If I could give this place more than five stars, I would. I'm in love--there's really no other way to 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. read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I think this is a great park just outside of downtown. The man made pond is beautiful, teeming with wildlife - 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. read more

Love this place it's amazing. The only thing that sucks is the staff that clean the bathrooms. It takes two people to clean them and they're still as shitty as when they started cleaning. The cleaning staff are perverts and they like to open locked door while women are still using them. Excusing their behavior by saying they didn't hear you. They don't take responsibility for their actions and they get rude with you for bringing it up. read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've come here a few times with friends just to stroll around or relax by the water, and it's always such a pretty, chill spot. If you want something extra cute to do, definitely ride the swan boats! They're fun and honestly such a cute date idea or a great activity with friends/family. Such an easy, feel-good place to hang out. read more

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I grew up in Los Angeles all my life and from my recent visit back at this park, it was alright. I don't go out of my way to come here unless I'm showing someone around LA. In my opinion the best part to this lake is the swan boats to have fun or go on an activity date. Oh, and if you love geese, ducks, or turtles you can find them here. That's about it. But still this lake park is pretty symbolic to Los Angeles and has been the scenery for a lot of film production. I came to do some dog training on the field during the evening. It is a big park. The grass has a lot of dry spots but it's not the worst. This park is way too dark at night. I think there needs to be lighting everywhere. The lake is dirty and the actual walking path still has a lot of trash. But I applaud the efforts taken to clean up the place because this park was a huge dump with the homeless and covid issues so it's better than it was. Echo park has since lost its charm for me and would only come back for the swan boats. Street parking is annoying and had to circle around many times. read more

Echo Park Lake - Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I went here to explore the tourist spot and do the pedaling swan activation that takes place on the water with my cousins and brother. Really fun! Worth the time! Just be watchful of the fountain and be sure to wear clothes that u do not care about getting wet. the staff is not tooo helpful with getting you up from the baby swan boat because they too do not want to get ... so, if you are daring and decide to go in the sprinkling water, please note that lolol ...really pretty place to walk around if you are looking at the nature, too. small park, but lots to appreciate :) lots of fruit vendors that require cash to pay, so I would also recommend that you bring cash and card as the eateries around may only take one of the choices. I took these selfies over there because lighting too good during the summertime , hehes and lols read more

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I haven't been to Echo Park Lake in over two decades. We went over the weekend for the International Decora Day and Harajuku Day. I was surprised and impressed how clean and how beautiful Echo Park Lake is There are so many different activities going on at Echo Park Lake. It was amazing to see. There are people and families having picnics, some playing music, some playing frisbee, just to name a few. They also have the swan boats for people to go and pedal in the water. I also didn't realize how huge Echo Park Lake is. There are plenty beautiful greenery surrounding the lake. We saw some turtles around the pond. The only draw back at Echo Park Lake is the parking. We drove around the lake 7 times before we found parking. read more

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I love all the lotus flowers in the lake, it makes it so lush and pretty. Many ducks, geese and other waterfowl make this small urban lake home. The walk around is short, only about a mile. But to make something longer you can explore Angelino Heights nearby with many Queen Ann Style houses or some nearby staircases. The lake is featured as Stairwalk #12 Echo Park and Victorians in Charles Fleming's Secret Stairwalk book. There's lots of grass to sit and picnic or read and bathrooms are available at the boat rental place. I think it's worth to rent a pedal boat. There isn't as much lake to explore like with the boats at Lake Balboa but it's still nice and there is a large water fountain in the middle of the lake. It's a very urban feel, the 101 is within eye distance and is loud, you can't forget you are in the middle of the city as well as the beautiful downtown skyline. read more

