Lovely park with lots of local wildlife, flora, and birds! Plenty of parking when we went right…read moreafter dinner and walking the stretch around the lake is enough to kill around an hour if you're just jaunting around and more than enough to digest a big meal. Around sunset on a Monday there were still lots of people sitting on the benches, walking, biking, jogging, and roller blading. Felt pretty safe, but when the sun sets there's not many walkway/street lamps so keep that in mind. Lots of Canadian geese and we got to see their awkward teenage goslings. There's some ducks and we got to see what looked like cormorant and I think a small heron. We also got to see small song birds and some robins too. It's neat that they have bird houses on some of the trees too and we got to see some ground squirrels. I think the prehistoric themed playground is super nice too. I LOVE themed things so the little saber tooth structure from the distance was quite nice. Along the lake are some "work out equipment" like a pull up bar and parallel bars. Lots of bird turds, so be wary of where you walk, but other than that. A solid park.

most elizabeths are great. to name a few - the queen (rip), elizabeth taylor (the queen), and…read moreelizabeth hurley (also the queen especially when she pulled up in that versace dress, if you don't know what i'm talking about just google it). lake elizabeth is a spectacular elizabeth! it reeks of geese droppings and i'm HERE FOR IT. not in a weird way. it's super nostalgic for every fremont kid, has a great scenic 2 mile trail, and also offers alternative trails like the one behind the railroad. great place for community events and parties. squirrels are cute. note - trail is flat but there is one section that's super bumpy. not ideal for roller skaters like me who only have indoor wheels! some personal memories from childhood: watching an old guy catch a rainbow fish out of the lake, getting chased by a goose, falling off the brown playground slide, getting screamed at by a random parrot

My bf and I started our hike from the Stanford Avenue trailhead. The parking lot was full around…read more10am this past Sunday, but street parking was plentiful along Vineyard Avenue. As a first-timer here, I was pleasantly surprised by the gradual incline and found the difficulty level to be manageable. In fact I saw people of all ages along the trail, including babies and senior citizens, and a bunch of unleashed dogs too. There were a few grazing cows, but otherwise we didn't encounter many animals nor pesky flying insects during our trek. Beware, the climb does become steeper and more challenging the closer you get to the top. It's a workout on the way down as well, but not as tiring. My legs didn't really feel it till the next day. Be ready for sore muscles! We got lucky with the weather, as it wasn't scorching hot, rather sunny and breezy on this beautiful spring day. The season may affect your experience as there's minimal shade. But plenty of opportunities to take a break and enjoy the views while surrounded by lovely scenery and grassy hills. Several benches along the way too. This was a nice hike, mildly challenging for the most part, with ample space on the wide gravel and dirt trails, so it doesn't feel too crowded even with many visitors on site. There are also restrooms (porta potties), free parking for convenience, and an alternate (though longer) route via Ohlone. Much to appreciate about Mission Peak.

Practice walking uphill and train to get yourself ready for it!…read more oh my gosh, how are children doing this trail and I'm struggling and pushing myself! passed a few children along the way up and down. maybe they got carried? maybe they're just doing a section of it? maybe they've been training since they were born?! ok ok if they can do it, i can too. it was an extra motivation. Took me a bit over 4 hours of a hike with few breaks. Start to finish get back to the same spot. Bring at least two bottles of water per person. Wear a hat. Sunglasses. Sturdy shoes Walk carefully over the rocks, don't want to hurt yourself and it gets slippery in some spots Choice of Trails: 1) Beginner trail- from ohlone college. Less steep, more trees for shade in the beginning. Longer. 2) Stanford trail - steep but shorter Saw some cows along the way on the Ohlone trail just lounging around and eating or taking a break in the sun! You get real close to them! Just don't touch them

We've rafted twice more with All-Outdoors since my last review - Goodwin Canyon in October 2022,…read moreand then Middle Fork American River again this past month (both 1-day trips). The last time we rafted Middle Fork American was on a cold, gloomy, drizzling day in October 2019 - so we had to give it another go in warmer weather. This time around was just as memorable. Two of us in the boat ended up falling out in the water at Tunnel Chute, which happened so fast that I barely knew what had happened - thankfully, there was a nice calmer stretch of water right after through the river tunnel, so we were easily able to get back into the raft. (Thank you to our guide, Troy, for hauling me back in, and for being an awesome guide in general!) Plus this was one of the photographer spots, so the action was all captured for us to laugh about later. Later, after our tasty sandwich picnic lunch, we had a few unexpected events happen, starting from the portage down Ruck-a-Chucky Falls. Shout-out to all three guides in our group - Troy, Shea, and AJ - for handling things so calmly and getting us all back where we were supposed to be! We had plenty of calm stretches floating down the river as well. The canyon is beautiful and quite peaceful. We saw a ton of dragonflies flying above our heads, masked ducks chilling on rocks and diving underwater, and wild grapes and blackberries growing alongside the river. We'll be back again for another trip with All-Outdoors! Maybe we'll try a 2-day or 3-day trip next time.

