I love rides and I love amusement parks, but these rides were a lot. Maybe it's my aging body,…read moremaybe it's the fact that it was raining and we were being pelted in the face on each ride, but the DC universe rides were not for me. I love a good spin and flip ride, but when the flips and spins come one right after the other and don't seem to stop, that's when you lose me. I was surprised they didn't have more in between roller coasters, ones that weren't just for 7 year olds or the ultimate thrill seekers. I've been to Great America a ton and was expecting some more options like that. We came at Christmas time and were pleasantly surprised to see how great they decorated the place. It was so festive and fun to see. I loved the gingerbread village and the reindeer roundup. It was a cold rainy weekday when we were here, so the park was pretty empty and we didn't have to wait for anything. In fact, each time a ride ended they offered you to stay on and ride again without even having to move. We waited in line to buy tickets for just that day and luckily the guy at the window told us they were about half the cost if you got them online, which we were able to do on the spot on our phones. Kinda strange that the cost to buy in person is so much more than buying online, but we were very thankful that was shared with us.

Overpriced on food. 5-11-26…read more $19.49 Cheeseburger, no lettuce, tomato, pickles & Fries $18.99 Chicken tender (3), & Fries $9.49 Churro Crazy....... See Photo

One year for Christmas my dad asked me what I wanted and I told him a season pass to California's…read moreGreat America and I was there like every weekend in the summer of 2016. I am a huge fan of the park! I think it is a great investment for people of all ages!!! I am only 33 but I still love the go and spend all day there.

I bought a season pass for the 2026 year because I am worried that Great America might be gone next…read moreyear. I wanted to experience all the rides, food, games, the vibes and much more, all once again. I have been coming to Great America for over 25 years and I have made many memories at the park. From first rides on Stealth, to Days of Thunder, to getting wet on Whitewater Falls. Of course, some of those rides are long gone and have been replaced by other attractions. My favorite roller coaster there is actually Patriot. It is a simple floorless coaster that use to be the standup coaster, Vortex. I like how there are many rides very close to each other and you are just a few feet away from food and drinks in every corner. There are some days though where the lines move painfully slow. I wish the staff would consider optimizing the loading and unloading process so that wait times are more bearable. Other than that, everything else is good. I do hope someone or even the City of Santa Clara can sweep in and save Great America for future generations. If we lose Great America, we lose a community gathering spot for picnics, attractions, waterpark fun, concerts and so much more.

Took the kids here for a little adventure during inclement weather. They had a blast…read more First things first. I recommend doing the waiver online. You'll have to sign again at the register, but it will save you a bunch of time when you arrive. Ok...for our experience. It can feel a little overwhelming when you first arrive if you haven't been there before. Having people walk in, with their own helmets, acting like they own the place will have anyone unsure where they should go or do when they first arrive. The staff make it feel very welcoming and friendly. After I finished check-in, I felt like the people with their own helmet. Tyrez helped me at check-in. He was patient, professional and friendly. When I say patient, I mean PATIENT! I had four kids with me and when it came to head covers alone, he got everyone what they needed even though I had to prompt the kids multiple times to come to a decision. We got there, but it was rough and Tyrez was amazing throughout! He even explained everything to me so that I wouldn't be caught off guard by anything and wouldn't end up frustrated...or at least that is how it felt. Next, know this. When they are running adult races, it's loud in the track area. Because I work safety, I have my watch set to alarm me when the sound exceeds the OSHA permissible exposure limit. It went off a lot. So, I measured the sound. It can get above 100 decibels. That's loud. Not as loud as a rock concert or fire truck siren, but it will make it difficult to have a conversation. You may want to consider ear plugs...or ear buds with noise canceling. The races are run very efficiently and they alternate between youth and adult groups. One safety feature the do great is that they are never on the track, together, at the same time. Safety seemed like it was well managed. When impacts happen, they throttle down the carts, to ensure everything is safe. One note though...and I see this as a huge positive...they let you RACE! Yes, they pay attention and focus on safety, but they don't scold or stop because of a little inadvertent contact. I was truly impressed by the balance they maintain there. In my group of four, two were a little scared and didn't race all the races we purchased (I bought the SpeedPass for each and it seems like a really good package for first timers), but they were amazing at helping me re-assign them to the others in our group. Luis helped me there and again, he was patient with me and helped ensure we got everything transferred correctly. He also answered all 5,000 of my questions throughout our visit. No, not really 5,000, but there were a lot. He was amazing! If I had any criticism at all, it would be for the game area. Many of their games weren't working because of a network error. It was disappointing for me, but it hit the kids hard. They should have someone dedicated to that area as it was never empty while we were there. I would imagine that having all working correctly would result in increased revenue. Overall, we had an amazing adventure there today and Tyrez and Luis were part of the reason why. Their track team was the other part...I just wasn't able to get their names. If you're looking for a new adventure, this is an amazing way to spend a Saturday!!!

