It's our hood. Lots of beautiful spaces for hikes and exploration with or without a pet. The…read moreroute is pretty crowded during Dodger games so plan accordingly.

Elysian Park is one of my favorite spots to just drive around and unwind. Even though you're close…read moreto the action, it feels wonderfully peaceful and removed. The vantage points looking out over Dodger Stadium and the city are mesmerizing. Highly recommend it for a quick, scenic escape!

Unexpected little oasis in the midst of DTLA!…read more My friend & I brought breakfast to chat. It was not at all crowded on a Saturday late morning. There were people exercising, picnicking, playing sports, etc. Some squirrels are a little bold, so be careful if you have food Parking is limited in the lot, but street parking was not hard to find at all (you'll have to park on a steep hill). Will definitely be back!

This is a small park located just a bit northwest of downtown LA. There's a small parking lot…read morewhich is freeee; otherwise, you will need to find street parking, and good luck with that. The area around the park is legitimately sketchy but I didn't see any bad characters inside the park whatsoever. The park could be maintained better. The weeds are high in some areas and the grass needs watering in other locations. Having said all that, it's a nice enough little park with at least one spot for an amazing view of downtown. I have never seen the movie, "(500) Days of Summer," but some people believe the striking view of downtown with the park bench in the foreground was shown in the movie. I can't vouch for that but that particular spot is gorgeous and perfect for a photo op. You'll know the spot when you see it. Worth checking out.

The gardens weren't open (COVID restrictions?) but it is so cute! You can look down into them from…read moreabove still -- they look so peaceful! This is such a hidden gem right in the heart of LA. I look forward to coming back when they're open. They are beautiful! 2021: 24/100

Los Angeles, Little Tokyo. September 2023…read more Described both as, "an oasis ... for urbanites yearning to reconnect to their contemplative side ... and rejuvenate their mind and spirit", and "stepping into someone's backyard ... unadorned and unattended." This is definitely an under appreciated space . As originally laid out, Seiryu-en, " Garden Of The Clear Stream", has an elegance often overlooked for what looks like neglect or decline. This is not a manicured space designed to look "natural". It is centered around an unassuming stream of water intended to represent the struggles of Japanese in America , from the Issei to the present generations. If it doesn't look "pretty", remember that the journey of Japanese Americans isn't pretty either. You can pass it by daily and not see what the designers intended. Go in to the JACCC building and tell the attendant you want to visit. It is free and open to the public. Please. Visit. Remember.

Beautiful park! Parking can get tricky though and there's no public restrooms. Plan accordingly!read more

This is a stunningly beautiful little park with scenic views of the DTLA skyline. It is a very…read moresmall park and is not very busy. It is a perfect place for a low-key picnic. The park is on an incline but if you sit at the top you get views (albeit slightly obstructed by a street) of the LA skyline. There is parking around the park but it can be tough to get. The park is basically an "island" surrounded by homes and apartments and its parking surrounds it.

Echo Park Lake is such an iconic LA spot! It's one of my absolute favorite places for a relaxed…read morewalk or a weekend stroll. The loop around the lake is super easy and picturesque, with beautiful views of the lotus flowers, the fountain, and the Downtown LA skyline in the background. Renting the swan pedal boats is also a fun activity if you're visiting with family or friends. A lovely, refreshing green escape right in the city!

In planning to be in the area, the daughter mentioned stopping at Echo Park Lake. She spoke about…read morethe yearly Lotus Festival she's been eager to see but hasn't been able to attend due to her school schedule. Before returning to Tennessee, she wanted to experience the lake and see the wild lotus garden. It was a very sunny, hot and mildly humid day (after the rain). The park was busy, but we easily found street parking. There were lots of people walking the path along the lake, taking in the views of DTLA from the benches, watching the wildlife and enjoying the swan boat rentals. Everyone was respectful of each other. The path is about 1 mile with several shaded areas to take breaks. The lush greenery made for some really pretty pictures. Because of yesterday's rain, there were puddles of dirty water on the walkways and large muddy/poopy spots in the grass areas. And today's weather unfortunately made the experience a bit unpleasant with all the geese poop and smell of stagnant water. It was overall a nice experience but it's probably better to visit during dry, cooler weather.

A peaceful oasis in the Historic Adams District. It used to be free, then COVID had to go and ruin…read morethat. But still, at $6.00pp it's very affordable. Plan at least an hour or two to wander around. As indicated by the name, it's very peaceful and there is a labyrinth to walk. Enjoy the gardens and water features as you marvel at this blissful hideaway in the middle of Los Angeles.

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.

It's a beautiful trail in the middle of Griffith park. If you keep going there's a hike up to the…read moreGriffith Observatory. I didn't make it up all the way but I think it goes up all the way to the Observatory. It's good exercise with great scenery and not too isolated because there are lots of people there. There was a beautiful deer on the way up. Definitely loved it because I burned calories and didn't even feel it. Great place.

The Fern Dell Trail (or Ferndell) is a very short, shaded dirt path that runs parallel on both…read moresides of a small spring-fed stream in the lower portion of Griffith Park trail system. One doesn't get to hear the natural sound of a small (brook) waterfall in Los Angeles often, so stopped for a bit to enjoy. Also took a picture of the rocky grotto (no waterfall this day) on the trail as well. There are terraced ponds along the trail, stocked with goldfish and koi as well.