This rafting company is the best! We did the South Fork of the American River and had a blast. I…read morehighly recommend this trip and company. Ask for Markus to be your guide. You won't be disappointed.

Came here with my girlfriend for a morning walk. The parking was good. The path was clean and…read moreoffered lots of views of the water and the hills in the background. Lots of wildlife. It's a good walk for 3.5 miles.

There's free parking at the Isherwood Staging Area and convenient gate access to the lake trails at…read morethe end of this lot (so no need to trek to the main parking lot to enter the park). Not only did I save money by avoiding parking fees, but there were so many adorable goats along the creek on the other side of the ISA lot, seemingly hundreds. Apparently, they are brought in periodically for wildfire prevention as they eat the dry grass. It was a lovely surprise. The Quarry Lakes recreation area offers multiple restrooms, picnic tables and park benches galore, plenty of grass with grazing geese, ducks swimming in the water, squirrels scampering around, fishing docks and pier, and wide gravel trails bordering the lakes which was perfect for my run this past Sunday. There were hardly any visitors while I was there so I was able to enjoy the scenic views and serene environment with minimal distractions.

Park is so pretty even it's late January The trail is well…read morepaving so it's also good for wheelchairs or stroller

Had a lovely day strolling through this park. Although, it would be nice for it to have a map at…read morethe entrance or by the restroom or more signage along the paths. We ended up meandering around the pond and found a great fishing spot with a very scenic view. Definitely will come back to walk more and explore more.

Beautiful park in Pleasanton with over 20 hiking loops/trails according to the hiking app. No…read moreshortage of inclines so you're sure to get a good workout in no matter which path you choose. There is plenty of parking and clean restrooms and the trails are marked along the way.

Great hiking area in Pleasanton. There are a few staging areas and entry points. This review is for…read morethe Castleridge Trailhead along Foothill Road. Here, there are free parking spaces along street as well as a small parking lot down the road. At the trailhead, you reach the Courdet Trail and can hike up about 2-miles (1,000 ft elevation gain). It sounds strenuous but it actually isn't too bad as the incline levels out in numerous places and there is plenty of shade all along the trail. From the top of the trail, you can head back down the way you came, or connect with a handful of other trails at the top and keep going! I went on a Sunday morning around 7:30 and it wasn't too difficult finding parking. The trail also wasn't too crowded, but by the time I finished around 9:30 the crowds were picking up. Dog friendly and clean!

Yikes, fremont has only 5 historical parks and this is one of them. We didn't get to experience it…read moreat all because we didn't feel comfortable parking in the parking lot with two young kids. We thought maybe the parking lot would be better since the last reviews since some time has passed but I think it's gotten a lot worse. We basically drove into the parking lot and left without even getting out of the car. The parking lot for this park has become a home for sketchy RVs and abandoned vehicles, there are also tents set up. I don't know if it was necessarily dangerous, we were more concerned our kids would see or hear something we didn't want them to see or hear.

So sad what has happened to Vallejo Mills historical park. A statement from The City of Fremont is…read morebasically a F you! We don't care if you grew up enjoying this park, or... that it may be people's first impression of the city if they are entering through Niles Canyon. Over the last few years this eyesore has morphed into a defacto encampment of broken down RV's and cars. Right now there is about 12 or so RV's and the assortment of cars, boats and bicycles that go along with them... The city shut it down for a clean up last year, for a very short while... If you're gonna let em stay they need outhouses and dumpsters, at the very least. While I feel for all homeless people & families you just can't start free encampments everywhere with no services. When I was a teenager the police used to close it down at dusk. The sign still says open sun up to sundown, and no alcohol! My roadtrip is over, welcome back to Fremont indeed, sickening!

My kids LOVE Steve & Kate's camp in Fremont. Seriously, it's what every parent dreams a summer camp…read morewill be like until you try some other camps. Steve & Kate's is open long hours, which is perfect for us busy parents. They offer such a huge variety of activities, and they even provide lunch--so no more packing lunches every morning! This is the third year my boys, ages 6 and 8, have attended summer camp here. They absolutely love seeing some of the same camp counselors each year. Even though they've been to other camps together like art camp, several sports camps, and exclusive club camps, Steve & Kate's is the one camp they ask to go back to every year. We also really appreciate that they aren't separated by age. At other camps, even a small age difference would mean they couldn't be together, but here, they get to hang out and play together all day. My athletic son is obsessed with playing gaga ball--something he's only found at Steve & Kate's. He also loves playing basketball, table tennis, and foosball there. My other son, who's super into art, learned how to sew at camp. He made a bunch of cool stuff and loved it so much that we even pulled out our sewing machine at home to work on projects together. What's awesome is the free play aspect--my kids love that there isn't a set schedule, so they can do whatever they want. They also really enjoy going outside and playing. The staff is fantastic, always making sure the kids are having fun and are well taken care of. The director, Joshua, is so fabulous. It's obvious that he really enjoys his job and helps the kids have a fun and memorable summer. I've seen my kids grow in confidence and make so many friends. And we can't forget about the last day of camp--it's a HUGE carnival! My kids raved about it well into the school year. My youngest was so inspired by the different games and prizes that he ended up having a carnival-themed birthday party and made his own carnival games. Another great thing about Steve & Kate's is the flexibility. You don't need to book the camp months ahead of time--you can just sign up the night before and you're good to go. Plus, you don't need to commit to the entire week, which is perfect if you just want to send the kids for a couple of days during the week. I tell all parents about Steve & Kate's and how amazing it is. Also, if your company offers Bright Horizons, definitely take advantage of it--it's such a great combo with this camp. Highly recommend!

