+ Pleasant place to run and bike around. + Plenty greenery all around. + Several public sand volleyball courts. . Can't wait for their upcoming many pb courts! Our county needs hundreds more pronto. + They still operate the big orange balloon ride, - but according to Irvine website it's $10/adult now. Glad I went when it was still free. + Amicable, family-friendly ambience. + Numerous ample parking lots. + Adjacent Wild Rivers. read more

I was here for Daisy Chain Fields tonight and an excellent summary of the experience I overheard was "the musical performances were great, too bad this is the only thing people will remember". The "this" she was referring to was the unmitigated disaster that was the rideshare situation in Parking Lot 4. Drop off was fine, but the parking lot pick up procedure was both confusing, frustrating and a complete debacle. Keep in mind there were 45,000 attendees at least a third of whom probably booked a rideshare. Not only did police and event staff block off entry completely around 11:00PM (the show ended at 10:00PM) we were redirected to another parking lot supposedly letting drivers in (but didn't end up doing so) leaving people completely stranded to fend for themselves for their way home. Nobody seemed to have any idea what was going on or who had accurate information. You were completely out of luck if your phone died. Lord knows how you'd manage to get home. Our party didn't end up getting home until 1:30AM, 3.5 hours after the event ended. My guess is there's probably some kind of bizarre city ordinance that requires event spaces/parking lots close to residential homes to close at certain hours which is why they forced everyone out of Parking Lot 4 before anyone actually got picked up. I know this is the first year this music festival was held here and the space isn't properly prepared for traffic this size but this was completely unacceptable and avoidable. Shuttles and parking closer to the event were both pricy and sold out so for some folks the only reasonable alternative was a rideshare. What was otherwise an enjoyable space gave people a terrible impression and a bad taste in their mouths not to return to a place so poorly equipped to handle transport. If you're going to hold huge events like this, sort out the rideshare situation after the event or not do them at all at Irvine Great Park. read more

First time here and it was for a baseball scrimmage for my nephew. Baseball fields are really nice. Nice seats and there is some cover and shade from the sun. Whole park is really nice, green, and clean. Huge complex with all kinds of fields for different sports and plenty of parking available. The city did a really good job when they built this place. read more

Went here to play tennis and I was amazed by the cleanliness and how well maintained this place is! It's very spacious with a lot of tennis courts to play on! read more

Great Park - Tennis court - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Really cool park with different areas to explore. I've seen the balloon a few times from a distance and finally made my way over for Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Festival. I'll definitely be coming back with my dog when the weather is agreeable read more

Great Park - The balloon - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here for daisy chain field festival. I will say, the festival grounds itself were beautiful. Really love trees in the area, a lot of space for the stages and grass to sit on. But holy moly was this venue not prepared for the amount of people that were in attendance - more specifically prepared for everyone to leave. For some reason, they were closing off lanes and police presence were blocking people for leaving. We got picked up by someone (not ride share) and it took us 1.5 hours to go .7 miles just to see that traffic was being stopped for literally NO reason. I also saw posts and videos saying that it took some people who left after us 4-6 hours to leave the venue. While I loved being here for the actual park itself, commute and traffic are all apart of the experience and unfortunately that really puts a damper on an otherwise lovely day. read more

Huge park!! Great Park is a local gem that offers both visitors and locals a place to sightsee, enjoy shows, and exercise. They have a Balloon Flight (Open to the public but cost $10 per adult). Park in Lot 3 for a closer walking distance. Carousel (Free) Farm + Food Lab great space for learning about agriculture or visiting chickens. Kids Play area has ample spaces for kids to run around and get their energy out. Palms Court Arts Complex is a shared space with the Great Park Gallery and Great Park Studio. Features a Hangar 244 - history of the park with its future exhibitions. The Layover - an eatery where you can order snacks, host food trucks, alcoholic beverages, non alcohol beverages. (closed temporarily) read more

Great Park - Great Park Carousel: Operationa Hours - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Came here for the World Village Festival! Such a nice and amazing park. Don't know if I recommend this event, it was cool to look around, but not the most exciting. For the park itself, very clean & the balloon is worth it for the view! Super peaceful. read more

See all

One of my best friends introduced me to this park last summer. Her sons and my son would play for hours in their different sections which include really inclusive and also challenging climbing and zipline like fun areas. My son loves that their basketball courts are plentiful and painted so your hands don't turn black from tar like where I work. Kids ride free on the big red balloon and I love that when a soccer game is on tons of families bring out a tv, snacks, and watch as little pockets of community fans are also with their families. This place is a gem in OC. read more

