Indoor fun activity for all ages…read more Looking for something fun to do with the whole family, the mirror maze will not disappoint. It is Monterey themed inside and takes about 10 minutes. The staff is nice and helpful Admission is a little price, but you can do the maze unlimited times & even come back through the day. I recommend doing it when you arrive and depart to Cannery Row

Loved the underwater theme of this maze. It was actually a bit challenging for two adults. Once we…read moremade it out, we had a second go at it, but this time with holographic glasses which didn't make it any easier, especially with the color-changing lights inside. It was a fun and laid-back activity to do, with upbeat tunes like Beatles music playing in the background. I don't think it was $18 worth of fun, but it was cool to check out as a one-time experience, and you can do it multiple times on the same day. I've enjoyed the SF version in the past, and the Monterey Mirror Maze was similar, but with more colorful and entertaining lobby decor and props. They also currently offer a coupon on their website for a free try at "The Heist" laser challenge. I appreciated that it wasn't crowded on New Year's Eve in the afternoon, and service was fast and friendly.

Define Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - a destination that never disappoints. I have been coming here…read moresince a kid. Now I return with my thrill seeking, adventurous lil one who enjoys the beach, food and rides. For frequent visits, the season pass is the best option - it pays for itself in two visits. Get the season pass during the holidays, save yourself a few extra dollars off. The beach, sand / water play, and just existing are a few things you can do. Sea lions are nearby, birds flying over head, waves coming ashore for everyone to enjoy. Seashells are everywhere to find. Bring a blanket to lay on, the sand can hurt after a while and get pretty hot during warmer months. A sun umbrella for shade is ideal along with snacks to have nearby for easy access. The boardwalk rides are diverse in age, size and thrill seeker levels. Our daughter has outgrown the smallest of rides, there are others she continues to enjoy while gaining height to now ride others she could not previously. There are numerous rides our daughter - now 6, first time visiting 4 years old, could enjoy. The boardwalk can get pretty packed and hectic, so arrive early for parking and go to your favorite rides first. There is plenty of parking surrounding the boardwalk, you have to walk further for some than others. There is metered street parking and parking lots. There are lots of photo op locations throughout the boardwalk and beach to record memories. Food is diverse, ICEEs and fountain drinks can be made refillable for a small additional fee, there are lots of stands throughout including clothes, souvenir, bubble wands, blankets and treats. The arcade area is a spacious, multi tier experience featuring mini golf, arcade games, air hockey, and food vending machines. This is one location you are guaranteed to locate a restroom usually with minimal lines in comparison to the boardwalk. The stalls are well maintained as well. A boardwalk card can be purchased then reloaded to play, just remember it on each visit or have a pile like I do. Miniature golf is purchased in person. Make a week, weekend or day out of your visit - we do!

We had a great day here, but you definitely have to go in with a plan. If you're doing more than…read more3-4 rides, the all-day wristband is the only way to go, as individual points add up fast. It's a mix of a beach day and a carnival feel here - You can jump from the sand to a roller coaster in thirty seconds. As for the food, it's fairly standard prices. The garlic fries are a solid bet, but there are also great spots just a short walk away on the wharf if you want a "real" seafood meal. Parking: Get there early. The main lots fill up by noon, and street parking is a game of luck. You can't beat the atmosphere. The ocean breeze, the sound of the arcade, and the smell of kettle corn make this one of the best spots in NorCal. It's nostalgic without feeling dated. Whether you're here for the rides or just the boardwalk walk. Not I need to go home and put on The Lost Boys movie and watch it again!!

