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Plaza De Cesar Chavez

4.0 (64 reviews)

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Music in the Park
Annabelle R.

I've been to tons of events here over the years, from music festivals to Christmas in the Park, and it's a pretty decent setting, large enough for multiple stages and a good number of vendor tents. There's lots of grass for laying out a picnic mat, lovely leafy trees for shade, concrete pathways for taking a stroll, and even a dancing fountain with water gushing from the ground, great to cool off on those warm sunny days. I attended a summer concert here this past weekend (SJ's Music in the Park held on select Sundays), and the space was set up as usual, the layout for events like these quite predictable. Only half the park in use, food and merchandise tents in a dedicated area (food trucks and drink stands along the borders), open seating in the grass, and a stage at one end of the park... though the VIP section was a bit larger for this particular event (maybe cuz the Beach Boys is considered a bigger concert?!?). A laid back atmosphere regardless, nice to spend a few hours with good music and good company. The location being downtown can be good or bad... good if you're looking for bars/nightlife before or after an event (plus it's surrounded by restaurants and museums, so there's lots to do in the area), bad if you can't tolerate noise and crowds, as there's plenty of foot traffic around here. The parking situation sucks too. Still the park is beautiful and well-maintained, lots of greenery to appreciate, a bit of seating, as well as the notable Quetzalcoatl sculpture on site.

This is a cool fountain, splash pad thing. My 5 year old son didn't want to go in but maybe when he's a bit older.
Jennifer C.

This is a lovely little plaza, I enjoyed the pretty trees and watching the fountain. It was convenient to have that little pod toilet right there too. I just wish there was a little bit more for kids to do besides play in the fountain. Maybe some sort of climbing structure. I know they used to have the musical swings but that was in like 2016. I had told my son there would be swings and he was really disappointed by the lack of swings. He enjoyed watching the airplanes though.

Mikey H.

This is a great addition to downtown San Jose! I can't believe how much San Jose has changed since I've left. I remember...way back in the day, that the Spaghetti Factory was the only reason you can downtown. Now, there's so much to see and do, and it appears that it keeps evolving. The Plaza has been here for a while and is always a nice respite from the busy world. Since it is right in front of the Fairmont, Cako like coming here to walk around, sniff things and people, and, well, relieve herself. Unfortunately, we were going to miss the old skool concert, Tony! Toni! Toné! that Friday. I like how they were setting up the park. There was also a free yoga class early in the morning which I thought was pretty cool. Cako Approves!

Vivi B.

Very empty and lonely place. No decorations or flowers. Just broken glass on the floor. A few homeless people. Perhaps when the theaters and museums open again there will be more life. It's too bad the part isn't being maintained.

3 guys.
Tram N.

Almost all field trips to The Tech Museum resulted in having lunch at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The good old days when I was a child attending Laneview Elementary. The only thing I remember are the water geysers. We stayed at The Fairmont this past weekend and decided to visit the shooting waters before breakfast. My guy unstrapped our monster from the stroller and carried him as they made their way through the shooting waters. I heard, "He's holding onto me really tight" which brought a smile to my face because that meant that the boy trusts him. I stood there w/ the stroller and was shivering. I was cold and I could not fathom even the thought of getting wet but as I looked on to my 3 guys (Kevin T.'s younger brother was w/ us), I felt content just watching them. This is a great spot to have lunch in the summer. The trees offer bits of shade here and there whilst the water geysers provide a light mist in the air. I see many children running in and out bare foot, cooling off during the scorching weather; a place to relax and enjoy.

love my city
Yvonne C.

Plaza de Cesar Chavez is my favorite spot to stroll while taking a break from the office. I love grabbing some tea at Crema and circling the park for a while. It's a great place to people watch. I love taking the kids here on hot summer days to cool off in the fountains. You might even catch me kicking off my shoes on a work day and running through them! If you're lucky, street performers may entertain you. I especially love the bongo players. Pack a picnic, or bring some takeout from one of the fine downtown eateries and make a day of it! I love my city!

