This might be the most depressing and one of the most disgusting parks I've ever seen. Even just…read morewalking by, it smells like feces. There is an extremely uninviting metal gate around it with a keypad. I'm sure it serves a purpose, but if you need that, maybe a park isn't what's needed right here. The inside of the park could use a lot of TLC. There was just one person sleeping in it when I passed; no one else utilizing it - and it's a lovely day. There's also a bunch of temporary fencing inside the park. Not a place I want to sit down with my cup of tea. 2026: 31/100

This park used to be lovely, a great place to sit and read a book or to take kids to play, until…read moreall these entitled dog owners started showing up and letting the dogs run off leash. People were jumped on, attacked by big dogs. Though the park closed at 5, dog owners would show up with bolt cutters to break the lock and let their dogs in whenever they wanted. It's made it unclean and dangerous and no longer a place for people to visit and enjoy. In the last year or so, a deceased dog was found inside. As for the complaints that there's dangerous things inside for dogs like concrete and bench bars - yeah, it's because it's not meant to be a dog park.

I've been comin here for years playing dodgeball. I've always had a good relationship with the…read morestaff here. Now I take my kid here to play at the revamped and amazing park. Huge maze/climbing fortress that leads to a super slide. Clean and well kept. Plenty of parking. I'm a little big for the slide but I still rocked it just to prove to myself that I am not getting older and I can handle anything. I don't even think I aged that much in the last few years. Thank you

**Rating my experience with a toddler*…read more This is a new park that just opened in the Highland Park area. It's a real gem and my toddler son loved playing here with his friends. There's a big play structure for the kids aged 5 and up, and a smaller play area for under 5. My 4 year old loved playing in the big structure and going down the big blue tube slide. Some children may be hesitant going down the slide, and if so, you'd have to climb all the way down as there's not alternative slide. It could get a bit crowded if there's too many kids in the structure, so parents be forewarned and keep your eyes on your children if they need help while in the structure. There's a good handful of swings, ranging from regular swings to double swings to a round swing where 5 kids can go at the same time! Super fun! The grounds are also all rubber and no sand, which was a bit of a bummer as my child likes to play in the sand. There also a large basketball court next to the playground, and the recreational center next to the courts. We went on a Sunday and the center was closed, so unfortunately we couldn't access the bathrooms. Lots of street parking, but it can probably fill up fast during the popular months.

Stopped by to try a new park to play at and was surprised I didn't notice it before. There's a…read moresmall playground, swings, a basketball court and an indoor court as well. I had to leave soon when I noticed a couple sitting off on the side smoking cigarettes who refused to stop smoking after being made aware of the no smoking sign on the playground. It appears many families come through this location on Sundays so it's a great place to hang out, have some lunch with your kiddo. Just wished it was more regulated to keep the smoking away.

Reviewing only the kids playground: I bring my 1yo baby girl…read morehere. She loves it. Soft floor (no sand). It's a small area compared to a park playground but SO convenient if you live nearby. It's a bit bigger than the Arts Disctric Park. Lots of parking meter parking (don't forget to bring your card or coins for parking like I did!). Tip: if you want to avoid the crowd, come in the morning until around 1pm. After 2pm it's full of toddlers lol I think there's a school nearby?

Ferndell Trail is one of those spots that feels like a quiet little escape without having to go too…read morefar out of the city. It's shaded, peaceful, and has that tucked-away forest vibe that's honestly hard to find in LA. Parking is free along the entrance streets, which already makes it feel more accessible and low-stress to visit. I'd recommend taking the east trail if you're trying to get to the top--it's a bit easier and shorter, especially if you just want a steady, enjoyable walk without overdoing it. It's not a super intense hike, more of a gentle reset kind of place. Perfect if you want to clear your head, get some fresh air, and not feel rushed. Especially if you take the east trail at a steady pace 30-40 minutes. (look on Google Maps it'll show you or alltrails). Definitely one of those go-to spots when you just need a breather.

I hadn't walked this pleasant shaded path in years and was happy that I came back. This is a great…read moreplace to take children as it looks like an enchanted forest which they will surely appreciate. There are restrooms were the playground is located just north of the end of the trail. Free parking is available along the street and if they are full you can park across from the playground in a big parking lot. Hungry? There's Trails Cafe in the same area.

Gorgeous spot to have a nice dirt path hike through to catch a sunset and some cool views of the…read moreDTLA landscape. The air up there is nice and it's not too windy or anything. Depending on the amount of people up there, it can be calm and surreal enough to make for a good picnic to watch the sky and enjoy the sights. My friend and I didn't walk too far down the dirt path as we parked near the Elysian Park sign. We only walked straight to the large concrete displays with grafitti on them. We both enjoyed our experience here so much and took note of the type of shoes we need to wear next time! Would definitely want to explore back here again!

