Took a relaxing stroll around Overfelt Chinese Cultural Garden today, an often forgotten city park. Overfelt Gardens Background: In 1959, out of affection for the people of San Jose, Mildred Overfelt bestowed a gift of 33 acres to the City for a park "so there will be a place where people can find quiet contemplation in nature and beauty..." The Chinese Cultural Garden is a feature of Overfelt Garden Park and was inspired in 1971 by Frank and Pauline Lowe. Mr. Lowe deeply cherished the heritage of his native China and his adopted American homeland. His vision to broaden the understanding between Eastern and Western societies in a tranquil and beautiful setting achieved this, while fulfilling Mildred Overfelt's original intent. read more

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It's a nice, urban park, but there can be a lot of litter. Some of the features have been closed off for months it seems while there always happens to be construction or maintenance going on somewhere. However, it's mainly quiet and many of the walkways are shaded. The ponds are nice and full of life during rainy seasons, but can smell and look nasty during drier ones. It opens rather late for a park too, at 10am. read more

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Beautiful park especially the Chinese cultural garden. There's ponds with wildlife habitat, beautiful trees, walking biking areas, picnic areas, plenty of parking, perfect for photoshoot as well. read more

Overfelt Gardens Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

I went running here the other day, and was delighted to discover the curvy pathways throughout the park, the elevation not extreme, and many options for exploring the concrete and dirt trails and lovely scenery along the way... definitely not a boring run. The park is on the smaller side, but offers a lot, considering its size... endless greenery and gardens, so many different types of trees, forested areas, grassy fields great for picnicking, a native plant trail (wildlife sanctuary), picturesque percolation ponds, ducks and other birds, several different monuments on site consisting of sculptures, memorials, and gazebo-like structures (including a statue of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, Friendship Gate, Black Stone, and Overfelt House), lots of seating (benches scattered throughout the park, some bordering the ponds, ideal for enjoying the views or bird watching), picnic areas, a restroom, and a parking lot (along Educational Park Drive). The park was overall clean when I visited this past Sunday, however some of the structures are extremely worn down or in need of repair, tarnished by natural elements as well as vandalism, educational boards mostly in horrible condition, completely covered in graffiti, or totally faded or scratched up. There are also dried up ponds/fountains, but this doesn't jeopardize the beauty of the park as much. It's still a great setting that allows a feeling of tranquility while immersed in the environment and surrounding nature, seemingly unaffected by the nearby traffic on McKee Road. read more

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I have stopped by this Overfelt Garden Park before with my dog but today Friday the 13th of September 2024, I decided to go by myself and walk around the entire park. Definitely enjoyed this very much! I love that there are plenty of shades, all kinds of Greens, Plants, many kinds of Trees, Palm trees, Birds, Ducks, Geese, 3 different ponds here, the Chinese Cultural Buildings, Historical Monument statues, Picnics Area, BBQ Pits, Bathroom, Walking/Jogging Trails, and a lovely Huge Victorian home here as well! Such a Quiet and Peaceful Surroundings!!! Cool Breezes with Plenty of warmth September Sunshines!!! read more

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After living in San Jose for years, we recently discovered quite by accident the existence of this park and the Chinese Cultural Garden within it. We thought it would be appropriate to visit on the occasion of Double Ten Day, commemorating the chain of events that began on 10 October 1911 leading to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC), ending more than 2,000 years of imperial rule. The main entrance from McKee Road has been largely taken over by one or more individuals who seem to be running some kind of low-end bicycle repair business, with several sketchy characters sitting next to clusters of old bikes. We decided to move our car from McKee to the parking lot off Educational Park Drive that is shared with a public library branch. The presence of people working on old cars there didn't make us feel all that more comfortable than we were on McKee but we decided to take a chance and park there anyway. I wanted to use the men's room in the park but the entrance was blocked by an unkempt fellow wearing only a pair of old shorts and smoking away, with his radio blasting from within the restroom, so we walked to the library for that purpose instead. This theme continued throughout the park, with most of the benches occupied by people who looked to be in pretty bad shape sleeping there. The park itself is quite beautiful--with gorgeous trees, some small lakes and groups of beautiful Canadian geese and ducks--though many parts of it have sadly fallen into disrepair. This was the case for the Chinese Cultural Garden, which features a large traditional Chinese gate, a "plum pavilion" overlooking a small lake, an imposing statue of the Chinese sage Confucius, a memorial hall dedicated to ROC founding father Sun Yat-sen and a memorial pavilion dedicated to the first ROC president under the 1947 constitution, Chiang Kai-shek. The memorial hall is closed, surrounded by metal barriers. The memorial pavilion, including the bust of Chiang Kai-shek, has been defaced by various graffiti, as illustrated in the attached photos. It was sad to see the disrepair into which these environs have fallen. I'm nonetheless giving the Park and the Garden five stars, as it's still a beautiful place worth visiting. It's not their fault that they've been allowed to fall into disrepair. We hope that someday soon, the situation will be remedied by people who care enough to do so. read more

