Boyd Memorial Park

Stopped off here to do a picnic after picking up food from one of my faves Sol Food. Parking seems like it can be a bit of a challenge but we got lucky and found parking right outside. There was some shade and a few picnic tables. It was really nice to get some breeze on a hot day in the shade while we enjoyed some delicious food. Seems pretty big but we did not get a chance to explore on that trip.

We loved the park, it’s clean, nice and fun! And there were no lurking, weird crowds or homeless people. We had a blast and will definitely be back!

I moved next door to Boyd Park 4/2014…I knew that it had some unfavorable attendees that liked to stay longer than the posted signage. (Closed sunset to sunrise) but I bought anyway.
I decided I would run thru the park and frequent it often to offset the unfavorable goings on… Well that didn’t last long. I ended up calling police in the middle of the night quite often.
Then I rescued a pup in August 2014. Decided to walk him around there and up the hill to do the loop, since it was so close. After him being afraid to go thru and above, we ended up walking 20 – 30 min away to take him on hikes and parks where there were other dogs.
Fast forward to Jan 2015… They close the park to revamp.
YIPPEE
April it reopened and it has been wonderful ever since. A handful of neighbors show up with our dogs, I often find people picnicking on the grass-​families. And families with small children using the playground. I love hearing the laughter now, not the crazy yelling.
It is such s pretty park with tons of Redwoods that I hope more people come hang out now.
There are Picnic tables and 3 – 4 benches with backs.
A water fountain in a huge rock and 2 garbage bins.
It is monitored day and night by Barbier Security Group and they are fantastic and quick to respond if needed. (One incident since April)
They have Yoga on Tuesday nights at 5:30 and Qi Gong and Tai Chi on Sunday mornings.
Thank you City of San Rafael for cleaning it up!
Such a pleasure living here now.

I attended the grand re-​opening of this park with my family last weekend, and have to say that this is an awesome park! Our two year old son had a great time running around, and playing on the structure and slide. The setting is beautiful with a nice grass area, and mature trees all around. We walked down to 4^th street afterwards and had a nice lunch downtown. We will come back as much as possible. Thank you to the mayor of San Rafael for investing in this valuable spot.

I would love to rate Boyd Park as the jewel of San Rafael that it SHOULD be!
However, that is not possible because city officials have given up and ceded control of the park to the homeless. Let’s be clear: The homeless closed Boyd Park.
San Rafael residents should be outraged that their largest, and potentially most beautiful, park has been closed to the public. But political correctness prevents many from speaking out against the bums who made closing the park necessary.
Until residents themselves stop tolerating the hundreds of homeless who have taken up residence on the streets and in the parks of San Rafael, Boyd Park will remain closed. And the overflow of homeless will take up residence in Albert Park, Gerstle Park and other city environments.
When will residents say enough and close down the two organizations, Ritter House and St. Vincents Dining Hall, that attract so many homeless to their city? Must the entire city of 58,000 suffer because these organizations enable a derelict homeless population?

I love the location of this park. It’s a fabulous location. What I don’t love is how you don’t feel safe with kids (the questionable people), the playground is seriously dated and there is only a portable toilet. Seriously San Rafael?! Put some money into this park. New playground, new toilet system, discourage the questionable use of this park. I would like to take my kids to this park without feeling like we may get assaulted. It’s right next to downtown San Rafael. Do you not feel ashamed of this eyesore?

It’s a green and peaceful park, right next to the Marin History Museum, with picnic benches. This makes it perfect for my lunch time munch of sandwich and chips.
There is a children’s play area too but apparently it’s not the best place to bring your children to (as several other have mentioned). I cannot attest to that.
All in all, I’d come back occasionally with my lunch.