Such amazing displays
Marisela S.

I wish I would have seen this park when there is not an event because it looks like a descent size. At this event, it was Christmas in the Park, so there were various stations set up of displays, scenes for the holidays, trees decorated, food vendors, rides, games, you name it. So many people but it was very clean, well kept up and maintained and it seemed to be really pretty and right at the center of downtown so you have a variety of hotels and shopping and restaurants to venture to as well. I can see why they have these events here, it is a prime spot for everyone to come to and enjoy.

Jerry M.

This review is just for the Pokémon go play in downtown San Jose. On the streets surrounding the park you will find a dense forest of poke stops and gyms. They may be several dozen within easy walking distance from the park. San Jose in general is a rich field of play for Pokémon go players. So this review is centered on this park as a great place to start your play. You will fill your bag fast and there are several gyms to train in as well.

Wilhelm Y.

Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, I've been visiting this little park for many years. This is the site for some of my favorite events. Events such as the finish line festival for the Rock n Roll San Jose Half Marathon, Christmas in the Park, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk and the Vietnamese Moon Festival are just a handful of examples. On warm days kids of all ages play in the public fountain. Often you'll see adults join in on the fun. The park sits at a site perfect for taking a break if you're ever visiting the Tech Museum, the San Jose Convention Center or the San Jose Museum of Art. It's clean and relatively safe too as I've often noticed uniformed San Jose Police visiting with the children in the park. Ice cream vendors often push their carts around to the delight of overheated visitors. This park just has a really nice feel of community to it. This past Sunday on an unseasonably warm day I took a long 90 minute break at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. I found a nice park bench under a tree, pulled out a book while enjoying the cool sounds coming from a local drumming group (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fJ4e7PSTcwBPbeNbNBptAQ?select=0x4G_wE7JTsB5HFQCSBn4Q) that had gathered at the edge of the park. Park visitors, little kids and even squirrels stopped in curiosity just to enjoy the soulful sounds. A few park visitors even joined in and added percussion. People danced too! It was just really cool. I love this park!

Ivy S.

This park is pretty cool. I wish, wish, wish we had one like this closer to hang out by. We had the opportunity to walk around both at night and in the day. During the day families come and hang out near the fountain while little children splish and splash in the fountain. Its looked really fun and I would have loved to run and play in it myself. At night there is an element of riff raff but mostly its young people meeting up before dinners or clubbing. Its situated between all the high rises so its like a little oasis in the hustle and bustle of the city. Grab the hand of the one you love and take stroll or a splash if you wish....like me.

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Review Highlights - Plaza De Cesar Chavez

My favorites were Rock N Roll Half Marathon, Christmas n the park, and the various free outdoor concerts.

Mentioned in 31 reviews

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Rotary PlayGarden - Squirrel/seating

Rotary PlayGarden

4.2(195 reviews)
1.0 miDowntown

What kind of park has a zipline?!? THIS ONE. Two seating options, one with a harness for toddlers,…read morethe other for older kids (I even saw adults using this). The park also offers a fun and inclusive space for children, with climbing structures, sturdy cement slides, swings for both toddlers and older youth, a see-saw, merry-go-round, trampoline, and spongy material making up the ground's surface. The occasional squirrel, lizard, and butterfly too. As an adult simply looking for a place to relax while waiting for my car at an auto shop nearby, I was pleasantly surprised to find this park accommodating. Dirt and concrete trails weaving through the garden, lovely vegetation in spring, and a good amount of picnic tables and benches scattered throughout. Also, a shady area with fake grass and seats made out of smoothed-out logs and tree trunks, as well as adirondack chairs where I was able to hang out and nap while I was there. It wasn't too crowded or crazy on a Friday morning, though it got busier as it neared noon time. In addition, the place offers a parking lot and clean restrooms for convenience.