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Overall I had a peaceful stroll in the park. It was nice to hear some of the little critters that call the park home. I didn't grow up here but it feels so historical and culturally significant. It made me sad to see graffiti and litter. I might go again. Seems like a nice place to have a picnic with family. I wonder if we're allowed to BBQ in the park. read more

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I had no idea such a park existed here. I can see the vision they had when they developed it initially. A lot of greenery in the middle of an urban setting, nice walking trails, local flora and fauna, beautiful lakes, great architecture...a resort. Sadly it looks like it has atrophied and withered over the years. There was a lot of trash, overgrown shrubs, dried up lake... I still applaud the vision and hope they are able to restore it to match the original thinking at some point. And my fellow humans...please pick up your trash! read more

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This is a big park which seems to be a combination of different parks. We got the Overfelt Gardens Park and the Chinese Garden park. It has different trails to walk to and the California wildlife plants is located in this site too. This is a great spot for pokemon go gamers to as there are numerous gyms and pokestops to go to. I like going here during the summer as it there are alot of trees. Just be careful tho when it is hairy caterpillar season cause they can be everywhere. read more

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This is a peaceful park which is surprisingly big when you go in. You can see the Overfelt house here.The Overfelts are early settlers of San Jose. The Chinese Cultural Garden,located within this park, as you may have guessed ,is a monument to Chinese history. There is a large gate,in English on one side and Chinese on the other side as you enter the garden, with many small hills and paths for walking. The Confucius statue is prominent,and there are monuments to Sun Yat-Sen and Chiang Kai-shek.. The monuments have distinctive Chinese architecture. There are many trenches in the park, which are supposed to be small rivers,but they are dry because of the drought. There are many bridges too.The land is dry but the park is still beautiful. read more

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Super big waste of space. The park is overgrown and unkempt. This lame park also does not allow dogs and sprays a wide range of pesticides so I don't suggest having your kids play around here. The buildings and roads are deteriorating and disappointing and the lakes are dirty. read more

Never knew this park existed and it was right next to the high school that I was doing my student teaching at! It's a pretty small park overall, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in personality. It offers some great views, despite being surrounded by a modern day suburbia. Still, the trees are tall enough to block a lot out. If you're in the area, and need to get away from it all, then this would be the place. I actually enjoyed my brief time here and might come again for a little jog. Pretty surprising as I didn't expect much. read more

I've been coming here since I was a LittLe since it wasn't too far from my parents' home. Oh how it's changed!! OLdie but stiLL very much a goodie.... The huge pond that was once fiLLed with turtLes, ducks, and random fish is Long gone. A good amount of the greenery has turned brown due to the drought yet there is no shortage of shade. OverfeLt Gardens is tranquiL and is great for peopLe of aLL ages. The park is spacious and perfect for a random Lazy day or romantic picnic. I'm a fan!! read more

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A beautiful park in East San Jose. Its been a while since I've been here , but I see that the grounds have really matured into something gorgeous. The trees are full and offer plenty of shade...the ducks/ geese are plentiful, and the lake is serene. It's a perfect place to walk and reflect on what's going on in life. Judging by the attendance, others are in agreement. Plus plenty of free parking...that's a plus. read more