I finally made my way here after my AM workout and it's beautiful. The parking lot is VERY small…read more There is no other parking near by so you'll have to wait until someone leaves. I suggest coming off-peak hours of the day. You see the view of the top of the Bowl and the 101 freeway.

Looking for a special overlook view of Los Angeles that isn't too crowded?…read more Check out Jerome C. Daniel Overlook above the Hollywood Bowl (what a mouthful that was). This special overlook is above the Hollywood Bowl and a hidden gem to see Los Angeles (Hollywood) from a bird's eye view. You are right over the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater and downtown LA. To the east, you can see the Hollywood sign (small in the distance) and also Griffith Park Observatory. There is a small (free) parking lot and a few benches if you would like to sit and watch the world go by. This overlook was built in 1984 and was named after Jerome "Jerry" Daniel, whom served on numerous of committees in the Santa Monica Mountains. He was very passionate about the mountains and worked tirelessly to preserve LA's history and nature. He helped to obtain over 50,000 acres of land for the public, which most of is now parkland. So this overlook is named in his honor. Views during the day, especially on a clear day, are beautiful and would be even better at night. However this little overlook is only open from Sunrise to Sunset.

Right smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles, across from the Grove in Fairfax, you'll find one of…read moremy personal favorite parks in town! The Park has a lot of green space with a walking path (my usual jam), an outdoor swimming pool, basketball courts, volleyball courts, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, a tiny outdoor amphitheater, a children's playground, some outdoor adult workout equipment, the Holocaust Museum, a Rec Center (they even have break dancing classes!), a Senior Center and the Fairfax branch of LA Public Library ~ everything can be had on this couple blocks of beautiful space. They have a pretty big parking lot but y'all saw how much I just mentioned happens at PPP. There aren't enough spots for all that at peak times so go green & walk/rideshare here. I've come at all times of the day and the park is quite well maintained. The staff cleans it extremely thoroughly on the daily and they do their best to keep up with LA madness. Nothing is perfect, but they do a fantastic job imho. I almost always feel safe when here alone. Random but J-Hope from BTS ate at a picnic table along here one day when in LA, it's in his videos diaries. The walking loop is about 1.1 miles around so a couple smashes around the bend & you get a lovely stroll out of it. At the far corner is a 12.5 ton statue of a sitting Haym Salomon. Fairfax is a heavily Jewish area of the city and this pays homage to those roots as he was an Jewish immigrant who financed and raised funds essential to the American Revolution. It's an interesting history of this 13' statue as it moved to this location in 2005, aligning with the Jewish population movement in the city. This statue started it's journey at it's 1944 dedication in Boyle Heights, it was meant to celebrate immigration contributions and American freedom during World War II. In 1951, it moved to MacArthur Park, then finally to the other side of Pan Pacific Park in 1984, until finally getting to it's current corner 20 years ago! History is wild~! School lessons aside, I love this park! I'm a fan and I'll forever love these 28 acres of public space.

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.

As I mentioned in my last review, I am going to focus on beauty, light, peace, and joy in the…read moreremaining weeks of 2026, because I think, given all that is going on currently I, and perhaps you, need it. Attached are pictures I took with my full frame cameras when I was using them to capture the best of Los Angeles, as an amateur photographer. They represent my vision of what I experienced at The Japanese Garden. When Dr. Kawana, a renowned architect who designed over a dozen major Japanese gardens in the United States, planned this particular garden to take advantage of an adjacent water processing facility , he wanted to create surprise and peace in people as they entered and moved around the garden. That surprise around every corner is what one experiences as we follow the path laid out to take the sojourner from the beginning to the end, which is really completing a circle. Each part of the gardens has a different design, purpose and meaning and all of it is symbolic, reflecting the great gardens of 18th and 19th century Japan, belonging primarily to the aristocracy. Now we ordinary folks can enjoy the serenity that was once reserved for the very few. Walking purposely and meditatively through an oasis like this is called Kinhin. Plan to circumnavigate the property slowly. For a mere few dollars, you can spend a quiet morning or afternoon re-charging, right in the middle of the urban fray that is Los Angeles. These grounds are a feast for the soul, through the five senses. Don't miss it.

This 6.5 acre lush Japanese garden is unlike any other garden you'll ever visit…read more Conceived by engineer Donald C. Tillman and designed by UCLA professor Dr. Koichi Kawana, it opened in 1984 with a message in mind- recycled waste water can sustain new life. The result was a landscape of lotus and ponds, home to wildlife from mosquito fish to egrets. Meanwhile in the backdrop, pumps as wide as 8 feet in diameter are elevating sewage to be treated. The crowd was sparse on a weekday, ideal for a leisurely stroll. From the Shoin Building, a series of screen windows look out into the vast garden. It's an opportunity for rest and reflection. Operating hours are 9:30 am to 3:30 pm M-Th and one Sunday a month. Admission is $5 per adult. Restrooms, including gender neutral ones, are behind the Shoin Building. No filming allowed of any kind without a FilmLA permit, even on a phone for personal use. Seems overly restrictive by modern standards. Photos are fine if not posed/professional. This lush Japanese garden is fed by 6 million gallons of reclaimed water a day, making it unlike any other. You wouldn't know by looking at it, and that's the beauty.