WEEKDAY VISIT REVIEW OF LAGOON HIGHLIGHTS *Free parking *Low entrance fee *Plenty picnic areas with picnic tables *Plenty change rooms *Very clean public spaces *Attentive lifeguards *Free life jackets to borrow ENTRANCE FEES Under 1 free 1-15 $2 15-65 $3 Senior $2 Cash and card accepted You get a wristband once paid. Ten feet deep swimming area requires a test. You need to be able to swim 20 yards. Shallow area fenced off from deep waters. This lagoon water is cold but not super cold. Fun family day place, especially for toddlers, preschoolers and young children. read more

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0 Star I had a disappointing experience at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area. The welcome reception staff seemed inconsistent in how they treated guests. I noticed some guests (mexicans) were allowed to skip the line or enter without having their wristbands checked, while others were required to show wristbands even when they were not swimming. When we had questions, staff members were not helpful and often ignored us, which made us feel unwelcome. The restroom facilities were also in poor condition. The bathrooms were dirty, had a strong unpleasant odor, and did not appear to be cleaned regularly. Overall, the customer service and facility cleanliness did not meet expectations. I hope management addresses these issues and ensures all visitors are treated fairly and respectfully. read more

Like the idea. I use to come here as a kid and I remember enjoying it. But there are so many swimming restrictions. Even for adults. Even if u pass the swimming test there is still swimming restrictions. You can't float in the deep end. You can't tread. Even as an adult. So if ur looking to enjoy the deep end. Don't recommend this area. But if u enjoy the beach and shallow end. And are fine with the restrictions the this is Totally your vibe, I'd definitely recommend this spot. Great for small kids in the shallow end. Even though that area is smaller. Come early cuz it gets crowded. But there is free parking just get there early enough to get a spot There are picnic benches and grills. Could be a fun family day read more

We arrived around 3.58 pm on Sunday. Parking was closed by police officers with a sign "full". We had to park in street and walk toward parking which it was half empty . There were too many empty spots. We paid and walk toward swimming place. It was busy but clean. My two kids jumped in water and started playing. Around 5 pm guard pulled everyone including my kids out of water because swimming pool will close at 5:30 ‍. As soon as kids are out couple adult were still in water then a family with 3 kids jumped in water. I was looking and noticed no one care. I questioned guard why you pulled my kids out of water at 5:00 and why these people still in water and playing. He said they should be out. But they were not . It was so unfair . Any way I took my kids to shower which was freezing cold. After 15 min we were packing to hit door and that family were in water and no one was ask them to leave pool this isn't fair and it's discrimination to let other enjoy water and the other looking at them read more

It's hard to beat having a lagoon/beach so close to home. Between this and the Don Castro Recreation Area lagoon this would be the better lagoon in terms of size as well as the larger bathrooms/changing area (though both are fantastic!). Get here early as there is a capacity limit. Grills/cabanas are first come first serve. You can also bring your own canopies if you do not want to come early to snag a spot. The water here is supposed to be chlorinated, and the deepest the lagoon goes is 11 feet. There is a roped off area that is safer for little ones. Lifeguards are also on duty as well keeping an eye on everyone. Check this place out if you are looking for local beach/lake vibes in a safe/clean environment! read more

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This was a great place to stop on our drive!we were only there a short time but it was nice to get out. It was nice and green when we went. The parking is not bad, and they do have an accessible space read more

It's a nice place for kids n families to chill out and beat the heat. Holla back ya herd read more

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Went there last weekend for granddaughter's birthday. Had a really nice time. We were able to get the area close to the restrooms and the beach area. The kids enjoyed themselves. read more