I went to Overfelt Gardens Park because they had their 19th Annual Chinese Moon Festival Sun 9/30/12. FREE parking at the main parking lot on Educational Park Dr and Schulte Dr. The event was from 1-5pm. I watched the Joi Ying Kung Fu & Lion Dancers & the Kung Fu Demo. Sylvia Lowe did a Community Paper Folding. There was a Community Resource Section where they gave out a reusable bag from District 4, Councilmember Kansen Chu. Bone Marrow Drive, & other stuff for kids. There was an Arts & Craft area for the kids too. I just walked by it, didn't make anything. At the Park there's: Three Ponds - lots of geese & ducks Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall - didn't get to see the inside, suppose to have a SYS statue inside. Two Lion Statues are out in front. Confucius Statue - near a pond. Plum Pavilion - people can relax here. Friendship Gate - cool, impressive gate w/ Chinese characters & English Overfelt House - closed off The Black Stone - stones from Taiwan, some Chinese characters. Chiang Kai-Shek Pavilion - area to relax in w/ a statue of Chiang Kai-Shek. Bathrooms: women's 2 stalls/2 sinks. CLOSED: Mondays! read more

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If you are looking for a place to sit under the trees and have lunch it would be a good place. There are lots of geese, don't feed them, Warning-they hiss and they will chase and bite you. There is a little pond but it is about halfway dried and full of algae so just a sea of green. Plus lots of homeless people sleeping there. They have bathrooms and a water fountain that no longer has water read more

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The park itself is really nice. My husband and I went there for a walk one day and it was very nice for a San Jose park. However, my biggest complaint is the people who work in the park and lock it up. There are not a whole lot of signs saying the lock up time. We figured it closed around dark so we began to walk out. As we were making our way out of the park,when the sun was going down, one of the workers drove through the pathways in his truck. Basically pushing people off of the walkways with no respect. Now let me say the sun had not set yet. He began locking gates without telling any of the visitors. We got out of the one gate just in time. He then locked others with children inside even after seeing them trying to make their way to the exit! If you're going to drive through the park you could at least let people know it is time for closing and you'll be locking gates. He locked people inside and I felt terrible for them as they had no idea how to get out! The park was nice but it's not worth worrying if you'll be locked in! read more

Overfelt by who? I came here looking for a location to do some wedding photos. To my dismay, it's just like Southern Cal and everyone thinks photographers make a ton of money. A permit is required. I thought i'd walk around and see if it would be worth it. Aside from two trees whose leaves were turning to pretty colors because it's Fall, the place is rather 'Blah' color wise. Greenish brown lakes- yuck! Some decent Asian structures, but not really wedding-ish. The final deciding factor in not using this place is all the duck/geese crap everywhere. I'm not going topay to have a wedding party walk in that! Disappointing. If you need a place to relax, it serves it's purpose and it's free. read more

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This park is a hidden gem. There's a paved loop that's about one mile long that meanders around groves of various tree types, including redwoods, palms, and maples, that's perfect for jogging. One half of the park is dedicated to the Chinese Cultural Garden, which features some beautiful structures, and a large statue of Confucius. Unfortunately, the "pool" over which Confucius lords has been drained dry, which makes the fountain area look a bit like an abandoned skate park. You can tell just how severe the California drought has been by looking at what used to be a pond on the grounds; in the wintertime there's little more than a puddle for the ducks to wallow in. Nevertheless, the beautiful foliage makes up for everything, and there's still a lot of birds to watch. I honestly wish that dogs were allowed in the park but, alas, I suspect that the park officials don't want to deal with the danger of having the geese attacked. With the long benches and park tables, this place would be perfect for a picnic in the summertime, or maybe even a small wedding ceremony. read more

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Too much goose poop! These birds might be pretty in the air, but on the ground they make a big mess. I stopped by with some friends on a really hot Sunday afternoon to attend a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. The park itself is pretty interesting because there is a distinct Chinese bent to it, what with the various Asian-influenced architecture in the monuments and buildings. So it was a good setting for a Chinese festival. I liked walking the pathways, but the grassy areas looked a bit worse for wear, as if they needed more regular upkeep. \ Overall, a nice park, but not clean enough for me to want to visit regularly. read more

Hidden gem in the middle of a residential area in San Jose. There is a lake with geese and ducks, pagodas and Chinese style buildings, and paved trails. Ideal for older people or moms with strollers looking for a nice walk in the city with at least 30 minutes of mostly shaded trails. Could use some more maintenance from the city though! Where is that extra park tax money we just voted for going toward? For example, the fragrance garden and rose garden look pretty sad :( read more

