Tilden Park Merry Go Round in Castro Valley

Gorgeous views on the way up to the carousel. Lovely park. The carousel is beautiful.

We havent been there since the sixties ‼️

So the 5 stars goes to the ride an staff. Always a blast. However the people in the picture were absolutely horrific to the workers. They cut everyone waiting in line. The very obvious line with the red ropes. Several other saw an got in line like a decent human being. These people were asked nicely to get in line an they told the worker “No”. The blonde said “my kid wants a certain animal an he doesn’t want to wait”. Because welcome to being so entitled you cut a line of 20 people. The Burnett in the cap told the worker that there’s no way they are going to the back of the line. The worker keeping her calm said ok but next time you need to get in line. As the employee opened the gate the families rushed in. They didn’t even hand her the tickets or clean their hands. She had to go an follow them.So if you are coming here to visit be it from out of town or most likely a local who feels entitled. Stop it. There’s no rush. Everyone gets a turn. Teach your child patience by waiting in line an not cutting others.Sorry to the employees who have to deal with these entitled snobs.

Very beautiful and toddler friendly. My kid loved the place.

Beautiful place has not changed since I was a kid over 40 years ago now my kids can enjoy it just the way I did.

The experience was not what we expected; a normal place with an eatery and merry go round. Eats were good.

The merry go round is a great place to bring your family or young kids, especially around the holiday season when Santa comes to visit (which is free!The carousel is in wonderful condition, with beautifully painted original animals built in 1911. The grounds are well kept and beautiful, with Tilden trees all around. Inside the rotunda there is a history wall and several other interesting attractions related to the carousel which are free to come by and check out. The food counter is well stocked with hot seasonal food, such as burgers, corn dogs, hot dogs, fries, and usually some form of lean protein sandwich, which are all quite delicious. The owners are friendly, devoted, and knowledgeable, and the overall experience at the carousel is perfect for a short adventure.

Promotional material does not say it is all outdoors. We had children that were not dressed right. Woman mgr was rude. Food cold in 2 seconds. Never return.

Wonderful!! Decorated for Christmas. Lots of visitors. Happy kids. Parking very close & bathrooms. No butt gaskets in the bathrooms or paper towel. Just hand dryer. Otherwise everything was great. Good time had by all

We had a great time at the Merry-go-round at Tilden Park. We even got good food, the beyond burger was delicious! The kids loved the ride and Santa was cheerful and sweet! We will be back soon!

What other carousel has a dragon, rooster, and frog? The Christmas decorations here are always especially beautiful. The staff is friendly, the food is great, and the carousel is a work of art

Kids loved it. $4 per ticket is a little pricey.

So adorable.Great for a quick visit on the merry go round. The kiddies lovvvvvve riding several times.They have a super yummy little store filled w so many great snacks and meals.Fun fun fun!!

Loved that this carousel is tucked back in the Berkeley hills. Its absolutely beautiful up there.

Tickets were inexpensive, staff was friendly and provided free masks. Due to the recent covid spike, they are requiring masks to be worn inside. Outside there was families sitting & playing on the grassy area and parking was ample. We had a great time!

Amazingly cute and magical place for adults and children. It was adorable and so sweet! :)

All of the other reviews are accurate, beautifully maintained. But cant give them a higher rating because of customer service and priority on comfort. My daughter is slightly tall but still wasnt comfortable riding on her own. They made me buy a ticket for myself even though I explained I only want to stand by her side for her comfort.

Still one of my favorite places to visit. The merry go round was a little fast for my two year old grand little, but by the end of the second ride she was all smiles. The $4 fare is affordable that we rode a couple of times. We decided to get some ice cream and I was pleasantly surprised that they are very generous scoops. I love that this is right in our own backyards. It is a must visit.

Very quick ticket line and to get on. We were there on a Tuesday at 1 pm. Bunch of parking and friendly staff. Workers good with disabled people as well! Thanks for helping with my guest and making her feel young again! Shes 65 with the heart (and mindof a five year old. You guys are great!

Beautiful carousel with a variety of animals. Very short wait on a Wednesday midday.

So wonderful to have this merry-go-round in Tilden Park. Nature always rocks, of course. But things like merry-go-rounds make parks even more special and magical for kids.

A great place to spend some time with the kiddos. I brought my friends 3 yo daughter here and after purchasing 2 tickets we went to the door for the line ride entrance and saw there is a height check to verify if kids are 38" tall, which she clearly was not. As soon as I began to fear the ramifications the attendant told me it meant she needs a chaperone which does not require a ticket so we were able to ride twice. There are picnic tables and a grassy area right outside. I brought a bubble maker which together kept her happy for a couple of hours.

We came with our 1.5 year old; she had so much fun and didnt want to leave!! Short line to get on the merry-go-round but it goes fast, we did 3 rounds back-to-back and the wait was fine. Nice area around it, next time well probably stay and picnic. The kitchen was closed when we were there (they had a little "accident" in the kitchen and had to close it for an hour or so), but I heard good things about the food.

It was so much fun. Our 9 month old loved it. Such an inexpensive why to spend family time. The park is so beautiful.

We went during christmas time and it was beautifully decorated. Kids enjoyed the merry go round, so did the adults. There is a food outlet as well where you can get freshly prepared food. We just got the fries.

One of my family traditions to go every year and get an ornament for Christmas. They decorate the big tree and santa is there on some days for pictures and it has always been one of my favorite places to go since I was a little girl. My kids have grown up with the tradition and this year I watched my daughter introduce the merry go round to my grand daughter. Its been an awesome place for my family to make memories. Love it!!!

