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 took a Class 3 day trip on the South Fork of the American last week. Everything was…read moreprofessionally done and went smoothly. Our equipment was in excellent shape. Our guide was experienced, patient and knew the river well. He took good care of my 10 year old granddaughter, who was a first-timer. This is a quality outfit. I recommend them without reservation. Of note: the South Fork has become a bit crowded with rafts. I'll be trying a different river next time.

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.

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.

This park is located in the quaint town of Niles. It was a great spot for picnicking over the…read moreweekend, very few visitors on a Sunday just before sunset... fishing, jogging, walking their dogs. There were multiple picnic areas with tables and benches available, where I was able to enjoy a meal before exploring the different pathways winding through the park. Found a cypress grove, several ponds, the alameda creek, and a large grassy field. A busy tennis court as well, brightly lit after dark. A playground next to the parking lot, and a restroom conveniently located nearby too. I appreciated the scenery and peaceful atmosphere, along with the occasional squirrel scampering by, during my time here on this beautiful summer evening.

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

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!

Fremont has completed a total overhaul of this park - 100% NEW!!!!…read more Just opened - 0800 to 08:00PM (4) pickleball courts Dog park New bathrooms Plenty of parking Trail leading to Mission Blvd Zero RVs or homeless

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.

my son loved Steve and Kates by their quality and fun this camp is great if any one wants a camp to…read moreput your child in

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!

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.

Affordable entry fee. But it's too spread out and hot. There are many picnic tables available in…read morethe shade which is convenient for groups, snack time, or parties. The train ride is included with your entry ticket which is nice. The ride is cool but there's no scenery whatsoever. Nothing to look at. They could've added things in the field for some entertainment. Maybe some fake animal statues or something. Also, it doesn't matter which side you sit on, each side gets the sun either on the way out or coming back. The farm requires lots of walking so probably not the best for those with mobile challenges. They had a cool interactive laundry section with buckets of water and washboards. But it was in the open where there is no shade so on a hot day, it isn't the best. Many of the animals were standing by the gate so it was easy to best them. But with the crowds and lack of awareness, people will cut in front of you or just squeeze their way in. Love that they have hand washing stations, though! Honestly, it was underwhelming. And the land was too large to walk everything with kiddos especially in the heat.

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!"