# Alviso Environmental Education Center, Don Edwards SF Bay Wildlife Refuge

> Place to go for families in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area (CA). Times are Pacific Time.

- When: Refuge trails open sunrise to sunset; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day…
- Where: Alviso Environmental Education Center, 1751 Grand Boulevard, San Jose, CA 95002
- Ages: All ages
- Price: No entry fee listed
- Schedule: Refuge trails open sunrise to sunset; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Education center building hours not printed.
- Organizer: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- Official page: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/don-edwards-san-francisco-bay
- Last checked: Sat, Oct 24

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/alviso-environmental-education-center-don-edwards-sf-bay-wildlife-refu--listing-b0f53b96a4bbbbfa0c9cc910

## About

At the southern tip of San Francisco Bay in Alviso, the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge's Environmental Education Center is San José's doorway to the bay's salt marshes and ponds. Several trails start here and offer some of the best birding in the South Bay, especially during the fall and spring migrations. Close to the building, a butterfly garden and a self-guided nature play area give younger children something hands-on before or after a short walk. Bring binoculars, layers and water; the levee trails are flat but exposed. Dogs are not allowed on Alviso trails (they are permitted only on a few trails near the refuge's Fremont visitor center).

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