I wasn't able to ride the kart because of a major problem I noticed: the wait time. The wait time…read moreis terrible, and they need to do something about it. Whatever they are doing now, they need to stop. And do something new It was my first time here. We arrived at 4:43, and when we got there the place was almost completely empty. We bought two adult races and one junior race, totaling $193, which I don't think is worth it at all. The cashier told us the junior race would be about a one-hour wait and the adult race would be about a 30-40 minute wait. They also said we would ride before the next junior race and that they would call our names. We waited about 50 minutes, and somehow 3-4 races finished, with people being called in before us even though they arrived after us. When they called the adult racers, a family who had been in front of us when we bought the races got called, but we didn't. After that race ended, the junior racers were called, but our junior racer wasn't included. That's when we realized we were supposed to be in the previous race, according to what the cashier had told us. We asked how much longer it would be, and they said another 20 minutes. We waited again--this time about 40 minutes--and still not a single one of our names was called. We asked yet again how much longer it would be, and the employee said he honestly didn't know and that people sometimes wait up to 8 hours, which I find very hard to believe. At that point, we were fed up and asked for a refund and left. In my opinion, waiting over 2 hours for maybe a 30-minute experience is not worth it. One employee even completely ignored me when I asked about the wait time--he looked at me and then ignored me. There is also nothing to do while waiting. You could play the crappy arcade games and that will only keep you entertained for 20-30 minutes, plus they cost an extra $15 or more. The track also seemed small, and the food is expensive for low-quality frozen food.

We've been wanting to go to this zoo for years and so glad we did! There's so much to love about…read morethis place. The gift shop is impressive and my kids spend far too long figuring out how to spend their money. I love that the rides are included in admission so not extra prices to experience those. The lines were long but we went mid day on a Saturday. My children loved that this zoo had animals you don't see often at other zoos (capybara, red panda, and fennec foxes). The only down side is the food. The options weren't great and I truly hope they improve this for next time as it made it hard to stay longer. Loved the quick parking and pay at the station flow (hope Oakland zoo takes notes!)

We visited Happy Hollow right at opening on a Sunday, and I'm so glad we did. The lines were…read moremanageable, and we were able to enjoy everything without feeling crowded. I was pleasantly surprised by how active the animals were. I've been to other zoos where the animals are sleeping or hiding, but we got to see a lot of movement and interactions during our visit. The zoo is smaller than some of the larger Bay Area zoos, but it's easy to navigate and perfect for families with young kids. My only complaint is the cafe food- it was honestly some of the saddest zoo food I've had. Definitely eat before you come or pack snacks if you can. Overall, it's a great place to spend a few hours with little ones, and we'll definitely be back.

Been so long since we visited to SF Zoo and it was the first time we brought our kiddo during…read moreMother's Day weekend. Lucklily we were able to take advantage of the family day pricing ($5 per person) because to be honest, we didn't stay long with a lil who likes to nap after lunch. So we strolled around in a relaxing manner and got to see the Giraffes, Zebras, Lemurs, Monkeys, and that was good enough. Someday we will venture further up. Quick Tip: There is free parking but will require you to walk at least 10 minutes. Otherwise you can park in the parking lot for a fee.