Elysian Park is one of my favorite hikes/runs right outside of downtown LA, right by Dodger…read moreStadium. Pro tip: Do the hike counterclockwise. When Dodger Stadium is behind you and you face the mountain, start counterclockwise--trust me, you'll thank me. On the way back, you'll enjoy a gorgeous downtown view. At the top, there's a painted seating area where you can rest and soak it all in. A couple of things that could be better: It's a dirt/sand path, so wear shoes you don't mind getting dusty--unless you want to spend each day cleaning them. It's usually around 6,000 steps for me--though that varies--and roughly 400 calories burned (but don't quote me on that!). Overall, it's about a 45-minute hike/jog with ups and downs--just enough to get your heart going, and then you can treat yourself to a city-state after. Pretty good overall--highly recommend it!

Quite a lot of steps…read more.. There are accessible paths, but I was surprised by the sheer number of steps (when coming from Grand). If I were the designer, I might have picked more paths just from a liability perspective? Nice water fixtures in the park. It was pretty quiet when i was there on the weekend morning. I did see some folks tending to the landscaping and cleaning while I was there, so I'm happy it's well maintained. I've heard about events being held there in the past, but I've never attended, as parking seems like it would be a bit of a nightmare. 2026: 20/100

I've been going to Grand Park since its grand opening in 2012. That day I remember seeing actress…read moreDebbie Allen who I knew from the TV shows "Fame" and "Grey's Anatomy". They were also handing out flyers for Cirque du Soleil which we ended up going to. Since then, I've been to several other events including New Year's celebrations and protests in front of City Hall which is right next to the park. For New Year's, they project animated lights on City Hall leading up to the countdown turning the tower into a huge clock. Meanwhile DJs, live music, and food trucks keep everyone entertained. Once the clock strikes midnight, fireworks start going off and the grand finale tends to be a crowd pleaser. The event itself is well organized and safe with areas gated off so security checks can be made and there are plenty of Porta Potties lined up knowing that the onsite Starbucks wouldn't have enough toilets. However, it's the leaving that's an issue. Since everything is gated off, it leads to a bottleneck and people crammed shoulder to shoulder marching slowly off like cows being herded. I wish they would take down the gates as soon as the event is over to make exiting quicker and more efficient. Parking in the garages is even worse. The wait to leave takes as long as it took to get out of Grand Park itself. The issue of leaving is bad enough for me to swear off ever going again. Both Grand Park's benefit and flaw is that it's more of an open space than a regular park dotted with trees. The benefit is that is does allow for large gatherings like those for New Year's and protests. The flaw is that if you want to just lay out a blanket and lay under a tree, you're regulated to the edges where those trees are lined. Most recently, I went to a public planting of a Miyawaki Forest, which is a small space consisting of various native plants. Prior to the planting, Native Americans were invited to speak, do blessings, and perform traditional dances. It was both entertaining and informative. There's also something satisfying about knowing that I can now visit the park and visit the 2 plants I had planted and see how they've grown. The event itself went smoothly, but I overheard a couple of people who worked on the event say that it was a lot of work. They did a good job since they made it look easy. At this point, Grand Park has been a big part of my life from moments of celebration to moments of unrest. The park's motto is "The park for everyone" and in all the years that I've been coming here, it has proven to be just that.

If I could give this place more than five stars, I would. I'm in love--there's really no other way…read moreto describe how I feel about Echo Park Lake. Seriously, how can any place be this breathtaking? This little slice of paradise is teeming with wildlife--birds of all kinds gliding across the water, turtles basking in the sun--it feels alive in the most peaceful way. Everything is so lush and green, and that iconic fountain in the middle of the lake? Absolute chef's kiss. Then there's the boathouse, the palm trees swaying around you... it almost feels unreal, like you've stepped into a dreamy escape right in the middle of the city. What I love most is that every corner has its own charm. There are plenty of benches where you can just sit and be, and no matter where you land, the view feels different but equally beautiful. You'll never get bored here. Whether you're in the mood to linger, take a slow walk, go for a run, or paddle around on one of the swan boats, this place meets you exactly where you are. It's peaceful, it's vibrant, it's everything. Honestly, it just feels like heaven. And surprisingly, there's plenty of street parking--which somehow makes this whole experience even better.

I think this is a great park just outside of downtown. The man made pond is beautiful, teeming with…read morewildlife - especially turtles. There is a great paved path around it for walking/running. Plenty of shade and benches along the pond. There are always a lot of people but you can find street parking - I have every time. The views are GREAT! Really lovely to see downtown LA behind the pond. The only word of caution I have is there is a pack of geese that do get protective in one area. I was afraid to walk past them because they are aggressive, but I made it out without getting goosed.

