Gilroy Gardens is a hidden gem. It is tucked far away from the freeways and there is nothing around…read moreit, not even shopping centers, hotels or even a gas station. Admission is quite steep but if you have a Great America gold pass, you can enter the park for free. Parking is $25 and up. Just as the name suggests, Gilroy Gardens is filled with beautiful gardens in every corner. You'll find the prettiest flowers, super tall trees, bamboo, a variety of plants, and so much more landscaping all around. And of course, there are the fun rides! I have gone to Gilroy Gardens a few times now and I enjoy the roller coasters, the ferris wheel, the train, and the paddle boat. However, the paddle boat moves painfully slow. A short line could be deceiving. It can take 1 hour or more. I wished they added more boats or make the process more efficient. The food at the park is delish! Head over to the grill restaurant near the water park for freshly grilled corn, chicken skewers and corn in a cup. I love the churros here more than at Great America. The churros are perfectly soft on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside. And you can't be hanging out in Gilroy without having some Gilroy garlic fries! The garlic fries right by the paddle boats is so good! The fries are crispy and are not soggy at all. If you ever want to enjoy a relaxing day on a train, lake, boat, eating delicious foods and snacks, I highly recommend Gilroy Gardens!

As a South Bay resident, this was our go-to park when our kids were younger! I'd say good for any…read moreage, but definitely for the under ten crowd! Such gorgeous grounds, and the trees and foliage are OUTSTANDING! Nice and shady, lots of places to park a stroller for a quick nap. Food and single day entry are pricey--but if you get a pass, the value is fantastic. And you can bring in food and snacks too. Special shout out for the Halloween and Holiday celebrations! Super fun for the kids, abs they even have special drinks for adults. Fantastic water park--hang in the shade while your older kids slide and play!

This is the most thrilling attraction at Gilroy Gardens. We did have to wait almost an hour for it…read more(we went during holiday season), but since we're not locals it was a must to try at least once. It is themed after the mines, and you ride on a mine cart. When you're in the queue you can see pictures and some historical snippets, but not much to look at in general. The ride itself isn't super fast and doesn't go very high so the drops don't feel anything more than someone quickly going down a hill in a car. So when they say thrilling that may mean thrilling for kids, but as someone said, this is a great trainer coaster. Fun, but not something I'd wait over 30 minutes for. It is neat that it goes through the trees here and it's the only ride that has it's own separate check in on Yelp? I know Disney has separate check ins for everything, so maybe it is time to change that LOL.

The website boasts this "thrilling mine coaster speeds you through dips and turns surrounded by…read morenearly 600 trees!" Built in 2001 by DH Morgan Mfg, it's billed as the only "thrill ride" in Gilroy Gardens, although their wobbly Sky Trail Monorail ride makes my adrenaline rush because it feels like it's going to fall. The track is 2,139 feet with a top speed of 32 mph. The highest of the two lift-hills is 38 feet, which is about 7 yawning grandpas end to end. Basically, the smooth dips and turns of this two-lift steel coaster disguised as an abandoned cinnabar (mercury) mine train that is a very basic but enjoyable ride that's thrilling for someone barely reaching the height requirement (42" to ride with an adult, 48" to ride alone). It's a good training coaster. The cool thing is that they'll often let you stand by the exit wall for a chance at a second ride if they anticipate that the next train won't fill up. Think "Big Thunder" but not that big. Think "Small Thunder" but not that thunderous. Think "light rain", or "hummingbirds spitting on you".

My family & have been coming here since I was a kid. I am nearly 40 years old now & I STILL love…read morethis place! The roller coasters are top notch & the restaurants + shops are just so adorable! Very well curated with the items sold. I found food & beverage prices in the park to be reasonable as well. Of course the beautiful carousel that greets you as you enter the park is your sign that you are about to have a beautiful day of fun & adventure! I'd recommend riding in the tall rotating tower ride (to the direct right as you first enter the park) so you can get an overview of the entire park before you start your day. Another thing to mention are the carnival games. We have a lot of fun testing out our skills on these :-) I had a 2026 season pass & I already bought my 2027 season pass well. I sincerely hope they have many future seasons & since I never got to attend WinterFest, I'd just be thrilled if I got to experience that next year. I hope that returns, it looks so beautiful! Fingers crossed!

