The hook
Two donkeys in a Palo Alto pasture, one of whom modeled for Shrek's Donkey.
01Why it's worth it
In a small pasture in Bol Park, tucked between a suburb and a bike path, live a couple of community donkeys. One of them, Perry, has a real claim to fame: DreamWorks animators used him as the live model for Donkey in Shrek. Movie trivia aside, they're just a beloved neighborhood institution, cared for by volunteers and out to visit on weekends. It's a five-minute, free, charming stop, the kind of small delight worth knowing about precisely because it's so unassuming, and it sits right on a bike path you might already be riding.
02How to experience it
They're in Bol Park in the Barron Park neighborhood, usually out in the pasture on weekend mornings when volunteers bring them down. Check the posted rules before feeding anything; their diet is managed. It's directly on the Bol Park bike path.