A very popular park for picnics, biking and walking. 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. read more

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Is it just me or did this place go down hill? The grass area does not seem to be maintained at all. 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. read more

Vasona Lake County Park - messed up grass field - Parks Near Me - Los Gatos, California

I love this park, we take our little doggo here at least once a week. we take her around to a couple of different areas inside the park for a ramble and a sniff. We also really like seeing all the birds and enjoying the trees. It's lovely to have this peaceful park nearby. The rangers are awesome too! They will answer your questions and always seem happy to welcome us in. read more

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Vasona Park is one of the largest parks in the area, and it really has something for everyone. Young children love the Oak Meadow area because of the life-size fire truck and airplane, in addition to 2 playgrounds. There are plenty of tables that can be reserved for parties and you will often see several birthday parties taking place on the weekends. The park also has a carousel and train. You can check their schedules online, which vary depending on the time of year. The train has a fun holiday lights version in December. If you are going for a stroll, you can walk on the path along the lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Vasona Park is a great option for family photos - in the fall, the colorful leaves make a nice backdrop. Finally, Vasona Park has their annual Vasona Lights! You can drive through or you can purchase tickets for their walk-thru event. This was our first year doing the walk-thru, and we were impressed by how organized it was. We parked at Netflix around 4pm and did not have to wait to catch the shuttle to the park. They had huge buses running frequently so we did not experience a long wait going back around 7:20pm. There were tons of park rangers and volunteers at the event to guide guests or answer questions. We also appreciated the pink tents where we could use a changing table for our son. They had plenty of food trucks to choose from and fun family entertainment near the tables. The drone show at 6:15pm was really nice and recommended for all ages. I highly recommend the walk-thru holiday lights but keep in mind they do sell out of tickets quickly! read more

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Love Vasona! Worked there at YSI for 16 years. Nice place to walk for anybody esp if you can't do hills

Easy to get parking and it free.Nice place to hang out, clean and well organized. My Kids love it. read more

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We had such an amazing time here. We ended up finding street parking outside the park which saved us a parking fee and we entered in from one of the many side gates close to the bathrooms and rentals. We rented out a paddle boat and we actually allowed to bring our cat with us. It was a blast!! read more

Another beautiful day on a New Year's Day walk with a friend! Was absolutely lovely! It was raining out but we didn't care, we find so much lovely energy here that we knew we had to be out here to start off 2026, right! There were so many people on the path! It was awesome! We walked about 6.5 miles! We love the sounds of the geese and how well kept the park is by the rangers! We each stopped for a bathroom break and the ladies bathroom was super clean. Didn't as about the men's bathroom. I'm so grateful to live so close to this park. I'll be out there way more often this year on walks and bike riding like I use to do all the time a few years ago. We also hugged trees, since we wanted to ground and the grass was too wet to ground. Yes to a great backyard only a few blocks away! read more

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A great park for walking, biking, & picnicing I've fished the lake several times but havenever had a bite. read more

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Lovely large park, accessible by car, walking/running, or biking on the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The small guage railroad is a lot of fun, or doing activities on the lake. Just visited on Christmas Eve for the Fantasy of Lights and it was a fantastic Christmas activity. read more

This place is pretty cool. Just a heads up theres a TON of birdshit every where so just be careful setting up a picnic or bbq

Located just 2 miles away from highway 17 exit 21. Small park with easy trails around the lake and lot of shaded areas. There's Christmas lights displayed now at night. Parking fee is $6 and there are lots of parking spots. It's linked to Oak meadow park. read more

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This is a gorgeous and picturesque place to spend an entire day in. There are lots of family friendly activities and it's perfect for barbecue, hikes, birthday parties and other get togethers. Love the views of the lake, especially around sunset. Have visited several times and still get moved by the beauty. read more

Nice spacious park. Park on University near the apartments for free parking and close to the entrance. 2015 read more

This park is extremely big and well maintained. The meadows are big and beautiful, the lake is clean, and the playground is nice. The park lots are big enough and you can park easily. read more

One of my favorite parks in San Jose. We did a photo shoot here and it was so nice to get pics in front of the lake and there is an old railroad crossing rails. Beautiful in the fall when the leaves are red and orange. read more

Beautiful park! Lots of people walking on the trail, biking, running. My wife and I visited today with our Samoyed dog, Moshi. He loved the weather. It was great that they had plenty of public drinking water fountains with lower basins for dogs to drink from. We brought a picnic blanked and some snacks so we could sit around as a break from walking (we sat by the lake and then by the mini train). Altogether a lovely and well maintained park. Plenty of playgrounds and restrooms. read more

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Vasona Lake County Park is one of the few places in the South Bay where you can still rent a canoe, rowboat or a kayak to enjoy the lake. I love how peaceful it is there even though you can hear the sound of Highway 17 next door lol. One of my favorite times to visit Vasona Lake is when they have the Fantasy of Lights. The lake comes alive with all the holiday lights and it feels very festive to drive around. Vasona Lake is very well maintained and it's nice to walk around and just lay on the grass as well. There's plenty of parking and I have never had any trouble finding parking. I have never seen it get overly crowded and that's a great plus for me. I know they recently drained the lake to clean it up and I cannot wait to see how clean it looks now. Let's go for a walk around the lake. read more