Need a respite from the hustle and bustle of Chinatown??…read more This is a great pocket park right behind the Los Angeles Public Library in Chinatown. The park is sandwiched between the Library and the surrounding apartments. It opened in July of 2021. I think it suits this area nicely! Ord St & Yale St change street names at the "L" curve in the road. Street parking is kind of scarce. There are meters in front of the library or you can attempt to find other street parking of which I'm not sure if they were metered or not. The first thing I noticed was the long set of stairs going up the hill because they were colorful and had a design on them (Chevron pointing upward). There are quotes on the landings between the steps and the steps have letters on them spelling out: Believe, Commit, Achieve, Release. The staircase is called Heavenly Stairs. There are a total of 147 steps. When you reach the top, there is a "Congratulations" sticker on the landing! The main entrance is called the Moongate Entry. Only steps lead up to the gate. You can use the ramp to enter a side gate into the park. Head toward the stairs, the gate is just before the stairs begin. This park has three tiers. The entry level is called the Lotus Plaza and has a succulent garden with a small waterfall, succulents, and an amphitheater where you can gather in groups. Then you can walk up the Dragon Walk (ramp) to get to the second level. Here is where you can enjoy the play areas, some exercise equipment, restrooms, and picnic area. It's a great place for young and old to hang out. There's a Bamboo Garden which is really small right now, but it won't take long for them to fill in! The uppermost level is the Heavenly Garden. There are a few pieces of exercise equipment and a lantern tower. You can exit the gate here to walk on the steps. If you go up, you will hit Hill Pl. If you go down, you will end up at Ord/Yale Street. This is not a grassy type of park. In fact, all the living greenery is where you cannot walk. There are trees, succulents and bamboo. The playground has a green covering, but that's not grass. It would be nice to have some grass to either walk on or sit on if you wanted to read a book or have a picnic. Other than for the lack of grass, I love this park! I wished there was one like this near me! I definitely recommend coming here to add some Zen or exercise to your day!!

I was visiting Chinatown and just finished eating at Pablito's World down the street from this cute…read morepocket park! It's definitely a hidden and zen and newer park in Chinatown. They put a lot of thought into the energy they want to bring to local residents and visitors like me! It was very clean and had a table, water fountain and exercise equipments. I know the playground is designed for 5-12 year olds but I had fun on the rock climbing wall :) I would definitely come back here again!

A somewhat up kept small walk-through park for all…read more While there are plenty of places to kick back, read a book, stroll your pets, play with your kids and enjoy some greenery in the DTLA jungle... the entire park smells of so many things that aren't always pleasing to the pallet... mainly an abundance of dogs and various liquids from the human body (urine). I haven't had the joy to encountered much security here when the park is open... which mainly seems to be weekends and a small portion of the day during week days... but definitely sounds like no one would want to greet them/him... enter with nose caution.

Spring Street Park is a DTLA dog caregivers Dream space It's is a perfect place for fellow dog…read morecaregivers to connect and our four footed friends to socialize. Be mindful some people do not keep their dogs on a leash there.

The good: There are a lot of cool-looking fowls/ducks here…read more There's a skate park, great fall foliage colors in the tree-island area, a lot of public benches, a theater/stage space, a huge playground for kids, and a lot of grassy areas. I think the park itself is very pretty but some of the patrons there look a little bit seedy. So, like many places in LA, it's nice but less nice because of the homeless and trash hanging out. We found free parking along the streets outside of the park. The park's very big and semi-hilly. I liked that the playground was enclosed so kids could play more freely without you fearing they'll run into the lake. I saw lots of people feed the ducks but wasn't sure if this was allowed. The bad: There was profane graffiti on the wall by the playground. Someone painted the turtle statue's eyes red and it looks like it's bleeding. My toddler was concerned. The interesting: There was an ice cream truck here that was massive and served soft-serve ice cream. It was great!

Park is okay. There's a playground for kids ( dont really recommended it for toddlers in my…read moreopinion). There are trees and benches for picnics. There's a walking path along the pond. The bathrooms are okay,very dim and sometimes unhygienic. It did make me nervous the first time I used it but I like that the locks work. No area to change toddlers,again not a toddler/family friendly area ( changing tables/ family restrooms like the parks in Northern California). Park parking lot closes around 4:30-5 pm so it's suggested to park on the street if you're going to do evening walks/runs. Tons of people walking/exercising, saw some folks fishing ( not sure it's edible but maybe just for fun), napping and having picnics under trees. There are ducks so the grass area contains poop the closer you are to the pond. Small bit of littering and trash on the ground. Lots of hills/slopes and some stairs. There is a workout area with equipment. Homeless encampment near playground area. Street vendors with fruit,water, elotes,etc.