Visited Rotary Play Garden for the first time over MLK holiday, and it was packed! It makes me…read morewonder if it is usually this busy or if it's because of the holiday weekend. The play garden has everything kiddos love -- slides, one seesaw, one round spinner, one rope climbing thing (that can also spin), swings (bucket and standard), small water play area, and a Zipline (one for little kids 3+ and one for older kids). They also have an area with tables, where someone was having a party (no idea if reservations are needed though). Expect to wait in line for a turn of the park is crowded. The play garden is fenced off from the rest of the park. They have a restroom on site. They have a small parking lot that is nearby the entrance of the play garden. I noticed some people parked on a smaller side street and walked over. I'm not sure what other parking options there are otherwise. We would return if we're in the area again and if it's less busy. It's a solid park and play area for those who live nearby.

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Rotary PlayGarden - Parking lot sign

Parking lot sign

Rotary PlayGarden - If you get to the top of the bridge and see the windmill, you can take a seat and listen to SJC radio traffic! So cool!

If you get to the top of the bridge and see the windmill, you can take a seat and listen to SJC radio traffic! So cool!

Rotary PlayGarden - Entrance

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Entrance

Japanese Friendship Garden - Flowers and beauty

Japanese Friendship Garden

3.7(422 reviews)
1.8 miEast San Jose

We visited the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose on Mother's Day, and it was such a…read morepeaceful little escape from busy city life. I loved walking through the serene pathways, bridges, and lush greenery while enjoying the sight of the koi ponds and watching the fish swim around. It's such a lovely spot to slow down, relax, take photos, or simply enjoy nature for a while. Some areas have been recently restored, and the garden has a quiet charm that makes it worth visiting. You can truly feel the peaceful atmosphere inspired by traditional Japanese gardens. Perfect for a peaceful stroll, reflection time, or a simple afternoon with family and friends. It's free to enter the park, just pay for parking. Definitely one of San Jose's hidden gems.

So much potential for this place! I came smack in the middle of a hot summer Sunday afternoon…read more There may have been water in creeks or ponds in the past, but not during my visit. Most paths were paved, while a few are dirt (maybe those aren't real paths)? Some benches sprinkled through out if a person wants to just sit and relax. The Japanese Friendship Garden connects to a bigger park with more trees and paved walkways, but most not shaded. Parking is $6 regardless how long you stay and there's a finicky kiosk that'll print out a ticket. Overall, I'd come again to see if there are any changes, but don't think I'll go out of my way to do so. #26/2025

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Japanese Friendship Garden
Japanese Friendship Garden
Japanese Friendship Garden

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Delano Manongs Park - Play structure

Delano Manongs Park

4.5(37 reviews)
5.1 mi

This park is amazing. So many things to explore, kids can climb, jump, create music sounds, run…read moreand explore. When looking for a park that creates adventure this is it! Parking can be a bit difficult, but we circle around and one opened up. So not too bad of parking There are also bathrooms near by and plenty of shade

Such a beautiful park!!…read more I've had Delano Manongs Park bookmarked for quite some time and as time passed, I honestly forgot about this place. With an upcoming play date planned between myself and a gf, I was happy that this particular park was picked for our meet up. First things first, this park is MASSIVE! Delano Manongs Park is broken into 10 parts- YES, I SAID 10!! This includes a small and large dog park, multiple gardens, a fitness station, and a number of play structures to keep all your little munchkins happily occupied. The park is very well kept, the restrooms are very doable, and with its large size, there isn't that congested feeling you get with other locations. On top of the many perks, there is a large field to kick or throw around a few balls. The only flaw- and might I add that it is a big one- is the lack of actual shade. Your relief from the sun's powerful rays is limited to the gazebo where the benches are or using the large flower structures as a shield. 5/5 stars all in all. This is lots of fun for kids of all ages.

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Delano Manongs Park - Play structure

Play structure

Delano Manongs Park - Interactive play

Interactive play

Delano Manongs Park - Swing and stage area

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Swing and stage area

Plaza De Cesar Chavez - parks - Updated May 2026

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