John Mise Park — Attraction in San Jose

This park is 80% sports (basketball, pickleball & soccer) & play structure, and 20% park. For sports people and parents, this is a great destination. We went to play pickleball at 10 am on a weekday and the place was packed. Level of play was high: many serious players training for a tournament. As beginners we felt out of place, and players there did not bother to reach out to make newcomers feel welcome. Testosterone level high: nearly ALL men. Apparently an intermediate group (with men and women) left to go to Calabazas just before we arrived. I didn't like the system of placing you paddles next to one specific court (there are 4 in parallel), which means some players could monopolize a specific court (really good players can intimidate). Shades available in the morning - the sun will shift and it'll be very different in the afternoon. But there is a very large tree behind the pickleball courts (see my 3rd photo, shot from corner of the court toward the large area of shade + restrooms) where you'll find...

A nice community park with a basketball area, swing set area, artificial turf for soccer or softball/baseball, football, etc. Well lit for evening walks and activities. Well maintained with restrooms, picnic benches, and off street parking. In the back area, the trees are trimmed up so things or people cannot hide behind low branches or bushes. All age groups use this park, and everyone seems very friendly. The turf is always in use with organized sports, but individuals can find room to do workouts. Look closely around the edges of the park and you might find the hidden...

My son recently got into pickleball, so I decided to see what courts might be near us where we could play. This park was one of the few that came up. They have 4 courts dedicated to just pickleball (other parks have tennis courts that include lines for pickleball). We went during the Christmas break around 12:30-1:30 and there were 2 courts open (initially we had been worried there might not be an open court). I don't know how busy this location typically is, but we found it convenient, fun, and the courts were...