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This park is beautiful. Just absolutely stunning. It's a shame that now the rivers and lakes are all dried out, but I could only imagine how much more beautiful it would be if it weren't for this drought we were in. It's large and it's spacious and there's so much to look at. It's sort of a small, free, touristy area where you can explore the chinese culture gardens that contain pagodas and a Confucius statue. There's plenty of bench space, open grass space, trees, fountains. It's clean and well maintained, there are some dry spots that could use some more maintenance to brighten the aesthetics of the park, but overall it's really great. Based on some signage around here, there's actually an area where you can go see wild life behind a fence. Unfortunately, none of that is there anymore. Overall beautiful park to go for a nice morning job or long peaceful stroll. Strongly recommend. It's adjacent to Independence High School. read more

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I went to this park on a whim due to need for some physical activity, and was plesantly suprised. It's nice, clean, peaceful park for a walk- there're lots of ducks/geese, ponds, beautiful trees including an area full of palm trees. You'll also find a Chinese cultural center, along with beautiful architecture and statues. As it started to get dark, however, I didn't feel safe in the area, maybe due to being the only one there? Regardless, it can get secluded, and I left due to safety concerns. So my tip is to go with someone- if you're solo like I was, go early in the day. Overall, this is a great park to take a stroll- very nice, clean and relaxing. The park is open from 10:00- Sunset. I wouldn't stay there past sunset anyway for reasons mentioned above- safely concerns. Almost got stuck there- as I was about to leave, a gentleman was locking the gate, and had already locked the parking lot. So remember to leave as it's starts getting dark or you may just be stuck in the park! No fishing, swimming, dogs, biking, drinking, roller skating or grilling in the park. You'll also find the occasional duck/geese poop along your walk.....but that's what nature is all about. Oh, professional photgraphers must get a 'special park use permit' to take pictures at this park; pictures & videos not allowed for commercial use. read more

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Nice place to visit, especially in autumn. Recommended. Added some shots on page. Pls check. read more

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Went here a few weeks ago with my best friend to do some watercolor paintings. The scenery is beautiful and there are a good amount of benches and tables to set up at. Only downside is the amount of brown but that's just california for you. Parking is easy and it wasn't too busy when I went. Not too busy inside the park but enough people to where it wasn't deserted ( we went around 5 o'clock ). read more

Overfelt Gardens Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

Sadness. This is the sudden feeling you get by visiting this park. I haven't been so sad in such a potentially beautiful park. What happened here? Why so much trash everywhere? why all so dead? why the leaves fallen from the trees from the previous years are still there? why smells so bad? why feel so not safe to be there? I was really excited to visit this park after the reviews, and of course the pictures including the ones I took do not reflect the sad reality of full abandon. No matter if i was excited to see all the Chinese buildings architecture and the Confucious statue, I was saddened by the view of the empty pond. There are other areas, though, were you can really feel at a normal park. That is the area with gorgeous tall palm trees. The reason I guess is because the city takes care of it and people pay for renting the tables for picnics and parties. You will see no flowers and yes some shady people. read more

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There's not that much to do here; there's some Chinese structures and some paved paths to walk around, but other than that, it's pretty boring. There's also a lake but because of the drought, it was pretty dry. read more

Overfelt Gardens Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

One of the most serene locations in San Jose. The pagoda and Chinese style buildings look beautiful and are such a peaceful spot to sit at and relax at. The trails are nicely shaded, great for older people, those with kids, or your average youth. The first time I went (the time these pictures were taken, in March 2016) there wasn't a lot of water in the lakes bc of the drought but now, by 2017, the water has thankfully filled out a lot and looks much better now. Overall, a beautiful place for the casual park visitor whether it's for a nice stroll, picnic, or just some alone time from the rest of the city. Bonus: I'm completely in love with the "Into the Wild" wildlife sanctuary sign. read more

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A complete dump, wasteland. This is a disgrace, particularly when compared to the Japanese f Friendship Garden. It looks not only unfinished, but abandoned. It's simply confusing to be here. read more

