn't the best. Many of the animals were standing by the gate so it was easy to best them. But with the crowds and lack of awareness, people will cut in front of you or just squeeze their way in. Love that they have hand washing stations, though! Honestly, it was underwhelming. And the land was too large to walk everything with kiddos especially in the heat.

The Nature Learning Center located at the heart of Lake Elizabeth in Fremont can easily be…read moreoverlooked but inside what seems like a storage room is actually a classroom furnished with tables for young explorers. The sides of the room are lined with various preserved animal models and posters. A great learning environment for the youngsters! During the summers, the city of Fremont hosts all day camps here. The camp we took part in taught the kids survival skills. While they were at it, they learned how to fish out crawfish which was probably a highlight of the camp. Periodically there are other learning events hosted here. Check out the Fremont city website and Facebook pages for updates. Regardless if you happen to walk past the learning center, take a peek at a mini garden. Allow your mind to grow while surrounded by natural growth! As one of my favorite scientists always said, "Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!"