This review is for the Great Park live which host a series of outdoor concerts. Parking is ample but depending on the concert they may charge. I went for the Irvine nights Taylor Swift night and parking was free. There was a massive line when entering but went pretty fast, just keep in mind they do limit bag size but strollers were okay. The feel of great park live is outdoor festival feel with a ton of food trucks, vendors on site. However the food lines can be pretty gnarly so be prepared for a 45 minute plus wait. For our event they had a pizza truck, chick fila, taco truck, cotton candy, Cathy's cookies, pretzel wetzel and a few wine/ seltzer/ lemonade stands. I only saw one stand that had a Taylor swift cocktail theme with harder liquor but that was it and they were limited. So don't expect a strong cocktail here this is more beer, wine vibe. I do wish more stands had wine available to make it easier for purchase. Otherwise audio and screen projection was solid for the outdoor venue. Seating is on the tighter end with the lawn chairs up front. We sat in section C and it was a great view. Other downfall is exiting as the parking lot gets pretty backlogged with minimal street exits so be prepared to wait it out or leave early. read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Great place to bring your kids as there is plenty of space to play and playground for toddlers to older kids. There's a carousel and zip lining and picnic tables. read more

See all

The Great Park is one of the biggest public parks I've been to OC. There was so much to see... I parked at Lot 1, which was right by the pond. I then walked through the path here they had a historical timeline - great for students to remember what happened during the ancient times, renaissance, industrialization, etc. I passed by the Great Park Live, which had an event called "the layover". Then I headed to the carousel that had a great view of the Great Ballon. Across was a visitor center, where they explained the great ballon rides are first come first serve and is $10 per adult (minors can go for free). The playgrounds were impressive - very modern and seems great for kids of all ages. Overall, I was very impressed and I'd definitely come back for a nice stroll. read more

See all

This is such a nice spot to visit. There's plenty of free parking, lots of open space to walk and the air balloon ride is a fun bonus. Just $10 for adults and free for kids. I recently came here to take a stroll with my son after a heavy meal to walk it off and it was perfect to enjoy some fresh air. Great for families and low key outings. read more

See all

Played a 3 day baseball tournament and let me tell you, I felt like I made it to the big leagues during COVID. Lol. Even though there were little to no spectators, the visuals and the fields were incredible. I can't wait to come back and experience everything else this park has to offer read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm still not sure how I feel about the Great Park. It's a huge space.. but awfully underutilized. It doesn't have a "park like" feel when you drive in. It's a bit sterile. A bit under-developed. Not as green as it could be. There are some plusses: I've seen lacrosse tournaments taking place here. Who knew lacrosse was so big in SoCal? There's a hockey/skate area. There's a nice walking path. Oh - and the big orange balloon (although it operates peculiar hours - hello - why wouldn't you operate at sunset?) - albeit, which was nicer when it used to be free back in the day. I feel like the Great Park really isn't that great. I'm terrified to come to a major event here after the 2025 4th of July debacle. I guess I'm still waiting for the Great Park to come to life. 2025: 77/100 read more

Love going here! There's so much space to play many sports. I have come here to play basketball with my friends before and there are plenty of courts here. In addition, there is the hot air balloon and carousel. The carousel is free to ride, but the hot hair balloon does cost $$ to ride. I believe this park is incomplete as there are plans to add some shops to the park. Once everything is built I believe this will be one of the best parks around. read more

This is a really nice place to play soccer. The facilities and fields are well maintained. They also have a nice park and vending machines. read more

Great Park - Beautiful Sunrise at the Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

The Great Park encompasses 500 acres and is located in the east Irvine near Irvine Spectrum. It is the location of the decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro. It's a massive park with multiple parking lots spread throughout. However when it's a nice day get here before 11am because the parking lots get full with many people asking if you're leaving like vultures. Because the park is massive, there is a lot of land for a variety of amenities. There are 24 soccer fields, 25 tennis courts, 5 sand volleyball courts, 4 basketball courts, 10 baseball fields, multiple kids playgrounds and lounge chairs, a tons of grassy areas throughout. There are covered areas for when the sun is out and shining bright. The restrooms are well-maintained which is always nice. Other attractions include the great park balloon (the first attraction to open in the park), the carousel, a farmers market, trinket shops and food trucks, an ice rink facility, a soccer stadium, an arts complex, and an aviation exhibition. Occasionally there are also various events and live music. I see this place as a park on steroids. It has all the amenities you expect to see from a normal park but it has much much more. I've visited a lot of parks in Irvine and Orange County and this might just be the best one. read more