This a great place to take the kids! Definitely a east bay gem. The merry go round is $3.50 per ride. Its a little pricey but being that it location is exclusive makes it well worth it. The cafe is a must. All food is cooked to order. The prices are fair. Its a must for a family fun day.

Wonderful old time merry go round. $3.50 per ride. In a beautiful Forest Park setting. The old wood style, very well maintained!

Its getting old but still a nice place to take young kids. Lots of trails to walk around the park. Went on the steam train as well. Been on it many times. My favorite part of tilden.

Really fun Merry Go Round with a wide variety of animals to choose from. It goes round at a good clip.

Lovely spot to take the kids. We thought it was reasonably priced.

Gorgeous beautifully restored old Merry Go Round. The beautiful details of the parts and creatures are far superior to the modern ones. I dropped one star because the park guide (at the Tilden Farmstates that it is free, and it is not only not free but also a bit pricey, 7 dollars for a small child and a parent per ride.

Was great to see the kids enjoying the egg hunt, she get a ticket!!!

Very nice and breezy under the trees and the area itself is beautiful. I loved it and I celebrated Easter here with my family ^_^

Lots of fun .my daughter loves every time w e come

We went during the Christmas light and character shows. Santa was there. Lots of decorations, fun rides on the Merry-Go-Round, good food, lots of parking as people kept coming and going. Bathrooms available that were clean. The wait in line line to see Santa & ride the Merry-Go-Round were reasonable. Not a short ride with Carousel music. A great place to visit year round. The price for the ride is $2 and if your child is small you can ride free. For sure bring your children here!

Super cute place. Ive always liked everyone thats worked here. My toddler has lots of fun and enjoys their popcorn and pretzels. We booked a couple parties here. Everything for our party was on point.

Its a great old fashioned merry-go-round. My kids love it. The always have a huge number of of inflatable Christmas decorations there too. Its a fun thing to go to after going to the tilden little farm. Its where we eat our lunch before heading home.

A well-maintained merry go round in the Tilden park. Its pretty fast compared with other ones weve tried like the one in Oakland Zoo. Kids shorter than 42 inch cant ride alone, but are allowed with an adult company. $3 per ride or $15 for 7 rides which are reasonable. The snack bar doesnt provide many options and people usually bring their own foods and drinks.

Berkeley classic! Little ones will find the magic here. Plus, it gives back to the park! Go.

Had my daughters birthday party here and everyone loved it! Spacious and peaceful setting. Shaded area, beautiful for a childrens party.

You are never too old to ride a Merry-G-Round. It is tucked away, but worth the drive. It is in really good condition. I so enjoyed riding it with my granddaughter.

Not a reason itself to go to Tilden Park, but adds some value. Rides are like $3 per person, and they DONT last long! We were there last Sunday, and there was hardly anyone riding. Maybe 6-8 people. It seemed like the ride barely lasted one minute! Other than that, you can get snacks nextdoor like grilled cheese, fries, chips, sandwich, hot dog, ice cream, popcorn, etc. I got a grilled cheese with curly fries, and it was a complete waste of $10, $5 for sandwich and $5 for fries! The sandwich was so tiny and only had option for wheat bread. Taste was bland. I did like the curly fries, but for $5 I could buy a bag from Safeway bc it tasted like Ore-Ida honestly. The carousel is a short walk to Lake Anza, so that was nice. If you have small kids, go for the train rides first!

Small, old, hidden and charming. It was definitely worth finding. We went here for my sons birthday. We visited the little farm first. The kids had a great time. We went right at closing so we only rode it twice which was sufficient. It was cute. The staff was friendly and it was clean.

Merry-go-rounds are hard to find in this day and age. This one is in beautiful Tilden Park with steam trains, hiking, the little farm and nature center nearby.The merry-go-round seats probably 30 kids and has a small food stall adjacent. They throw events during Easter and Halloween and Christmas, etc. Your little ones will love this place.

The merry go round itself is a bit old, but it is still rather nice. There is a nice field with picknic benches where the children can run around after. Also, it is a great place to have birthday parties for young children. There are nice hiking areas around the park, but watch out for poison oak!

My kids love this place. Its kinda hard to find so you have to follow the signs on the way in. He likes going around taking pictures. The tickets are cheap too only $3 per person. Get the tickets ahead of time either at the stand by the entrance or the concession stand. One adult can hold the little one if necessary.

Great little place to take kids that enjoy the merry go round. Price is cheap, and there a little one that spins in circles as it’s moving around to make it even more fun for older kids. Lots of picnic tables but not so much shade. Food is lacking, the polish dog is not very good, and they put tomatoes on it which makes no sense because then the bread gets really soggy. The kids hotdog was not worth the price, but the grilled cheese was good.

This place is awesome for all ages. They even have Easter Egg hunts. Went to a birthday party here and the staff was great. Staff is usually friendly and helpful. Bathroom is away from the Carousel and little cafeteria. Its located across the street towards the parking lot. The food in the tiny cafeteria is limited, expensive but tastes yummy. They also have different flavors of ice cream. Definitely recommend checking this place out. You wont be disappointed!

Great merry go round. Very romantic---not just for children. One of the few merry go rounds in Northern California. Low price. Ive come here all my life. Located near the entrance to Lake Anza. On the other side of the parking lot there are wind caves in a sandstone cliff.