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.

America's Best Rose Garden Run by Volunteers!!!…read more This is a beautiful 5.5-acre rose garden officially recognized as "America's Best Rose Garden." It features over 3,500 shrubs and around 200 varieties, with about 75% being hybrid teas. The garden has an interesting history: it was once a prune orchard purchased by the San Jose City Council in 1927, thanks to advocacy from the Santa Clara County Rose Society. Today, it also serves as an official All-America Rose Selections (AARS) display garden, where new award-winning rose varieties are tested before public release. The layout is classic and park-like, with a two-tiered fountain and mature, decades-old trees that add to the atmosphere. Some standout roses that I enjoy, include: * Rosa 'Handel' (climbing rose): Soft pink, slightly ruffled blooms that look great climbing fences or arches. Light fragrance, subtle but nice up close. * 'Camille Pissarro': Super eye-catching striped petals in pink, red, yellow, and cream. Looks like a painting. Mild scent. * "Make Me Blush" (hybrid tea): Clean, soft blush-pink rose with a neat classic shape. Light, gentle fragrance. * "Perfect Moment" (hybrid tea): Very polished, classic rose form with rich color and that "traditional rose" look. Noticeable floral scent. * "Double Delight": Creamy white with red edges that deepen in the sun. Each bloom looks a bit different. Strong, sweet spicy fragrance: one of the most fragrant ones there. A pleasant surprise is that the garden is entirely volunteer-run. Volunteers actively work to preserve heritage roses, even rescuing and propagating rare varieties from old cemeteries, abandoned homesteads, and rural roadsides. Practical info: * Parking: free street parking with no time limit * Hours: daily, 8am to 30 minutes after sunset * Restrooms: available (clean, basic, and well-stocked) * Dogs: not allowed * Yoga: permitted if non-commercial * Alcohol: not permitted * Photography: casual photography and picnics are free, but professional shoots require a $100 permit Overall, it's a peaceful, well-maintained garden with both botanical depth and historical character, especially enjoyable for rose enthusiasts or anyone looking for a quiet walk among carefully preserved varieties.

Ao much FUN!! My…read morefirst time to this ballpark and I had a great time! It is small, but perfect for a quick neighborhood game in SJ. Food and drink stations were pretty good - I had the corndog and it was just what I needed to complement the experience. Great selection of beers and ciders. Only thing.. we sat in the SUPER SUNNY section! It was HOT! Next time we'll try to get the shade. There is a parking garage close by.... But be warned... it takes FOREVER to get out after the game. They really need to work on multiple exit points. Restrooms were plentiful and clean - TG! Would I go back? YES!! GO GIANTS!!

Came by for a baseball game the other night and it was a decent experience. Street parking was…read morecomplimentary. There were paid lots nearby. Tickets were apparently complimentary from Rotten Robbies on Thursdays. A visit to the ticket office is required to redeem the voucher into a ticket to get in. There is a security check to get into the game. There were a few concession stands including burgers, garlic fries, chicken tenders and a huge BBQ stand. Apparently the BBQ ribs were tasty, albeit a gigantic portion perfect for sharing. There is assigned seating although most people seemed to have opted to spread out.

My boyfriend and I walked in here during the holiday season, but during the day time so there…read morewasn't any real event or lights on, but it was still nice to see all of the houses, decor, and set up. Plus parking was free and entry was free when we went. Just a BIG FYI, because we didn't go during an event, they DO LOCK UP THE PARK and when I was waiting for my boyfriend to pick me up from our parking area (ended up on the other side of the park somehow), I saw a bunch of people trying to call for help after the gate locked them in. Woops. It seems that they hold lots of events here with outdoor local vendors, food vendors, and also opportunities to go inside the houses and learn about the history of a lot of the buildings. I'd keep an eye out on their social media or website for those, but as a freebie person exploring through. It's fun and cute.

