Portal Park

pretty good park for young kids. three different playgrounds side-​by-​side. The best part is — shade! perfect place to be on a hot day.

This park is great and good for all ages because there are 3 separate playgrounds. The smaller one for toddlers is nice and shady with a big sand area. What’s best is the huge grassy area with little hills and trees in the back so little ones can go running and exploring for golf balls or miscellaneous items that kids seem to find so interesting!

Great Park! Plenty of play areas for kids of different ages. Big sand area. Lots or grassy areas.
I would have given it a 5 stars but it’s beginning to become ‘Goose Poop Park’. Goose poop is everywhere. I was trying to teach my daughter to ride her bike there this morning on the grass — now the bike tires are covered with goose poop, my shoes — covered with goose poop, my daughters shoes — covered with goose poop. It’s everywhere at this park. It’s becoming like Memorial Park.
If the city of Cupertino could find a way to reduce the poop everywhere this place would have 5 stars again.

I like that this park has a bathroom, 3 different play structures for different ages of kids, and enough grass to run around.
I don’t like the sand pit (since my daughter takes home pounds of sand in her shoes and hair) and that the picnic tables are far away from the toddler play area. Granted, it’s a small park so nothing is too far, but still.
Also a safety plus, the side close to the street has sections of fence to deter kids form wandering into the street.
Parking is on the street and there’s always a lot of kids here (I think it’s popular with daycare centers/​groups)

SHADED!!!
Love this park because both its play structures are completely shaded… wish they had people cleaning more thoroughly though. I found an animal spine near the slides in the tot play structure… Yes, some poor creatures SPINE!

My entire family loves this park! We enjoy walking, playing, and meeting friends here.

I discovered this park through a friend, who threw a party for her son using the one gigantic BBQ grill closest to the daycare center. I continue to bring my toddler son there, mostly because on weekday mornings it is hardly ever crowded and they have a really nice toddler play structure for him to climb. Lots and lots and lots of grass to let loose on. I see the occasional mother’s group meetings on the grass, Japanese moms at the picnic tables, and always a bunch of happy little kids running around. The biggest plus — if you live in Cupertino and tend to go to Memorial Park — there is no goose poop on the grass — so go ahead and roll around with your kid in it!

This is a great park for families with young children (school-​aged and younger). There are 3 play grounds, each for different age groups, and they’re very close to one another. There is a great sand area too. There is a little path that some kids bike on and it recently got paved, but it’s still really bumpy! I thought they were going to smooth it over, but no, they just put a new thin layer over it, but kept the bumps and all. There’s is a hilly area with a couple picnic tables. Near one of the playgrounds, there is a larger area with a lot of picnic tables that people often have birthday parties at. I think you need to reserve these picnic tables, but not the ones at the top of the hill — those are first come, first served. Next to this park is Bright Horizons and I think many people going to this park park in the Bright Horizons parking lot, or right on the street.
Also, there are a lot of big trees so on nice days, it’s a great place to bring a blanket and a picnic and just enjoy the outdoors!
For dog owners, make sure your dog is on leash at this park. Neighbors in the area have been known to call animal control on people who have their dogs off-​leash in this park. However, right next to the park is the new location of Collins Elementary school and their field is just feet from Portal Park and I often let my dogs off leash there with no problem. If you park on the street, go through the park with your dog, there’s a little path (the bumpy one most kids bike on) that goes to the school’s field and it’s very easy to find.
I really recommend this park for people with children because of the great playgrounds and an okay place to bring your dog. I know it’s technically illegal for you to have your dog off-​leash, but if your dog is well-​behaved, I think it should be okay to have your dog off-​leash. However, that’s not the case and I guess the neighbor’s have the right to call animal control. But hey, it happens since there isn’t a dog park in Cupertino! *hint* *hint* City of Cupertino.

While some parks impress with their expanses of green, the intimate (3.8 acres) Portal Park wins families over with its terrific playgrounds. There are three in all, with newer structures, each for a different age group. I love taking my daughter there because the playground for the youngest children is completely shaded, so I don’t have to bake in the sun while pushing her on the baby swings. There’s also a lovely sand area atop a hill that has built-​in slides. This is not really the place to have a massive barbecue picnic, as there are only a few picnic facilities, but kids wanting to climb and play will love it. Just be aware that it can get crowded with moms and strollers. It’s great for meeting other kids and parents, but not so much for solitude.