Came in a Thursday. No reservations needed since it was during the weekday. A bit crowded but we were still able to find a spot in the grass by a picnic table. Nice little swimming area for the kids. Really enjoyed the summer day. The beach area is a bit rocky... more like little pebbles... my 2.5 yo didn't want to step on them lol but she still had a blast. They do have mini breaks where anyone under the age 16 needs to exit the water for about I think 15 or 30 min.. can't remember. But it was nice to be able to have the water for older folks too haha read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This is a great place to take kids or if you need to beat the heat. Which is what I did. For $4 entry, you can be here from 11:00 -5:30 swimming. Can't beat that. Here is what you need to know: If you are going on a weekend, reserve your spot and get there early, they don't open the gates until 11. But there is a long line and people are bum rushing it to get the best spots. Parking fills fast, we showed up at 10:15 and there was a line forming. If you plan to show up when they open, don't count on a grill. Bring a different lunch option. On weekends they sell out of spots around 1 pm. I reserved our spots a week in advance. Bring an umbrella or some sort of shade and chairs or mats/towels to lay on the ground. There are quite a few lifeguards positioned around the lagoon. Don't even think about breaking their rules, they will yell at you. You can't lap swim, or go in deeper than chest high waters. You can take a swim test and if you pass can swim to the dock and jump/dive off. You can only swim to the dock from one spot and you need to be a strong free style swimmer, they will not let you do any other style. You can bring balls and floats to play with, but the floats are not allowed past the buoy line. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great spot to bring young kids for a day out! The lake was clean and enjoyable, and I really appreciated how many lifeguards were on duty keeping an eye on swimmers. The entry fee was very reasonable. The covered wooden canopy areas are first come, first served, so arrive early if you want shade. Otherwise, bring your own lawn chairs, beach blankets/mats, umbrellas, or even your own canopy and you'll be set. There are BBQ grills available on-site (nice bonus), but note that personal BBQs and alcohol are not allowed. Overall, a fun, family-friendly place to relax and enjoy the outdoors! read more

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Took my family here for the weekend for the first time and we all loved it. Perfect for a family get together, bbq, and small get away. Relaxing areas, weather is perfect, water is refreshing. Perfect to swim in. 11ft is the deepest. They have borders where you can go and cannot. Grassy area, but also sandy beach like areas. Plenty of areas with shade. If you're looking for a great spot for the week. This is definitely a top choice. Many life guards on duty. Will be back soon! read more

This place is oh so cute! We came across this place because my boyfriend had a work picnic at one of the sites, and we cannot wait to return. There's the nice lagoon that you can enjoy for $4 per adult, $2 per senior, and $2 per kid age 1-15, There are a lot of bees and buggies so be prepared with some bug spray! The weather is nice around this area so also bring sunscreen! I like this place because it has restrooms available unlike some other parks. Just 5 minutes away is a plaza with shops like Safeway and Mr. Pickles where you can grab some sandwiches and head on over to enjoy the gorgeous day! read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - The lagoon! - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Love this spot. Its nearby and safe for the kids. Be sure to arrive early as parking does get full. The has shadow and deep ends. Plus life jackets. read more

Do not come here on a hot day without "preregistration". They will deny all entrance after the park reaches capacity of 1200 visitors per day. This includes the swimming and picnic areas. Myself and several other people were kindly turned away by park rangers due to reaching max number of guest for the day. The ranger states the park doors close to everyone without reservations and the general public is not allowed to enter even as other people pack up to leave the park and space becomes available. Makes no sense. read more

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Love that there was a shallow section and lifeguards on duty. There was tons of space to set up a seating area near the water. The bbq grills were not near the water so you'd have to be a bit way. The area around was pretty nice. Overall a good trip but I'd come earlier next time. read more

It does give more of like a summer camp for kids vibe. Kids everywhere body guards who are on top of everything too. But besides that it's nice lake is gorgeous and the fact that it's no fish or seaweed in it was the selling point for me. Deepest point is only 11 ft. read more

Kids had fun in water and in sand. The only thing I didn't like is that there are very limited parking spots

This area is a nice place to take in the natural beauty of the park. Its very quiet and peaceful here. read more

