Had a really good experience with a few workers here. Amita was very friendly to interact with and…read morein no small part was the reason why on the day we planned to only do Chapter 2, we spontaneously decided to also do Chapter 3. Sorry, I can't remember anyone else's names. Puzzles are both clear and challenging at times, the narrative is very interesting and provokes discussion both during and after, and the prospect of decisions affecting later Chapters is very interesting. One of the most engaging and interesting Escape Rooms I've ever done. Although you might find cheaper Escape Rooms out there, Off the Couch Games offers a more unique experience that I think definitely gives you plenty of entertainment for your dollar. I eagerly await Chapters 4 and on. Only room for improvement I can really say is signage. If you miss the banner and front door on your way into the parking lot, you may get confused, especially at night.

We came to Off The Couch with 6 people to try Occam's Apartment. I've only done a few escape rooms,…read moreso I wasn't sure what to expect. The staff does a really good job introducing you to the game, providing context, and giving an overview of the rules. Additionally, they mentioned that we'd receive a discount off our total based on how quickly we finished, which was extra encouragement for us to get through the game. You immediately get immersed into the game before even walking into the actual room and once you're in Occam's Apartment, it feels even more real. The room itself is well decorated, with nice details scattered around the apartment. I loved every minute of the escape room experience and felt challenged throughout the time we were there. We did ask for hints throughout our time there and the answers were often given through directional questions. What I liked most about the Off the Couch set up is that the escape rooms are all a continuation of a storyline, so it makes you feel invested in the experience. I'm looking forward to the next escape room!

This is an annual festival taking place the Friday after Thanksgiving, with a tree lighting at…read more6:00pm, followed by a delightful parade at 6:30pm. For the 2024 event, most people brought their own chairs, others just stood behind those seated. I arrived an hour early, and set up my chair to ensure a good view, situating myself near Niles Town Plaza, midpoint of the parade route. Then I walked around to explore the antique shops on Niles that were still open after 5pm, as well as a couple merchandise vendor tents outside. Entertainment before the parade included live music by Anthony Arya Band, street performers like jugglers, as well as costumed characters including the Grinch and SpongeBob SquarePants walking down Niles Blvd and posing for photos with kids. I also saw 4 food trucks on site, serving sushi, sliders, chicken sandwiches, and mexican food. And there was a drink stand selling hot chocolate, coffee, and tea for a dollar donation. The tree lighting was not your traditional christmas tree, it was just a regular tree along the street (the one with the stage set up next to it, across from Nature's ice cream shop). But they did make it look pointy at the top, with the lights, lol. Decorated vehicles and performers in the parade represented numerous organizations in the community, including little league teams, East Bay Regional Parks, and Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. Golden Gate Basset Rescue had several dogs being walked with colorful string lights on the leashes. It was adorable. American High School color guard did a wonderful job with their performance, and marching bands from various schools and institutions created impressive sounds on percussion and wind instruments galore, including the bag pipes. There were plenty of cars in the parade too, adorned with beautiful designs, lighting, and props to put you in the holiday spirit. The crowds grew as it got later into the evening. But it never became chaotic or unmanageable. The event seemed to be organized well, yet still casual and flexible (like people could cross the street during the parade), even with a heavy police presence. It was such a laid back and joyful atmosphere, free to attend, and parking and traffic isn't too difficult if you arrive early and leave early before the parade ends. Otherwise, good luck.

I feel like the experience gets bigger and better every year! Been coming here for 3 consecutive…read moreyears now and have enjoyed it every time. I'm a big fan of local functions and activities and community involvement so this Christmas tradition is always a delight. My son loves seeing Santa and Mrs. Clause! He enjoys the entire parade full of cars and many lights with local performers. our friends and family always gather here every year now as part of our new tradition. We have a friend who lives on the street where they have the parade so her place is usually our usual spot. We've started bbq'ing and drinking before the parade as part of our festivities and then head over to Papillon's down the street for our dinner to celebrate Christmas season amongst friends. I appreciate Fremont a bit extra for having this tradition that I feel we are a little late in experiencing but now that we have, we refuse to ever miss it if we're in town. (We live in Southern California now.)

Visited Tyme for Tea for the first time this holiday season. The minute you step foot inside,…read moreyou're welcomed with cozy, charming, and festive vibes. The business is both a tea room and shop with tea ware, decor, vintage clothes, and other items for sale. Reservations are a must and my family was seated promptly at 1:30pm. The menu has two tea options and we each opted for Victorian tea. They present the scone first on a separate plate rather than on the tiered tray. The scone was delicious nonetheless, served warm and with three spreads: cream, lemon curd, and a seasonal maple butter which was a standout. The sandwiches were tasty and also served warm, with unique offerings like a cheese melt and mini quiche. My favorite was a cheese puff pastry item. The cucumber cream cheese sandwich was slightly hard to the bite (possibly overripe), but still tasty. The tea menu listed all flavor profiles and decaf options which I appreciated. I ordered a decaf blackberry sage English breakfast which went well with the scone and desserts (fudge, snow cookie, petit four). I enjoyed the warm scones the most, and the savory items second. This is one of the best value afternoon tea services I've found in the Bay Area for the price. Service was well paced and all parties were well situated so that everyone had their own corner. They even had a pile of a tea party hats to choose from towards the back wall. Overall, I would highly recommend Tyme for Tea and it's my favorite tea room I've tried in the East Bay. This business also perfectly complements the historic and charming qualities of the Niles neighborhood.

