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Weisshaar Park is where College Terrace plays tennis. The city describes it as a "1.1 acre open grassy area" on Dartmouth Street. Two public courts take up much of it. Around them are a strip of lawn, a picnic table and a few benches. The city's page lists no playground and no restroom. There is no clubhouse. For a quick hit before work or a weekend set with a neighbor, that is all you need.
The address is 2298 Dartmouth Street, on the block between College Avenue and California Avenue. Its full name is Frederick W. Weisshaar Park. This guide covers the courts and how city court rules work, the landowner behind the name, the other College Terrace parks and the places around the neighborhood worth a walk.
Weisshaar Park at a glance
The city's feature list names two things: tennis courts and picnic tables. The residents' association fills in the rest:
- Tennis: two courts, resurfaced in 2016 according to the College Terrace Residents' Association.
- Lawn: a large open grassy area beside the courts.
- Seating: a picnic table and benches.
- Play: none. Werry and Cameron parks have the neighborhood's playgrounds.
- Restrooms: the city's page lists no restroom.
- Lights: none that we could find a record of.
- Fees: none.
Our tennis and pickleball guide uses Weisshaar as its example of a neighborhood park with a court or two. It is one of the few places west of El Camino Real where anyone can walk on and play.
Playing tennis here
The City of Palo Alto's Community Services Department manages city tennis courts. Its reservation page says courts can be reserved only by the Palo Alto Tennis Club, Palo Alto schools and USTA tournament or match play. Everyone else plays as an individual under the rules posted at the court. There is no app to book Weisshaar for Saturday at 10.
That makes etiquette important on a two-court site. The usual customs:
- Wait outside the fence. Do not walk behind a court during a point.
- When others are waiting, finish your set or time block and rotate off.
- Bring your own balls and water. There is no vending.
- Keep to tennis unless signs say the courts are shared with pickleball.
Stanford's courts are not open to the public. The university restricts them to members of the Stanford community with active recreation memberships and their invited guests. If both Weisshaar courts are taken, the nearest public alternatives are at Peers Park across El Camino Real and at Rinconada and Mitchell parks farther away. City staff found in 2026 that tennis courts around the city were generally free even when Mitchell's pickleball courts were packed.
Frederick Weisshaar and the land Stanford wanted
Weisshaar's story is the founding story of College Terrace. In 1870 two German immigrants, Peter Spacher and Frederick Weisshaar, bought about 120 acres of farmland beside what would become the Stanford campus. When Leland Stanford assembled his Palo Alto Stock Farm, the pair refused to sell to him.
In 1887, as construction started on the university, they sold instead to Alexander Gordon, a farmer from San Mateo. Gordon platted lots, named the cross streets after colleges and set aside four small parks. He called his town Palo Alto. Stanford wanted that name for Timothy Hopkins's new townsite north of campus, so Gordon agreed to rename his tract College Terrace. Wikipedia adds that Weisshaar later served as the first treasurer of Mayfield, the town that annexed College Terrace in 1891.
Gordon named this square Hampton Park. In 1968 the city renamed all four College Terrace parks for people tied to the area. Hampton became Frederick W. Weisshaar Park. Our history of Mayfield covers the town Weisshaar helped run, which joined Palo Alto in 1925.
The other College Terrace parks
Weisshaar is one of four parks from Gordon's 1887 plan. All four survive:
- Werry Park, across College Avenue on the other half of Dartmouth Street. Playground, lawn and a picnic table. A playground replacement is on the city's list for 2028.
- Cameron Park, 2101 Wellesley Street. A second playground, named for the missionary Donaldina M. Cameron.
- Mayfield Park, on Wellesley beside the 1936 College Terrace Library. Benches and a small lawn.
Together they mean no home in College Terrace is more than a few minutes from a park. A family can pair tennis at Weisshaar for the adults with the playground at Werry for the kids, a short walk apart.
When to play
With only two courts, timing matters. Early weekday mornings are usually the easiest time to find an open court. Late afternoons and weekends draw more neighbors. On a nice Saturday you may wait for a set to finish, so bring a book or a water bottle and settle in on a bench. Summer afternoons are hot on the hard surface, so many players come early or in the last hours of daylight.
Courts sometimes close for maintenance or resurfacing. The last resurfacing on record was in 2016, according to the residents' association. If the courts are wet after a winter storm, give them a day to dry before you head over. Playing on a slick surface is a quick way to turn an ankle.
Beginners and families can use the courts too. A parent hitting with a child, a pair of friends rallying without keeping score or someone practicing serves are all common sights at neighborhood courts like this one. Just be ready to hand over the court when others are waiting.
Hours and rules
Posted hours on the city's page are sunrise to sunset. Palo Alto's municipal code sets a 10:30 p.m. closing for city parks. Dogs must be on a leash. Drones are banned in city parks. Check the city's Weisshaar Park page for closures, such as court resurfacing.
Getting there
College Terrace sits between El Camino Real and Stanford. Weisshaar is on the California Avenue half of the neighborhood, a short walk from El Camino. The California Avenue Caltrain station is roughly a mile east, across El Camino Real and through the California Avenue district. VTA Route 22 and Rapid 522 run along El Camino Real.
Street parking in College Terrace is tight. The residents' association regularly weighs in on parking rules and Stanford's campus plans, which tells you how scarce spaces can be. If you drive, read the signs. A bike is easier.
What is nearby
California Avenue west of El Camino Real runs along the edge of Stanford Research Park, the office district where Hewlett-Packard, Xerox PARC and many others have worked. Our guide to where to eat near the Research Park covers weekday lunch options.
Across El Camino Real, the restaurants and Sunday farmers market of the California Avenue district are a short walk away. To the north, Stanford Avenue leads west to the Stanford Gate of the Dish loop at Junipero Serra Boulevard. After a set at Weisshaar, a lap of the Dish makes a full morning of exercise.
Frequently asked questions
Does Weisshaar Park have tennis courts?
Yes, two public tennis courts. The College Terrace Residents' Association says they were resurfaced in 2016. They are free and work on a first come, first served basis unless the Palo Alto Tennis Club, a school or a USTA match has reserved them.
Can I reserve the Weisshaar Park tennis courts?
Not as an individual. The city lets only the Palo Alto Tennis Club, Palo Alto schools and USTA tournament or match play reserve city tennis courts. Everyone else plays under the rules posted at the court.
Who was Frederick Weisshaar?
A German immigrant who, with Peter Spacher, bought about 120 acres beside the future Stanford campus in 1870. They refused to sell to Leland Stanford and in 1887 sold to Alexander Gordon, who laid out College Terrace. Wikipedia also describes Weisshaar as Mayfield's first treasurer.
Does Weisshaar Park have a playground?
The residents' association lists tennis courts, a lawn and a picnic table here, not a playground. For play equipment, walk to Werry Park across College Avenue or Cameron Park on Wellesley Street.
Are the Weisshaar Park courts lit at night?
We found no record of court lights. Posted hours on the city's page are sunrise to sunset and the municipal code sets a 10:30 p.m. closing, so plan on daylight play.