Uncovering Magical Places: Hidden East Bay Parks and Gardens

From Fairlyland's uncrowded little sister (where you can fish for crawdads with a paperclip and string) to a super slide that will make them scream with delight—these parks are hidden but beg to be found!

By Aly Brown November 6, 2014

The East Bay is absolutely bursting with parks where kids can build, play and ride. But if your mini is already considered the mayor of Adventure Playground or the Fairyland attendant knows your whole brood by name, it’s time to explore some of the areas hidden gems. From Fairlyland’s uncrowded little sister (where you can fish for crawdads with a paperclip and string) to a super-sized play structure that lets the littles pretend to be Spiderman and Jack Sparrow, all in one day. Click through to check out the parks that you’ve been missing!

Central Park, San Ramon

Why It’s Great: If you’re ever in the San Ramon area, you need to stop by the San Ramon Sports Park. It covers a wide acreage and offers a wealth of sports arenas, from a skate park to basketball courts, and, of course, an awesome playground. The mushroom fountain isn’t like most water features—it’s more like a kiddie pool that runs down a stream throughout the play structure.

Where: 12501 Alcosta Blvd.
San Ramon, Ca

Good to Know: Don’t take the Alcosta Exit, even though it’s on Alcosta. You will end up driving through residential area and it will take forever. Take Bollinger and drive towards Alcosta where they intersect. Bring towels and sunscreen!

What is your favorite off-the-radar East Bay park?

—Aly Brown