Neary Lagoon Park

There are bigger playgrounds in Santa Cruz, but when you add in the lagoon walk, the overall experience is really enjoyable. The playground is cute and has a sand pit, a jungle gym, and swings. There is a unisex restroom. There are picnic tables, a tennis court, and of course a long walk through Neary Lagoon, some of which is on a floating trail. Be aware, this is Santa Cruz, which has a large homeless component. This is the only reason we didn’t give the park five stars, simply because stumbling across the homeless with your children can cause some anxiety. The day we visited, there was a homeless gentleman sitting on the slide. He responded to my son politely when my son told him hello. There was another along the Lagoon walk that was also polite and friendly. For those that want to take the walk along the lagoon, keep in mind that the trail is a bit less than 3/4’s of a mile. Not bad, but if you’re carrying an infant or pushing a stroller, it can get you winded. There were reports that one might see goats. We did not. I believe they are brought in randomly to keep the grass and weeds on the surrounding area of the park clear. There are plenty of ducks tho. Our little ones really enjoyed the walk, especially the floating parts of the trail. Here’s hoping your family does too!

Mostly boardwalk. Beautiful day, relaxing walk. Lagoon/back-water setting. Lots of interesting birds, butterflies if you're an enthusiast. Parking lot has 5-6 spots only, we got the last one available on a late Sat morning.

Two tennis courts within park! Cool floating walkway through slough. Lotta ducks and mudhens. Great vibe and energy here

My boyfriend found this place on TikTok. We went on two different seasons. The first trip was the beginning of January and again in May. Loved it in January. If you are allergic to mosquitos, I wouldn't recommend walking on the boardwalk. The park has a playground, tennis court, a garden and a few sitting areas. The park does have restrooms and a sink to wash your hands outside. I would just bring wipes to sanitize because the homeless do use the restrooms and are in there for hours. I don't mind it, but some people can't clean up after themselves or flush. The boardwalk goes around the lagoon, so it's impossible to get lost. Parking is right on the corner, so it can be pretty easy to miss or just park on the street. Like my 3 year old says, "It's cute."

Pleasant and peaceful place to walk or take your kids to the small playground at the entrance. We saw plenty of ducks and a small turtle.