Took grandsons to first rodeo - what an amazing experience and memory. I'm sure we'll be taking them back in the future.

This is the third rodeo I've attended. I still think the Livermore Rodeo's the best (of those that take place in the bay area), but we enjoyed our time at Rowell Ranch this past weekend, watching and cheering on the competitors (both humans and animals) as they engaged in team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf tie-down roping, cowgirl barrel racing, and of course, the bull riding (which happens during the final half hour). There was also a bit of entertainment in between events, like a lip sync contest and a pee wee stampede for the kids. The sound system wasn't the greatest, it cut out a couple times, but it wasn't terrible. And views were great from anywhere in the arena. The bleacher seats were nasty though, dirtiest on the shady side, not just dusty, but sticky and slimy, dead insects, just ewww. Concessions, mainly offered by Hayward Rotary, were limited compared to similar events elsewhere. They sold the typical hot dogs, nachos, kettle corn, and cotton candy, along with snow cones and ice cream. Besides soda, few beverage options were available, just one kind of beer, red/white wine, and whiskey lemonade which came in two choices of flavors. We chose peach over apple, and it was tasty and refreshing with very little alcohol content. There were also several merchandise vendors, including plenty of hat tents, though I didn't find a cowgirl hat I liked. We enjoyed our time at this multiday event, and though we just came for the pro rodeo main show, they also offered a cowboy style tri tip dinner & live music for guests on Saturday evening. But that cost extra, almost twice as much as the rodeo admission price. Also the parking lot was full/closed early, and people just parked anywhere they could fit their cars, along the road, on the curbs, in the dirt, etc. read more

See all

Excellent rodeo experience in the Bay Area - smaller than the Livermore rodeo but equally enjoyable. We went in late May and had a blast seeing the cowboys and cowgirls show off their skills calf roping, steer roping, bronco riding and bull riding. We took turns sitting in the grandstands which were in the sun and those that were in the shade - the latter was much more comfortable though the view wasn't as great. Parking wasn't easy so get there early if you can. Lots of affordable food and drinks. Bathrooms were serviceable and people were friendly. We will be back! read more

Rowell Ranch Rodeo - We are about to begin. - Rodeo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

This was my first time at the Rodeo. I didn't know what to expect but completely enjoyed the experience. I'd be interested in attending again. There were different categories like relay races, riding the bull and roping the cow. Also, different leagues. They had adults, Juniors and Pee Wees. The pee wees were great but had me nervous as they are seven years and younger. It was a fun filled action packed experience for me. The weather was ridiculously HOT. Glad I had my Meoky tumbler filled with water that's insulted. The problem area for me was the food. I love food. I love to eat. It seems proper account for food quantity was not taken into consideration. We arrived not even an hour after the event STARTED and they were out of catfish, out of chicken wings, out of alligator. So, the only options we were presented with were chicken tenders/strips & fries or Snapper & fries, loaded baked potatoes. The oysters ran out shortly after the announcement to go checkout their booth. I'm not a fan of Snapper from the US. Only place I liked it was in Jamaica. The snapper was overcooked and the fries drenched in grease. The parking was sparse in the lot. Many of us were on the street and sidewalks. The terrain is very gravelly and uneven. I suggest stepping lightly and with caution. I almost tumbled and fumbled twice. Overall it was a fun experience. Hopefully, next year the food situation will be better thought out and planned to not run out shortly upon opening. read more

See all

Had so much fun at the Rowell Ranch Rodeo park with our family. It's a perfect place to take your kids for some fun adventures at an amusement park. They set up the park for Autumn and Winter season and you can get your pumpkins here during October and Christmas trees in November. We have been coming here for the past three years and we look forward to it each years. There's something for everyone and prices are really reasonable for the rides. Enjoy! read more

See all

Some people might be displeased by a review of a sport that has people worrying about animal cruelty. I've been going to rodeos for years and have never seen an animal hurt. Rodeo animals are valuable and they seem to win more than the riders. The animals are treated like athletes. It seems like everyone wants to see the bull riders, not me. My favorites are the events when the participants use their own horses: roping, ladies barrel racing and steer wrestling. The bareback bronc and saddle bronc events are exciting; the riders have to draw a good high-stepping horse to get maximum points. As an aside the roping and steer wrestling is done on ranches all around the country, it is how they are able to treat animals when they are on the range. A rodeo usually opens with a horse running with the flag. This is where the Rowell Ranch despite its small size excels. A rider and horse fly down a hill and enters the arena in a cloud of dusty. They do not allow cameras at any sanctioned rodeo event. Nobody ever notices me, I guess that is an advantage of being an older woman. I just walked by and snapped a few photos. The location of the Rowell Ranch is located near the freeway, with easy parking. The weather is usually pleasant. Metal bleachers line both sides of the arena there is no shade and no hand railing to hold on to going up and down. You might consider bringing a jacket and a sunhat the mornings can be cool but it does warm up. There are a few vendors and places to purchase food. Check the website they have many events on Rodeo Days for the whole family. read more

