Today my family and I walked over to Belgatos Park (our usual haunt) and saw a number of people out on bikes or walking en route. We wondered if there would be kids in close proximity on the playground, but the answer is no – it’s cordoned off for public safety during the coronavirus “Shelter in Place”. Makes sense.
The police tape prohibiting entrance to the playground comes with a sign about the closure.
Please stay well, one and all!
Will you be visiting Los Gatos for a day or weekend, or staying for a lifetime? Either way, there are tons of things to do for children of all ages both in and near Los Gatos.
If the weather’s fine, as it often is here, you might start by introducing your kids to Oak Meadow and Vasona Parks, which are adjacent to each other. Oak Meadow includes a great airplane that kids can climb on, a beautiful carousel and a small train that loops into Vasona and back. Vasona has paddle boats that can be rented (seasonally). And of course there’s lots of playground equipment and sprawling lawn for those who want to toss a ball or frisbee around. For time outdoors, these parks are hard to beat. Read more about these very cool parks here: https://liveinlosgatosblog.com/vasona-and-oak-meadow/
The Youth Science Institute is a program offered at Vasona to help educate students on nature. This is not a one day event but is extremely worthwhile. Check it out: http://www.ysi-ca.org/
If your little people like to hike and explore, the Montalvo estate and grounds in Saratoga is a great nearby option on a dry day, too. Montalvo is an arts center but there are wonderful trails which can be enjoyed. But no picnicing, sorry! Learn more at my Valley of Heart’s Delight blog: http://sanjoserealestatelosgatoshomes.com/great-time-of-year-to-visit-villa-montalvo/
All ages: any of the free music events, all of which are out doors, virtually all summer long in Los Gatos!
https://liveinlosgatosblog.com/los-gatos-free-music-concert-series-music-in-the-park-jazz-on-the-plazz-and-vasona-vibrations-schedule-of-events-and-performers/
Roaring Camp and Big Trees http://www.roaringcamp.com/
The Mystery Spot http://www.mysteryspot.com/
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk http://beachboardwalk.com/
California’s Great America in Santa Clara (amusement park, rides) https://www.cagreatamerica.com/
There are MANY great kid-friendly restaurants in Los Gatos. A few of my favorites are these:
The Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose https://www.cdm.org/
The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose https://www.thetech.org/
Petroglyph (in Los Gatos, Willow Glen, and Santa Cruz locally) http://www.petroglyph.com/
Looking for more ideas? There’s a slightly longer list of kid friendly things to do on another of my blogs. Have a read:
http://sanjoserealestatelosgatoshomes.com/kids-in-silicon-valley-fun-places-to-go/
Los Gatos – aerial view from over Lexington Reservoir
What’s it like to live in Los Gatos? The answer to that depends on who you are, where you live, and what you love to do. Generally speaking, people who live in Los Gatos have a sense of belonging both to this great town and also to nearby areas such as San Jose & the greater Silicon Valley or “South Bay” communities or the mountain communities if they are in the hills over town in places like Redwood Estates, Chemeketa Park, etc. The town is very much self-contained, but not insular.
At the core, Los Gatos is a scenic, historic, vibrant community with great affection for culture, entertainment, parks and schools. In many ways, it feels a bit European. Los Gatos has an artistic flare. It is not “sleepy”. The town gets 300 sunny days a year and the townsfolk love to be outdoors. There’s a lot of community involvement and volunteerism. If you want to help out, there are loads of ways you can do that and get to know your neighbors.
The town enjoys two main commercial areas: the historic downtown area of Los Gatos (Main Street, University Avenue, North Santa Cruz and Los Gatos-Saratoga Road area) and The Boulevard (Los Gatos Blvd, which is what Main Street turns into as it heads north past Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Almaden Road). If you live here, the odds are that you’ll have occassion to visit both fairly often. We’re a place which values history but also embraces high tech. Netflix calls Los Gatos home, and so does Cryptic Studios (video game company). There are plenty of grocery stores, including Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Nob Hill and Lunardi’s, plus several small corner markets too. The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce provides a fabulous community calendar and runs several excellent events during the year, including horse drawn carriage rides during the holidays.
