It was nice place to see....was disappointed In the koi…read morepond. It was too sparse. The park lacked charm.

Hakone Estate and Gardens is such a beautiful location for a wedding! I attended a wedding here in…read moreMay and what a stunning back drop. The staff is lovely, the grounds are maintained and clean. There's lots to do and see here, look forward to coming back and exploring the hiking trails in the area.

In 1850-51, around this site, Martin McCarty's Toll Gate, the town of Saratoga grew. The city name…read morechanged several times from Toll Gate to McCartysville to Bank Mills to Saratoga. In 1850-51 Martin McCarty, a lumberman, built a toll road up the canyon to what had become known as Campbell's Redwoods. At the lower end of the road a small settlement, then known as Toll Gate, began to grow. In 1855 a post office was established under the name of McCartysville. McCarty's toll gate crossed Big Basin Way, then known as Lumber Street, near the corner of Third Street. In 1854 William Haun and John Whisman established a gristmill called Redwood Mills. The mill was later purchased by Charles Maclay who changed the name to Bank Mills. In 1863 he was also successful in changing the name of the post office to Bank Mills. In 1865 the village changed its name again. This time Saratoga was chosen as the town was close to the nearby Congress Mineral Springs. The name commemorates the famous mineral springs in New York. Information from Syd Whittle of El Dorado Hills, California, April 7, 2011.

Such a beautiful park maintained jointly by the Montalvo arts center and santa clara county parks…read more It's truly a hidden gem in Saratoga with beautifully maintained lawns, and ample trails. The Great Lawn in front of the main building ie the Montalvo Center allows picnics without reservations - just set up camp under a tree. There's a very well maintained Italian garden right next to the great lawn with varieties of succulents, a pagoda like structure and cedars. Also saw a wedding in progress while we were there and it is such a beautiful location for it! I will definitely visit again to explore the trails. Parking can be a little hard on weekends but you gotta just wait till a spot opens. If the event venue is booked out - that makes parking harder since they reserve a lot for guests. Free entry and free parking

A dear friend is a member of Montalvo Arts Center and grateful for her to provide me some needed…read moreescapism as her luncheon guest. All proceeds support Montalvo Arts Center with the aid of a battalion of volunteers, young and old. From the first hello by Gail when greeted at check-in to exiting venue, high touch experience. Thoughtfully coordinated and seamlessly orchestrated, including redirecting exiting auto traffic due to nearby auto accident. Meal was delightful including iced tea and coffee. Can upgrade to wine and bubbly for a fee. There were roaming models (Sunny - a Tita from the Philippines - was in our area) showcasing outfits from a local Los Gatos boutique. Raffle for a 10 person dinner onsite. Gift shop with crafts to buy. Have more time can explore grounds. Was encouraged to take home the floral centerpieces which had plastic floral bags to aid with transport. If don't have a generous friend to treat you to luncheon, can purchase tix for $75. I was excited to learn they host Sunday high teas in November before Thanksgiving. Will add to my Yelp! High Tea collection.

As one drives to downtown Saratoga, California, we always like to see the Memorial Arch. Its a…read morevery nice memorial to the Saratoga residents who passed away in World War I.

Designed by famed architect Bruce Porter, the arch was built…read morein 1919 as a memorial to the Saratoga men who lost their lives in World War I. Funds were raised by contributions from the community. On the arch is the official plaque designating Saratoga as State Registered Landmark No. 435, installed in 1950 as part of California's Centennial celebration.

What a delightful little jewel in Campbell! I had no idea this place existed until recently based…read moreon some volunteering work that someone I know did here. Each of the rooms has been decorated by a different organization for Christmas and it looks awesome. The volunteers here were so friendly and earnest. Loved it! Check out a slice of history in our backyard!

I find the docents at the Ainsley House very friendly, knowledgeable and very passionate about…read moresharing historical information about this beautiful home located in downtown Campbell. I have been here at Christmas time and every room has a Christmas tree and well decorated by different organizations or individuals. They have two nights were you can visit the beautiful gift shop and enjoy appetizers and wine. Really well done and so magical!

Saratoga is a historic town in the South bay …read more It is known for its winery ,restaurants and historic landmarks like Villa Montalvo , Mountain winery , and Hakone gardens . It had a population of 31,051 at the 2020 census. We visited on a Sunday afternoon like 5 pm . Had an early dinner there and then walked around the main street . The parking lot was almost full but we managed to find a spot. It was peaceful and quiet surrounded by many good restaurants. I enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere and nice decor everywhere. Many flowers were blooming and the plants and trees were planted around the restaurants . A enjoyable leisure walk .

This review is for Nina Walker a facility administrator, this poor lady really needs to retire, she…read morebeen with the city of Saratoga over 20 something years. I really think she has job burn out. I never been treated like garbage before! My work was having a gathering at a park. I had to get a permit. She was very rude; I gave her my check for the permit. She looked at it and says okay, it looks good! Why wouldn't it be!! Her assistant was even rude! I felt I was in the Seinfeld episode, dealing with a soup Nazi!!

Growing up in San Jose, I feel like I took advantage of being so close to the Rose Garden. It was a…read morespot to walk to, around, etc. I was in town for Mother's Day and took a walk to Rose Garden after the festivities, around sunset. It was a great time. So many roses in bloom in just about every color. It was packed with people having picnics, taking pictures, walking around but still easy enough to find your own quiet space. Such a pocket of beauty in the neighborhood.

I last visited here 8 years ago, and I was so glad to finally return!…read more The weather was quite hot for July and I worried there might be limited roses left to see, I was gladly surprised, there are so many beautiful varieties of roses blooming absolutely everywhere! The city is doing a fantastic job maintaining the garden. It is such a lovely spot in San Jose!

This is a pretty great place to see the sunset in Cupertino! Nice spot to take a few photos if…read moreyou're in the area.

So this pedestrian bridge is pretty iconic as it passes across Interstate 280 in Cupertino. I don't…read morereally call it by it's real name and I just call it the Mary Avenue Bridge lol. It's nice to walk on in the daytime to watch the cars pass by and it's absolutely stunning during sunset and at night. Be careful though, there are a lot of bicyclists and sometimes if you're taking photos or just standing in the middle of the bridge, just be on the lookout. I kind of wish the bridge was a bit wider with a side for pedestrians and another side for bicyclists. But it's okay, it's like a mini Bay Bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists. This is a true Hidden Gem because I don't really see a lot of people visiting it even though people drive by it all the time on the freeway. When you get the chance, park on Mary Avenue on the south end and then take a nice walk across the bridge. You'll absolutely love it.