Whether you're in the mood for some full court basketball, soccer, football or ultimate frisbee, round up some friends and family and head over to Eastwood Park. The spacious multiuse turf area here is ideal for just about any activity requiring an open field. Additional park amenities include picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains and playground equipment for children.
Mount Madonna County Park is located in a redwood forest ten miles west of Gilroy, California at the summit of California State Route 152. Although the park is part of the Santa Clara County Parks system, its address is within the borders of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County. The park offers 14 miles of hiking and horseback trails and a public-use archery range, as well as tent, yurt and RV camping. Horseback trail rides is available through Mt. Madonna Stables, which is next door to the park. The park is popular with families, hikers, nature lovers, campers, archers and equestrians.
Parking and public transportation at Mount Madonna County Park
The park has several small parking lots that are near trail heads and picnic tables. Public transportation is not available.
Best and worst time to go to Mount Madonna County Park
Head to the park from March to May to see spring wildflowers in bloom. The campgrounds are less crowded from November to March, which is also when the park offers a 25 percent discount on camping fees. The park is usually the most crowded between May and September, especially on days when temperatures are high in Silicon Valley.
Admission to Mount Madonna County Park
Open for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset, the park charges an entrance fee of under ten dollars. You can park for free at Sprig Lake, several miles to the east of the main entrance. Camping fees for individual sites range from $30 to $96 and for group sites, $175 to $325.
Must see/do at Mount Madonna County Park
View the ruins of the summer home hideaway of Henry Miller, who was known as a cattle baron and one of the largest landowners in the United States in the 19th century. Also, check out the nearby pens holding exotic white fallow deer, which are descendents of a pair of deer that William Randolph Hearst gave to Miller as a gift.
Other places to visit near Mount Madonna County Park
The Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy has 40 amusement rides, water play areas, themed gardens, a rock maze and other attractions that were developed around the park's horticultural theme. If you are interested in birding, check out the Wetlands Nature Center in Watsonville, which has over six miles of trails in a freshwater wetland. To learn or purchase plants found in Mediterranean climate zones, visit Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden, in Watsonville, which also features demonstration gardens and sculptures by local artists.
Insider tip for visitors to Mount Madonna County Park
If you plan to camp, be prepared for colder weather at night or early morning should fog roll in, which can happen at anytime of the year.
Author's bio: Susan Echaore-McDavid writes Take 25 to Hollister, a blog about Hollister, San Benito County and nearby areas.
Bob Fite Park is in west Elk Grove. The park is more than 4 acres and has a playground, two tennis courts, a children's soccer field and multiple picnic tables. This is a great spot for family gatherings or just a barbecue on a Sunday afternoon.
The Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark opened in 1985 and has been helping to enrich the lives of community youth ever since. The Boys & Girls Club opens its doors to children of all backgrounds with the aim of providing opportunities to pursue lifelong goals.
Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area is a family-friendly retreat located off of Arrow Highway. The 836-acre area features a park, playgrounds and swimming, as well as year-round fishing and non-motorized watercraft usage. There is a five-acre swim beach and special water play areas for smaller children. The park is also home to protected native plants and animals, and its Nature Center offers educational walking tours throughout the year. The plentiful picnic areas are large enough for groups, families and companies. Picnic areas are available on a first-come, first-serve basis or by reservation. Paid parking is available, and the park gate closes when visitors reach capacity.
Woodglen Vista Park and Skate & BMX Park features a skate/BMX park, two jungle gyms, a swing set, a large multi-use field and a baseball field.
More than a dozen barbecue grills, a shaded picnic table pavilion, a clean restroom and plenty of shade trees make for a comfortable picnic park.
Unleashed dogs are permitted at certain times:
Off-leash pet areas: (Baseball field, August 16 through December 31 and multipurpose field, January 1 through August 15):
Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun, dawn to 9am and 3pm to dusk
Elbow pads, knee pads and helmet are required. The skatepark offers free workshops and occasional competitions.
Beer and wine are permitted in the park, but liquor is not permitted in any Santee park.
No smoking is allowed within the boundaries of the playgrounds or tot lots or within 20 feet of the main entrances and exits.
City Park is the city's largest park, with 13 picnic sites, two play areas, sports fields and a snack bar run weekly by different organizations. The park also houses the city pool, as well as the Veterans Memorial Building and a gazebo donated by the San Bruno Rotary Club.
Berry Street Park has been around longer than the township of Lemon Grove. The park has a playground, gazebos, picnic areas, tables, benches, a walking path and restrooms. Grills are available and coal disposal sites are provided. With lots of shade and open spaces, this park is perfect for the casual walker and the family get-together. No glass containers or kegs are allowed. But pets are allowed on a leash. To rent the gazebos, contact Lemon Grove's Recreation Services Department at 619-825-3815.
Jewel's Terrace Park is a hidden gem in the Albany park system; it'd be easy to understand if some people jumped to the conclusion that it got its name because it is such a gem. Rather, Terrace Park was renamed Jewel's Terrace Park in 2009 in honor of Jewel Okawachi. Jewel is a longtime Albany resident, past mayor, tireless community volunteer, dog lover and friend of Terrace Park. She was also a one-time resident of Gila River War Internment Camp in the Arizona desert, where she and her family were "evacuated" during WWII. Jewel returned to Albany by herself at age 16 by bus and told the intruders in her family's home to leave.
The park has two tennis courts, a large playing field and two sand-filled tot lots with swings, a slide, and play structures, picnic tables and a mosaic-covered structure that houses two restrooms. The park forms the center of a block surrounded by Peralta, Neilson, Terrace and Francis streets, and neighboring houses overlook it as though it were an old village green.
Village Park is a popular park in north Burlingame. It is juxtaposed with Village Pre-school and is normally crowded with children and their parents. The sprawling field and playground provide plenty of room for running around and playing. Ample picnic tables give adults space to socialize and families a place to eat. Groups of 15 or more wishing to use the park between 10:00am and 3:00pm on weekdays must obtain permission from the Parks and Recreation Department.
This friendly neighborhood park brings family and friends together with a picnic pavilion, children's play equipment, full-court basketball and rest areas, in addition to athletic fields for baseball, softball and soccer. You'll find Santucci Park adjacent to Coyote Ridge Elementary School, off of Morningstar Drive
