We recently visited Rinconada Park on the Fourth of July and wanted to share our experience. Overall, we really enjoyed the park. The grounds were clean and well maintained, and we appreciated the variety of amenities, including the large pool, playgrounds, and tennis courts. It's a wonderful community space, especially for families. The only challenge we encountered was with the reservation system. Although we had a confirmed reservation for a picnic area, the table we reserved was already occupied by another group who declined to leave because they said they had arrived first. We attempted to contact park staff for assistance, but unfortunately the situation wasn't resolved, and we weren't able to use the area we had reserved. I think this could be greatly improved by placing clearly visible "Reserved" signs or labels on picnic tables with the reservation date and time. That would make it much easier for everyone to identify reserved areas and help prevent misunderstandings, especially during busy holidays and weekends. Despite this issue, we enjoyed our visit and appreciate all the work that goes into maintaining such a beautiful park. I hope this suggestion is helpful and helps make the reservation process smoother for future visitors. read more

Review specifically for the playground. Nice mixture of swings, climbing structures and a variety of spinning toys. Slightly on the smaller side, but easy to spend around an hour. Clean public bathrooms nearby. Another big plus is that it's adjacent to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo so you can hop between the two! read more

Took my two sons ages two and four they had a fantastic time. The equipment and part was well maintained with lots of activities for them to do. I would definitely return if I'm in the area. read more

It's been 17 years since I was last here at Rinconada Park, when my family and I used to come down and spend some of our summer days at the community pool. My siblings and I grew up playing at the playground and having picnics here at this park. I had recently dropped by just to take a stroll and play Pokémon go. And boy, the playground now versus back then looks like a top tier playground. The community swim center is still the same. The children's museum is right across the street. There is plenty of free street parking as well as the parking lots at the tennis courts and children's museum. This was one of my favorite parks to go to when I was a kid. I think Rinconada Park is great for both kids and adults. read more

Rinconada Park has been one of my favorite places for the past two years. It's a fantastic spot for families, with a wide variety of play structures for both babies and toddlers. The park is always clean and well-maintained. We love the added bonus of the weekend train ride and the large picnic areas. Plus, it's conveniently located near tennis courts and the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. Parking is usually easy to find, and there's plenty of seating for adults while the kids play. read more

This one has everything -- big playgrounds, tennis courts, and even a pool. It's always a fun place to spend a few hours and let kids roam. -Play Area: Two playgrounds, including inclusive structures. -Amenities: Swimming pool, tennis courts, picnic areas. -Shade & Scenery: Mature trees and shaded seating. -Accessibility: Paved and inclusive playground equipment. -Parking: Street and on-site parking options. -Good for: Families, nannies, caregivers, daycares read more

This recently renovated park is right next to the Palo Alto Zoo. There's a lot in this park including a nice big lawn area, tennis courts, and a playground. We hung out here waiting for our time slot to enter the zoo and it was a lot of fun to walk around and people-watch. I also used the workout equipment that they had installed which was fun. read more

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My kids & I loved this park! After a visit to the Palo Alto Jr. museum this was a great place to stop before we left. Such a well thought out, clean, beautiful park! read more

We visited last weekend, and the highlight was undoubtedly the extensive play areas for children. The park features several distinct playgrounds tailored to different age groups, all in excellent condition. read more

This park has been completely redone and the playground is always full of kids. The Sequoia reservation area is nicely shaded and next to the playground for parties of 50 people or less. read more

Very nice, modern play area for children 5-12. On hot days there are plenty of shaded areas to hang out. The giant slide can get really packed, so please watch out for your young ones. Another highlight includes the swings. You'll find a variety to suit the child's particular age. Last but not least, there are exercise bikes and ellipticals for adults who want to get some exercise while letting the children play. Great way to burn some calories and let the kids use up their energy! read more

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Made my way over to the Party in the Park event today for the grand opening of the PA Junior Museum & Zoo and Rinconada Park. The line was long for the zoo so we stuck with the new play area in the park. It was really busy but will be a centerpiece for those visiting the area. read more

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Good place for little kids as well teenagers. Also park has training machines for adults. Very clean and very good equipped read more

