can anyone tell me if Gilroy Gardens would be appropriate for a child 18-19months old? or would we be wasting our money. We are looking for a fun day trip to take with our son before his baby brother arrives.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I think we are going to check out gilroy gardens. It sounds like fun. Also thank you to the mama who sent me the coupon. That will help out because we are on a tight budget.
He may be a little young, but I think it would be fun. There are little kid rides he can go on, and it's a small enough park to be fun and not overwhelming. The perfect age for the park is probably 2-5 years old.
As far as rides go there are a lot that you can ride with them on. If they can sit on there own strapped in they can go on their own. There are also a lot of other things than just rides. It's a fun place for young kids. Pack frozen waters, snacks etc. for the day so you don't have to buy too much inside the park.
My son loved Gilroy Gardens when he was that age. There is a train and several carousels to ride. There are several other rides that are age appropriate. The rides are all rated so you know which ones are appropriate. They also have areas where you can get wet so you might want to bring a change of clothes. Have fun!
As long as you don't expect him to ooh and ahh over the fun tree shapes, accept that he is not going to ride ALL of the rides (I remember getting sick on one of them - I think it was the mushroom swing as my seat kept swiveling and I probably did not have enough food in my tummy - probably better than too much tho!!!)
Go and have fun! Eat, drink, and be merry applies in this case! Be sure to stay hydrated, eat well, and have fun!
Gilroy Gardens is a beautiful day out for all ages. There is no regular theme park hype and commercialism. Be sure to ask at the visitor's center at the entrance to the park for advice on how to maximize your time with a child of that age. He will be too young for many of the rides but still plenty to do if you go knowing that. I agree with the suggestion for a family pass if you live close enough. We just love this place. I highly recommend it!
We just took our 17 month old and he loved it! It is great for little ones. There is a deal on line that you pay regular price to get in and you can go free the rest of the season. Have fun if you go.
We started taking our kids when they were 6 months. Many of the rides allow babies to sit on your lap, and some of the smaller rides allow children to ride by themselves as long as they sit independently. Once my kids were walking they really had a blast. It is one of our favorite weekend activities. Take a bathing suit for the two water areas. One is for toddlers, and the other for bigger kids. The only rides your little one won't be able to do are the two rollercoasters, the banana, and the swings. Have Fun!!!
First time we went we took our 8 year old and then 19 month old and she rode a couple rides by herself and others with all of us. I so recommend it. We are going again in a couple of weeks with our 5 ages 12, 5, 3 & 20 month old twins and cannot wait! Take swimwear as there is a water feature our kids love. Have a great time.
your son will have a lot of fun in Gilroy gardens. I went there with my son (he is 18 months old) last month. There are over 6 rides for kids his age and some more you can ride with him and then there is water fountain area.
We had a lot of fun there and i think if u purchase the tickets on line, it will be $13 cheaper.
We love going to Gilroy Gardens and have taken our kids since they were very little. You might also want to think about the children's museum in San Jose. My sister went last week and said it would be perfect for my 2 year old.
There are a lot of things to do and see with very little ones. You should definitely go. We had a blast with our son. There is also a lot of shady areas, which is nice. However, it is hot, so bring hats and sunscreen. Oh, and there are water features so bring a bathingsuit and towel too.
Hi D.- Gilroy Gardens is catered to small children but he probably is still too small for any of the rides. I'd say the best age to start them would be around 2.5 or 3. At 17 months they can't full appreciate a place like that, although it's a really nice place to take him in the stroller if you want to take a nice stroll through the park and enjoy the beautiful plants and trees. If you want to do something that he'd appreciate, maybe the zoo might be better, and much cheaper. By the way, congratulations on your new baby.
It is a great place for young families.
Our kids love it
We took our little girl around that age and there weren't many things she could do there. She had more fun at the Monterey Bay aquarium in the kid section where she could play in the aquarium tunnels and all the various other things.
he will LOVE IT! can't recommend it enough. it is $42 but basically paying for a card that you can use anytime till Nov. lots of toddler friendly rides, water features, waterfalls, train, games, etc. my 15 mo old loves it so a little older than him will appreciate it more.
you won't be sorry! :)
have fun and good luck for b to b...
very appropriate- geared to younger kids-rides are very mild
We Love GG.. I've been taking my son since he was around 15 months and you'll be amazed on how many things he can ride on.. *and he's free under 3*.. There's a small water feature for the little ones, carrousel, little cars for riding, balloon ride, etc..
I say go for it... we always have a great time
Perfect age. I have taken my daughter (13 months) several times, and there is a ton for her to do and she loves it. We do the cars (she drives with one of us next to her), she runs in the frog water park, she has gone on the lazy river, the caterpillar ride, and can sit in most of the other rides with an adult carosel, balloon ride, train ride, .
She is still a little young for the rides they go on by themselves, but your sun is probably the perfect age for those if he can sit by himself (my daughter can but tries to get out!! :) We had to stop the kid's boat ride at Santa Cruz for that reason- not sure when they learn to stay put!! Either way, most places have them strapped in good enough to keep them in.
The mom's here who say there isn't much for them to do must not be willing to go on with them
(that's sad) . . . there is so much if you go with him!
Gilroy Gardens is a beautiful place but your son would probably enjoy a walk in the park or on the beach more. I was just there with my 4 1/2 yr old and my 21 month old and most of the rides were for bigger kids, and anything for smaller toddlers required that the child ride without a parent and my little one did not want to do that. Maybe try the San Jose Children's Discovery Museum for a day trip? They have a whole floor dedicated to toddlers. It's a great place and a fun day trip. Good luck deciding!
Hi D.,
I believe Gilroy Gardens would be appropriate for your child. I've been taking my triplets there since they were about 18+ mos. Even if you don't take your child on the few kiddie rides, it's still a nice outing for a family. There are many open, tented spaces so if you're child is walking or just learning to walk, it's great place for them to stretch their little legs.
I found this website that has a coupon for up to 6 discounted tickets (your child will get in free):
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/media/pages/funspots/2009/...
I hope you and your family enjoy it.
G. K.
That is the perfect age! As a matter of fact, when i went with my brother (14) and my own kids (11, 9, 3, 1) the older one got bored after a short while, whereas the younger ones have enjoyed several times. My husband and me both were tired and bored after we seen what we thought would interest us. And, we were interested in a few things, but my point is that it is perfect for younger children. That is why i continue to take our family there. Highly recommended!
