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Let's All go to the Park Explore Santa Clara County parks!

“It’s no surprise that being outside in nature helps both our mental and physical health. Parks are a wonderful way to bring nature into our urban and suburban spaces and ensure that people enjoy those health benefits. Parks foster social interaction and bring communities together, which is also good for health!”

— Sara H. Cody, MD, Santa Clara County Health Officer and Public Health Director

Diabetic individuals taking a 30-minute walk in a green space experienced lower blood glucose levels than spending the same amount of time doing physical activity in other settings.

- From the National Recreation and Parks Association

Exploring How Forrest Bathing Clears Mind and Body

"Dr. Nooshin Razani, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, says children especially need access to nature to develop properly."

Let's All Go to the Park

A video highlighting the "Let's All Go to the Park" Initiative that explores five fabulous parks in the City of Morgan Hill and City of Gilroy.

Eight reasons to get outdoors and enjoy a walk in the park

  1. Being in nature can improve your mood.
  2. Having access to parks can increase physical activity and combat obesity.
  3. Parks and their health benefits can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of who you are and where you come from.
  4. Contact with nature through parks improves all people's physical, mental and spiritual health.
  5. Parks foster social connections which are vital to community cohesion and contribute to social benefits.
  6. For children, parks foster active play, which is associated with physical, cognitive and social benefits.
  7. For adolescents, parks improve mental and social health during what is often a challenging time in life.
  8. Park use is linked to physical and mental health benefits among adults, especially older adults.

Credit: www.nps.gov

Find a park near you

Santa Clara County Parks

Joseph D. Grant County Park in San Jose, CA.

County Park’s six decade legacy of providing outstanding recreational opportunities in beautiful natural locations has resulted in one of the largest regional park systems in the California. Since the first County parkland was acquired in 1924, the Santa Clara County park system has grown to include 28 regional parks encompassing over 52,000 acres of land.

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve in Morgan Hill, San Jose, CA.

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority conserves the natural environment, supports agriculture, and connects people to nature, by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and working farms and ranches for future generations.

The Authority envisions the Santa Clara Valley and its surrounding hillsides as a beautiful place where a vibrant network of interconnected open spaces, trails, wildlife habitats, and thriving agricultural lands enrich the region’s cities and make it an exceptional and healthy place to live, work, learn, and play.

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

Created in 1972, Midpen is an independent special district that has preserved over 63,000 acres of public land and manages 26 open space preserves. Midpen’s boundary extends from San Carlos to Los Gatos and to the Pacific Ocean from south of Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County line.

Midpen’s purpose is to create a regional greenbelt of unspoiled public open space lands in order to permanently protect the area’s natural resources and to provide for public use and enjoyment.

City of San José - Parks

San José has hundreds of unique and breath-taking venues perfect for an outside day. Visit one of San José’s 200+ parks, hike along 60 miles of scenic trails or catch a trout at Lake Cunningham Park. All this and more is just a short drive away.

City of Campbell - Parks

The City of Campbell has a number of neighborhood parks located throughout the city for the peaceful enjoyment of our residents and their families and guests. All facilities and amenities at these parks are geared for small family groups and are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis. The parks contain a variety of amenities and play apparatus for children and adults. Become familiar with Campbell’s parks and enjoy them with your friends and family whenever possible.

City of Cupertino - Parks

Cupertino offers many beautiful parks for your enjoyment, from large areas with expansive lawns to smaller neighborhood parks. All of our parks offer family picnic areas, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to frequently visit Cupertino parks and enjoy them with friends and family!

City of Gilroy - Parks

City of Gilroy parks and facilities may be reserved for a variety of functions throughout the year. Rental fees vary by park and facility and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Citizens and community groups are encouraged to use City parks and facilities for recreational, educational, cultural and other worthwhile purposes when such uses do not conflict with regularly scheduled City programs.

City of Los Altos - Parks

The parks of Los Altos are well loved and convey the high quality of life within the community. They advance the City’s mission to “foster and maintain the City of Los Altos as a great place to live and to raise a family.”

City of Los Gatos - Parks

Belgatos Park in Los Gatos, CA

The parks and trails in Los Gatos offer the community an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Each Town park is unique and offers different recreational facilities. View the table below to learn more about the amenities offered at each park location. Click the name of a park to be taken to its individual page for more details. Smaller parks and open spaces are listed below the table. All the parks listed in the table below have playground facilities.

City of Milpitas - Parks

Milpitas’ Recreation Services is outside too! The City of Milpitas has over 30 park locations with various amenities for your enjoyment – softball fields, tennis, basketball, handball, bocce ball, volleyball, horseshoes, par course, and barbequing! Click below for more information on how to visit or rent one of our parks.

City of Morgan Hill - Parks

The City of Morgan Hill has a variety of park and field related facilities available to the public to use as well as facilities that can be rented for sports activities, picnic and special events. For picnic and park availability please contact the Community Center at 408-782-0008 or The Centennial Recreation Center at 408-782-2128.

City of Mountain View - Parks

Parks and trails are open from 6:00 AM to one-half hour after sunset. Motor vehicles are allowed in designated parking lots and roadways only. Dogs must be on leash. Animal handlers are required to clean up after their pet.

City of Palo Alto - Parks

The City of Palo Alto has more than 4,500 acres of park land to explore, recreate and relax in. Whether you are looking for a place to picnic with your family, an area to play a game of soccer, a site for a wedding, or trails that will help you to escape to nature, there are a broad assortment of parks and open space areas to enjoy!

Twenty eight neighborhood parks offer an assortment of amenities including children's playgrounds, picnic tables, playing fields, and walking paths. Many parks feature specialized facilities such as tennis courts, basketball courts, skate bowls, community gardens, dog exercise areas, and par courses.

City of Santa Clara - Parks

The City has developed municipal park facilities in order to provide its residents with a variety of recreation programs and services. Facilities include the Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Club, Community Recreation Center, Senior Center, Youth Activity Center, International Swim Center, Reed Street Dog Park, and Skate Park. Ulistac Natural Area, a 40 acre open space park on the former Fairway Glen golf course, opened in 2001. Counting the Golf and Tennis Club's 155 acres, Santa Clara's 38 parks, playgrounds and open space now totals nearly 450 acres.

City of Saratoga - Parks

The Parks and Recreation Commission of the City of Saratoga is dedicated toward the planning, acquisition, development, and maintenance of parks, trails, and other recreational areas and facilities promoting a better living environment and assuring that Saratoga continues embracing its most valued natural and historic resources so that citizens may enjoy neighborhood and community opportunities now and in the future.

City of Sunnyvale - Parks

Sunnyvale's park system includes 476 acres of parks and open space located in neighborhoods throughout the City. Many of our parks include picnic areas, playgrounds and sports fields or facilities.

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Created with images by jameswheeler - "beautiful british columbia canada" • eGuide Travel - "Greenwich Park London" • Seattle Parks & Recreation - "IMG_8325" • 5712495 - "playground child kid" • RichardBowen - "Picadome Picnic" • Rick Obst - "Beverly Beach State Park Playground"

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