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    CSUN Pond

    4.7 (88 reviews)

    CSUN Pond Photos

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    Garden area of the CSUN pond.
    Anvar R.

    Excellent and clean place to relax and unwind after a long day of studying. Everything is well maintained, lots of seating areas, and an overall relaxing environment.

    Turtles  hanging out
    Ane V.

    I didn't know about this lovely pond inside CSUN until I changed my walking route. They have plenty of turtles, ducks, ducks with ducklings and koi fish. It is a good place to rest and watch the animals. As well as the families spending quality time with their kids. They have an orange groove nearby too. And when you walk around the campus, it is so nice to see the Cherries when in bloom.

    Monica R.

    Guys, do you know this place already? I discovered not long time and I went for the first time today. It is a hidden gem in our neighborhood. Perfect place to grab two chairs, your coffee and enjoy the peaceful vibe of the place. Really nice the university has a place like this for everyone. Just don't give food for ducks.

    Walk paths and and astronomy observatory at the CSUN Orange Grove Botanical Garden and Duck (and turtle) Pond
    Dena G.

    Even in the city, there are places to get away to tranquility, nature, and water. CSUN's duck pond, located near the orange groves off of Nordhoff and Lindley, is beautiful, pastoral, and a perfect escape from the hubbub of day-to-day life. The duck pond is large with tons of ducks, geese, and a huge family of turtles. The turtles must have just hatched new baby turtles because there are so many that it's impossible to even count them. The duck pond boasts small waterfalls, winding walk paths, rows upon rows of orange groves,and even an astronomy observatory. I do not know if the observatory is open to the public; I will need to research it and then update the review. There are benches to sit on, grass, and plenty of space to have peace and quiet and watch the ducks swim. The duck pond is beautifully manicured, and it's a lovely spot to quietly read, write, or even have a sweet little picnic. This is a very pretty spot for dogs and children too. Parking can be a bit challenging. You may have to walk a block or two, find one of CSUN's metered lots, or pay for one of CSUN's visitor lots. However, it's worth it. For years now, this is been one of my favorite getaways for an afternoon. It's one of the valley's hidden gems.

    CSUN Duck and TurtLe Pond
    Amber G.

    I took my kids here on a Wednesday after they got out of schooL. This was our first time here. I was surprised to see so many turtLes. It wasn't crowded at aLL. And the weather was nice. I beLieve I paid $2 for parking. It's a nice hidden gem in the VaLLey.

    Lena S.

    My husband and I stumbled upon this beautiful pond while walking our dog around CSUN one day and fell in love with it! We now come here often and just enjoy time walking around and seeing the turtles and ducks. The pond is packed with turtles and they love to swim up to you when you walk up to the pond. It's very tranquil and peaceful. The pond is surrounded by orange trees, which makes it even more beautiful.

    A K.

    Probably my favorite mini retreat within civilization's concrete jungle! Peaceful swatch of joy nestled within CSUN. Hosting a tranquil orange grove and pond filled with ducks and turtles. Today was a special treat! A bird I haven't ever seen here in the past 3 years.

    Rashmi V.

    Love, Love, Love the CSUN Pond. I've heard about this place but never had the opportunity to go until last week and I'm sooo happy. The duck pond is so cute, lovely beautiful ducks with cute little turtles swimming happily waiting for you to feed them. They even have a duck feeder that you can purchase food from. The pond overall is just a nice beautiful habitat, my son had a great time looking at the ducks and feeding them. We even saw a cute lil bunny rabbit that was playing with my son, my son kept chasing after it and the bunny would stop and than run away as he would get closer it was too cute, wish I had my camera rolling. Overall the CSUN pond is a great place to come and relax and have fun feeding the ducks.

    CSUN pond - come here daffy duck!
    Daniel L.

    Awesome relaxing place set amidst the orange trees grove on campus, a little further past the bookstore complex if you keep walking until you see the oranges on the ground and the orange trees. Turtles! Ducks! Aggressive duck approaching a girl trying to get her sandwich! It has everything you need.

    Can't we all just get along like the ducks in the turtles
    Richard L.

    If you like turtles and ducks this is the place to go pond at the north end of the valley. It is on CSUN campus, there is a parking meter location right near the pond and the botanical garden. It's all free except for the Parking (:

    He's taking an orange, I don't think this is allowed but here it is
    Nathan N.