This camp is not for kids over ten, as Steve and Kates has unfair opportunities for tweens and…read moreadolescents, and spend most of their attention fixated on younger kids, while brushing the older ones off to the side. They always provide many various choices of games and activities for the little kids, while barely any options are there for the older ones. For instance: Everything is always divided by age groups, therefore older kids get less opportunities to do the activities they want to pursue. The staff prefer younger children, and barely try to focus any of their attention on the older kids, which gives the preteens less of a chance to participate in any activities that should be included for kids of all ages. They also tend to let out younger kids first for kick-off and lunch, while leaving the older kids to stay in the gym, or stay hungry. For lunch release, they have a separate lunchtime for the younger campers, while having the older ones wait over thirty minutes to get their lunch. An example of this happened with my kid: a counselor ignored her requests for lunch, [despite them dropping things immediately if a younger camper was hungry] getting upset with her when she and other kids continued to ask politely for food out of hunger (she skipped breakfast and forgot to pack a lunch), they wouldn't let her into the main lunchroom to check her backpack for possible snacks because it was the younger kids' lunchtime. To add on: The staff give everyone the same, small amounts of food, even if some campers are hungry and need to be treated with equity, they do not do so, as they only allow small portions of food for older kids if they want seconds, while younger ones get bigger amounts. All because the older kids don't need it "as much as the younger kids do." Secondly: Everything is always divided by age groups, therefore older kids get less opportunities to do the activities they want to pursue. The staff prefer younger children, and barely try to focus any of their attention on the older kids, which gives the preteens less of a chance to participate in any activities that should be included for kids of all ages. Even though they may claim to have certain events for the older kids [as they do for the younger kids as well] in the camp, in actuality, the camp does lack them. To conclude: This camp really needs to manage everything better as well as caring more about the older kids, treating them with equal respect, and being equitable when it comes to their needs.

The only time we visit Ardenwood farms is during Halloween. I never realized there's lots of fun…read moreactivities there all year round. We came here on a Saturday morning in March, and there were a few families, but not crowded. They have a really cute story time that is interspersed with animal feeding. For example, the book was about chickens, so we all walk over to the chicken coupe where we could feed the chickens. Then we go back for more story time, and then walk over to feed the goats. It was entertaining, educational, and a lot of fun, especially with kids. The grounds are nicely maintained, with tree-lined walkways and lots of flowers. There are picnic tables, and a wooden cows with utters that kids (and adults) can learn how to milk a cow. There's also the historical house, which you can tour, but we skipped this because we had a toddler with us. Overall, a nice getaway from the city life for a little bit of country.

LOVE IT HERE. I've…read moreseen the turkeys around the town (nowhere close the farm, near Lion Mart plaza and the now closed Walmart) and this is the first time I've gotten to visit the farm! My boyfriend and I came here during December so a lot of things were closed like the train and some of the houses, but it was still a very fun visit to go to! Lots of docents around to answer questions and they were still black smithing when we were there too. Apparently, there's a community blacksmithing club or classes and they sell the wares that they make there too. Neat! Lots of chickens and roosters walking around which is cute. Some turkeys were huddled on some hay. You can see all of the tractors historically used on the farm, as well as the rocking chairs, other tools used on the farm (butter churner), and you can read the signs and learn about the history of all of the various buildings there too. Lots of photo opportunities as well. Cute gazebo is own the property too. They have some cats wandering around too. A bit skittish, but cute. And a cow on the field too. We got to see some bunnies in the bunny house. Fun for kids, fun for me who loves animals!

The Nature Learning Center located at the heart of Lake Elizabeth in Fremont can easily be…read moreoverlooked but inside what seems like a storage room is actually a classroom furnished with tables for young explorers. The sides of the room are lined with various preserved animal models and posters. A great learning environment for the youngsters! During the summers, the city of Fremont hosts all day camps here. The camp we took part in taught the kids survival skills. While they were at it, they learned how to fish out crawfish which was probably a highlight of the camp. Periodically there are other learning events hosted here. Check out the Fremont city website and Facebook pages for updates. Regardless if you happen to walk past the learning center, take a peek at a mini garden. Allow your mind to grow while surrounded by natural growth! As one of my favorite scientists always said, "Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!"