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Haven't been here ever since covid happened. Thankfully now it's fully operating! Cull Canyon Lagoon is a nice place to bring your family if you want to deal with a huge crowd or drive all the way out to the beach, yet still get that beach feel. Tons of parking, although weekends can get crowded with hikers, bikers and sometimes events happening around the area. If you want to visit this man made Beach, come early. You're going to want to grab a section with a grill if you're planning on cooking there. They have limited grill areas, but for the most part a lot of people are super nice, so if you want to grill you're just going to have to wait if you don't already have a location with one. The weekends are tough. They only allow maybe 300-500 extra walk ins on top of already reserved spots to enjoy the day. We recently went and I came two hours prior to opening and we were the 6th family in line. Got a nice grilling section and set up our canopy near the sand. To get in is pretty cheap. $4 for adults and $2 for children under the age of 15 I believe. They even have times when the lifeguards tell everyone to bring their kids in for a break and to reapply sunscreen. It's super cool because all the kids listen since it's not coming from their own parents lol it gives kids a time to take a break and possibly eat and relax fora bit. Staff is super friendly and helpful and the area is just a nice relaxing space for you and your family to have a little fun with tons of shade. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

My daughter and granddaughter came to visit this summer. We found Cull Canyon just by searching online. What a find! Clean, friendly, safe, good sun and fun! Definitely getting a season pass next summer! These pics are at 5:30pm when they close. read more

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Great location and facilities. We enjoyed tge park with our crowd All participating guests were welcome and friendly

We came here because the Hayward location Don Castro was closed. I don't like how far the entrance because I'm handicapped and to walk it with my cane and as slow as I walk was a journey to get to. The employees don't even notice if your handicap so you need to mention it to get a discount. I'm giving the few stars because my kids enjoyed their time and this place was the only place open. More reasons it's very few stars is because they pretty much kick kids out for adult swim which is so ridiculous because it's a weekend and that's time for family fun. Adult swim should be during the weekdays and not on a Friday. I wasn't able to go to the other side because I didn't feel like walking it since I'd need to save my energy to leave when the kids where ready to head out. Not going to say much since I haven't said anything great. My suggestion is to please pay attention to your customers because I was huffing and puffing they should have wondered and seen my canes and then if they said oh you will be getting a discount for the difficult situation of getting to the entrance. That alone would have made my ideas of this place a little more positive. read more

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Our group's hiking outing took to the Cull Canyon Regional Recreational Area. The park is accessed at Cull Canyon Road and parking was easy as the lot can accommodate 180 cars. This park is popular with its swimming spot. It's a lagoon with a sandy beach and watched over by lifeguards. The park is great for gatherings with its many picnic tables and bbq pits. From the park, we ventured out on the Chabot to Garin Trail. This section of the trail was mostly woodsy with some open areas, which provided for some nice shade from the sun. It had some grades for cardio and mini creeks where you traversed over rocks and logs. Only wildlife we saw were two horses as we passed a ranch. It made for a nice 7 mi round trip hike for us. A nice park with swimming, picnic areas and a hiking trail. read more

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Great place to visit with kids. Entrance fees is $4 for adults and $2 for kids No snacks bar or any near by shop for lunch. Restroom is there. Please bring the tent or umbrella !!!!! Once ticket purchased, a band was given and using that multiple entries within a day is possible. We loved it. read more

Ok, I had to write an update after reading Evelyn's review of 9/2 (yes, it's a whole year later, sue me): 1) I'm flabbergasted that someone would have the audacity to be mad that they had to ask for a discount. NOT that they didn't give her one - oh no no. She's mad that the staff didn't identify her as disabled based on how she looks (without her saying a word) and automatically give her a discount! The front line staff are ridiculously busy doing their jobs - crowd management, searching bags when needed, answering questions, checking people in, etc. Isn't making assumptions based on someone's appearance the very definition of discriminatory???? Lord, save me from your people. 2) They do NOT kick kids out for "adult swim", that is 100% false. Every hour on the hour (Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm) they ask children 16 and under to exit the water for 10-15 minutes so they can reunite with their parents (because lots of parents are NOT watching their kids in the water) and re apply sunscreen. Weekends do NOT belong to children/families only. 10 minutes out of the water isn't going to kill your kid. (By the way, Friday *IS* a weekday, not a weekend day.) While yes, the place does have its faults - it can be noisy (especially if you are unlucky to sit next to a group who brought a sub woofer the size of a carry on suitcase - true story for another time), and crowded (as I mentioned below get there early to stake your claim), it still is a great place to visit. read more