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"Baby, let's cruise together... It's you next to me" Cruising down Glendale Blvd, turning onto Park Avenue and finding easy parking on Echo Park Avenue, the main street for this historic part of Echo Park. We embraced a morning filled with people, animals, nature, culture, cuisine, vendors and more. The weather was just on the cusp of warming so light jackets helped a ton, but eventually the bright LA sun bathed our skin to elevated temperatures. A few nice breezes evened us out, sensible shoes definitely recommended for strolls, jogs or runs, especially after getting 6k in steps in. The park is in some pretty good shape compared to a few years ago. It's really blossoming again as a hub for locals, visitors and local adjacent. The deck with wildlife and habitat information is really nice and helpful, just watch your step and where you step as the animals love to let you know this is their home first :) A great place to have a picnic, getting in a workout at the built in park gym equipment. Watch the birds, squirrels, ducks (that we're not really supposed to feed - yet plenty of people do and if you do, feel free to try: oats, rice, seeds, sweetcorn, chopped veggies, cracked corn, peas, and lettuce as suggested for their diets - some fruits okay to in moderation). You'll see plenty of people enjoying various hobbies from art and drawing to fishing to photography to chess and checkers. The walking paths are easy to navigate with plenty of room for people coming in either direction. Playground equipment on the north side (Park Avenue) as well as restrooms. The old green bridge is closed off, has been for as long as I can remember - I believe it was built in the late 1890s a few decades after the park itself in the 1860s. The park was closed off from long periods of time in 2021 and 2022 to rebeautify and help to relocate a lot of people without homes who had made this amazing park a home during the pandemic and even before. This amazing park has been featured in films, television shows and has some beautiful statues including Lady of the Lake (Our Queen of the Angels) and the Jose Marti Monument. It's a safe place, the welcomes all and any. A great park to take in views of Los Angeles from all kinds of angles. Shooting water streaming, cool paddle boats (available 9am - 10pm, seven days of the most of the year) and plenty of shade or sun. read more

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This park is literally a History of Los Angeles and the Echo community. Would recommend this place if you trying to have a romantic place on those duck boats in the night hehe read more

Yesterday my son and I visited this breathtaking, beautiful, serene, peaceful, gorgeous Echo Park Lake. I have been living in the States for 44 years and have never even heard of this beautiful lake/park, and was my first time visiting. I felt as if I was a tourist. My son has been there once, but not me. Anyway, I don't know where and how to start my review on this lake/park. We started walking towards the lake and saw a lot of people walking their dogs, other people were jogging, fishing, there were turtles, fish, in the water. They also have many wildlife animals/birds around the lake, such as geese, ducks, swans, you can also rent a boat shaped like a swan for $13.00 an hour which is not bad at all. We didn't do it because it was getting kind of late. There were about 15 boats all lit up in the lake and looked so romantic and beautiful from a distance. I will definitely, pay them a visit next time I go there. Would love to rent the swan shaped boat. Weather was cool, slightly breezy, but not cold. It was an overcast day and thought it might rain, but thankfully it didn't. Park was somewhat clean and had few booths on the sidewalk selling jewelry and some chips, cookies and we were told that during the earlier part of the day, there are food trucks selling food. We got there at 5:30pm and still had plenty of time to walk around the lake/park and inhale the breath of fresh air and enjoy serenity. Used their bathroom which was located on both sides of the park/lake and was extremely dirty and smelly. I had no choice to use it. When you got to go, you got to go. read more

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This lake is beautiful, and the swan boats are a cheap, fun activity to do! The workers were nice in helping us get into the boats, and the views from the lake as the sun was setting were amazing! There are a lot of gnats/bugs, and i think they get attracted to the lights on the boats, which is why i docked the review one star. But, overall, very beautiful and a good experience! read more

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I want to share with you such an atmospheric place If you are in downtown Los Angeles, you should definitely visit Echopark. You can run, walk, and have a picnic with your family. You can also go boating together. It is so romantic. We just walked and relaxed after a hard day at work. read more

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You will enjoy this place in 100 %. I mostly like the view to Los Angeles huge buildings, blooming trees and peaceful lake view. read more

Echo Park Lake - I will never forget this smile. - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Surprisingly haven't been to this park before!! I've heard of it and have passed by once or twice but never actually parked to walk around. I'm part of the ABC7 Circle Community and they recently had a reunion here by the Lady of the Lake statue! Perfect excuse to visit! It was at 9am on a Saturday but boy was there no parking. They don't have a lot and it's all street/residential parking but it's downtown LA so it's almost impossible to find parking. I luckily got to squeeze into a tight spot but made it! Beautiful lake with a really cool fountain in the middle and nice view of the downtown LA buildings. LOTS of goose poop though lol. Everywhere you walk, there's poop and you can't really avoid it. It's a great spot for photos and just to walk around in general. They had a cute little bridge as well but it was closed off when we visited. Definitely worth checking out! IG: @ammysalamii read more

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Perfect place for date night, very relaxing and pretty at night although the space to paddle is relatively small. Would definitely come back though. read more

