Ten Fun East Bay Parks with Free Water Play Features

The weather is warming up, so  it’s time to find fun outdoor activities for the kids that incorporate water play.  Kids love to play in water… any kind of water!  The play areas I’ve included in this list are all free and are located within local community parks.  If the features aren’t already on in the park near you, they will be beginning this Memorial Day weekend.

So pack the towels and a change of clothes, put on the swim suits and lots of water-proof sunscreen, and head to the park for some cool, wet fun!  Click on the link for the address of each park and for additional information.   Enjoy!

1. Emerald Glen Park, Dublin:  Fun fountain play!  Kids love to run through the variety of water features spouting in all different directions.  This is one of the larger play areas with water features.  This park is a must-visit.
2. Shannon Park, Dublin:  This is the kind of water park that the kids want to jump into.  Instead of fountains for running through, this park has a roaring cement fountain water fall with a small pool the kids can dunk themselves in.  When the water is on here, watch little ones closely, as there are no barriers around the pool.
3. Central Park, San Ramon:  This one is a favorite!  It has a strange, jelly-fish like large fountain that sprays water down on the kids.  From there, the water flows down some steps into a man-made stream, which the kids love to play in.
4. Val Vista Park, Pleasanton:  Val Vista Park actually has two different sections with water features.  If you have a younger child (toddler), they’ll enjoy what we call the “soccer park.”  The water features here are small, with cute little bubbling and spouting fountains.  Find this one behind the large soccer ball sculptures.  The other water features are located at the end of the road / parking area.  At this section, kids will not only enjoy the alternating spray of the fountains, but also the man-made creek and the unique “miniature mountain” water climbing area.  There’s not much shade here, so it can be uncomfortable for the adults watching the kids, unless you want to jump into the water, too!
5. Tennis and Community Park, Pleasanton:  I actually haven’t been to this park, but it looks fun!  The water play area has fountains and water cannons.
6. Hap Magee Park, Danville:  This is such a fun park.  The water features are relatively small, but are fun on a hot day.  It has spray features that kids can run through and cool off in.  The water here will keep the kids cool, so they can enjoy the other fun features this park has to offer (nice sand area, great climbing structures, and a wild-west theme)
7. Sycamore Valley Park, Danville:  A relatively new park, with nice water features.  It has lots of water-spraying fountains and a couple water cannons.
8. Community Park, Castro Valley:  The water play area here has a few water cannons that kids can use to shoot water at other kids in the middle of the area.  The central area has fountains and water sprays to run through.  Super fun on a hot day.
9. Cannery Park, Hayward:  If you’re in the Hayward area, this is your best bet for free water play at the park.  It, too, has water spray features and water canons.
10. Birch Grove Park, Newark:  This water park has sprays of water that are fun for little ones!

Keep cool this summer, and have fun!