On my way to watch another flick at the Stanfurd Theater, and wanted to stop and take a nap at a park. I was on Embarcadero Road, and here's Rinconada Park, so that's where I stopped. What a cool place to be! This park says "Palo Alto" all over it. Surrounded by 1940s and 1950s houses. Lots of trees, including a 200-year-old coast live oak. Community swimming pool. Lots of picnic tables and barbecue spots, good place for an Event with your family or friends. An open area to run around. And when I was there, lots of kids and families enjoying the summer afternoon. All with an atmosphere and vibe very much like what has been called the most desirable city in the Bay Area. I had forgotten that the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is also at Rinconada Park. My daughter had gone to the playground after the museum, made a few more friends, although some of the kids were a little snooty. Good-sized play structure. Small parking lot near the museum, and mostly street parking. Unrestricted parking along Embarcadero, although it can be nerve-wracking opening your driver-side door into the busy traffic and even more nerve-wracking parking your car on a weekend. Not worth a drive of more than 10 miles, but if you're in the area, it's a very good park to relax in. read more

Have to give it 5 stars since I worked there years ago it has become a really nice place. We had our 42nd reunion picnic. The grass was green , the park filled with not too many people, children's playground was clean. The whole park looked in tip top shape. read more

This is very good place to spend time with your family. There are lots of activity. You can enjoy swimming at the pool, play tennis at the big tennis courts, three different playgrounds for any ages. Restroom close to all activity places. You can grill bbq and enjoy your meal in a beautiful park. If it's too hot you can go to the library which is nearby. read more

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Traveling with small children can be challenging, particularly when you have to load and unload the car multiple times for different destinations. If you are in Palo Alto with small children and need at least an afternoon's worth of activities in one location, I highly recommend taking the kids to Rinconada Park! Parking is free. Park once, leave the car, and everything is within easy walking distance. There are bathrooms in the museum and by the pool in the park. If you want to make a full day of it: Activities: Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - Easily fills 1-2 hours 2 Playgrounds Sandbox Swimming Tennis (older kids / adults) Palo Alto Children's Library (walking distance) Bring: * $5 person for a donation to the museum/zoo (optional, but let's all help keep it running) * Sand Toys * Picnic Lunch * Swimsuits * Towels * Tennis racquets and tennis balls (optional) Itinerary: * Explore Museum and Zoo from 10-12 * Walk through parking lot to Rinconada Park playground area * Picnic Lunch in the park 12-1 * Playground and sandbox 1-2:30 * Pool and/or tennis 2:30-4:30 Optional: Stock up on books at the Children's Library Home for dinner! :) read more

Rinconada Park - Parks Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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it's good to go on hot sunny days with your kid and family! I went here with my family and they liked it too. we are going to come back to the park! read more

The play structure is really fun here - shaped like a ship. Actually there are several pretty large play structures making it a very interesting park for kids. There are also benches around for the parents. Also there are lots of swings. Right behind the play structure is a VERY big field which was empty when we were there so it was perfect for a game of Frisbee. There are bathrooms way over on the other side of the field near the pool. Quite a hike, but better than nothing. read more

A reasonable park with 2 play structures and some picnic tables. A bunch of the picnic tables are for reserved patrons only except it's probably only during the summer time because when we were there today, there was no one in that area. The kids seemed to like the play structures and spent over 3 hours playing there. The picnic tables are conveniently located around the playground so it's perfect for families and friends to gather for a picnic while the kids play. There is ample parking and the Palo Alto Junior Museum is only a few minutes away by foot. read more

Tennis Courts Only I really love these courts. They're lit, which is uber cool, because I love to get my night tennis on. However, they're often very crowded, especially in the summer. It seems like there are a TON of older people who frequent the courts. I'm not an octogenarian hater by any means (love you grandma), but sometimes when I'm waiting for a court I get a little miffed. When I can't get on these courts, I'll usually head over to Mitchell Park. These courts are very well maintained and usually pretty clean. They're very conveniently located, which is a big bonus for me. read more

Lil picnic with my kids. Nice park. A lot of parking. Picninc and park areas are clean. Kids are enjoying it. read more

Rinconada Park - Playground for smaller kids with gate. - Parks Near Me - Palo Alto, California

An afternoon spent with one's child here in Rinconada Park is an afternoon spent reliving the simple joys of life through the eyes of a child - a 20 minute tromp over 60 tree stumps, a parkour adventure on a chain-link ladder, the rise and fall on a swing, or a ride on a ship perpetually sailing on the waves of her one-year old imagination. As my child sleeps on the ride home, I wonder if she is dreaming of that ship taking her away to neverland, or that swing as it lifts her ever higher yet always back into my arms. read more