Echo Park Lake - Swan boat with LA skyline in the background - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Certainly one of the most beautiful places in L.A. as far as one that's also not as crowded. It doesn't get as many tourists and is more popular with the locals. Echo Park Lake is known for the large body of water of course along with the swan boats. Maybe the park isn't always that nice but it's usually pretty safe around it. There's lots of hipster places to drink and eat in this whole area around it, so besides the park there's other fun things just outside. Best thing about the park is the big lake. It's pretty clean water, and it has a fountain in the middle. The classic thing to do here is ride the swan boats, which get kind of expensive but are a fun thing to check out for once. Around the park are many places for chilling. There's several walking paths around the lake. Bathrooms seem to be clean. The park may not be as nice as it used to be, but it's usually not that dangerous when it's not at night. A lot to do outside the park around here. There's many cool restaurants and shops. Has lots of history and is one of the long time favorites to go to for locals. It's most convenient to get to by the bus, which goes right by it and makes a few stops just outside the park. The park, and the neighborhood, have lots of fun things. read more

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Honestly I was scared because I thought it was going be ghetto, but it was actually really nice. I was able to spend time with be whole having an amazing view and eating food when you leave. There's food trucks everywhere so when you get off you can just grab a snack and drink everything was so convenient! read more

Echo Park Lake - Daylight photo - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It was a beautiful out and I just wanted to take a walk. Echo park lake was such a nice area to walk. The birds, the turtles, the trees, the fountain and a view of the city. There were some vendors but no one hassling you to buy anything. People fishing, picnicking, working on laptops and just enjoying the day.I really enjoyed it. read more

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This has become my new favorite hang out spot! I'm a short walk away and it's tucked down in a way that you can almost escape some of the usual LA debauchery. It's very diverse in the people who come. Families, elders, couples, etc. They have Swan paddle boats that you can rent at a price per person that was pretty cheap and cheaper for kids. I want to say it was only $14 for adults but give or take 2-3$ and children were half that. It's a fun activity for an hour and also a bit of a workout. It can hold up to 4 people given your size I imagine. There's two front seats that do the foot work and a small bench behind them. It could easily fit a family of four two adults and two children or teens at the very least. People also fish here. The best part for me though is the walk around the lake itself. The walkway is nice and gives you plenty of different views. There's seating placed all around it facing the lake if you want to take breaks. The nature and lake itself are very pretty. The birds are there, mainly geese, but the great egret and green herons are my fav to see. Lots of plants and vegetation. It's also interesting to people watch if you're into that. And there's been some ice cream trucks floating around. Also super close to sunset if you want to grab a bite to eat or do some shopping. read more

Echo Park Lake - Echo park lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What can I say about Echo Park? It is beautiful, and I have been coming here for some peaceful enjoyment over the past couple of years. They cleaned up all the homeless tents, and now it's back to its normal state. I love that the park is full of vendors in case you get hungry or need to snack on something. I also love riding the swan boats; they're fun and provide a great workout. However, my favorite part is the beautiful view of downtown LA. This place feels like home to me, and I will continue visiting this park. read more

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First time visiting this park! Its a nice park but it can definitely use more maintenance from its city. The lake offers swan rentals which makes of this park a neat experience! On the lake there a-lot of geese, turtles and ducks.. I didn't see any fish but they they listed them there. There is no feeding allowed. They have a play area for children and a nice track to run and walk. They also have local vendors selling a lot of Hispanic artifacts, gold coated jewelry and delicious snacks. Bring cash if you wish to purchase from the street vendors. They seem to have nice restrooms, though I did not have a need to use them. read more

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We came for the paddle boats, and enjoyed the park itself. We didn't see anything or anyone gross or dangerous whilst we were there. We took our boat ride, then explored a bit and took pictures, and then had a picnic in the grass. There were plenty of people picnicking, walking, jogging, playing with their dogs or children. We found free parking nearby. It was a summer weekday. Nice experience. read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's a cute spot. You'll find real Angelinos, as well as transplants. Not really a big tourist spot but recommend if you're trying to explore a less touristy part of LA. read more