    I had a lot of memories out here that take me back to the summer after my 9th grade when a large group of kids from my class decided we all wanted to skip Pre-Calculus in high school by taking it at CSUN. So suffer we did, bonding over doing math over the summer but also goofing around for a good portion of the afternoon after finishing our homework. I grew much closer to several of my classmates in the process, exploring the campus with them as a herd and learning about them on a deeper level. We often came down here to this pond to see the ducks and turtles. Back during this time, you could buy duck feed (I think) with quarters and feed the ducks. The most recent time I visited, however, I don't think I could find this duck feed vending machine so I'm not sure if it was removed or if I'm just getting senile. The pond is kind of smack dab in the middle of the orange grove so you can be like my friend Adam and steal some oranges. Or you could be like me and safely enjoy the daily lives of the turtle and duck families. I'm not quite sure who takes care of these animals or if they even need to be taken care of.

    Jonas A.

    The pond is located right in the middle of the orange grove on campus, immediately adjacent to the Orange Grove Bistro. There isn't any natural shade at the pond, so you'll probably have the most enjoyable experience if you come early or late in the day. It's a serene spot, so bring a book and kick back.

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    Very cool place .My daughter made me aware of it. They have so many turtles, it's fun to watch

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - CSUN Pond

    Can you fish here?

    No you can't

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    Review Highlights - CSUN Pond

    The orange grove is a small haven of nature, surrounded by frat boys trying to score some old school FourLoko.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Elysian Park

    Elysian Park

    4.1(236 reviews)
    20.0 miElysian Park

    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!

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    Elysian Park - My dad and SherpaRon

    My dad and SherpaRon

    Elysian Park
    Elysian Park

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    Echo Park Lake - beautiful at night

    Echo Park Lake

    4.3(596 reviews)
    19.3 miEcho Park

    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.

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    Echo Park Lake - ABC7 Community Reunion IG: @ammysalamii

    ABC7 Community Reunion IG: @ammysalamii

    Echo Park Lake - Swan Boats

    Swan Boats

    Echo Park Lake - Fountain view from swan boat

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    Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens - The former residence of Oscar nominated film director, Busby Berkeley.

    Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens

    4.5(117 reviews)
    18.6 miJefferson Park

    I've wanted to go here for a very long time and since it was so nice over the weekend, we finally…read moreremembered and went. It used to be free but it's $6 per person and you have to park on the street, but no big deal here . . . yet. Our group of 3 walks up along with another person and we try to check in with 2 men at a table. One older gray haired man tells us the tour already started. I'm completely confused and look at my watch, and say, "it's only 3 minutes after the start time." Then he says, "We were looking for you!" I said, "Well, you weren't looking very hard because here we all are checking in at the start of the tour." After he checks us in, I ask if we can sprint to catch up to the tour and he says yes. I lean into the doorway and see the rest of the tour - 4 other women right there. So half the tour was 3 minutes "late" and they decided to start, weird but moving on. The woman leading the tour was really quite lovely and I wasn't expecting the house to be so amazing since I was focused on the garden part but I really loved learning about the house and original inhabitants. We are asked several times if we want to join the meditation but I'm getting culty vibes and we keep politely declining. Once we are outside, we are asked again if we would like to join the meditation and now the gray haired man is with us again and I said, "No, we really just wanted to see the gardens." At this point he says, "Oh the gardens are closed." I'm completely confused again and said, "What? But that's why we came-- to see the gardens & labyrinth." He then says, "Oh! well the labyrinth is open but the gardens are closed." At this point I think they asked us to join the meditation again. I asked when they expected them to be opened and the response was June of this year, maybe because there have been a lot of delays. Again, weird, but okay we just want to walk the labyrinth. There were a couple of other women walking it and then our group of three joined too. I'm halfway thru it and I look up and see the gray haired man STARING at us - which included 3 preteens/teens in halter tops posing and taking pix - and I was so incredibly creeped out. I had no idea what to do, cross the labyrinth? ask him what he is staring at? I came to this place to ground and do something calming and now I have a man staring at me and other women but since everyone else was looking down or at their phone, they didn't notice so I didn't want to disrupt THEIR experience. Eventually he went away, to join the meditation I guess. We finished the labyrinth and left. It was only $6 but since it didn't mention the gardens were closed on the website or ticket, I am asking for a refund. Would I go again when the gardens are open? Yes. Would I recommend to others? Yes. Would I advise against it as a single woman? Also yes. I will update if they refund us or not.

