Los Gatos
565 University Avenue
Los Gatos CA
P: 408.395.7650
Dine on authentic Italian cuisine while playing a little indoor or outdoor bocce. Great for groups of friends or families, this establishment is a perfect fit for the work hard/play hard culture of Silicon Valley and you’ll often see small company gatherings at Campo di Bocce.
Los Gatos CA
If you want culture in Silicon Valley, this is your best bet. Historic architecture, an All-American Main Street, cute boutiques, and a wide variety of restaurants, Los Gatos feels like a 21st century version of a Norman Rockwell painting. Easy to get to because of its proximity to Highway 17.
21000 Big Basin Way
Saratoga CA
P: 408.741.4994
Tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains just outside of Saratoga, Hakone is one of the few truly authentic Japanese gardens in America. With four unique gardens created to offer beauty in all seasons, twisting gravel paths, waterfalls, koi pond, a bamboo park and a replica of a 19th century Kyoto tea merchant’s home, it makes a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.
Alameda Beach
Activity/Event/Show Reviewed: Activity
Address: Otis Drive at Westline Drive
City: Alameda
Phone: (510) 562-PARK
From Website: From the 1880s until the outbreak of World War II, Alameda Beach was renowned as an amusement center, the largest beach on San Francisco Bay.
Known for its beautiful sands and warm waters, the beach was a popular day-trip destination for residents from throughout the region. It earned the name “Coney Island of the West,” and bathing spas competed for patronage by staging concerts, balloon ascents, carnival rides, baseball games, prize fights, and other publicity stunts.
The carnival is over, but the beautiful beach is back, bordered by lawns and picnic grounds. Some of the area’s colorful past is preserved in exhibits at the park’s Crab Cove Visitor Center.
Crown Beach is operated by the Park District under a cooperative agreement with the State of California and City of Alameda. It is named in memory of State Assemblyman Robert W. Crown, who had campaigned for its preservation as public parkland.
Showpiece of the park is its 2.5-mile beach, with sand dunes bordering a bicycle trail. The beach is a great achievement of landscaping and engineering. After wind and water action had eroded the beach dangerously, it was restored in early 1982 with sand from San Francisco Bay, pumped ashore by pipeline from a barge.
More sand has been added since then, and groins have been constructed to keep it in place.
The water is warm and shallow at Crown Beach. At the west end of the beach is a bathhouse with changing rooms. Swimming is permitted during park hours year round. No lifeguards are on duty. Next to the bathhouse are picnic tables, barbecue pits and lots of lawn area for ball games. Some picnic areas are reservable; call (510) 636-1684 for information.
Crown is another park popular with windsurfers. Rental sailboards and lessons are available on summer weekends.
An annual crowd-pleasing tradition at Crown is the Sand Castle and Sand Sculpture Contest, held in front of the bathhouse on a low-tide Saturday morning in June. Open to all ages, the contest attracts hundreds of participants and spectators. High tide destroys the sand creations, but winners receive trophies and ribbons as mementos of their artistry.
The natural history of Crown is emphasized in two locations. Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary at the east end harbors aquatic birds and other salt marsh creatures. Crab Cove at the north end is a marine reserve where all plant and animal life is protected.
Crab Cove Visitor Center, located on McKay Avenue within Crown Beach, contains exhibits and aquaria highlighting flora and fauna of San Francisco Bay and other marine areas.
The visitor center is disabled-accessible. There are picnic areas nearby; alcoholic beverages are prohibited. (Seasonal parking fee.)
www.ebparks.org/parks/crown.htm
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Triple Play USA – Batting Cages
Activity/Event/Show Reviewed: Batting Cages – Activity
Address: 2055 Adams Ave
City: San Leandro
Phone: 510-568-BALL
Approximate Duration:
Costs Involved:
Summary: From Website: Walk? That sounds downright un-American. Ah, baseball … now we’re talking! It ain’t pretty: Triple Play USA looks exactly like the converted industrial park warehouse that it is. But it also has baseball and softball batting cages, as well as a pitching tunnel and a half-court basketball area, the perfect outlet for working off the pent-up stress of another workday morning in Cubicleville. You can get twenty pitches for three bucks in the batting cages, or rent a batting or pitching tunnel for $35 for a half-hour. Go during your lunch break, when all the Little Leaguers who would normally be squeezing ahead of you in line are still stuck in social studies. Open weekdays 2 to 9 p.m., Saturdays 10 to 9, and Sundays 12 to 6.
Website: www.tripleplayusa.com
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Shadow Cliffs Regional Water Park
Activity/Event/Show Reviewed: Water Park
Address: 2500 Stanely Blvd.
City: Pleasanton
Phone: 925.829.6230
From Website: A haven for swimming and fishing can be found at Shadow Cliffs, only a mile from downtown Pleasanton on Stanley Boulevard.
Shadow Cliffs, formerly a gravel quarry, was donated to the Park District by Kaiser Industries, and its assessed value of $250,000 was used to obtain a matching grant for development of the park from the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.
With this start, the Park District has developed a 296-acre park including an 80-acre lake and a four-flume waterslide, with ample parking and picnic grounds. There are facilities for the disabled.
The swimming beach has a bathhouse and refreshment stand, open on weekends in spring and fall, and daily during summer months.
Lifeguards are on duty only during the summer months, but swimming is allowed throughout the year in the designated area, at the swimmer’s own risk.
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow.htm
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Victoria’s Fashion Stables
Activity/Event/Show Reviewed: Horse Riding
Address: 430 Sprauer Road
City: Petaluma
Phone: (707) 665-0600
From Website: Victoria’s Fashion Stables is a full-service horseback riding and boarding stable located in the scenic Liberty Valley near Petaluma, California. In addition to equestrian services such as lessons in the arena or on the trail (English* or Western style), we have locations for events including birthday and corporate parties, picnics and barbeques. If you’re getting married, click here.
We can provide pony rides and petting zoo tours for all occasions, both at the ranch and at locations of your choice.
Website: www.fashionstables.com
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Mill Valley
In this protected bay in Marin County near the Acqua Hotel, you can experience the thrill of gliding along the water with Mount Tamalpais right over your shoulder. Great exercise for your shoulders and a wonderful way to explore the various little inlets of the bay. Waterfront Activities can set you up with kayaks out of Schonmacker Marina. A single kayak is $15 for the first hour and $10 for each additional hour. A double is $30 for the first hour. Day or night guided paddles range from a cost of $50-$65.
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Mill Valley
The crown jewel of Marin, the “Sleeping Lady” is a 6,200 acre park and considered to be one of the “power” energy spots of Northern California. It’s a great spot to mountain bike, hike, or just gaze at the bay area from 2,000 feet above sea level. A couple of the highlights are the Mountain Home Inn (801 Panoramic Drive; 415.381.9000) for brunch and the Pantoll Ranger Station for great 360 degree views.
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Castro / Mission
2295 Harrison Street at 19th Street
San Francisco CA
P: 415.550.0515
Urban climbing reaches its zenith at this top-of-the-line indoor climbing center. A former warehouse, the facility incorporates lead-climbs and top-roping routes for all levels of rockers. A fun place to burn off a little steam if you’re tired of the museum’s and urban life of the city.
www.touchstoneclimbing.com/tours_mc.html
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