Echo Park Lake - Beautiful lake and ducks, fish at times - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My favorite park in LA. SO BEAUTIFUL. How did I not know about this park until 3 years of living in LA and 2 years in DTLA?? Peaceful and pretty place to walk around the lake by yourself, with a date, with your family and kids, or with friends. The views of downtown LA, lake, and palm trees... with a nice cup of tea or coffee while you're sitting on a bench surrounded by turtles in the water and ducks... it felt surreal. I love this place. read more

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This park is absolutely breathe taking, nothing like the way Hollywood portrayed in the old school movie "Mi Vida Loca" I would have give starts except for the fact that the parking is horrendous. Upside: I saw people actually enjoying the park, people having picnics and just spending time with their friends and love ones. T Their was plenty of food trucks and food carts, little small businesses under canopies. This place is a perfect place for a first picnic date, families and just taking a stroll all by yourself . read more

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Beautiful lake! Sizable enough that a walk around it feels like solid exercise. Nice landscaping and plants, and some good areas for cook outs and eating. Bathrooms were a bit gross, but otherwise a lovely spot. read more

Probably one of the best parks in Los Angeles, since they cleared out the homeless it's back to what it used to be. I appreciate taking a walk/jog around the park and even just sitting back looking at the views of the city. Time really does fly here. The weekends they have events here to do. It does get crowded so just expect that but otherwise this is a great park to enjoy on a beautiful day read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Love this place! SO much nature to enjoy. I couldn't believe how many turtles I saw! There's a great walking path around the lake, just watch out for the goose poop! This particular visit there were so many goslings it was really fun to see. Parking can be a little tricky, but I was able to find a spot along the outside of the park. The park also features a cafe and swan boat rentals! Plenty of space to lay out a blanket for a picnic and trees that provide shade. Benches are also scattered around the path so you can just sit and enjoy the scenery. Dog and kid friendly. Highly recommend taking some time to enjoy this park! It's also walking distance to a lot of really great local restaurants if you want to grab a bite after. read more

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I'm so happy! Echo Park Lake has been cleaned up again! The cafe is back up and running and has even more selections, the park feels a lot safer, I see a lot of families running around again. Echo Park Lake has been restored to its oasis-like state again! read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Spend a lot of my time at the park. Ever since the cleanup it's been extremely nice to walk around the entire park. The swan boats is open for reservation, I would recommend reserving ahead of time you might not be able to secure one especially in a nice sunny weekend. Tons of people show up and hang out. read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's not a huge lake but in a land of almost no lakes (and an NBA called the Lakers), it's pretty cool. There are a lot of ducks and huge Canadian geese that hang out here, plenty of turtles in the water bobbing their heads up and down, here and there, a huge fountain on the north side of the lake, sufficient grassy space to just hang out, and a very nice view of downtown just a few miles to the south. Parking is a drag. There is no dedicated parking lot so it's street parking for one and all. Now, the street parking is free, which is good, but you may have to drive around for a while until you find something. You can lounge on the grass, picnic, rent one of the many swan-shaped paddle boats, or walk around the lake. There are also plenty of food vendors available (mostly Mexican food but some ice cream) so you won't go hungry if you didn't bring your own grub. There are plenty of restrooms, too. During the day, a wide mix of folks come here, including lots of families with kids and it seems perfectly safe. I'm not sure if I would tempt the lake at night. And some people fish here. I know the lake has a few different kinds of fish in it but I, for one, am not daring enough to eat the fish here. I highly recommend taking one of the paddle boats out on the lake. They steer about as well as the Titanic but they are a lot of fun, especially if you have kids. Los Angeles is not always the most picturesque town but this lake is a fairly photogenic, little oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle. It should be visited and enjoyed. read more

Echo Park Lake - The big fountain in the lake. - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Really nice and cute park with a lot of ducks and turtles! But restrooms are dirty and we're occupied by homeless guys (there are also a lot of them sleeping on the grass) Good for a short walking! read more

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Park is under construction not sure how long. Half of park is inundated with leaves over water, algae, and ducks looking lost. Where is their home? I see them lined up all in protest to their wet home. Do not carry food around or ducks will follow you as people seem to be their distraction. Signs will say do not feed ducks but no one cares. They can get aggressive so stay away from feeders. Other than that it is serene walk with fountain shooting up high. A few runners around as well as random performers and definitely swan boats. Ride is cheap but definitely you will need vest. They do spray it down in case you worry. I still cannot do it given Covid times. Parking on street can be tricky. Good luck finding and if you do, spend your languid day here! read more