San Francisco Zoo has been around for decades and is the best zoo in NorCal. It's located all the…read moreway down Sloat Blvd, close by the ocean. Just like most of outer sunset, you can expect many cold and cloudy days. They are open 10am-5pm, year round. We came recently on a cloudy and rainy day and it was not crowded at all. I don't know if it was the rain, but most of the animals were pretty active that day, which was pretty cool. Watching the giraffes eating when we first got there was pretty nice. Our favorite exhibit was the penguin exhibit on penguin island, especially because we came for the penguin feeding. It was so cute watching the penguins eating their fish, hiding in their island dome, and swimming around the island. Another favorite were the black bears because they were very active, running around their enclosure, going swimming, climbing the walls, and playing with each other. The aviaries, insect zoo, flamingos, lions, and kangaroos were nice to see also. The SF Zoo is a pretty good size so you'll need a map and you'll get plenty of steps in if you walk all of it. We had a good time, even though some areas were closed and some animals weren't home.

Gilroy Gardens is such a beautiful and relaxing family park. The landscaping is absolutely gorgeous…read more-- everything is so well maintained, clean, and peaceful. It's perfect for families with young kids, with gentle rides, plenty of shade, and lots of places to explore without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.If you're looking for a calm, family‑themed park where kids can have fun and adults can actually relax, this is the spot. A really lovely place to spend the day. We are season pass holders and the money is used to preserve the park. They offer themed events during the entire year.

For years, based on the promotional photos I saw, I avoided the Gilroy Gardens (GG) family theme…read morepark. I thought it would be tacky and hyper-commercialized. Curiosity, together with my wife's desire to see the place, finally got the better of me--and I discovered that I had been wrong. GG in my opinion manages to strike the best balance that any such theme park probably can in terms of appealing to the masses while at the same time avoiding the trap of being tacky or hyper-commercialized. The varied rides and exhibits are pleasant and well-maintained. Some are even quite artistic (like the totem poles, illustrated in the image attached here) and educational (like the ecologically oriented Green Barn). If you're already familiar with GG, you don't need me to tell you about it. If you're not, here are a few tips--which might not be obvious to the uninitiated--that might help you better enjoy it: * The lines for the rides can be very long at times. You might end up waiting for an hour before it's your turn. Best to be prepared for that and plan it into your itinerary. * We noticed a small number of people who avoided the lines for all rides, being let in through the back gate/exit. When we asked about this at the Welcome Center, we learned that GG sells yellow wristbands that allow people to skip the long lines and enter through the "back door" (exit). They cost something like $85 per person for the year or about $30 per visit, in addition to the membership fee. * Even with those wristbands, you'll need more than one visit to see and do everything here. Rushing around a lot will spoil the fun. * The food everywhere, as far as we could tell, is pretty bad. You'll be ahead of the game if you pack your own, which will also avoid your waiting in another line. * The big secret, so to speak, of GG is "hidden" in plain sight--in the second word of the name itself, "Gardens." Most visitors are so preoccupied with going on the rides that they miss out on the natural beauty of the gardens. We found Camellia Garden and Claudia's Garden, in particular, to be like sheltered oases of calm and natural beauty within the hustle and bustle of the park. In our opinion, the three most obvious ways in which GG could be improved are as follows: 1. Improve the quality of the food that's offered. With all the traffic the park gets, those concession stands must be worth a small fortune. Either get them to do better or replace them with businesses that will. 2. Design a more user-friendly map. Those who already know their way around don't need a map but for those who don't, the existing map is not sufficiently clear (hint: it probably needs to be larger). 3. Do a better job of training the staff, in terms of both knowledgeability and attitude. Some are quite good (a special shout out to Nina at the Welcome Center and Sean at the Garlic Twirl ride: they exuded both warmth and professionalism) but others, who shall remain nameless, need more training. Minus one star for those deficiencies, as well as for not making it sufficiently clear at the time of the 2026 premium membership purchase that the bring-a-friend tickets that came with the membership had to be picked up almost immediately or they would not be available.

