16055 Sanborn Rd, Saratoga, CA 95070
County Park Phone (408) 867-9959
to contact SVS, call (408) 289-1901
Park Website
This lushly wooded park of over 3,688 acres is nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Saratoga and Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). This mountain park of redwoods and tan bark oak offers hiking, camping, RV camping, and picnicking opportunities year round. Enjoy your visit today and return often to experience the many features of Sanborn County Park.
Come early with a picnic to enjoy in the park, or visit one of the many restaurants on Big Basin Way in Historic Saratoga Village on your drive toward Sanborn Park.
Seating
Capacity: The Amphitheater at Sanborn Park has a maximum capacity of 300 people. We provide folding chairs for our guests. Children must be seated with a parent or guardian.
Seating: All seating is $25 for adults, and free for youth 17 and under, in chairs with padded seats and backs. Seating is unassigned, available on a first-come, first-served basis. SVS members get early access to select seats.
Accessibility: Sanborn Park’s path to the amphitheater is accessible to people in wheelchairs and with walkers. The amphitheater is a bit bumpy; ushers can assist guests with special needs.
Royal Seating: There are four thrones available for Royal Court level members of our Donors Circle. If these seats are not reserved for a performance, they are available to the public for $100 per seat. Royal Seating includes large, comfortable, fluffy chairs on an elevated platform, and for donors a bottle of red or white wine or nonalcoholic beverage of your choice.
Concessions
Concessions are available one half hour before show time through the end of intermission.
Food and Beverage items include a variety of sodas, water, coffee, tea, and hot cocoa, cookies, candy, and other snacks. We serve a variety of wines. Commemorative glasses are available for $12 per glass and include a discount on refills at this or future performances.
Merchandise: Please take a look at our new Silicon Valley Shakespeare merchandise. The proceeds from all sales help us to keep ticket prices low for adults and free for youth 17 and under.
Information You Should Know
Cell Phones: There is very limited cellular service at Sanborn Park. There is a pay phone available at the ranger station.
Restrooms: Full, indoor restrooms and hand-washing stations are available near the concessions stand.
What to Bring: The weather at Sanborn Park varies. We recommend people dress in layers. Please check weather conditions at the park before the show.
Photography: There is no flash photography or video taping of the performances permitted. Photography without a flash is permitted if it’s not a distraction to other audience members, but may not be published in any medium without the expressed, written permission of Silicon Valley Shakespeare.
Picnics: Visitors are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic dinner to enjoy at any of the park’s many picnic tables, or in the bowl of the amphitheater. Peterson Grove is often reserved for weddings and other events, but if it is open you may use it. Otherwise, other picnic areas are nearby. Please do not feed the resident animals — especially the raccoons and deer. You may feed actors at your own risk.
Donations: Donations are graciously accepted. It is through your generosity that we are able to produce these wonderful shows and keep them free for youth each summer!
Parking
The County of Santa Clara Department of Parks and Recreation charges a fee of $6 per vehicle. We recommend arriving no later than 6:30pm to secure parking and walk to the amphitheater in time for the show. After receiving your parking permit, turn right and go up the hill to the first lot on your right. If that lot is full, there is an upper lot just up the main road.
To get to the theatre from the main parking lot, walk to the end opposite where you drove in, turn right on the walking path and then left onto the next path, cross through the picnic area. Our Box Office and Concessions tents are just past the picnic area.
Directions to Sanborn Park
From the north (Hwy 280 South):
- Take the De Anza Blvd exit.
- Turn right onto De Anza Blvd. (Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd.).
- Turn right onto Saratoga Ave (Hwy 9).
- Continue up Hwy 9 approximately 4.5 miles.
- Immediately after the Saratoga Springs sign, turn left onto Sanborn Rd.
- Stay on Sanborn Rd. for approximately 2 miles.
- At the top of the hill, sooner after the one-vehicle bridge, turn right into the Sanborn Park entrance.
From the south (Hwy 280 North OR Highway 85 North):
- Take the Saratoga Ave exit and turn left onto Saratoga Ave (Hwy 9) heading west. Stay in the right-hand lane.
- Continue on Saratoga Ave (Hwy 9), through downtown Saratoga, for approximately 4.5 miles.