I was not expecting this beautiful vast park located in the city! Basins Lake has many trails, one of which is the Los Gatos Creek Trail. This is the perfect location to get away, free your mind and recharge. Dog friendly. read more

We were at the lake to do some pedal boatings and canoe. However, it was disappointed to see how unsanitizing part of the lake area. They need to have it cleaned it as it's health hazard for everyone. read more

Vasona Lake County Park - Ducks pooped all over. - Parks Near Me - Los Gatos, California

100% recommend pedal boating & paddle boating. These are fantastic forms of exercise for a reasonable price and I greatly appreciate that they will hold on to your valuables in a cubby. Thank you! It's pleasant with and without kiddos. With kiddos, you can kill a full day here btwn the train, carousels, playgrounds & lake. This is my go to for keeping cool on a hot summer day. read more

Love this park for a special occasion or if you just want to take a stroll and visit the playground with a little one. Christmas time - they have a drive through light experience. If you want to try to see it you need to purchase tickets early! Children's parks - from my recent experience they have two main park areas. Each one has a section for bigger kits vs. smaller kids. One area has a tractor that would be fun for the kids to play on. For special occasions or just for fun they have a train and merry go round. They are only open on the weekends during this time, but I would absolutely come back. Beautiful park, lots of space for walking. Watch out for the geese and their poop though! read more

Vasona Lake County Park - One of the picnic areas at Vasona park - Parks Near Me - Los Gatos, California

It was a 6$ entering fee which is really good for a big lake park. It has nice views, sunset and place where you can have piece. I really recommend everyone going and enjoying their time read more

A best getaway with kids on a sunny day. The train ride and carousel are a big attraction for smaller kids. Lots of geese and squirrels wandering around. read more

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Did a 5 mile loop today on the Vasona park trail, I have done this trail 100's of times over the years but I must say, in 50 plus years of coming here I have never seen so much water!! What a treat!! There were a lot of bicyclist on the trail today so we had to keep your head on a swivel. "As always, try to stay on the right, bicyclist should pass you on the left." Overall today ways hands down the Best experience I've had over all my years going there. I highly recommend visiting if you're in the area before the water dries up again. read more

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This wonderful city park stretches along the Los Gatos River. It features long, paved, multi-use paths that stretch for miles, perfect for strolling. Along the way, you'll find picnic areas, playgrounds, and even a nearby park. Nearby, there's a charming recreation area with a weekend train ride and a classic, beautifully preserved carousel. read more

What a wonderful park to come to for summer outings with family. We came here on Father's Day after having breakfast in Los Gatos, and we enjoyed the stroll through the park as well as the water activities!! Four of us did the pedal boat and one did the single kayak. We were worried they wouldn't have enough boats and kayaks available for walk-ins, but we lucked out. Definitely recommend that you reserve yours in advance for the timeframe you want. Around $25 per kayak and/or boat gets you an hour on the water. There is a small entrance fee at the kiosk (around $6) but parking is plentiful. There is a fun train that goes around the park too which looked like a lot of fun :) read more

Vasona Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Los Gatos, California

What a wonderful place to visit. My wife and I recently moved to Santa Clara Valley from Boston, and we visit some new place every weekend. Visiting Vasona Lake was a real treat. Not only does it have great resources for friends and families to have picnics and relax together, but there are lots of options for walking and biking. We are big on birdwatching, and we saw quite a few new species--that's big news for us! The flowers are gorgeous, and they seem to be everywhere! This feels like the perfect park for us, and we'll be back with our bikes. read more

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This park is incredible. Great place to take kids as there are many things to do like the Train and the Carousel. I took my wife and my 3 1/2 year old Izzy to the park this past Memorial Day weekend. As expected there were many parties and BBQs. We also got into the river and chilled out there (water is freezing!). Just be careful crossing any large grass area as there is a lot of Geese poop there. As per parking my suggestion is to park along University Ave on Holiday weekends. From here you can easily walk into the park via the stairs. No need to deal with crowded parking lots. read more

I remember how much I loved to bike around the trail at Vasona Lake with my hubby when we lived around South San Jose in the 90's. We would drive to a nearby lot (to avoid paying parking fee) and ride down the trail to this park. Now, it's my sister and her dog's favorite hiking route. She got an annual pass to avoid having to pay $6 each time. I'm so happy to see the modern convenience. My recent trip to Vasona Park was to attend the Fantasy of Lights, a Christmas treat. Nice to see so many festive light show at one place. Kudos to Santa Clara County for hosting this annual celebration since 1999. It was a drive-thru display of animated light displays of prehistoric scenes, cartoon animals, tunnel of moving lights and many interesting LED lights. According to the website, it's a 1.5 mile loop and over 50 themed displays. A special broadcast on radio 92.9 FM making this event more enjoyable. read more