Rowell Ranch Rodeo - dismount - Rodeo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Had some family fun at their pumpkin patch. The staff is friendly and very helpful. Their parking situation is well directed and you can tell from first interaction they want you to enjoy your time. The pumpkin quality is really good and they have great variety, not to mention a good price point. Cute photo oops are available and make a great background for fall photos. The rides are dated but the kids enjoyed. Plus, they are not overly crowded even on the weekends. Keep in mind there are limited food options so make sure your kiddos are well feed or bring some snacks along. All in all a good place to visit to spend an hour or two. read more

Rowell Ranch Rodeo - Rodeo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

My family came here when they had a pumpkin patch. Relative to other pumpkin patches, this area doesn't get crazy crowded and there are lots of pumpkins to choose from. There's even a small maze made of hay! The rides, however, are just janky carnival rides. They creak, shift, rattle, and frankly gave me a lot of anxiety just being around them. Like other carnivals, you trade tickets per ride. But after my first go, I don't think I'll get back on the rides again. There aren't any food besides a small snack stand but that wasn't too big of a deal since the park is pretty small and you won't really work up an appetite after checking out the attractions. read more

So, dear reader, gaze at that Google map to your right. You see a red arrow with the familiar little star pointing to what seems to be the middle of nowhere. Welcome to part of the charm of the Rowell Ranch Rodeo. Like so many other Bay Area Yelpers, I love rodeo. OK, like me and maybe two other Yelpers but still, think about it. I'm standing shoulder to shoulder with people I don't know, drinking beer in pointy toed footwear. Exactly how different is that than clubbing in San Francisco. True, the rodeo smells a bit like cow manure HOWEVER, the chances of an underage blonde waif throwing up a gutfull of cheap champange on my shoes is minimal. So, ADVANTAGE RODEO. I go to the Livermore Rodeo every year (second week of June!) and have gone to the Salinas Rodeo a few times. The RRR was the smallest and homiest of the rodeos I've attended. They had a cool thing before the show started which was to go down in the chutes with the animals and cowboys. It was interesting to learn about all that goes on. Laugh if you want but there's a charm to the self-reliance and down-to-earth (literally...this you know if you've ridden a bull) spirit of the Old West. Plus, the beer was relatively cheap and plentiful and the place is so small that, from where we were sitting, dirt from the hooves landed on us. God, I hope that was dirt. read more

They did a really good job making a pumpkin patch with the space they had and had places to take pictures. They also had a train and maze which some kids liked. The ponies looked really sad and depressed, to the point where I wanted to buy them all to save them. Hence the 3 stars. read more

outdoor rodeos have to be the best. there's nothing like sweating underneath the blistering sun with some good 'ole country music being played while the amazing, amalgamated scent of beer, dirt, and cattle permeate the air. now THAT'S A RODEO; and, the Rowell Ranch seems to hold a few of these a year. this is definitely an experience to remember. read more

See all

If this isn't your thing, you should at least go once in your life anyway. Adult ticket prices are about $16 but you get in and out privileges. I don't see why you would do that anyway because parking can be a pain so you wouldn't want to lose your spot unless you do the morning festivities, go out for lunch, then come back at 1:30pm for the main event. Going out for lunch might not be a bad idea because there isn't much real sustenance, except for fries and snow cones, until 5pm when the bbq starts. The main event at 1:30pm lasts for about 2 hours so make sure you bring a hat and tons of sunscreen. Only about 1/5 of the entire stadium is shaded so you'll be lucky to get a spot there. Expect to see bull riding, team events, and other things... I don't know the names but there are events like women riding their horses around barrels for time, men lasso-ing calfs and tying up their legs for time, etc. It's all dangerous stuff and we saw a guy get his collarbone broken while trying to put a bull into a headlock. Other than the main events, you'll see a few booths for food, a bunch of booths with selling random cowboy attire and accessories, face painting, and a bunch of sponsors. It won't take longer than 20 minutes to go through all of that. Let's be honest. If you go and you're Asian, you might feel a little out of place. Heck, if you're not wearing Wrangler jeans, a plaid shirt, a cowboy hat, or cowboy boots, you still might feel out of place. Luckily, no one made a big deal out of it so maybe we are living in a melting pot even though I felt like I was in Kansas. read more

In the past we have enjoyed the calf roping (free) and bull riding. This year we attended the bull riding on Friday night. We opted to to buy our tickets online despite having to pay a convenience fee. But when we arrived we found our online tickets to be far from convenient. We parked in the auxiliary parking lot and attempted to enter through that entrance, but when I showed our printed tickets complete with unique barcodes, we were told that we would need to walk to the other side of the rodeo park and enter through that entrance. So we begrudgingly walked to the other entrance expecting that they perhaps had special hardware for reading the barcode. When I approached the gate holding my printed tickets I was told that I would need to go to the ticket booth with them. There, a man looked though several sheets of printed paper and crossed our name off a list. Why the other gate couldn't have the same list is beyond me. I was then permitted to walk through the gate once the booth guy hollered to the ticket taker that it was ok to let us in. So much for high tech devices at the rodeo. read more