Touring * Beginner *

Heading south along the east side of downtown San Jose on U.S. 101, take the Tully Road exit just beyond the Interstate 280 interchange and head east. Follow busy Tully for 1.5 miles. Just beyond its intersection with Capitol Expressway, turn left into the entrance of Cunningham Park, which is also the site of the Raging Waters theme park. There is a $2 fee for parking from mid-June through Labor Day (but it's free during off-season weekdays.) Turn left after the kiosk to park in the Marina Lot just ahead.

Lake Cunningham Park is a great location for an all-day family outing. Although swimming is not allowed here, fishing, picnicking, sunbathing on the beach, boating (rentals are available), and water slides are all activities you can add to your romp on skates to make a day of it. The sound of small planes taking off and landing at the nearby Reid-Hillview Airport actually creates a pleasant drone in the background on a lazy day, punctuated by the quack-quack of ducks or the clack-clack of a toddler's first try on roller skates. The smooth pavement throughout the park is in excellent condition, both on the dedicated bike paths and on the wide park roads (occasionally, local in-line races are held here). When you arrive, pick up a free map of the park at the Marina snack bar so you can check out the location of the bike paths and parking lots to plan your day. After exploring the path along the lakeshore and the parcourse loop around Big Meadow, head over to Parking Lot E. If it's a slow day or during the off-season, this lot is large enough and far enough out of the way to be nearly empty, making it a perfect spot for figure-skating practice or in-line kite flying.