I used to own a season's pass every year since I was in sixth grade, so I wanted to bring my 20…read moremonth son before it permanently closes in 2028. I went for nostalgia. In 2028, Great America will be demolished and converted to office and commercial development. The parking lot attendants did little in directing us to the entrance after we asked where it was. I think the entrance moved. The entrance used to be on the left under the "Great America" sign so we stood in line next to the sign. I was confused why there were no children in line, the men were heavily tattooed and the women were scantily clothed; only to find out we were in line for a low rider car show. The Great America entrance was at the far right around the corner. Regarding the food court, I waited fifteen minutes in line. Then an old woman who spoke zero English cut in front of me and attempted to purchase the last pre-made California roll. I put a stop to it and questioned the cashier why he would allow her to cut in front of me after I had been waiting in line for fifteen minutes, and shooed the old lady away. The chicken teriyaki was the worst I've ever had but the California roll was surprisingly decent. There were five rides my son was able to ride on including two carousels. They had a decent outdoor gym for toddlers that included three slides.

When I was a kid, Great America was the Bay Area's version of Disney haha. This place is completely…read moredifferent than what I remembered. The kids rides lines were over 30 min wait time. There were multiple food stalls that were not open. The food is mediocre as expected from theme parks. I wanted to take my kids for the first and last time before they official close in 2027. Save your money if you're thinking about going here.

Oh, this roller coaster…read more This roller coaster great America must be the oldest roller coaster in the area or something. I personally cannot probably go on it anymore because whenever I do I get a huge headache. It really shakes it's not good at all and I just have a hard time having any fun on it whatsoever. If you're into that old wooden roller coaster field and go right ahead. Recommend skipping.

The Grizzly rides heavy like I'm sure you can imagine a huge Grizzly running down a wooden track…read morebeing that this really isn't a bear in the forest it is simply one of the awesome wooden coasters out there that will never disappoint anyone as it's just fun! Fun fun fun fact seriously try to sit with all adults as if you ride with kids even if they are behind you both share the same lap bar so if one closes it on you it's really right even for me! There are a few seat belts and the one that attaches to the bar to make it just that much tighter on you so don't forget about that little thing because you know you want it on! Once you've been strapped down to the car you try going and that's when you realize this whole becoming restrained part was totally worth it as you find yourself riding heavy down this radical wooden coaster like I said it rides heavy but you don't feel it as the whole ride is very smooth and just awesome coaster ride in it's own way which makes me kinda forget that I've been strapped down to the car the whole review through! One thing I've noticed at the park over the several few Grizzly rides is that the time of the ride opening seems to be later after the park is already open for a busy minute so plan accordingly! Overall awesome coaster for anyone but like I said don't ride with the kids if you don't have to!

Boomerang bay in the summer time is nice for everyone to cool down. You get to enjoy 2 parks for…read morethe price of 1. They have plenty of lifeguards working to ensure safety, but be sure to come early to secure shady seats. These seats fly off the shelf like hotcakes. They have a wave pool, waterslides, a lazy river, a water playground and food areas. You are able to book cabanas. Problem is that you need to book the cabana in advance especially for weekends because they get booked up fast. Looking forward to this summer!!!

Fun, staycation spot local to Bay Area folks…read more I like to come here with my kids. It's super safe. There are lifeguards everywhere. I have no trouble letting my kids just kind of run around and Rome especially in the waddle pool area. There are lots of beach chairs for parents to lie on all the kids do their damage. It is tucked away in a corner, a great America that just makes it feel like it's it's a little world. Love that lazy river. Season pass makes this place well worth it. Recommend for parents with young kids.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a great family adventure park with toddler rides and a small zoo. I…read morevisited when I was a child and when I had kids we purchased memberships. Now, during specific months during the year, they host senior safari where seniors can visit for free and participate in organized activities and visit sponsors for literature and their goodies. I have been attending the safaris for a while and was disappointed this past month. I do appreciate the opportunity for a free visit but would like to see different sponsors and maybe have them stay a bit longer. For the safari this past month I arrived at 9:20 (20 mins after opening) and half of the sponsors were packing up because they ran out of freebies and literature. The biggest disappointment was Danny the dragon along with the carrousel were non-op. Regardless, the main purpose of senior safari is encourage movement and 10,000 steps. I am looking forward to the cooler months to enjoy my walk in the park soaking up the fall weather and sights.

Very disappointing and honestly not worth the money. The park is small, there are very few animals…read moreto see, several areas feel empty or underwhelming, and the rides are limited. On top of admission, you still have to pay for parking, and the food is overpriced for what you get. For a family attraction, the overall experience feels poorly run and seriously lacking in value. There are much better places to take young kids in the Bay Area. We definitely won't be coming back.

We had a large group (36 teenage racers) event today. Our host, Steven, was efficient and very…read morekind. We had a great time!

it was a fun straightforward process. first time racing and i'd definitely come back again!read more

My husband brought us here. We loved our time. So great that…read morethey sold cold water !!! We enjoyed the train ride so nice and we were the only ones since we came in a week day! I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing more family. Great photos and the ride is definitely worth the price.