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shhh... dont tell anyone that theres a pretty little park only a few acres wide tucked away in east san jose that its quiet and tranquil often the least visited park in santa clara county. dont tell them theres a large duck pond where the mean geese will chase you and try to eat you for lunch. dont tell them that the land for the park was donated by Mildred Overfelt in 1959, in memory of her parents, William and Mary Overfelt, early San Jose pioneers that started grain and dairy farm in the 1860s. dont tell them this is a nice place to just veg, where you wont see kids playing frisbee or see a softball game or choo choo trains or petting baby animals. dont tell them theres this beautiful tall and decorated chinese gate leading to a chinese cultural garden with a statue of confucious smiling back at you. dont tell them this is a nice place to spend your lunch, find your zen, have a date or spend an short afternoon just strolling. shhh...i wont tell if you dont. read more

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A hidden garden that do not get much visitors. However, that is the beauty of it. Secluded, clean, peaceful, beautiful, and full of history. In here, you will find the Chinese Cultural Garden, Mildred Overfelt's old house (this used to be her dairy farm), a fragrance garden, and a wildlife sanctuary, who is dominated by Canadian Geese. It's free, plenty of parking, and a great little stroll. read more

A good sized park for walking, riding a bike or a quick jog. There is plenty of parking on the street or at the public library. They have a lot of trees so I felt it was nice and shady. There is multiple statues/monuments which are nice to look at. Most of the people here look like they come here to hang out which is nice as some places have sketchy folks. read more

Went for the first time to this garden around the corner from our house. Walked through the 30+ acres on winding shady paths, stopped at the Confucius statue, also stopped at the site to honor Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek . Met a Chinese grandma at one of the pavilions who explained the symbolism in the architecture (clouds, earth)- walked around more, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Parking was cake, no one was there mid-day Sunday. Great FIND! read more

A beautiful park with plenty of open paths and Chinese architecture that make it stand out from other parks. There's Canadian geese all over the place which leave feces on the paths, so watch your step. read more

I have never walked into a park and felt so bad for it! The fields are overgrown with weeds; the grass are brown; trash is everywhere (in old streams where water used to run); dried ponds galore; and graffiti boldly greets you upon your visit. It hasn't recovered since the drought. This place is just sad.. smh. The website needs to be updated. The city should close the park, if they're not going to clean it up. It's not only sad to see such lost potential, but it also leaves a really bad impression of the city. As we braved further, we saw what appeared to be an empty house by an empty stream, and then two random people from afar walking out from behind a building and toward our direction. Obviously, it didn't take long for us to turn back and leave. Although it was daytime, it didn't feel safe at all!! Super creepy and scary vibe here.. AVOID FULLY!!! read more

Plenty of parking. Next to Indy HS & the Public Library. Lotsa trees, animals, benches, trails, people and poke stops/hunting! Home of geeses/ducks, turtles, and the chinese cultural gardens. It's a nice park for a stroll or poke hunting. I come here a few times a week in the summer and autumn near sun down since weather gets cooler around the time. read more

A beautiful park in the middle of the hood! Say it aint so!? This park is very quiet it was almost too good to be true I was expecting to see homeless "residents" of the park or maybe some gangsters, but NO none of that. We wondered why it was so empty, this is likely because there is strict no Grilling or Alcohol consumption rules, that are enforced by a park ranger patrolling the area. read more

I live close by, but it's my first time here today. There surely are some Chinese elements, which made me feel proud as a Chinese. However, an issue is that what I believe are caterpillars of harmful gypsy moths spreads everywhere in the park. The eggs are all over trees and roofs, and the crawling ones could be easily spotted on benches, tables and rails. I don't know if it just happens this time of the year, but they are pests that would eaten up the trees. They really need to take serious action for this. read more

Overfelt Gardens Park - Gypsy moth caterpillars are everywhere.I have no idea what happened to this park. - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

This park is beautiful & tranquil. I can do without all the bird poop on the ground though. I live all the Chinese influences that the gardens have, makes me feel at peace. A good place to take a stroll. read more

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A great park for the tots. Plenty of parking, lots of birds and animals, a large trail, and benches galore. Plus your children get the opportunity to experience culture. The only downside is that there are some unfavorable people every once in a while, but usually people enjoying the park. read more