Took a relaxing stroll around Overfelt Chinese Cultural Garden today, an often forgotten city park…read more 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.

It's a nice, urban park, but there can be a lot of litter. Some of the features have been closed…read moreoff 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.

Lovely trail but no shaded areas. Parking at the street or at the parking lot of Lick Mill Park…read more Easy trail to explore and enjoy the wild flowers. Not too busy during weekday evening.

This is not a park, but it's right next to Lick Mill Park if you're looking for certain amenities…read moreor features not offered here. We visited both, this past weekend, and had a wonderful time. Ulistac Natural Area is a great lil spot for running along the trails, bird watching, and observing nature. It's not exactly the season for seeing birds around, or trees and flowers in bloom, as winter is far from over, but on this warm Sunday afternoon, we still found the whole place to be beautiful. We strolled along the different pathways, read the educational boards, learned about the surrounding vegetation, and shared interesting conversation as we passed by birdhouses in trees and plants with funny names. We saw some California coffeeberry, sticky monkeyflower, California buckwheat, California Wildrose (just the thorns for now), and the only color during the winter season coming from the bright pink island mallow flowers (which bloom in late winter) and red toyon berries (lots of this to be seen here). We also saw random mushrooms and lots of sage among the plants and wildlife. My favorite part was spotting the rabbits in the sage, and watching these adorable long-eared cottontails run around (we saw at least 3-4 of them). It's a small nature preserve, but still plenty to see and appreciate, even in the winter. And for runners, it connects to other trails so there's no shortage of space for getting active around here.

It's a long park between big buildings, Art museum, beautiful wall arts and etc. this park is…read morefamous for hosting major events during year such as Christmas, New Year and etc. its close by hotels like Westin, Signia by Hilton, Marriot, Hyatt and etc. also the restaurants like Mezcal, the club on post, AJI and etc. and many great things around. We came here after a heavy meal to walk. The parking was accessible. The park itself was clean and not two crowded and honestly the buildings around was so gorgeous...Well maintained parking overall.

Cool park in the middle of downtown. I've been here in the past where they've had events right in…read morethe park. A lot going on and lots of things around. The park itself is simple. Open space with a some benches to chill. Maybe add some amenities to liven it up which would make it more inviting. But it's a nice to have the greenery amidst all the buildings around.

Spacious park with plenty of benches and BBQ grills. Lots of homeless folks living in the park…read more Bathrooms are available. Parking fee is $6.

This is a nice park to just stroll around in or relax. The parking lot costs $6. but you can can…read morealso walk over to History Park next door which is worth doing. The Japanese garden here has much of the water drained out however there is one big pond with very large Koi in it.

This is my neighborhood park and I am typically here on a daily basis walking my dog. I've also…read moreheld multiple socials on the grass during COVID. Pros: Ample grass space, and some parts are nicely shaded. Great play area with jungle gym suitable for children. A cute Little Free Library at one entrance to the park. Gravel walking trail along perimeter of park with ample benches. 2 small and 1 large picnic bench near gazebo. Beautiful Victorian homes overlook park. Lots of birds and squirrels around. Great proximity to a small bodega for snacks and drinks. Cons: People are often found sleeping on benches at night, and may leave trash messes the next day. Because of the people who sometimes roam the park at night, I don't like to take my dog out around here late at night. Luckily we have a park angel named Walter who lives in the area and often takes the time to clean up messes and generally maintain the high quality of the park! Shoutout to you, Walter!

Beautiful unexpected park while walking around downtown San Jose during farmers market Friday. All…read moreis beautiful in this park, is sad to say but many parks in San Jose are ruined, abandoned or full of homeless (sad reality) but this one was perfectly child-friendly, even romantic for couples with these nice old design benches and the old fashioned fountain and iron fence. Surrounded by Victorian style houses this petite park belong to another era, or that made me feel. Pretty safe and easy to park around. Also, the Little Library is a nice touch and who would say I would open the cute doors to find La Peste by Camus...well, no excuses to not practice my French! free literature in a pretty park on a sunny day. Picnic anyone?

We are so lucky to have such a beautiful place near-by. Since the pandemic, it has become our…read moreweekly routine to hike here multiple times a week in the early mornings. This is a very popular venue for weddings and special events especially on weekends. For early birds like us, we get to enjoy the fresh air, quietness and peacefulness in the gorgeous environment, a real treat to the body and mind. We hope to keep up our weekly activities and very appreciative of the wonderful gift.

One of my favorite spots in the South Bay for a quick hike! The grounds at Montalvo are absolutely…read morebeautiful, as are the forested trails that wind up the hill and down the creek near the villa. Though there are a few different trials to choose from, they all end up crossing at one point or another. Even if you do all of them, they aren't too long and the hike tends to be fairly short. The area is pretty hilly, so most trails have a good elevation gain. Aside from the hiking, you can stroll the garden and picnic in the grass in front of the villa. They have some art installations around the grass and in the garden that are fun to look at. They also have concerts here, there is a stage outside, but I've only ever seen one inside the concert hall. They're usually smaller names and smaller shows.

Such a pretty little park. There's a small creek running through it and a nice little bridge…read more I have to tell you, if you like the idea of a fall stroll this is your park. When it's a little foggy, overcast, or even a tad on the rainy side, this is the best park for a quick ramble. Trust me.

This is a small but beautiful park with plenty of appealing features including a bridge at the…read moreentrance with the Saratoga Creek running underneath, picnic tables and seating, a grassy field, a volleyball net set up, a playground for the kids with swings and climbing structures, and a woodsy area in the back which is gorgeous in autumn with all the fallen leaves from the various trees and the colors of the season creating lovely scenery. The trail on the border was not the sturdiest path, with large rocks protruding from the dirt and warning signs posted to "enter at your own risk". But I was still able to get a good run in while exploring the park, extending to the neighborhood since, again, the park is small. There were several porta potties on site, as well as a parking lot for convenience. Such a carefree and relaxing atmosphere, with the adorable shops and eateries of Big Basin Way just around the corner.

Highly recommend this beautiful park for a lovely stroll or a pickleball session! I visit at least…read morea couple times a week, and it's always an idyllic location. There are huge, luscious lawns where people will set up volleyball games on weekends. If you have kids, there is a cute playground with plenty of fun slides. I really enjoy walking along the expanse of the park. As a new pickleball player, this is my go-to location to practice. There are eight courts and a neat queuing system. Because of the clear queue, there is always a very tidy line to play pickleball. What I love about the pickleball courts here is that there are two sides divided by skill level. If you're a pro pickleball player, the advanced side has a line of extremely skilled competitors. If you're just starting out, the beginner side has a good amount of new players to practice with. It does get very busy during certain times, like on weekends or after work. However, the queuing system prevents any confusion when the crowds get big. I absolutely love pickleballing at this park and highly recommend to beginners and more advanced players!

The park features a playground, restroom facilities, tennis courts, and a memorial area honoring…read morefallen military personnel. The grounds are clean, making it a comfortable place to take a stroll around the park and relax. Parking is limited. The lot is shared with a nearby senior community center, which reduces the number of spots available for park visitors. Depending on the time of day, you may need to prepare ahead of time to find parking.