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Echo Park is a nice chill place to have a picnic or grab a coffee and take a walk. I have been here a few times, they used to have this fenced off, however it is now fully open. Since the fence has been removed the park is nice and clean. The workout equipment is pretty cool too, nice pull-up bar to get some extra reps in. If you like animals or just want a nice relaxing walk this is your spot. We saw a lot of adult and baby geese, turtles as well. Perfect spot to take your dog on a nice walk. Love the reopening, definitely come here on a relaxing weekend. read more

Echo Park Lake - Echo Park fountains - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The paddle boats are the main attraction here (and the foundation of my review). They are available during the day and night, which is more of a vibe with the lights lit up and the fountain operating while you ride around it. The paddle boats are good solo, on a date or with a group. Bundle up it can be cold on the water at night. read more

Echo Park Lake - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

*** Echo Park Lake has turned into a homeless encampment *** ENVIRONMENT Several of my Yelp friends have posted so many wonderful photos and written about the glory of EPL, but I feel that's all faded away. Maybe temporarily. Maybe not. What else should we do for our homeless citizens? If they don't want help, then nothing. Is it even "humane" to force them to move? Don't tell me "city regulations state that..." Okay, so then where the hell are they going to move? EPL seems like a safe haven. I want it to be a safe, quiet and enjoyable place even for folks in tents. This still doesn't make it pleasant to visit. Some people can argue all day about masks versus no masks during this COVID-19 pandemic. The greater catastrophe in my mind is homelessness and always has been. I'm just stating facts here: Homeless citizens do NOT wear masks. Not here. Not in Santa Monica. Not in Texas. Not in New Mexico. Just something for you to ponder as you sit comfortably in your heated/air conditioned home on your keyboarded iPad, with a lighted candle, a fat cat in your lap, and hot tea awaiting your consumption... SERVICE My girls and I said "pass" as soon as we drove around the whole park (2/4/21) which takes a matter of just a couple of minutes. So we didn't get out to take school pictures which are due next Tuesday as I had planned nor did we ride those cute swan boats and tell you about the service. MY FAVORITE PART... The fountain and the swan boats. NOT SO FAVORITE PART... So many tents and so much trash lying around. Maybe it's tidier at other times, but it wasn't when we took a gander. PARKING Free street parking. OVERALL It's still a very popular park. Many locals. I'm just not in a rush to go back, but maybe someday I'll ride a swan with someone (or two or more) I care about. read more

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Iconic spot full of LA history. I've been by here a million times and walked around the lake but I had never ridden the famous swan boats. We decided to go for it and it was great. You register and pay online, and they fit you with a life-jacket and put you in a paddle boat. The swans have LED lights so boating at night is super cool. Great views of downtown, fun paddling around, beautiful atmosphere. Most of all I was impressed by the overall vibe - not a ton of wild or sketchy feelings, mostly just couples and families out for a little boat ride. read more

Echo Park Lake - Great night on the swan boats! - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

So nice going up here late at night. Crisp air vibes. Nice lil place to just walk, talk, and catch up with a friend. Highly recommend read more

Echo Park Lake - walkin otw to the park! - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I typically like to take an early morning run around the Rose Bowl on the weekends, but after noticing that Echo Park Lake was part of Yelp's Local Adventure Challenge I decided it would be nice to have a change of scenery. I've been here before, but this was my first run around the park. This Historic Lake started out as a drinking water reservoir in 1868. The park and boathouse were added in 1895. In 2011 the lake was drained and a $45 million renovation began. The lake reopened in June, 2013. The park is quite beautiful and the grounds are well maintained. However, due to current conditions there are a number of homeless tents on the premises. Aside from that, it's a nice place to relax, watch the ducks, enjoy a picnic, grab a snack from a local street vendor, or take a ride in a peddle boat on the lake. The swan boats are available for rent beginning at 9 a.m. with the last booking at 9:40 p.m. You can even enjoy an Illuminated Night Ride, which start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $11 for adults, $6 for kids, and can be purchased online (5 people max per boat). The water fountain provides a great backdrop for photos as does the quaint footbridge. Or, you can snap a few pics of the turtles swimming amongst the water lilies and lotuses. Street parking is hit or miss, as it is not always easy to score a spot. After your visit head over to Carroll Ave, nearby in Angelino Heights, and check out all the cool Victorian Mansions. read more

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