Jewel’s Terrace Park in Albany is a hidden neighborhood park. A bit tucked away and hard to find on your first attempt, it is worth the hunt (Google maps pointed us someone’s house instead of the park, weird!). Pro tip: Point your navigation to Terrace St. and Tevlin St. Parking is limited on the street, but we found a spot without much trouble.
Jewel’s Terrace Park features
Location: 1548 Terrace St, Albany, CA 94706
Unique Features of Playground: Fenced in toddler playground and a seperate big kid structure; large grassy field; basketball court; tennis courts.
Swings:Â One bucket swing; one regular swing.
Fenced in? Tot lot, yes; big kid area, no.
Surfaces: Cushy rubber mat surface near the tot structure/swings; sand in the rest of the tot lot. The big kid play structure area is wood chips.
Bathroom: Yes, by the grassy field.
Lunch tables & seating:Â Several benches scattered throughout and several tables that can be reserved for parties.
Parking:Â Street parking right next to park; weekday parking usually isn’t a problem; weekends a bit more difficult.
Shade: There are some big trees around, so shade is easily found. Both play areas have bits of shade throughout the day.
Pros: Mixed-age appropriate; lots of wide open space; sport courts; bathrooms; cute quiet neighborhood vibe.
Cons: Long waits for the swings. If dogs aren’t your thing, stay away from the basketball court side of the park where off-leash dogs and owners often congregate.
Jewel’s Terrace Park Has a Lot to Offer
Bordered to the east and west by the backyards of homes on a portion of Neilson and Tevlin Streets, Jewel’s Terrace Park has two entrances on side streets: Terrace St. to the north and Francis St. to the south. Once you’ve arrived, you’ll find a tot playground, big kid playground, large grassy area, tennis courts, basketball court, bathrooms, water fountain (one of those that fill water bottles vertically), tables, and BBQ grill. The table area is available for rental through the City of Albany.
Tot playground features
The play structure has three different level slides, monkey bars, one regular swing, one baby bucket swing, sand pit, and interactive play wall.
The small tot playground is enclosed with a fence. Most of the area is covered in sand, however lot of pine needles have fallen from the tree above, so make sure to wear shoes or avoid the area under the trees for sand play. The wait for baby swing can be challenging for little ones since there’s only one bucket swing.
Big kid playground features
The larger play structure has three different slides and more climbing. This lot has wood chips instead of sand. One play structure sits in the middle. This part of the park is not enclosed, but cars seldomly drive by.
A field to run on
Our second favorite feature of this park is the large grassy area next to the playgrounds. My kids loved running and chasing a ball. The grass area is in between the playgrounds and the tennis courts making it somewhat closed off without the physical enclosure.
The dogs are the best part of this park
This park is known for local furry friends meet-ups. We got to see few dogs chasing each other, playing ball or just walking around the park. All the dogs we met enjoyed off-leash time, so if your kiddo is afraid of dogs, avoid this part of the park.
Other amenities at Jewel’s Terrace Park
The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. Plenty of tables and a BBQ grill, makes a great place for birthday parties and gatherings.
Overall, this park was truly a hidden gem. We loved it here, and will be back again and again. I am not sure what it is about this particular park, but Keira and Lizzy just had so much fun. As for me, it was easy to keep an eye on the girls without having to worry they would run out to the streets.
Fun facts: I read this park has a great history behind it, goes back as early as mid-1800s.