Residential areas span the town’s 10 square miles with some charming historic homes in historic districts, but most properties do not have 100+ year old houses. Most neighborhoods are tidy and fairly scenic. The town has some modest condominiums and townhomes as well as smaller single family homes and ranges up to large luxury estates with huge acreage or spectacular views. Prices run from under $1 to about $5,000,000 for most houses, but once in awhile we find more expensive properties, and as of this writing there have only been 2 over $10 million.
Los Gatos holiday parade
We know how to have fun as a community and enjoy events year round. In summer, Los Gatos comes together to appreciate 3 free musical concert series, , Fiesta de Artes, and so much more. September brings us Screen on the Green. In winter there are holiday happenings with the light festival at Vasona Park, a tree-lighting ceremony the first Friday in December and a huge holiday parade the next day. Year-round, visiting the Farmer’s Market is as much fun as it is serious shopping (every Sunday morning in front of the post office).
Need some down time? Los Gatos can help you there, as well, as we are brimming with salons and places for pampering and massage. Or shop yourself happy at our many many stores. Love expensive cars?We’ve got that too. We have restaurants ranging world class dining to 50s style hot dog and hambuger joints and everything in between. We have wine bars and tasting rooms – right in town but also in the Santa Cruz Mountains and neighboring San Jose and Saratoga. Los Gatos is a wonderful place to spend a quiet weekend for R & R.
Just want to be somewhere that looks unique? We understand. So often, you go to Anytown USA and it looks just like everywhere else (especially when you shop). First, our town, once called the Gem City, is snuggled into the Santa Cruz Mountains – so there’s a gorgeous backdrop. Second, we care about preserving our historic features, so you will find classic architecture of several kinds in homes and commercial buildings both. Our scenery is both natural and architectural!
No shortage of cultural things to do in town either. In addition to the music and art & wine festival, we also have two museums combined into one, the NuMu (New Museum) – one for art, one for history. And maybe the brightest star in the sky for culture right now is our newest project: a great new library for which was recently completed. (The library and history museum have a fantastic project on Los Gatos history, too.) If you cross the pedestrian bridge between Forbes Mill and Old Town, you’ll find that kids have been encouraged to get artistic (they have painted the walls along that bridge). Beautiful, professional murals can be found throughout the town.
Los Gatos High School, facing Main Street
The public schools are a very big priority for many people in Los Gatos. The town and the Los Gatos Mountain areas have a few different school districts, with scores ranging from good to great. There are no bad schools in Los Gatos. Parents are very involved and care about their kids’ success. Not every child is in public schools, though: interestingly, about 1/3 of the children in Los Gatos attend private schools either here in town or in a neighboring community.
Los Gatos is a very “fit” place overall – if you like to hike, bike, jog, walk, swim you’ll have ample opportunities, alone or in groups. Parks & Rec is also vibrant in Los Gatos. There aren’t many communities where you can have your kids attend a camp and learn to sail, but you can do that here! There are all kinds of community classes and camps. Additionally, the town includes many private businesses for fitness (swimming, tennis, weights, yoga, pilates, classes, and more) and the gorgeous Los Gatos Creek Trail beckons. Horseback riding can be found too – all within Los Gatos. Whether you want to find a personal trainer, work out at the fabulous new JCC complex, sail at Vasona or walk in Belgatos Park or along the creek trail, there are almost infinite options for exercise here, many of those options in scenic places.
Spirituality and religion are also a part of life in Los Gatos for many residents. The town is home to many faith communities (about a half dozen of which do interfaith activities each Thanksgiving and sometimes more often than that). Many of them have outreach to the community with assistance for the homeless, bereaved, jobless, and many other needs.