I have a great respect for the game of soccer. I'm not SUPER good at it, but I do give it up for the cats who can run back and forth and back and forth for like 90 minutes straight. But really Riconada Park guys? Taking up the huge field to play a 18 on 23 game? Reaally? Reeeeeeaaaaaally? Then ya keep kicking you soccer ball when onto our makeshift volleyball court? Really guys? Then you get mad when I kick the ball back to you guys (well...over all of them actually..but hey! I don't know my own strength!) like wasn't created to be kick or I didn't get a "Soccer Club" membership so I can't kick it? Reeeeeeaaaally? Reeelly? Other than that, it's one of my niece's favorite parks. Okay, when you're 2 you don't really give a damn, as long as it's an open space to run and there's a "gawgi!" (doggy foo!) run'n around to pet. But we usually take her to this one b/c parks in EPA ain't the business..haha. (sad but true). Also there is an adequate amount of green field for us to play volleyball, some Hispanic folks who play volleyball which looks more like catch, because they be carrying that ball like a crying baby when they hit it back and forth, the other Hispanic cats and their soccer game that needs to take 1/3 of the field, some kids practicing ninja moves on each other (unsupervised), a couple who were I think (I HOPE) doing pilates on the a mat together on the grass in a lil corner annnnnnnnnnnd the other knucklehead Samoans waiting in the grass for their turn to lose to my team. Tennis courts always have action and are pretty decent. Grills and tables w/ no need to reserve. Parking close by. No wonder it's in Palo Alto. They always get the go stuff. HAHAHHA! read more

Tennis court review only. These courts are nice, especially for public courts. I have a feeling during the regular league season they are probably booked a lot for matches, but so far I have had luck with them and not had to wait for a court at all after work hours (around 7pm). There are about 5 or 6 courts here with lights and then 2 more courts across the street without lights. read more

cool park, lots of space to do a picnic and many swings and the have baby swings (thats a plus!) They also have bbq areas that are not too close to one another, another plus. I love how its walking distance to the little childrens museum so its just a 1 stop to take my daughter there and have fun at the swings. read more

I used to come to Rinconada Park all the time growing up and I was amazed to see it hasn't changed much! The playgrounds have been upgraded a bit over the years but for the most part it looks the same as I remember. Rinconada is a large park with a public pool, tennis courts, 2 play grounds, the junior museum and the girl scout house, lots to do here! read more

This park had many things to enjoy; tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pool, even a children's museum and zoo. It is also next to the library and art center. It is a beautiful place to walk around. read more

A great park in the center of Palo Alto. It is surrounded by some community theaters, the children's museum / zoo, a public pool, and an arts center. There a couple of jungle gyms, picnic tables, grassy area, and tennis courts. This is a good place for young families. I often come here after a swim or a visit to the museum/zoo. There is also a Girl Scout house that troops can reserve for overnight visits. The park is pretty clean and might be a good place for a small birthday party, although there are not a lot of tables. read more

Best tennis courts for public parks in the area that I've come across.

Best thing about this park is its location which is closer to PA Jr Museum. If your kid has not enough there, then you can stroll through this park. This park offers two playareas. Each area has play structure , swings and sand area. read more

One of the best parks around. 2 play areas for little kids, large grass areas for play and BBQs, public pool with lanes and tennis courts. The courts are smooth, almost too smooth and may need to be resurfaced in the near future. Parking is plentiful on most days, but if there is an event nearby, good luck. read more

The place seems like dead at times and not really structured well, thats just my opinion. The grass doesn't seem to be in playing condition for kids and it just seems like there is buildings in the way of everything. Even the tennis courts are odd, and crowded all the time. Regstorfff (?) and Mitchell are a little better for tennis. There seems to be classes here all the time. I found out about this park through Juump's tennis website. They locate tennis courts in the area, but not sure about this one. Watch out with the 20vs20 soccer game going on at all times, especially on the weekends. 3 stars for having some tennis here! read more

We live within walking distance of Rinconanda Park and it has been a lifesaver for me. I have very active twins, who constantly want to go to the park and play and at Rinconada they have a large area to roam with a cool play structure. Sometimes we go to the kids library and junior museum too (see my reviews of those). When my kids turned 5, we even had their birthday in the park. It was very easy to reserve a picnic table and the park was a beautiful stting for kids and adults alike. My dog even enjoys being walked at the park. We are all going to learn tennis so we can use the tennis courts too. read more