Parks in San Jose near Alura Inn

These three parks offer different ways to spend time outdoors. Backesto Park is about a 4-minute drive from Alura Inn.

Overfelt Gardens offers a garden setting, with ponds and several themed garden areas. Guadalupe River Park & Gardens combines trails with gardens and other park features; its trails extend 2.6 miles.

If you’re planning to get around by transit, see the guide to San Jose public transport, including VTA and light rail. The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy says the park is served by downtown-area VTA bus lines and light rail stations, and sits beside Diridon Station, which connects with Caltrain, Amtrak, ACE and Capitol Corridor trains.

Backesto Park is at 520 N. 13th Street in San Jose.

The supplied city information identifies the park’s address and phone number but does not list specific facilities or opening hours. If you need details before heading over, the City of San Jose lists Backesto Park at (408) 793-5510.

Overfelt Gardens Park is a 32.6-acre park built around three percolation ponds, with themed garden areas and a passive-use designation. The City says it opened in 1966.

The grounds include a Chinese Cultural Garden, a fragrance garden for visitors with visual impairments, a rose circle and an iris bed. The Chinese Cultural Garden was developed in 1971 in partnership with the City, inspired by residents Frank and Pauline Lowe. Mildred Overfelt donated the park to San Jose in 1959.

Overfelt Gardens is at 368 Educational Park Drive, near McKee Road and Educational Park Drive. The City lists daily hours as 10 a.m. to sunset. Picnic areas include reservable and first-come, first-served non-reservable options.

Free parking is available in a lot on Educational Park Drive, with limited parking on McKee Road. A restroom is near the Brookside picnic area, centrally located in the gardens.

Guadalupe River Park & Gardens is a free public park with trails, gardens and outdoor spaces beside downtown San Jose.

The Guadalupe River Trail runs 2.6 miles through the park, connecting downtown attractions with areas farther north toward the Bay Area water. Park features include the Heritage Rose Garden, a 3.3-acre Historic Orchard and the Rotary PlayGarden.

The Conservancy describes the park as open daily from sunrise until one hour after sunset; the trail opens one hour before sunrise and closes one hour after sunset.

For the Heritage Rose Garden, Historic Orchard and Courtyard Garden, use Taylor Street between Coleman Avenue and Highway 87. Discovery Meadow is accessible from San Carlos Street, between Woz Way and Almaden Boulevard. Arena Green and the Children’s Carousel are reached from Santa Clara Street and Autumn Street, across from SAP Center.

Park rules and hours vary, so check the official site before you go. For Overfelt Gardens, consult the City of San Jose; for Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, check the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy.

At Overfelt Gardens, pets, alcohol, barbecues, fishing, water activities, bicycles, skateboards and sporting activities are prohibited. For Guadalupe River Park, the Conservancy describes daily park hours as sunrise until one hour after sunset, while the trail has a separate opening pattern: one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.

For other ways to move between San Jose neighborhoods and attractions, the public transport guide covers VTA, light rail and connections.

Which park is closest to Alura Inn?

Backesto Park is the closest of these three by drive time.

Is Guadalupe River Park & Gardens free?

Yes. It is free and open to all.

What can you see at Overfelt Gardens Park?

Its features include three percolation ponds, a Chinese Cultural Garden, a fragrance garden, a rose circle and an iris bed.

How long is the Guadalupe River Trail?

The trail through the park is 2.6 miles long.