Los Gatos is very kid friendly, very seniors friendly, and very dog friendly. The first two might not surprise you as we have so many events and in many places it’s a “walkable” town which has amazingly good weather.
Kids and Los Gatos
The parks, schools, and myriad of free and low-cost events make Los Gatos a fabulous place for young people. The big town in Silicon Valley, San Jose, was recently named as one of the top 100 cities (ranking # 39 – Fremont, btw, was # 5) in the country to raise kids.
Dogs in the Town of Cats
The dog thing surprises many since the town is Los Gatos, meaning The Cats, and you will see cat logos every
where. But visit downtown and you’ll find an awful lot of shops and restaurants have places for dogs to be tethered or watered. At Halloween there’s always a pet parade which benefits the Los Gatos – Monte Sereno Police K9 unit. And Los Gatos shares a dog park with our neighboring city of Campbell.
Seniors in Los Gatos
Housing: There are a couple of condo complexes in town which are specifically for seniors. They are more affordable than “regular” housing. One is on West Parr Avenue and the other off Alberto Way (The Commons of Los Gatos).
Additionally, there are other types of senior housing too, including independent living (rental), assisted living and nursing. (I wrote a lenghy post on downsizing and retiring in Los Gatos which you might find helpful.)
Entertainment: Los Gatos has a very active Seniors Center and our Parks & Rec Center features many offerings at low cost too. Many restaurants in town offer special pricing for early bird or senior suppers, so there are plenty of excuses to get out! If you visit Oak Meadow Park on a Saturday morning, you may be able to watch some older gentleman playing a little Bocce Ball. They are regular fixtures there!
What are the people like in Los Gatos?
Old and young, area (Silicon Valley) natives, replanted Americans and immigrants all make this place home. (Many of the newcomers are in high tech, just like the rest of the valley.) Demographics sites like can give you the breakdown by zip code on income, education, etc., but because this is a pricey area, it does tend to attract those who are very well educated and who have professional jobs. Please just google that to find the most current demographics site – my old favorite, ZipSkinny.com, has disappeared.
Some of the well-to-do in town can be identified as such by their cars, clothes and jewelry, but just as often, it’s more like “the millionaire next door”. Some of the best paid (or best at saving) don’t drive the newest luxury vehicle or wear the biggest diamonds. So don’t be fooled – the guy in the Honda minivan or the woman in the old Toyota may just be anti-status symbol. (And it can run the other way too: some of those with expensive vehicles, clothes or jewelry may put all their eggs into the appearances basket.)
Several famous people have chosen to make Los Gatos their home. They blend in just like everyone else. You may bump into them at Whole Foods, FedEx Office, the car wash, a community event, the Chocolate Dream Box or anywhere in town. I’m not going to list them here – most probably prefer to be left alone unless contacted through their websites, and I’m happy to not contribute to their being hounded by star crazy people. (Los Gatos has been home to many other famous people, and had famous visitors too, in the past.)
Los Gatos is not just for the wealthy – there are many middle class and some economically disadvantaged people here too.
There is not one “Los Gatos Lifestyle”. Some residents may focus their activities on sports, others on wine or coffee bars, still others on a school, church, synagogue or even the town government. We see a lot of different hobbies and interests, whether it’s volunteerism, art, history, government, business, or sports (to name just a few!). The beach is only a half an hour away too, so that is also part of the fabric of the community.
To learn more about life in Los Gatos, please read other posts on this blog, view the photos and if you want personalized information, please contact me!
April 29, 2010
Brunch & Dinner for Mother’s Day 2010
Los Gatos is home to several truly exquisite restaurants, all with wonderful food but ranging in price tag according to the setting and range of selections. These places tend to book EARLY and if you wish to dine out on Mother’s Day, book your reservations ASAP.
Here are a few of my favorites:
The Wine Cellar at Old Town (special menu for Mother’s Day)
Three Degrees Restaurant – buffet on Sundays – at the Toll House Hotel
California Cafe at Old Town
Los Gatos Cafe (2 locations, they don’t appear to have a website, so directing to Yelp) *affordable, very kid-friendly*
How about some non-restaurant dining alternatives?