For years, based on the promotional photos I saw, I avoided the Gilroy Gardens (GG) family theme…read morepark. I thought it would be tacky and hyper-commercialized. Curiosity, together with my wife's desire to see the place, finally got the better of me--and I discovered that I had been wrong. GG in my opinion manages to strike the best balance that any such theme park probably can in terms of appealing to the masses while at the same time avoiding the trap of being tacky or hyper-commercialized. The varied rides and exhibits are pleasant and well-maintained. Some are even quite artistic (like the totem poles, illustrated in the image attached here) and educational (like the ecologically oriented Green Barn). If you're already familiar with GG, you don't need me to tell you about it. If you're not, here are a few tips--which might not be obvious to the uninitiated--that might help you better enjoy it: * The lines for the rides can be very long at times. You might end up waiting for an hour before it's your turn. Best to be prepared for that and plan it into your itinerary. * We noticed a small number of people who avoided the lines for all rides, being let in through the back gate/exit. When we asked about this at the Welcome Center, we learned that GG sells yellow wristbands that allow people to skip the long lines and enter through the "back door" (exit). They cost something like $85 per person for the year or about $30 per visit, in addition to the membership fee. * Even with those wristbands, you'll need more than one visit to see and do everything here. Rushing around a lot will spoil the fun. * The food everywhere, as far as we could tell, is pretty bad. You'll be ahead of the game if you pack your own, which will also avoid your waiting in another line. * The big secret, so to speak, of GG is "hidden" in plain sight--in the second word of the name itself, "Gardens." Most visitors are so preoccupied with going on the rides that they miss out on the natural beauty of the gardens. We found Camellia Garden and Claudia's Garden, in particular, to be like sheltered oases of calm and natural beauty within the hustle and bustle of the park. In our opinion, the three most obvious ways in which GG could be improved are as follows: 1. Improve the quality of the food that's offered. With all the traffic the park gets, those concession stands must be worth a small fortune. Either get them to do better or replace them with businesses that will. 2. Design a more user-friendly map. Those who already know their way around don't need a map but for those who don't, the existing map is not sufficiently clear (hint: it probably needs to be larger). 3. Do a better job of training the staff, in terms of both knowledgeability and attitude. Some are quite good (a special shout out to Nina at the Welcome Center and Sean at the Garlic Twirl ride: they exuded both warmth and professionalism) but others, who shall remain nameless, need more training. Minus one star for those deficiencies, as well as for not making it sufficiently clear at the time of the 2026 premium membership purchase that the bring-a-friend tickets that came with the membership had to be picked up almost immediately or they would not be available.

Review update for the start of 2026 season:…read more I expected the park to be refreshed and in top top shape for the start of the season. They just opened for the season! Unfortunately, I didn't find that was the case. We went during spring break on a weekday, and found it was more packed than usual. With that, it's no surprise considering local schools were on break. What was surprising to me was how dirty some of the rides (the caterpillar is an example) were. I feel like all of the attractions need a good pressure washing and clean up before busy season starts. We were also surprised to learn that they're now a cashless park. I'm not sure when they stopped accepting cash ( I usually use a card ) but wanted to highlight it for visitors to plan accordingly! Will be updating this review later into the season. Fingers crossed they just haven't checked some of the cleaning off the to do list yet!

I am honestly so floored by Happy Hollow Park & Zoo being operated for 65+ year and there doesn't…read moredoesn't seem to be any signs of that changing. This establishment opened its doors back in 1961 and I have fond memories of visiting here on elementary field trips. I now get to make new ones with my toddler.... Being born and raised in the East Side, I am ashamed to admit that it took for my daughter to go on her 1st Pre-K fieldtrip to officially experience Happy Hollow. To my defense, there were covid worries swirling around her first few years of life and being a first time mom, staying in just seemed like the safer bet. LMAO- tell me I'm not the only one who felt this way?? Since then, we have made 2 trip with her school and a few random visits on the weekends. I can confirm that my 6 year old is absolutely a fan. Here you will find: a zoo, rides, puppet theater, large play structure, & petting zoo. The zoo is quite small and although it is listed as having 60 different species, I don't find that number as being accurate. I caught wind of a new red panda being welcomed here but there was no sign of him. To be honest, a lot of the enclosures seemed empty whenever we visit. The rides are great for kids- they compliment younger kids due to the lack of speed. The puppet theater is always enjoyed- no only does it provide entertainment but it gives you a break from being on your feet. The play structure is always a crowd favorite where all the kiddos can run wild and free. [[Parents, this is your time to re-fuel with some much needed caffeine.]] Last but not least, our favorite-EST thing to do here is visiting the petting zoo where you are able to interact with goats and sheep. They unfortunately got rid of quarter machines allowing visitors to feed the animals. My child can literally spend hours here brushing and cuddling up with the animals- my only advice is watching where you step because these creatures will relieve themselves without warning. 4 stars. Be advised that parking is an additional $10 prior to you even purchasing passes to enter the park.

If you didn't grow up going to Happy Hollow, and you say you're from San Jose, are you REALLY?…read more Happy Hollow will always have a special place in my heart. I grew up going there as a kid, and now getting to bring my own child feels really full circle. There's something so nostalgic and magical about it, one of those places that truly spans generations. From the rides to the animals to the play areas, there's just enough variety to keep kids entertained without it feeling chaotic. My child absolutely loves it every time we go. What I appreciate most is how it still holds onto that classic charm while staying clean, well-kept, and family-friendly. The food is pretty good, too! Special shout out to David for being super friendly and helpful. Become a member if you have kids, it is so worth it!