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Vasona Lake Park is a gem. We have come to this park on multiple occasions throughout the years and it has always been a joy for my family to visit. There is a plethora of things to do throughout the year. In summer, they have great picnic spots along with lake activities you can rent equipment for. It's a great spot for walking or running and they have a children's area that includes a fun train ride and carousel. My son always enjoys his visits to this place and my dogs enjoy the grassy areas. In winter, they have a holiday drive event where you can drive through the park lit up in winter decor. This park is a great resource for the community around and is a nice place for families to convene and spend some quality time or make memories. read more

$6 parking at the ranger station entrance. It is a large area so drive around to check out the different parking lots, picnic areas and pathways. I gravitated to the lake area where there were shady picnic tables. Along the lake is a semi shady dirt hike/walk/bike path. There is also a short deck out onto the lake/pond area. On the weekends runs a mini choo-choo train. read more

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Large park with reservable picnic areas available. There are many lots you can park your car after paying a fee, or take a short walk from street parking. Great for family outings. You can find many families walking their dogs or renting pedal boats on the lake. There's even a small train you'll see making its way through the park that is rideable. Just keep in mind there are a lot of geese, so you might have to watch your step with their droppings on the sidewalk. read more

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Umm, I'm kinda freaking out that the first photo of this park on Yelp is that of a snake... Luckily we didn't have negative encounters when we took our Oakley out for a walk. This park is perfect for hikers of all comfort levers, people who want to give their doggies a change of scenery, and families with kids of all ages alike. They offer tons of trails and beautiful scenery throughout. You're guaranteed to spot some ducks, geese and squirrels, as well as some other cool birds. Many people come here to bbq and there are also kayaks and paddle boats you can rent out. If you're looking to spend a fun day in nature. This is a great spot! read more

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Beautiful park around vasona lake. I love walking my dogs here and love visiting the creekside of the park. We sometimes put our feet in which feels amazing on a summer's day. read more

I've been on a mission to find some fall colors in the bay area, and I came to Vasona Park at just the right time (10/30/21). This is a beautiful park with lots of trees, a lake, a stream, ducks, picnic tables, boats, and a bridge. There's also a children's park, Oak Meadow Park, with a train and play structures. There's a $6 fee for parking, but it's totally worth it. We came here around 10 a.m. and we saw many bird watchers, and several folks "saving" picnic tables. So back to the fall colors. I was not disappointed. We walked all around the park and I could barely take a few steps before stopping to take pictures. It's so picturesque. This would be a great location for a family photo shoot or engagement shoot. I'll just let you check out my pics for yourself. read more

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My wife and I came to Vasona Lake Country Park for our Saturday morning walk. We walked for 80+ minutes along the Los Gatos Creek Trail and really enjoyed the peace. We encountered tons of geese with their goslings, gophers, turtles, and fish ( ~2 feet long). Since this park is ginormous we were all spread out. We saw people running, biking, painting, fishing, walking their pets, celebrating birthdays, having picnics, and more. Tons of shade, benches, and bathroom. Perfect place. We parked at the lot south of the Oak Meadow Park. It was free parking since there was an event going on. I believe it was $6 for parking on regular days. There was a good amount of parking lots on Vasona Park Road. read more

I have to honestly say that this is the most beautiful park I've seen it has a lot of hills a lot of trees, so many animals. The lake is so beautiful and the air is fresh. It's very calm and peaceful. Very good for catering and any kind of parties that you have if you want to book an event, you should try it here. It's very intimate area very personal you have so much privacy. The bathroom is not so far you don't have to walk along Waze. There's also trash cans and dumpsters right at your disposal. The parking lot is right here very good spot. read more

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Beautiful park nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mtns. Stunning lake with gaggles of geese, birds, and a hiking/biking path that weaves its way through the park and around the lake. I highly recommend this spot. And it's dog friendly as well. read more

Vasona Lake County Park - Beautiful day for a walk - Parks Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Lovely park with lots of scenery to look at. Definitely one of my new favorite places to do my long walks at. The Los Gatos creek trail spreads 10-12 miles long. Parking is $6 but you can park on a street nearby like Garden Hill Dr or University Ave for free and just do a short walk into the park. You'll see numerous people at different parts of water fishing. There are a lot of walkers, runners/joggers, and cyclists on the trail so you will most definitely run into numerous people but will have moments where it's just you strolling on the trail. People walk their dogs here as well. Very quiet and relaxing here. Nice spot to clear your head and look at nature. There are a quite a bit of small and baby lizards at the park and trail but they will scatter away as you go by. Apparently there are snakes present at the park and trail according to a fellow walker who I chatted with but the chances of you running into one is slim since the trail is very active. You can rent a pedalboat, kayak, canoe, and paddle board to cruise the reservoir for an affordable price but it's only available on the weekend and select days. The main downside about the park is that there is LOTS of geese poop near the reservoir which is quite disgusting and unappealing to look at and it's a hassle to have to dodge your step for a clear spot to land your footing. Doesn't seem the park tries to make an effort on the cleanliness. Avoid the dock area if you don't want to step on geese poop. read more

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