We visited during our trip to San Diego & oh my goodness, it was absolutely amazing…read more This is such a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. Located inside Balboa Park, you can tour the museums in the area, but don't forget to stop and take a moment to smell the flowers at the Japanese Friendship Garden... There were so many beautiful birds, butterflies, koi, and plants I've never seen before. The grounds were very clean and well manicured. Pricing to get in was about $60 for a family of 4 (including student pricing for our children) which may be a bit steep if you have young children with thin patience.. however, if you are able to come in and find your Zen for a couple hours, this is the spot to do so. They offer free crafts for visitors- when we were there they were doing an origami workshop, which seemed very fun. However, our kids weren't up For it- so we did not participate. Would definitely visit again in the future!

I randomly heard about this on TikTok and decided to randomly drop by…read more I also was not aware it was under construction for a while so good timing? The parking fee is....fair which means you only need to come here once or twice a year. To get to the Japanese garden you need to walk a bit to find the big gate? In terms of size it is medium length. Still being built yet good enough to walk around. Lots of lush green views and refined scenery verdant for miles. You could even think of it as a mini nature get away from the busy city life It's worth the trip and you could visit the other parks if you have time for it

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.

A cute park for families…read more A great neighborhood park to walk your dogs or take a stroll with your kids. Also has a small bocce ball area. Tennis and a small basketball court are here as well. Public toilets are ok here compared with other parks I visited. It is right off the Guadalupe Trail that goes from downtown San Jose to Alviso. Take a break from the trail and sit in the park. Soak up some rays. There are a few restaurants a block away where you can order takeout and eat at one of the picnic tables.

I love river oaks park! It's so well maintained and beautiful with bridges to walk over and a huge…read moreplay area for dogs and kids. It's also very safe and that's the best part about the park.

This was such a fun park and it seems like a lot of school field trips come through. The playground…read morewas really diverse and the chicken playground looked super fun. It was really nice there were exotic fruit trees from so many different places. So it was really nice to walk around to see the different fruit trees.

Nice park on the east side with a lot of history behind it. It's part of a historical area, which…read moregives the park a unique feel compared to others. The park is large and has plenty to explore. You might even spot animals roaming around, I saw a chicken! There are historical houses, playgrounds, large open fields, picnic and family areas, and lots of space for kids to run around and have a blast. The ice cream man comes around sometimes. Overall, it's a fun spot for families and it's kept pretty clean too.

This park is amazing. So many things to explore, kids can climb, jump, create music sounds, run…read moreand explore. When looking for a park that creates adventure this is it! Parking can be a bit difficult, but we circle around and one opened up. So not too bad of parking There are also bathrooms near by and plenty of shade

Such a beautiful park!!…read more I've had Delano Manongs Park bookmarked for quite some time and as time passed, I honestly forgot about this place. With an upcoming play date planned between myself and a gf, I was happy that this particular park was picked for our meet up. First things first, this park is MASSIVE! Delano Manongs Park is broken into 10 parts- YES, I SAID 10!! This includes a small and large dog park, multiple gardens, a fitness station, and a number of play structures to keep all your little munchkins happily occupied. The park is very well kept, the restrooms are very doable, and with its large size, there isn't that congested feeling you get with other locations. On top of the many perks, there is a large field to kick or throw around a few balls. The only flaw- and might I add that it is a big one- is the lack of actual shade. Your relief from the sun's powerful rays is limited to the gazebo where the benches are or using the large flower structures as a shield. 5/5 stars all in all. This is lots of fun for kids of all ages.

This park has sooo much! We came here for the splash pad. There is a playground, splash pad,…read morebathrooms close to splash pad, shaded sitting area for parents by the splash pad, and open field. Will definitely be back. Tip: Shaded toddler spot is closed all summer 2023 for repairs

This is a nice and well maintained park. In the summer when the water spray pad is open, it's a…read moregreat weekend pastime for kids. My only complaint is that the park has very little shade. Only the small slides for the younger toddlers are under a shade sail. On a very sunny day, the bigger slides and swings can get unpleasantly hot.

This park is as the name suggests, a hill. There is a trail that goes around the base of the hill…read moreand some man made trails that go up the hill. It isn't too steep to climb and you will get a decent workout if you go around/up it a few times. The views at the top of the hill are beautiful! There are also tennis courts, a skate park, a basketball court, a sand volleyball section, and a children's playground all around the park. There's something for everyone! Lots of people bring their dogs for walks here too.

This park holds a lot of childhood memories for me. I had a professional photoshoot here for a…read morevery special moment in my life a few years back and still admire the shots because of the intimacy this park brought to that moment. It's not a park to have a hardcore hike but one could definitely get a good 'walk' in as the trails are easy and the crowd is generally comprised of locals from the neighborhood. I have successfully completed a 5 mile "hike" multiple times here -- just had to keep walking up and down, and all around. The park also has workout stations -- although, many of them are closed right now due to COVID19 but an average person could get a good cardio workout and get in some strength based exercises here (pull-up bars, etc.). Parking is easy as this park is aligned with a huge residential area. P.S. there are no public restrooms with the exception of seasonal porta potties so you should probably go before you plan on visiting. P.S.S. this park is popular for youngsters to "be youngsters" after hours so be cognizant if you're trying to plan a romantic date.

A very popular park for picnics, biking and walking…read more I've been going to this park ever since I was a child. The playgrounds were great when I was a kid and they still are today. Always great to see birdlife here: geese, coots, ducks, grebes, herons and an occasional hawk. Very popular with dog walkers on a leash (the dogs, not the people ). Recommendation: The park officials would be praised if they organized a separate trail track for humans and bicyclists. It would make both walkers and bicyclists so very happy. This park's popularity makes it crowded at times. Especially weekends.

Is it just me or did this place go down hill? The grass area does not seem to be maintained at…read moreall. It's not leveled, tree trimmings and dead grass everywhere. Paid the $6 parking fee to enter and left 10 mins later. Went to a local park in Saratoga that had beautiful grass. Didn't pay parking. Laid out a picnic blanket to have lunch.