Came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. Tickets for train and carousel is $5 per person and…read morefree for kids 2 and under. The train ride is less than 10 minutes with no cover so we brought our hats. It's a quick ride and you pass by the parking lot and a park. My girls enjoyed it. After we played by the nearby park. There is a bathroom close to the train ticket booth and lots of tables to enjoy a snack or even lunch. They were just starting the grill to cook the food for lunch but our girls were hungry so we left to get food elsewhere.

For the price, it's definitely a little gem in Palo Alto. Having a little young, I didn't even know…read morethat Palo Alto had this zoo but we decided to take a trip one day to come check it out. You have to make a reservation I'm guessing so it doesn't get overpacked. As soon as you enter, there's a ton of indoor activities for the little. There's a dino area right outside and then on the other side is where the zoo part is. There's not a ton of animals but the animals that are there were pretty active when we were there. There was a tortoise, birds, rabbits, fish, flamingos that we actually got to feed and a few others that I'm forgetting. Again, not huge but it was enough that we probably spent about a good 2 hours there. After that, there's also a park right behind it so if your kiddos aren't tired already, they can burn off some energy there. If we lived closer, I would consider getting a pass but for now, we'll do some day trips there

Admission I've visited a couple of times - once for a…read moreregular visit and birthday party. During my first visit in May 2026, the admission was $14 per ticket for both an adult and toddler for the 10:00 a.m. reservation. If you're planning a birthday celebration or picnic, there are first-come, first-served tables at Rinconada Park next door. Venue The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is exactly that - it's a smaller, toddler-friendly museum and zoo. Plan to visit for an estimated 1.5 - 2 hours, as this should be plenty of time to explore everything. There are both indoor and outdoor experiences, including interactive activities for little ones, an outdoor zoo, complimentary flamingo feeding sessions, and a treehouse-style playground. Animals available included meerkats, flamingos, raccoons, fish, a tortoise, and macaws. Location / Parking The museum is right next to Rinconada Park and there's a dedicated parking lot. It can fill up quickly during popular reservation times and street parking is also available nearby. Customer Service The front desk staff scans admission tickets upon arrival and provides a stamp for in-and-out privileges, which is helpful if you plan to visit the neighboring Rinconada Park.

We had an amazing time with my two kids and husband. This place had super interactive activities…read morefor my 4yr old and 18m old. They enjoyed dressing up in fireman gear, playing with water, doing crafts, playing in the pretend food area, building with blocks, making bubbles, and playing outside. This place has a lot to do and we wished we could have stayed longer. Only part that is annoying is the stroller rule. If your child CAN walk, you can't take your stroller in. Weird rule for a place that caters to kids, including younger ones in that in between stage. Even cmy 4 year old gets tired more than average. And sure, my youngest can technically walk but he can't last the whole time walking. Anyway, we had fun but I felt like I couldn't fully relax.

Pretty freaking amazing children's museum, kids loved it (and the adults had fun hanging out too)…read more Kinda a no-brainer if you have kids -- we have a 4yo but there were bigger kids and even teens here bustlin' around.

So much fun! Whether it's a date or family fun, it's so worth it. The lazy river is one of my favs!…read moreHighly recommend!

This is a ride I enjoy to go on during the park. Beware the hours from from 11am to 6pm on most of…read morethe days. It can go to 8pm in the summer months, but it does have a specific opening and closing hours usuall at 11am. The best time to go is usually in the morning or at night when the line is a walk on. In the afternoon, the line can be an hour long easily but that is when it is the hottest. This ride is a hit or miss when getting wet. You get wet the most when people use the geysers to soak you. There is parts where you get bumped hard on the edges and then when you hit the wave you will get wet as well and your shoes soaked. I have not gotton drenched yet on the ride. You do dry off fast which is great. I believe they have dryers for $5 dollars as well.

The classic mouse type coasters usually I'm not really a fan of these types of rides but this one…read moreis by far the best one I've ever ridden on! This mouse coaster is one of 4 mouse coasters ever built by Arrow Development this coaster is soo well built that it was more expensive that most of your typical mouse coasters so not that many of them ever got created making this one ride very unique! This is by far the best of the mouse coasters I have ever ridden as it's smooth and not so jerky like most other models are it's also a neat little design as it feels like it has more drops and just an all around tighter track layout then other companies models! This ride really is a gem in Great America as it's super fun and perfect for all ages just make sure you get to it kinda early because the line gets very long on busy days as everyone wants to enjoy this Arrow classic!

This line is somewhat long for the most part as it appeals to more the kids and built by Arrow. I…read morereally do not like this ride as it is not smooth and really jerky and shakes you up and down and then when it turns it jerks you side to side which is an uncomfortable ride. Definitely a ride that needs to go away for sure as Arrow is defunct and parts are hard to come by. It is in the back of the park.