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Gilroy Gardens Alphabet Chapter 1: ABCD
Since there are 26 letters in the alphabet and we’re now in the year 2026, we thought it would be fun to highlight every letter in the alphabet with some of the fun rides and attractions here at Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. Each month we’ll feature a different section of the alphabet.
So cuddle up in your favorite storytime spot...and join us as we begin our journey from A to Z!
A is for Apple & Worm
Let’s start at the very beginning! You probably all know that “A” is for apple—and here at Gilroy Gardens, we have a very large apple being nibbled on by a very large worm!
Apple & Worm is one of the original rides that has been at the park since Opening Day in 2001. It’s a popular first ride for little ones, as they get to ride inside the giant smiling green worm (who actually looks more like a caterpillar) as he slowly makes his way around what’s left of the apple. How many seeds can you count inside the apple core?
FUN FACT: Once an apple tree is planted, it usually needs to grow for about 4-5 years before it begins producing fruit. But after that, the tree might live as long as 100 years!
What else can you find at Gilroy Gardens that starts with “A”?
- Artichoke Dip
- Arch Tree
- Art Studio (inside The Green Barn)
B is for Banana Split
If you’re big enough and brave enough, you’ll have a blast going on the Banana Split ride at Gilroy Gardens!
Prepare to hold on tight as you swing back and forth, going higher and higher, on the biggest banana you’ve ever seen!
And did you know you can also find actual bananas growing here at Gilroy Gardens? It’s just one of many tropical fruit-bearing trees found in our Monarch Garden greenhouse. Be sure to check it out and see if you can see any baby bananas growing!
FUN ACTIVITY: No matter how old you are, bananas are always a tasty treat! Check out some fun Favorite Ripe Banana Recipes (courtesy of Yummy Toddler Food) that you can make at home.
What else can you find that starts with “B”?
C is for Circus Trees
When you visit Gilroy Gardens, you may notice some funny-looking trees throughout the park. These are our world-famous Circus Trees—and you won’t see anything like them anywhere else in the world!
The Circus Trees are living trees that were originally twisted and trained into crazy shapes by a man named Axel Erlandson. Some of these trees are almost 100 years old!
Some of the Circus Trees are actually multiple trees that have grown together over the years into amazing living sculptures, like the Arch Tree and the Four-Legged Giant.
The Basket Tree is actually made up of six Sycamore trees that were woven together into a “basket” shape. We love it so much, we made it part of the Gilroy Gardens logo!
After Mr. Erlandson died, his trees were left behind up in the mountains with nobody to take care of them. Michael Bonfante and some other tree-loving friends carefully dug them up, loaded them onto trucks, and moved them to Gilroy Gardens. They were replanted here and now can be enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year!
LEARN MORE: Go to the Park History page to learn more about these fascinating trees—and the exciting rescue mission to bring them to Gilroy Gardens!
What else can you find that starts with “C”?
D is for Dinosaur
D is indeed for Dinosaur—and did you know we have one right here at Gilroy Gardens?
“Rocko” the baby Triceratops was originally carved from a 20-ton serpentine boulder in 1988 by rock sculptor John Cody, who worked that on site at Knott’s Berry Farm in Southern California. Guests got to see “Rocko” come to life as part of the park’s “Kingdom of the Dinosaurs” attraction.
After spending many years hanging out in Camp Snoopy at Knott’s Berry Farm, Rocko was donated and moved to his new home at Gilroy Gardens. You can now find him that in front of The Green Barn, which is a perfect place to explore nature, science, and art.
(And yes, Rocko’s very friendly, so you are welcome to climb on him if you want. However, we don’t recommend doing that if you ever encounter any actual live dinosaurs!)
What else can you find that starts with “D”?
Stay tuned for Chapter 2 of the Gilroy Gardens Alphabet, coming in February 2026!