The Presentation Retreat Center has an annual Mother’s Day Brunch (and Mass beforehand for those wishing to attend). This setting is truly beautiful and if you’ve never visited the site, it might be a perfect change of pace. Downloadable pdf with info on the menu, cost, time, etc. *very kid-friendly*
Testarossa Winery has an annual Mother’s Day Brunch too, with dining on the patio and in the palazzo room. As of today, the outdoor dining is booked but indoor seating is available.
(The Mountain Winery in Saratoga also does a Mother’s Day brunch, but as of this writing, it’s waiting list status only. It must book up quite early.)
More Things to Do In & Near Los Gatos for Mother’s Day 2010
Looking for more ideas on what to do with Mom this Mother’s Day in Los Gatos, San Jose or Silicon Valley generally? If the weather’s good, go explore our parks, enjoy hiking, picniking and perhaps even water fun (Lake Almaden is the only county park that allows people into the water). Or bring your camera and take photos of nature – or have your family photos taken! Mother’s Day can be a great excuse for a “field trip”, too. Go explore the back roads. Little kids might enjoy taking mom to see the newly reopened Happy Hallow Park. Like trains? Visit Vasona and ride the Bily Jones Wildcat Railroad. Drive a little further and steam your way through the redwoods at Roaring Camp & Big Trees. Does mom just need a break? Perhaps after a morning together, she can have some quiet time at one of the many excellent spas in town. (And maybe she’ll come home to a clean house? Now that would be a gift!) Or perhaps the thing most needed is time together. If the weather isn’t looking cooperative, a trip to the movies is nice, but so is a having a shared project. Petroglyph has stores in both Willow Glen and Los Gatos. It’s a fun place to create ceramic items that will be appreciated, and sometimes even useful – a nice momento later of the day. The Santa Cruz Mountains are full of outstanding wineries and they’re always worth visiting! If you don’t mind going a little further, there’s a neat wine tasting event in the Livermore Valley on the Niles Canyon Railway. San Francisco is just an hour away and there are many ongoing exhibits taking place on Mom’s Day. One of them is Shanghai at the Asian Art Museum. Still need more help? Check out the Chamber of Commerce listings for various calendar events listed in the places you’d like to visit. They’re usually a top resource! Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, and all those who are “like a mom” too. Enjoy the day! |
|||||||||||||||
February 03, 2010
What part of the Los Gatos parks don’t we need or use?
Unfortunately, Los Gatos is not immune from the massive economic crisis we’re now enduring. And that’s also true for the Los Gatos Parks Department.
Budget cuts are coming to the Los Gatos Parks Department. So what can be cut?
It’s always easy to say “no one uses” this or that park if you’re not there to see or use it. One item on the potential chopping block is the upper meadow at Belgatos Park (shown above is the lower area, not far from the playground, the photo below is of the upper meadow). The argument being made is that the water is expensive and no one uses that part of the park, so perhaps we should plant some trees and forget about maintaining a lawn. Is that true? Not when I’ve walked up the trail toward the resevoir. The upper meadow is a great place for picnics, throwing a frisbee or enjoying some peace and quiet away from the playground, restroom, and the hill where kids slide down on cardboard – we jokingly call that lower meadow and hill “cardboard hill” (seen above).
Belgatos Park is at the far eastern edge of the town boundaries, so perhaps it seems extraneous. But it is also connected to the Heinz Open Space Preserve and lots of connected trails. Altogether is is a magnificent place for locals to enjoy the outdoors.
If you were going t cut services to one of Los Gatos’s many parks, which one would you cut, where and why? At one time, the playground at Belgatos Park was also eyed as a place to be cut to save some money, but local residents voiced their objection and the playground was refurbished.
Hopefully there will be a hearing before any needed cuts are made. Meantime, ponder the question – what should be cut?