    A spiritual center and meditation garden in Jefferson Park, it's off the beaten path for many…read moretourist things in Los Angeles but convenient if doing something around USC. It's hard to miss when driving but if you have a reservation you can park in their lot. Visiting days are Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and you have to pre-book. The entrance ticket includes a short tour showing part of the downstairs house and after guests can walk around the meditation garden with the Labyrinth. I thought it was peaceful and calm, it was like a very small version of Self-Realization as there were grassy areas and benches to sit and relax and meditate. I appreciated the fountains because the sound of running water is so calming.

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    Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens - Fountains

    Fountains

    Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens - Beautiful gardens

    Beautiful gardens

    Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens - Enjoy the peace that is present

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    Pan Pacific Park - sammies and the park.

    Pan Pacific Park

    3.8(200 reviews)
    15.2 miFairfax

    It was a decent park. Has lots of space for kids and pets. I wouldn't say this is a great place for…read morea picnic though. But it has a playground and a large walking area. Plus it's right next to the Grove!

    I really wanted to like Pan Pacific Park because the location is honestly prime. It's right next to…read moreThe Grove, there's always energy, and on the surface it feels like one of those iconic LA parks that should be thriving. But the second you actually spend time here, especially on a weekend, it turns into something completely different and honestly pretty disturbing. The park gets insanely packed, which already makes everything feel chaotic, but the real issue is the condition of the facilities. The restrooms are beyond unacceptable. Not just "oh it's a public park" bad, but genuinely shocking, like something that makes you stop and question how this is even allowed to stay open. I'm talking about conditions that feel neglected to the point where it's uncomfortable just being nearby, let alone going inside. I went into two different restrooms thinking maybe one was just unlucky... nope, both were equally disgusting. I'll be posting pictures because it honestly doesn't feel believable otherwise. It gives off this weird in-between vibe where you don't know if you're at a city park or some kind of neglected shelter space, and that's not something anyone should feel at a place like this. What really made it worse for me is walking into the recreation building with the basketball and volleyball courts and realizing it's the same story inside. Worn down, under-maintained, and just lacking any sense that the city is actually investing in it. Meanwhile, you literally have the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust right there being renovated and cared for, which just makes the contrast even more frustrating. How is that level of attention happening on one side, but the actual park people use daily feels ignored? It's honestly disappointing because this place has so much potential. The location alone should make it one of the best parks in LA, but instead it feels like it's being left behind. I hate to say it, but I probably won't be coming back. There are just too many other parks where you don't have to deal with this level of neglect.

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    Pan Pacific Park - No fear!

    No fear!

    Pan Pacific Park - Better than sizzler

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    The Japanese Garden

    The Japanese Garden

    4.1(406 reviews)
    4.9 miSepulveda Basin

    The Japanese Garden in the Sepulveda Basin is such a beautiful oasis in the Valley, especially in…read morean area that can get so hot. It feels peaceful, well cared for, and instantly calming the moment you walk in. There is a small $5 admission fee, which honestly feels completely worth it, especially because it clearly helps keep the grounds so clean, beautiful, and well maintained. I brought my parents here while they were visiting, and they absolutely loved it. If you're lucky enough to visit during the right season, you may even catch the cherry blossoms, which make the whole experience even more special. There is also plenty of parking on site, which makes visiting easy. One thing to keep in mind is that they are closed on Sundays. Also, if you have extra time, Sepulveda Basin Lake is nearby and worth checking out as well. A lovely, serene spot that feels like a hidden gem in the Valley.

    The gardens are beautifully maintained with koi ponds, little bridges, stone lanterns, and…read moreperfectly trimmed bonsai. Everything feels intentional and peaceful. I went on a weekday afternoon and it was super quiet, which made it even better for just slowing down and wandering. There are plenty of benches to sit and take it all in, and the sound of the water alone is enough to lower your blood pressure. It's not huge, but that's part of the charm. You can take your time and really appreciate the details without feeling rushed. I also appreciated how clean everything was and you can tell they put a lot of care into maintaining the space.

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    The Japanese Garden
    The Japanese Garden
    The Japanese Garden

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    CSUN Pond - parks - Updated May 2026

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