# Alviso Marina County Park Salt Marsh Boardwalk & Family Birding Walks

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

- When: Open on its own schedule
- Where: Alviso Marina County Park, 1195 Hope St, San Jose, CA 95002
- Ages: All ages (elevated wooden boardwalks and flat levee trails with bay views)
- Price: Free park admission and free public parking
- Organizer: Santa Clara County Parks & Don Edwards SF Bay NWR
- Official page: https://parks.sccgov.org/santa-clara-county-parks/alviso-marina-county-park
- Last checked: Thu, Nov 5

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 Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), 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-marina-county-park-salt-marsh-boardwalk-and-family-birding-walk--listing-af1356a6f4c4c49879dc8e1a

## About

Alviso Marina County Park is an 18.9-acre bayside park tucked into the historic waterfront community of Alviso at the northern tip of San Jose. Serving as the primary southern gateway to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the park provides families with unparalleled access to restored coastal salt marshes, tidal sloughs, and salt ponds. The park features an immaculate, elevated wooden boardwalk trail extending directly over the wetlands, equipped with sturdy guardrails, observation viewing decks, and interpretive educational panels about marsh ecology. In the crisp winter season, the park becomes a premier destination for spotting thousands of overwintering migratory waterfowl, including American white pelicans, sandpipers, northern harriers, and pintails. Beyond the boardwalk, flat packed-dirt levee trails provide long, tranquil walks with dramatic 360-degree views across the bay towards the Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains.

Family Experience & Accessibility:
• Stroller Accessibility: Completely barrier-free ADA wooden boardwalk with smooth transitions from the paved parking lot; wide enough for two strollers to pass comfortably side by side.
• Nursing & Rest Spots: Shaded observation viewing benches along the boardwalk and picnic tables overlooking the marina basin; modern public restrooms with diaper changing stations near the parking lot.
• Age Suitability: Ideal for all ages; toddlers love walking safely along the boardwalk and looking at ducks, while parents enjoy the vast skies and crisp salt air.
• Sensory Tips: Crisp coastal breeze and peaceful, open marshland expanse; bringing binoculars, warm jackets, and windproof layers makes for a cozy and engaging birdwatching outing.

## Similar picks in San Jose

- [Sunnyvale Baylands Park Winter Wetland Walks & Family Adventure Playgrounds](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/sunnyvale-baylands-park-winter-wetland-walks-and-family-adventure-play--listing-0d1eeb92c3bcadfa83d7387f) — Open on its own schedule · Sunnyvale Baylands Park · All ages · Free · checked Nov 5. Sunnyvale Baylands Park is an extraordinary 140-acre regional park situated on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, providing South Bay families with direct access to over 105…
- [Raptor Fest at Calero County Park's Rancho San Vicente](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/raptor-fest-at-calero-county-park-s-rancho-san-vicente--listing-f92e49dc2e44c8aae98cc3b1) — Sat, Nov 14 · 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM · Calero County Park – Rancho San Vicente entrance · Free · checked Oct 24. Raptor Fest is Santa Clara County Parks' annual birds-of-prey day, held with Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) at Rancho San Vicente, a newer part of Calero County Park that is…
- [Rancho San Antonio County Park & Deer Hollow Farm Autumn Harvest Walks](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/rancho-san-antonio-county-park-and-deer-hollow-farm-autumn-harvest-wal--listing-dc34df33319da56a1c1f08f7) — Sat, Nov 28 · 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve, Cupertino · All ages · Free · checked Nov 5. Spanning nearly 4,000 pristine acres in the Cupertino foothills, Rancho San Antonio County Park and Open Space Preserve is one of the Silicon Valley's most treasured outdoor…
- [Los Gatos Creek County Park & Casting Ponds Family Winter Walk](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/los-gatos-creek-county-park-and-casting-ponds-family-winter-walk--listing-1d2c8125980d938005ed1eac) — Open on its own schedule · Los Gatos Creek County Park, Campbell · All ages · From $6 · checked Nov 5. Los Gatos Creek County Park is a vibrant 57-acre regional park nestled in Campbell along the Los Gatos Creek Trail corridor. The park features six large water-percolation ponds…
- [Alum Rock Park Winter Canyon Stream Trails & Family Nature Walk](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/alum-rock-park-winter-canyon-stream-trails-and-family-nature-walk--listing-5632cbf690f23e3f24332965) — Open on its own schedule · Alum Rock Park · All ages · From $6 · checked Nov 5. Tucked inside a rugged canyon in the eastern foothills of San Jose, Alum Rock Park was established in 1872 as California's very first municipal park. Covering 720 lush acres, the…
- [Joseph D. Grant County Park](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/joseph-d-grant-county-park--listing-08c8cb713462c4e4e1d9a09a) — Open year-round, 8 a.m. until sunset. · Joseph D. Grant County Park · All ages · From $6 · checked Oct 24. Joseph D. Grant is Santa Clara County's largest regional park: 10,882 acres of grassy hills and big oaks in Halls Valley at the base of Mt. Hamilton, on the road up to Lick…

## More for families

- [Things to do with kids in Santa Clara County, CA](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/counties/santa-clara-county-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/counties/santa-clara-county-ca.md)
- [Things to do with kids in San Jose — November 2026](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/events/2026-11) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/events/2026-11.md)
- [This weekend in San Jose](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/this-weekend.md)
- [Things to do with kids in San Jose](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose.md)