My son and immediate family had such a fun time this visit at fairyland. I haven't been since I was…read morelittle so it was definitely full circle bringing my child. This place has been around since my parents were little and they've been there too! Pretty neat. I used my wic card and valid photo Id for 5$ tickets, I couldn't tell you exactly how many is the cap but there were 5 adults and the kids were free I believe. We went as soon as it opened and the park was not overly packed at all it was really nice. I plan on getting out with my kiddo whenever I get the chance as I saw many mothers just hanging out with lunch for their kiddo for the day and I just loved that idea. Everything was open for the most part except two attractions which didn't stop us from enjoying the visit all around. From what I've learned if you visit the park twice your third visit you get a year pass! I'd say that's pretty convenient being a low income single mother. Hope I helped convince you to go !

My daughter Head Start School sent us here for Week of The Young Child to have family day which it…read morewas my first time ever going in my life. I think fairyland is an awesome place to bring your children to let them run around & play. I did feel a bit overwhelmed because it was literally every head start in Oakland so it was tons of kids, but I would I bring my daughter & son back again. Also I really enjoyed their Cafe too! Although I do feel like 10.95 is alot for 4 slices of pizza but I understand. It was still delicious.

Very cute park in Pittsburg. There is a lake, two playgrounds and a few rides that were out of…read morecommission. The area is hit by the sun quite often but otherwise okay. Bring umbrellas if you want a function here in the summer and stay cool. The fish in the pool will def leave the kiddos in a trance for a while.

Really nice park and great for parties. Catching crawdads is…read morea fun and delight for parents and kids. Picnic tables/areas are easy to reserve (call during normal business hours). Unfortunately, all the rides are currently not in operation. No train, no carousel, no kid rides. The only thing that does work is the zip line and the playgrounds. SWP, please hire someone and fix the rides. Your park will have a lot more patrons if you hire someone to fix the rides. You can double the entry fee and people will still come if the rides are operational. Unfortunately if these don't get fixed, I fear this place may shut down eventually. Pro tip: Bring your own stick, string, hook (paperclip) and hot dogs to catch the crawdads. And Ask for discounts when making reservations.

We arrived at 1020am and took the $25 all you can play and ride pass that is valid till 12 noon…read more Well worth it! Kids enjoyed the arcade- most of the machines were working. They also did the bumper boats, go kart and vertical boom! The batting cages are not included and you have to pay extra for them. Great kids activity option if you're looking to find something to keep them occupied with lout breaking the bank!

Would'nt hold a b/day there again. Might've been fun for the kids because [well they're kids] The…read moreroom was small, no door for privacy, Literallly had to go ask for the pizzas we ordered on our own 2 times. after waiting 30-40 minutes AFTER we got the 1st one ? (The pizza was fair at best, not good) It just felt like : Here you go, this is your room. The first delivery of food n drink & that was it ? Totally ignored. No management timely procedures at all. Then had to track down an attendant to get the outdoor stuff going ? Nobody walking around the place to see how things are going with anyone or hows the party "do you need anything" ? Nothing !!!

We used Air Lollipops to decorate for my daughter's 3rd birthday, and everything turned out…read moreperfectly. The process was super easy. I shared the theme and color ideas, and they took care of the rest. What made it especially seamless was that Air Lollipops is the preferred décor vendor for Imagination City. They were able to set up early and had everything completely ready by the time we arrived, which made the day totally stress free. The décor looked beautiful, was exactly what we were hoping for, and felt very reasonably priced for what we received. I would absolutely use Air Lollipops again and highly recommend them, especially if you're hosting a party at Imagination City.

Maria always delivers! She can take any theme and make it a reality. I booked her for my son's…read morebirthday two years in a row, and both years all the adults (and children) were so impressed by the decor and the desserts. Maria makes the booking process super easy and she is very communicative via all forms of communication (text, phone, ig, email). She also works with several venues in the Bay Area, which is great because she already has a good relationship with them and it makes the set up process easy. For any mama who is trying to plan a big party for their kiddo, Maria really does make the job so much easier!! I'll be going to her for all of my party decoration and dessert needs!