If you've been to medieval or historical towns (where folks dress up in that time period and…read morereenact that time period...), this History Park has that kind of vibe. It's like a small town within a big town. There's a museum. There's a gift shop. There's a garden. There's a bunch of seating areas. There's sculptures. There's trains and horns you can honk. Parking is strange. No idea if they truly monitor and ticket folks because it's self pay.

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.

Palo Alto Duck Pond is located across from the Environmental Volunteers' EcoCenter. There is a…read moresmall attached parking lot for easy access. Nice views, while peaceful and relaxing to either walk a couple of laps or just sit and enjoy watching the airplanes taking off / landing and ducks / water (not the most ducks here anymore, at least during our visit). Even on a sunny day, it is a bit windy here, so remember to bring a jacket / sweater. Watch where you step though, as some paths are not even and there are some poop and other trash scattered around in some areas. Overall, nice little hidden gem.

As of May 2022, there are no ducks here, so don't come with unreasonable expectations. I went here…read moreto go for a run, and there's plenty of open space in the Baylands Nature Preserve, some trails throughout, stretching into the marshlands, but I spent most of my time running laps around the pond (one lap is a quarter mile at most). Even though there are no ducks, there are several other birds that can be found, not only waterbirds (see my pics). The best thing I saw was a family of geese hidden in the grass as I was running along the dirt/rock pathway around the pond. Two adult and two baby geese, chomping on grass, and making their way to the trail toward the pond. I took photos of them as they waddled away, it was soo cute and made my day :D The entire setting is just beautiful and peaceful, even with the planes flying in and out of the Palo Alto Airport adjacent to the duck pond (the busiest single runway airport in CA). They're actually pretty quiet, and such small cute planes. So it adds to the charm of this place. I found plenty of benches bordering the pond and along the trails, as well as picnic tables hidden behind the trees surrounding the pond, and a cute little picnic area next to the Baylands Ranger Station, too. I didn't see a public restroom, but I did see one single porta potty next to the pond, so plan accordingly. There are several small parking lots, so if one is full, keep driving and you'll easily find another, you can't miss it. But this place is pretty isolated, and it doesn't seem to get super crowded.. I can't imagine parking being a problem. Great place to be surrounded by nature, but still so simple, not too much to take in, and easy to get to, right off the 101 freeway (though you'll feel like you're far away from civilization).

Yes I would definitely recommend this park but the only down side is that we have full grown adults…read morewho come here with supermarket bags just come tear off the lovely flowers and take home. I sincerely understand the greed some people have. Just take a picture of the flowers there's no need to tear them off just for them to rot within the next hours. The garden is for the whole community not at your disposal for free flowers

I visited the Heritage Rose Garden on a Monday morning, and it looked deserted and kind of sad. But…read moreI spent time exploring and realized with a closer look that even during winter, there are still some beautiful flowers and roses to be found here, though minimal. One thing I liked is the Teaching and Demonstration Garden adjacent to the Heritage Rose Garden. They had informative signs posted about soil quality, efficient irrigation, pest problems (or "solutions" to be more accurate), and beneficial insects (with detailed colored photos and descriptions of different pollinators, predators, and parasites). There was even an Insect Hotel on site, which was intriguing, a cool little habitat for bugs to hang out. And for us humans, a few picnic tables and benches situated underneath a large tree (Guadalupe Gardens Picnic Area), though this garden/park doesn't look very picnic-friendly overall, or is very limited. At the center of the garden is a circular open space, which had two trash cans busted open and garbage scattered all over the ground on the day I visited. Nearby, glimpses of homeless encampments made the area and destination a little less desirable, though I didn't see many homeless people around, just a couple. The setting and feel of the place wasn't very appealing to me, and with a much larger, cleaner, and functional rose garden not too far away and in a nicer neighborhood (SJ Municipal Rose Garden), I don't really have much incentive to return here, not regularly at least. But I may check it out during the warmer seasons to see what it's like then.

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 comment is for the planning manager. She actually boosted about being the friend of the…read moremayor's wife and that's how she got her position. That is completely conflict of interest.