This is a beautiful little park tucked in to a Capistrano Beach neighborhood, which offers some…read morepretty special views of Dana Point and the ocean. On the beautiful day that we went, the ocean had these awesome multicolored azure hues like a tropical island. It's also a dynamite park to have a picnic, with plenty of shade and lots of grass. It's also great for little kids with plenty of space to run around and some low trees that are fun for them to climb. We enjoyed a great little picnic here after getting some poke for Kawamata Seafood! Five stars

This is a pretty cool part to stop at when in the area. It has nice views on an elevated cliff. If…read moreyou want some spectacular views go to Laguna Beach and Crystal Cove.

Lantern Bay Park is an absolutely beautiful park overlooking the Dana Point Harbor and right across…read morefrom the Cliffs By Marriott Hotel. The views are stunning and there is a ton of space. They have some nice picnic benches, a playground, public restrooms, and a great wide open space. Today I saw many picnics, flying kits, people playing with their dogs and enjoying the beautiful summer weather. In addition to a wonderful open space, they also have free street parking as well as a free parking lot!

This is a huge park which intersects the Laguna Cliffs Marriott with the rest of Dana Point. It's…read morefun to hang out and it's nice and shady from the trees. Dogs are welcome to hang with a beautiful view of the harbor.

We came to this park specifically for the splash pad. It's open from Memorial Day to Labor Day…read more It's a long park. Just keep driving on till you see the signs for the playground and splash pad. The splash pad has smaller splashers on one end good for younger kids and bigger slashers more in the middle and the other end. I was worried about my toddler going under the buckets because the water comes down with pretty heavy force. My kid accidentally went under it and he shockingly didn't get splatted down. It's convenient that the playground is right next to the splash pad. The kids had a great time and my son has asked to come back already. We didn't have issues with parking mid week but I can imagine it may be tight on the weekend.

Crown Valley Park has evolved over the past 30 years. What was once a simple building with a basic…read moregym has transformed into the modern age with updates that were needed. The summers are filled with summer concerts that allow families to come together and the community to enjoy music, foods from foos trucks. Fall welcomes the halloween haunts where kids make memories that last a life time. I really love hidden spots in the botanical gardens for flower lovers like me can go and just enjoy mother nature. The added butterfly garden and its butterfly chairs make it more special. The soccer fields are filled with kids and adults playing sports. The community center adds that final touch with rooms that can be rented for special events, meetings, and downstairs is access to the heated pool. 5/5 I have attended a few private events at the community center and its a great addition to the area.

Beautiful views and never too crowded (except 4th of July, stay away. lol). Head to the Laguna…read moreCliffs resort for a cocktail before or after!

Great neighborhood park with lots of street parking. It doesn't get too busy and has plenty of…read morestuff for kids to play on, lots of flat grass, basketball courts, 2 play structures, swings, picnic tables and grills.

We hit up Vista Hermosa Sports Park recently, and I've got to say--it checked all the boxes for a…read moresolid family outing where everyone leaves tired and happy (which, let's be honest, is the goal). Courtney's Sandcastle Playground: This place is a gem. It's gated (HALLELUJAH), shaded, and inclusive, which means every kid can enjoy it. My littles were obsessed with the pirate ship and musical areas, while my older two found enough to climb, spin, and race on to keep them out of each other's business. Bonus: there's a splash pad section for warmer days, and YES--there are actual bathrooms inside the play area. Moms, you know why that matters. Sports Fields Galore: If you've got kids in sports--or kids who just think they're in the Olympics--this park has huge open fields, soccer goals, and space to sprint until they collapse. We brought a ball, and suddenly everyone forgot they were "too hot" or "too tired" to play. Magic. Walking Trail: There's a nice little loop path, perfect if you've got a stroller crew or you're pretending you're getting your steps in while bribing toddlers with snacks. Aquatics Center Right There: We didn't do the pool this time, but the Aquatics Center is literally steps away. So this spot could easily turn into a full day outing if you're feeling brave (or caffeinated enough). Parking & Setup: Easy parking, tons of grassy space for picnics, and plenty of shade for those of us who are just there to supervise and hand out snacks. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. It's a rare combo of being actually fun for the kids and not a total sensory overload for me. If you're looking for a place that wears your kids out without wearing you down, Vista Hermosa is it.

I love that they have the splash pad and pool here. It's located right beside the playground. It…read morewas open from 1-3 with a 10 min break. It cost money to go in so I would have liked to know it was for 2hrs when I paid. Outside of that I would go back.

Took my 9 year old nephew to this park. We were wasting time before our big Disneyland trip the…read morenext day. I actually found it on Yelp. It was a Tuesday afternoon around 3pm. We easily found street parking. Could be a problem I guess on busy times. I love the soft foam cushion surface. Very colorful and had some "nice modern twist " of old fashioned regular play ground activities. I love that most if not all the children were being watched by parents, grandparents etc. my nephew loved the big slides and rock climbing mountain. I got so much joy from watching all the kids play. Nice seeing them be kids instead of playing video games.

Hands down our favorite playground! Has something for all ages! Mom and baby swings, reg baby…read moreswings, and larger swings! Brought my baby here every day to learn how to walk since it has such a huge padded area. It's handicap accessible. There's a decent amount of shade. Plenty of parking. A water refill. A restroom. The only thing it's missing are sprinklers lol. Love all the different slides, the tree you can climb into, the rock tunnel, everything!

I walk to Costeau Park on most days and spend a few minutes sitting there. Over the years, this…read morepark has been fairly well maintained, but the traffic noise from Alicia Parkway and the 405 freeway is very loud. The sod "baseball diamond" has had the grass removed and has been surfaced with red clay soil. There are no bases and I have never seen anyone playing real baseball or softball there. I think it is a waste of space and should have been left grassy. Dog owners are generally responsible and dog waste bags are provided. Many parents come with small children who use the playground area. As well, the basketball court gets frequent use. Overall, it is a decently maintained area for a short visit.

This park is deteriorating. Nobody cleans it, the trees are over grown and uneven surface.read more

Newly renovated park!!!…read more It's a tot lot. Gated. Perfect when you have multiple kids! It's a little tricky to find. It's up on a hill with a great view of Aliso Viejo and surrounding cities. It is half rubber foam and half sand in the playground. There is not a big area for just sand play but enough to bring a few sand toys. Nicely shaded. Beautiful view. There is 2 slides. No swings. No bathrooms. Just FYI. Bring your own portable potties MOMS!

The other reviews are right on…read more Fenced and gated. For smaller kids. It's marked ages 5 to 12 on the equipment, but most of the equipment is really ages 2 to 7. Only a couple of larger elements of the climbing structure are for older kids. It's really right to call this a "Tot Lot." The day we were there, there were several smaller kids with family/nannies. The kids interacted with each other more than we've seen at other parks. There was much sharing of toys, dolls, etc. A great place for the little ones. (For older ones, consider Canyon View/Canyon Vista Park.)