Like Alec W. I usually do not give bad reviews. However, I am absolutely done with Boyd Memorial Park, and want to be sure that parents who bring their (especially young) children of what I have encountered there.
Rewind to the very first visit which was Father’s Day 2010. I packed a picnic lunch for the three of us — me, my young son, and my husband. It was a beautiful day, and there were a lot of families with their children enjoying the sun, and the castle structure. There were also people of varying ages drinking, smoking cigars and cigarettes, being loud and swearing, but basically keeping to themselves. Ok. Fine. Up runs a woman, and a San Rafael patrol car behind her. Exit, woman with handcuffs in the back of the police car.
Okay. Whatever. Who knows what that was about.
So fast forward to the last couple of weeks. My son and I have gone probably 5 different times to the playground part of the park, «The Castle Park,» as he calls it. Each visit has been during the week, in full day light, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
EVERY time we were there we encountered various groups of people hanging out — drinking 40 oz beers, smoking cigarettes and pot, swearing, being loud and obnoxious, but not saying anything directly to us. There were people hanging out on the benches, on the grass, and up the hill.
Believe me, I’m no prude. But seriously. Do I want to take my two year old to be exposed to second hand smoke, more swearing than he’s ever heard in his life time, afternoon drinking by teenagers and older folks just hanging out?
Even the cigarette butts that I tossed out from the structure and the bubble gum stuck to the slide brought me back to the park today because I got a request to go to «The Castle Park,» over and over again.
I kept coming back after all of the above stuff.
But you know what will keep me away from here from now on?
A USED CONDOM inside of the castle, on the floor.
Disgusting.
That’s it.
I’m done.

I usually do not give really bad reviews, especially to outdoor places. Unfortunately, this park has a one star review written all over it. I like the Marin History Museum which I do not think is part of the park but anyway, this review is for the park only.
You get in by either walking up a stairway behind the Marin History Museum or you get in near the playground. The playground itself is not horrible but it seems older and metal based. The wild part of Boyd Park is not here yet but the scenery does not suggest anything special. The path continues up slowly and then the part of the park I dislike the most comes into view (sometimes much earlier.) You will start seeing a creepy crowd just sitting in circles, along the path or just anywhere. It is not old guys but more of a younger crowd. Still, when you tell your kids not to talk to strangers, these are DEFINITELY the people you are referring to.
When I go through here, I always remember to go with a bunch of people because can you really trust the crowd behind the playground? Even so, they made some suggestive comments toward someone in my group and if I go back here again, who knows what else they will say? Still, they do nothing as long as you are with people. If you HAVE to go to the playground, just bring some friends and DO NOT take your eyes off the kids.
After going up a stairway filled with the creepy crowd (we had to take a different route because they were blocking one,) you get up onto a narrow road. This road does not have a bad crowd most of the time. We did see a creepy older guy staring at us from above once though. On your left, you should soon see a trail leading off to the left. It goes up through a mix of oak trees and grassland. The trail has some nice views and the crowd on it is a hiking/​running/​dog walking type. Be warned that the trail is really hot in the summer and it is steep!
Overall, although the trail itself is not one star and the playground is not either, the park itself gets one star because of the crowd and atmosphere.

I had seen this park on maps before, and decided to explore it once warmer weather showed up. You enter through the south end, and there’s a loop path that climbs up the east and west sides. It is partially paved, so you want to wear good shoes if you’re hiking on it. There’s an old swimming hole (fenced off) up the hill, and it looks really enticing on a summer’s day! Water that overflows from the pool runs down drainages to the lower park.
The bottom of the park has a children’s play area and a water fountain. There’s also some picnic tables, and some bathrooms. Some of the picnic tables are usually controlled by local teens, in varying degrees of vagrancy. The cops roll through every now and again, and they patrol through the park to make sure that no homeless folks have set up any camps.

A very interesting park right off of the busy main streets below. One can enter into the tribute zone of this park, dedicated in 1905 by the Boyds who chose this means of mourning the death of their 2 sons.
I’d recommend this more for adults who love to hill walk more so than for any kids to romp. Sure there is a very eclectic-​looking play structure, but it doesn’t hold the air of inviting to it.
Quite proximal to Marin Academy private secondary…
However, the park is large!!! and to climb all the way to the top would absolutely be a hike in its own right. We stayed close to the base, taking in some shade after viewing the pink mission.
I love parks and any green that helps to offer release for city-​angst. It’s wonderful, and this little sleepy, somewhat empty park is a wonderful find off google maps.