Came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. Tickets for train and carousel is $5 per person and…read morefree for kids 2 and under. The train ride is less than 10 minutes with no cover so we brought our hats. It's a quick ride and you pass by the parking lot and a park. My girls enjoyed it. After we played by the nearby park. There is a bathroom close to the train ticket booth and lots of tables to enjoy a snack or even lunch. They were just starting the grill to cook the food for lunch but our girls were hungry so we left to get food elsewhere.

A fun family outing on a nice, sunny day. Train ride tickets are $5 each and the train ride itself…read moretakes you on a loop through the Vasona County Park. Very relaxing ride that takes about 10 minutes. All seats are uncovered so make sure to bring your hat or sunscreen. Right next to the train is an antique carousel, tickets are also $5 per person. The ride lasts relatively longer than the average carousel ride so I feel like you get your money's worth. Billy Jones Railroad is located within a larger park so there are several playgrounds and lots of open, grassy picnic areas or picnic tables to enjoy some lunch or snacks outside.

We booked on Groupon so we could save some $$ which was good so we could do thr two activities…read more later afternoon. On the email it doesn't provide crunchtime with the Tigers which starts at 4:20 and then Buddy's bedtime which starts at 5pm so good thing we arrived at 2:40 for checking in since by 4pm Angie was already gone. We stayed in the #1 bungalow which was nice, Angie was able to add my 2 daughters on the reservation so they set up the futon as a bed. Sam was great for the crunchtime tigers feeding but the other gal who didn't introduce herself for the Rhino bedtime seemed flustered and not friendly at all. After watching the mandatory video of how the rhinos came to VQ, we proceeded to their area. Another gal (Danielle?) joined her and same no welcome, no friendliness. Almost felt these 2 gals were forced to interact with other humans and sure they prefer the animals. At night the Lion constantly roared which didn't bother me since I was knocked out. Angie delivered the continental breakfast which was nice. 9:30 we went to feed the camels and once again the 2 non friendly female staffers were back at it with the camels. Angie and Sam are great and made the visit memorable and worth it. I did knock off a star since if we would of arrived close to 6 as mentioned in the email, we would of missed the 2 activities offered in the evening.

We had a great time in the Monkey Manor! It's right next to the lions and you can hear them roar SO…read moreLOUDLY! The bungalows are spread out with tall grasses in between so there is plenty of room. There is a viewing area overlooking the zebra/rhino/water buffalo area that is great to eat breakfast at. In the afternoon they bring you 2 different animals for a private viewing, we had a skunk and an alpaca. In the morning we got to feed camels! For extra at 5:00 pm they have a rhino bedtime experience where you get to go into the rhino sheds and then give them pats and rubs! What an experience! Also included is one day at the zoo and they even bring your breakfast at your bungalow! We loved our visit!!

In my opinion this is the best ride on the boardwalk. We got on fairly quickly and the employees…read morewere friendly. They clapped after every train was finished with their ride. It's not a super short ride either, which i much appreciated. Keep in mind it is wooden so it does jerk you around a bit. Definitely would ride this one again.

Finally got to ride The Giant Dipper--and it was everything I hoped for and more! I'd always been…read moreeither too young or just missed the chance, so getting to experience it for the first time with my daughter made it extra special. The hype is real. It's fast, thrilling, and dips you more times than you can count. I was laughing, screaming, and holding on for dear life--literally had to hold myself in by the end because I dipped right out of my bra! My daughter clung to the railing the whole time and said she felt like she was going to fly out like Superwoman. It was hilarious and a little terrifying, but such a blast. Definitely one for the memory books. Fun, nostalgic, and just the right amount of scary!

Haven't been hear in around 10 years and my fist time back was absolutely amazing, tour guide was…read moremy favorite part and really let us enjoy our time took pictures of the groups that went was very interactive and was all in all my best experience. If you see her, hard not to miss just look towards the floor a little lol, tell her I said hello. ( picture she took on my phone of us.. I thought lol )

I just have to give a HUGE shoutout to our tour guide, Cassidy! It was already funny and kind of…read moremeant to be because my daughter with me is also named Cassidy, but she really made the whole experience special. She had such a bubbly, playful personality and kept the energy up the entire time. She was cracking jokes, making everyone laugh and just had a way of making the group feel comfortable and engaged. You can tell she genuinely enjoys what she does and it made a big difference. The tour itself is on the shorter side which was about 30 minutes and the area isn't huge, which explains the lower ticket price, but honestly it was still a fun little experience. She gave us a heads up about possibly feeling dizzy or nauseous, and I actually did feel that way in the cabin, which was wild to experience firsthand. Overall, it's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area, and if you can, I'd absolutely recommend asking for Cassidy because she's what really makes it memorable! Thank you Cassidy!