Even though we had a reservation, the place was almost empty, and the cashier was literally just…read morestanding there. Somehow we still had to wait 15 minutes for one of the two servers to seat us because they were busy with the only two customers inside. It honestly felt like they were thinking, "Why are you here?" I get that they were going for a unique, vintage, antique vibe, but it was honestly so ugly. I don't know how they managed to make the décor look this bad. The pink tablecloths looked like something from a cheap wedding hall, and the whole place just felt random. There were spider webs everywhere, and nothing looked cared for. The snacks were just as disappointing burnt, dry, greasy, and not tasty at all. We just didn't enjoy it. The service made us feel unwelcome from the start, and when the food and atmosphere were disappointing too, the whole experience ended up ruining our day.

If you're looking for a nice walk, this is a good place to go. Love the variety of beautiful…read moreflowers, plants, and historical buildings. Pet friendly too! The bathrooms are also clean!

We came here to take some photos for my parents' 50th Anniversary on a hot Saturday afternoon. The…read moreparking was mostly vacant. We only had enough time to go to the rose garden. It's pretty small, but you can find some interesting shots. There's the windmill, the pergola, a bench. There was some side location with a nice lawn and fountain, (California Nursery Park Museum & Office), but there was a guy smoking weed there, so it became unpleasant to take photos in the succulent area. The rose garden is on the right as you drive in to the nursery. From the parking lot, you'll have to walk back towards Niles Blvd. It's not Filoli, but hey, no one is stopping you from volunteering to make something better in your community. We need more doers and less complainers.

This is the big summer festival for Fremont. First the good. This festival has everything. There's…read morea section of rides for the kids. They have a nice selection of local services. You can maat and talk with the local emergency services employees (firemen,police, EMT). I like how the food vendors were all along the same row. It's nice to say some new vendors, along with same old usuals. Now the bad. No parking,or charging $10 for parking. I saw everyone parking in the shopping center. Even though there were signs stating no event parking. Otherwise you had to park way down the street. For such a large Indian population,not much if anything representation,no Indian food vendors. I personally feel there weren't enough garbage cans near the food row. Most were full or needed to be emptied. But still a great time.

IMHO 5 years since…read moremy last review. Went on a Sunday this year. Hoped it would be cooler. Nope. Still lots of vendors, but many were different and new. I missed my favorites. Understandably, prices are higher... but dang!!! Normally my hubby and I like to buy a Lockeford sausage roll but they weren't there! Nothing piqued my foodie interest this year. Before we left, I bought a medium Dipping Dots bowl for $8. It was the perfect way to end our visit. It was very refreshing. The only item I purchased was a colorful wind spinner for $15. It brings me joy when I see it spinning in my garden! Will we return next year? Probably.

some more photos i took on the walk i took recently, it is still so beautifully maintained…read more the bathrooms were pretty clean with baby changing stations in each, water fountains have the option to refill reusable bottles. still not too busy, went around 6pish during the week--did not encounter more than 10 folks, get out here people! it is peaceful and beautiful and interesting to learn about the history from the various placards around the place. free to enter, free to park

I checked out CA Nursery Historical Park in Fremont, near Niles. Free parking and entrance. Flush…read moretoilets separate men and women's. Women had 2 toilets and 1 sink. There's a new rose garden going to open to the public 9/30/25, I just saw it thru the fence, it looks nice and will be ADA for wheelchairs. There's another little rose garden area with shaded trees. Other parts have n the back has orchards, box trees, historical signs, Adobe building. I saw a Hachiya persimmon tree, wonder if folks can get any. I spent about 30min there. One family was having a birthday party near the entrance, kinda hidden. I didn't crash it.

Staff is very knowledgeable, museum is kid friendly and interactive. Train layout is spectacular…read morewell detailed.

This is a tiny museum in the Niles Town Plaza, with extremely limited days/hours of operation…read more(select Sundays 10-4pm), so we had to take advantage on Sunday afternoon while I was in the area for Charlie Chaplin Days and the steam engine train ride nearby. This place offers the opportunity to learn about the history of the Niles Depot and several displays to explore related to the trains and railway, including the top section of a Southern Pacific semaphore signal, pot-belly stove, departure signs from 1909, old photos of passenger trains in Niles, model trains, dvd's, Niles dispatcher, old phones and typewriters, and a train that visitors can control (for a fee). There was also a model railroad which was cute, and it had a drive-in theatre which I've never seen before in similar exhibits, so that was cool. The museum pretty much consists of just two rooms, so it shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to check it out, though if you have a kid who's going to play with the train, it may take longer. Also, free admission.

Cool look at the silent film industry! You can tell there was a lot of significant history in this…read morebuilding and they did amazing work to preserve it. Some original pieces were shown, such as the original bench from the Edison Theater. It's the only remaining original seats from there! Many types of cameras, equipment, and items. Several nods to Charlie Chaplin - his background, movie posters, cardboard cutout, mural, and merch. They have knowledgeable and friendly staff that give guided tours. They are huge fans, so excited to describe everything and share stories. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. On the right side, there's a gift shop of museum souvenirs as well as shelves of silent films you can buy to watch at home. They also have silent film showings with piano accompaniment on Saturday evenings. You can buy popcorn, candy, and drinks. There's a small theater at the back past the center aisle. It would be a fun date night or family activity!

From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by a friendly volunteer docent. The exhibit itself is…read morethree rooms of photos and artifacts from the Essanay Studio, active in Niles from 1912-1916 and most famous for Broncho Billy (old time spelling) and some of Chaplin's films, including The Tramp. The museum is free (donations appreciated) and you can ask a docent for a tour. I had a wonderful tour from Michael! If you have a tour, be sure to ask about seeing the preserved projection room upstairs in the theater. There's also a small exhibit in the back of the theater. The gift shop has an extensive collection of rare DVDs, CDs, postcards, and some fun merch. If you're in town on a Saturday night get a ticket online for their 7:30 silent film showing! Concessions, a live piano accompaniment, and a really great show. This place is amazing.