Parent Excursions: Let's Go Fly a Kite and Send it Soaring

Where's a great place to picnic on a windy day?  The Shoreline Kite Park.

I don't know how we originally discovered the Kite Park. I think we were driving around and trying to understand the area when we made the discovery. We drove in -- and it has been a staple outing for us ever since.

The Kite Park is located at the entrance to Shoreline Park. Its parking lot is practically the first right after going through the gate. There is plenty of parking -- we have not had to park elsewhere once, in five years of visits -- and a portable toilet, which my husband has used, but I have never been in.

Silicon Valley can often feel like a cramped suburban space, but the Kite Park is a spot with wide open skies -- a place to breathe.

I have wondered, why is watching kites so much fun?  Maybe it is much like the magic of sitting around a campfire, being hypnotized by the flames.  Much like the random movement of flames dancing, kites bounce on the wind with unpredictable movements. I feel like, when we visit as a family, our family has a chance to release the worries of the day.

We have flown a series of different kites at the Kite Park. These have ranged from fun box kites created by high-end kite manufacturers, to quick, slip-together kits we bought at Costco. All have been fun. Sometimes the challenge of getting the kite to fly can be just as engaging as holding the string while it is up in the air.

Another benefit of visiting is that you will, very likely, have a chance to see the full range of kite performers. There will be some true "kite experts" -- folks with big, puffy sail kites which are controlled by two string arrays and capable of amazing tricks -- and, there will be families like ours who have just come for an afternoon break with their small kite.

A quick word of caution -- kite mishaps do happen.  When you visit, you will surely see the evidence of "kites gone wrong" -- the ones whose strings have become tangled, leading to what I am sure was heartbreak for the kite's pilots.  My husband and son once watched someone fly their very beautiful, expensive, 747-model airplane into a telephone pole at the Kite Park.  Our son was two at the time and it made quite an impression; "plane crash" soon became a very real part of his vocabulary.  Usually, there are no model planes flying at the Kite Park, but I'm sharing this story since it is a big part of our family lore.

I also wanted to share some thoughts about picnicking at the Kite Park.  Though there are no picnic tables there, the park does have quite a few benches.  We have picnicked on those many times, and have seen other families do the same. And, of course, the park is huge, so there is always room to spread out a picnic cloth.

The details:

Entry -- free

Location -- Shoreline Boulevard, east of the 101, just inside the entrance gate to Shoreline Park, on the right hand side.

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shoreline-Kite-Park/134389109945104

Related Topics: Kites, Shoreline Park, flying kites, kite kits, outings bay area, parent excursions, and shoreline kite park