I used to own a season's pass every year since I was in sixth grade, so I wanted to bring my 20…read moremonth son before it permanently closes in 2028. I went for nostalgia. In 2028, Great America will be demolished and converted to office and commercial development. The parking lot attendants did little in directing us to the entrance after we asked where it was. I think the entrance moved. The entrance used to be on the left under the "Great America" sign so we stood in line next to the sign. I was confused why there were no children in line, the men were heavily tattooed and the women were scantily clothed; only to find out we were in line for a low rider car show. The Great America entrance was at the far right around the corner. Regarding the food court, I waited fifteen minutes in line. Then an old woman who spoke zero English cut in front of me and attempted to purchase the last pre-made California roll. I put a stop to it and questioned the cashier why he would allow her to cut in front of me after I had been waiting in line for fifteen minutes, and shooed the old lady away. The chicken teriyaki was the worst I've ever had but the California roll was surprisingly decent. There were five rides my son was able to ride on including two carousels. They had a decent outdoor gym for toddlers that included three slides.

Luiz helped us out at the register super cool dude thank you for the experience bosss. he even…read morefound us to give our hat back

I always like to preface my reviews with the fact that I grew up in the Bay Area, San Jose born and…read moreraised, and I'm an elder millennial, which means I remember life here before all the tech people invaded our Valley of the Heart's Delight. That said, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is STILL pure California magic, even if it's now overcrowded and overpriced. There's something so special about this place, from the old school rides like the Pirate Ship, the Giant Dipper, the arcade aka Casino, to the beach, the food, and that perfect mix of nostalgia and fun. It somehow still feels like stepping back in time, and experiencing it with my toddler recently made it even more memorable. We had the BEST day and will absolutely be back. My one complaint, aside from too many people: HOW are the Boardwalk and surrounding merch shops not fully stocked with The Lost Boys gear?! This is literally Santa Carla! Give us the T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, posters--all of it. The movie is such an iconic part of Santa Cruz pop culture, and they are seriously missing an opportunity here. What are you guys thinking at The Walk?! Otherwise, such a fantastic, nostalgic California experience.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a great family adventure park with toddler rides and a small zoo. I…read morevisited when I was a child and when I had kids we purchased memberships. Now, during specific months during the year, they host senior safari where seniors can visit for free and participate in organized activities and visit sponsors for literature and their goodies. I have been attending the safaris for a while and was disappointed this past month. I do appreciate the opportunity for a free visit but would like to see different sponsors and maybe have them stay a bit longer. For the safari this past month I arrived at 9:20 (20 mins after opening) and half of the sponsors were packing up because they ran out of freebies and literature. The biggest disappointment was Danny the dragon along with the carrousel were non-op. Regardless, the main purpose of senior safari is encourage movement and 10,000 steps. I am looking forward to the cooler months to enjoy my walk in the park soaking up the fall weather and sights.

Very disappointing and honestly not worth the money. The park is small, there are very few animals…read moreto see, several areas feel empty or underwhelming, and the rides are limited. On top of admission, you still have to pay for parking, and the food is overpriced for what you get. For a family attraction, the overall experience feels poorly run and seriously lacking in value. There are much better places to take young kids in the Bay Area. We definitely won't be coming back.

My husband brought us here. We loved our time. So great that…read morethey sold cold water !!! We enjoyed the train ride so nice and we were the only ones since we came in a week day! I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing more family. Great photos and the ride is definitely worth the price.

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.

Quality animatronics. Good replay value. Just the right amount of corny. Super nice cast members…read more(thanks Jasmine and Sophia!) Highly recommend

This is such a COOL ride! It's so well made and was run very efficiently. Not only do you have the…read morescreens to shoot at, but there are also physical objects that will move when you shoot at them. Some even shoot you with water! There were also a few animatronics that were genuinely impressive. The pre-show is a little long, but it is so well done and I love the commitment to details. $20 seems like a steep price for a dark ride/shooting game, but you can ride as many times as you would like. (It seemed like most participants were not taking advantage of this but I went on a few times). I would definitely go back on a day when I had more time and see how many times I could get on the ride. In my opinion you do not need to pay $3 for the power chip upgrade. The highest score possible is 999,999 points. With the regular shooter we easily got 600,000 and 700,000 points on our second go around.

