Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos
This is a fantastic park for several reasons: First, there are plenty of imaginative structures to play on, including a decomissioned Air Force T-33 jet, a red train, and a fire engine. In addition, there are your variety slides and ladders, which have always seemed uncrowded despite this park’s popularity. There is also a unique water play area, where you can watch water travel from one place to another using ramps and large bowls. This part happens to be placed on top of a sandy area, so predictably things can get mucky, but the kids don’t seem to mind. If you think your child is likely to make a beeline for this area, bring a few toys like bowls or spoons, to help make the most of this feature.
To make this into a half-day trip, click here.
In addition, the area also includes a huge, well-kept open grass area to run around on. There is a small trail around the park, and a large gazebo where you might want to picnic away from the bustle of the playground (and sometimes bees). If you prefer eating on picnic tables, though, there are several nearby the playground.
Another feature sure to excite the young kids is the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad miniature train that you can ride around the park for about $2. The train was named after a former worker on the Southern Pacific who built a small track on his orchard in Los Gatos which provided train rides to kids for twenty five years. The train in Oak Meadow Park runs daily during the summer, and only on weekends through the rest of the year. The boarding station sits right next to a 100-year old carousel.
[...] small hill to the playground area. More details about this park can be found in the mini-trips here. [...]