- Immediately after the Saratoga Springs sign, turn left onto Sanborn Rd.
- Stay on Sanborn Rd. for approximately 2 miles.
- At the top of the hill, sooner after the one-vehicle bridge, turn right into the Sanborn Park entrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time are the performances?
All performances of Shakespeare in Sanborn Park begin promptly at 7pm.
How long do the plays run?
The County of Santa Clara has a curfew that requires all participants be out of Sanborn Park no later than 10pm. Therefore, most performances end by 9:30pm, if not earlier.
How much are tickets?
Adult tickets for Shakespeare in Sanborn Park are $25, with a discount to $20 for seniors, government employees or military, and college students or educators with proper ID.
Youth 17 years of age or under can attend for FREE, with a paid adult admission. Although children attend for free, they are still required to reserve a ticket.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets for all productions are available here. Due to the limited capacity of the space, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. All ticket holders need to check in at Will Call upon arrival. Online ticket holders are asked to present their online confirmations, to receive physical tickets. People purchasing tickets at the park may pay with cash, Visa, MasterCard, or a check made out to Silicon Valley Shakespeare.
What is the parking situation?
There is parking available at Sanborn Park for $6 per vehicle. We provide some lighting in the main parking lot, but recommend that you bring a flashlight for your safe departure.
Is the seating reserved?
Seating in Sanborn Park is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The house opens for seating at 6:30pm. At that time, you may claim your seats with a blanket and then go enjoy a picnic in the park. Donors Circle patrons may enter early to reserve their seat.
What is the seating situation?
Seating consists of gray chairs with padded seats and backs.
Is food available at the show?
We have a well-stocked concessions stand where you can purchase wine, water, snacks, cookies, candy, and both cold and hot beverages.
Can I drop my child off at the park and pick him or her up after the show?
Children must be supervised at all times. We require one adult for every six children in attendance. If you drop off a teenager, please note that Sanborn Park closes for entry at sunset and you will not be able to drive into the park to retrieve your child. There is very little cellular phone service in the park, and your child will not be able to reach you should they wish to leave early. Silicon Valley Shakespeare cannot accept responsibility for unattended children.
Is Shakespeare in the Park a dress-up affair?
Not at all! The performance is outdoors in a park where the terrain is primarily dirt and gravel. We recommend wearing shoes that allow you to walk safely to and from the theatre (high heels are not a good choice). The weather can change quickly, so we highly recommend that you bring something warm to put on later in the evening. If you want to bring/wear a hat, we request you bring one that won’t obstruct someone else’s view.
What about dogs?
NEW POLICY: Due to the large number of people with allergies who have issued complaints, we have changed our policy on canine attendance. Well-socialized dogs on a leash remain welcome, but their owners will be asked to choose seats on the left-hand side of the audience, closest to the creek. This will allow people with allergies and fear of dogs to keep a suitable distance. Exceptions will be made for qualified service dogs.
Are the plays appropriate for children?
We pride ourselves on providing entertainment for the entire family. Due to graphic content inherent in many of Shakespeare’s works, we recommend parents familiarize themselves with the plays and determine if they are appropriate for your particular child. To assist parents, we have provided a rating system which can be found on the webpage for the play you wish to see.
Can we bring a picnic?
Of course! There are several areas in the park to enjoy a picnic. If you come early to picnic, we recommend you line up 30-45 minutes before the show time to reserve seats, then return to finish your picnic.
Peterson Grove, while conveniently located, is sometimes reserved for weddings or other events. If so, there are other picnic areas available nearby. If the Grove is not occupied, you can use it. Wherever you picnic, please ensure to clean up after you leave that area, to keep the park clean for everyone (including its resident animals).
What are those cool thrones in the back of the theatre and how can I sit there?
This is called Royal Seating and is a benefit for Royal Court patrons in our Donors Circle. If seats are not claimed by donors, they are available to the public to purchase for the evening for $100 each.
Will you "pass the hat" at Sanborn Park?
No. However, if you wish to make a donation to support Shakespeare in the Park and help keep it free for youth, there is a donation box in the concessions area. Checks can be made out to Silicon Valley Shakespeare.