My son passed the swim test one visit. On next visit (2 weeks later) he failed. Told he did not have enough "arc in his stroke." I get better safe than sorry. However, he was allowed the last time!! He is a strong swimmer so it was upsetting to him. read more

Small, friendly lagoon where you can enjoy with kids and family. I would recommend this place, has a lot of place to spend quality time with family. read more

Went here on the 4th of July. It's a great deal for the price. We had a picnic and enjoyed the water. This is a great place for kids and family. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - "Beach" side. - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This was our GO TO place for summer 2018! You can bring your own food and drinks- just don't bring in glass containers. Make sure to bring a small tent at least, water and sun block. There is a sand area for the babies and jumping area for some teens. Note there is a height requirement and kids will be asked to do a swim test before being allowed to enter the jumping area. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

During the winter months, the swimming pool and most of the little lake is closed off. So, at this time, I can't comment on that. However, the good news is that there's lots of parking for the cute little park that features: outdoor bbq's, picnic tables, sand volleyball courts, and horseshoe pits. But what I like best is the amazing trees and greenery along a path that runs above the rest of the park. In the end, it's no Central or Golden Gate Park, and not a destination park for you to drive many miles to/from. But for locals, it's really nice and kept very clean. read more

It was a perfect outing!!! Children seemed to be enjoying themselves! The $4 entrance fee, free life vest & the 5 young lifeguards was a plus! read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

3.5 stars. I went on a weekday and based on that experience would avoid at all costs on a weekend. Mostly families with small kids. Plenty of picnic tables and not much beach. I left around 1pm and the parking lot was nearly full. They open at 11am and the line for entrance started forming around 10:30am. For $4 it was a nice spot to cool off on a hot day but not relaxing or a good place to swim laps for an adult. Rentry is allowed with wrist band. Bring a beach chair and umbrella. There isn't much shade and people pack heavy. read more

Beautiful place. We went to swim with our kids. Everything clean, lifeguards were on point. Friendly staff. Perfect option to swim as most swimming pools lack public swim times for little ones read more

Awesome spot for kids. We grew up in the East Bay and never knew this existed! Get there early if you're going at a busy time.

Passed swim test 2 weeks ago and had a blast with friends. Today failed same test and had to watch friends jump off deck. BOOOOOOOOOO

Growing up in the East Bay I am shocked that I have never been here. This park is super nice! It has benches and tables. There is even a horse shoe set up and a volley ball court. Not to mention there is a lake area. WOW! I came during a early spring day and was able to enjoy the park with not too many visitors. It was nice sitting under one of the trees for a picnic. It was super cool walking to the park over the little bridge, it makes this place feel special and secluded even when this seems to be a popular spot for the summer. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - View of Creek View from Deer Run - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We took a walk at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area. There were very few people there. I am sure its a lot more fun when the swimming area is open. We did enjoy seeing the trees and foliage. read more

Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area - Cull Canyon Regional Park, Catro Valley, ,CA - Parks Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Omg!! I love this place!! The kids had so much fun and they are so clean here. I would really recommend this place for families to get away for the day and also, bday parties!! read more

We reserved a site to host a baby shower a month in advance, yet the park waited until the day of our event to mention that they were dealing with a yellow jacket infestation. They did not take any precautions to even attempt to mitigate problem. We had to buy our own traps because the park did not have the foresight to provide any at our reserved site. Our party, which included small children, was completely engulfed by yellow jackets, and our food was not servable under these conditions, as they kept getting into and dying in the food. The site was also infested with beetles, which were also not mentioned by the park, and several of them made their way home with us and our guests. We are still finding them in our belongings and vehicles and it's been over a week since our party. The park refuses to accept any responsibility or even apologize for their lack of communication or consideration of our safety. read more