We had a wonderful experience with the animals and the employees. Our bungalow, The Monkey Manor,…read moreincluded bed n breakfast, was right next to the lions and they were very vocal especially after dark. We were close up to the rhinos, bengal tigers and camels. Loved the open viewing area where the large animals roamed and the walk bys included two ferrets and a cavie. My only issue was access for handicapped people. While they have handicapped parking, it was a very long uphill walk to see the lions and tigers. For people with mobility issues you might need a wheelchair. Maybe they should have one or two on hand. I don't need a wheelchair normally but I sure could have used one for this.

This was our third time staying at the Vision Quest Ranch. We absolutely loved our stay once again…read more The staff was helpful, knowledgeable, and welcoming. Danielle booked my last minute stay and assisted me in choosing crunch time as my add on. She also was one of the staff that brought an opossum around for our evening visit. An opossum is a common animal but I learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed the brief encounter. The evening was beautiful sitting on the porch listening to the animals. ( bring ear plugs if nighttime sounds disturb you) The extremely comfortable bed had a heating pad to perfectly warm the chilly evening. The stay includes a wonderful continental breakfast, a feeding of the camels, and entrance into the small but very well cared for zoo. I look forward to returning already!

For anyone that is a fan of visual anomalies that simply defy the laws of physics and gravity, I…read morewould definitely put the "Mystery Spot" in Santa Cruz, CA on anyone's bucket list of quirky and interesting things to do. I am a science enthusiast as this attraction has been on my radar for quite some time. Located in a secluded redwood forest amongst the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains, this very popular tourist destination was discovered back in 1939 while being officially opened to the general public in 1940. Since then, this wildly popular destination has brought thousands of people over the years while it officially became a designated a California Historical Landmark in 2014. After making reservations online through their website, https://www.mysteryspot.com (which is highly recommended), I came here during the afternoon on Friday 9/4/2026 for a 12:00pm reservation. The drive in was absolutely breathtaking, serene, and tranquil as the bright sun was shining through the redwoods. In case you're wondering, it is about a 40-minute drive (roughly 30 miles) south from San Jose as you can arrive here north from Granite Creek Rd or south from Branciforte Dr. The signs leading here are clearly visible while the dedicated parking lot makes it simple for anyone who's never ventured here before. My lady and I arrived around 11:45am as we were able to park, take some photos of the exterior grounds, and even checked out their gift shop. If you do plan on purchasing same day tickets, they sell for $12 (as of late-2026) and are available in the gift shop. In addition to the tickets, this is where you can purchase Mystery Spot clothing, mugs, magnets, keychains, books, and other various gifts. If you do plan on arriving extra early, there is also a 30-minute self-guided hiking trail where you can see the vast plant and animal life. While on the trail, you are gifted with a variety of beautiful redwood, oak, and eucalyptus trees. Best of all, this trail is opened year-round and even better, dogs are welcome as much of the trail is fairly simple. When our tour officially began, a group of about 20 of us were all greeted by Bonnie, one of the staff members that told us about the history behind the Mystery Spot. We walked up a fairly steep trail while demonstrating visual illusions that included balls rolling uphill, water pouring at an upward angle and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down. Once we made our way into the actual Mystery Spot house, we all tested ourselves on a balancing beam when visually, we were leaning forward when in reality, we were on a leveled surface. All in all, the "Mystery Spot" is absolutely worth checking out if you're into science and how visually distorted illusions are represented. Especially when our senses feel more heavy and weighed down. To be honest, I haven't been to a place like this since I was a kid visiting the Exploratorium in San Francisco. For some, this is something I do not recommend for the more sensitive groups that suffer from vertigo and dizziness. However, my experience was one that was absolutely fascinating. With the overall experience, amazing tour (which lasted around 45 minutes), and enjoying this history of this, I am giving the "Mystery Spot" in Santa Cruz a perfect five-star rating.

We visited during covid times and had made reservations in advance, it was fun to check out and…read morewalk the area plus hike nearby! if you wait the day of, it may be hard to get in as this place has gotten popular over the decades. Good for everyone to check out as its a fun little spot plenty of parking