See all

I go to Great Park often to walk and to check out the local art exhibit. This time, they had an exhibit on Pac Man which is a nostalgic video game. The museum area is quite small but they packed the inside with some history of the game, fan art, retro toys and a few actual arcade machines so you could play Pac Man if you wish. The art work was super cool and I lost a few rounds of Pac Man but had fun. The games were free and the museum was free as well! read more

See all

We love coming to Irvine Great Park to walk our dogs and simply enjoy some good people-watching. The park is consistently clean and well maintained, and there's always something going on. It's impressive how many facilities are available for different sports--we've watched local soccer clubs play here and have come out to support friends' kids during softball tournaments. We've even attended a concert here and had a great experience, and we're already looking forward to coming back for another one. It's a great space that offers something for everyone. read more

Annual Christmas party titled Illuminate today December 6th. Lots of things happening including staff dressed as Snowman, Ginger Bread Man, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. Singing group singing Christmas Carols read more

See all

Super kind owner of Cup N Cone ice cream truck near carousel !! Always hits the spot on a sunny day ! Had the Dubai chocolate and Oreo SOOOO GOOD !!! served with a smile read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Okay so I need someone to tell me exactly what's actually so great about the Great Park. I had gone there with the intention of walking around with dogs and I thought the whole place looked ghastly. Loads and loads of parking spaces but lots that were closed off for construction work and other events......and no shades! Whatta heck! It's probably the worst park I have gone to so far here in SoCal from the looks of it. I felt like the place is just a giant parking lot with sands and dust. Someone please give me pointers because clearly, I am not getting it. read more

This place is seriously huge! You can get lost easily. Tons of parking lots so remember which one you are in. Bathrooms available. Kids play area with unique things for them to climb on and swing on. A sports center for soccer games. Volleyball and tennis courts galore. Open green area too for picnics or a nap. Not as many shaded areas, mostly open. A huge orange balloon you can go up in too. How fun! read more

See all

This pertains to the baseball complex: It's fantastic! The layout is gorgeous, spacious and provides a beautiful atmosphere to enjoy youth baseball. There is lots of free parking but still leave ample time to find a spot and walk to assigned field. Restrooms are modern and well maintained. Plenty of visible security too. Spectators can enjoy stadium type seating with plenty of shade. This place is really awesome! read more

See all

i came here to take a few photos of my furbaby for his sixth birthday. his birthday is really close to christmas so i came here in early dec. it was sprinkling so there werent a lot of people, which was great bc i got good photos! this is a huge park. lots to do, so many different fields. easily can spend a day here. the holiday decorations were up, so it was pretty festive! parking was easy and no issues. i will always treasure this spot as this was the last birthday i got to spend with him... read more

See all

I miss living in irvine especially for the close proximity to the Great Park. Ample parking and plenty of sports courts and family friendly outdoor activities. You'll also want to visit the big orange helium balloon to get the best views! Make a day out of it, visit the farmers market, have a picnic, visit the merry-go round. There is something for everyone :) read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

It was our first time visit Great Park and it was a fun experience. We visited the PAC Man exhibit at their gallery and the kids also played in the play ground area. The zip line was hit. Parking was crowded but people are always leaving. We were lucky to get parking on the first try. There were lots of families coming for sports game. Bonus that is was free parking. We probably could've spent more time here, but it was too hot/sunny to spend much more time on the day we visited. read more

"More Than You Can Chew" is the title of the art show we saw at the Great Park Gallery last week. Alas, it closed today but I'll keep an eye open for future shows. Loved the off - beat subject matter the gallery featured. This show was about food & it's symbolism. Pretty cool! The paintings, sculptures, textiles, glass, wood were so creative, fun & thoughtful. What wasn't cool was finding where the building is! THE SIGNAGE SUCKS! Even Siri sounded confused! Other Yelper's have sighted this issue as well. Just keep driving around till you see a building or buildings as the parking lot is massive & bare bones. There wasn't a single employee anywhere on the lot to assist. Finally we saw a building with GALLERY in big letters. Yay! Anyway...back to the show. The displayed art was very accessible but this is a privilege that can go haywire when art meets children with parents who don't know the meaning of "Don't Touch". Case in point...it was just my boyfriend & me taking in the show when a 30-something hipster, his older Dad and two kids strolled in talking loudly, musing about how the show seemed to have a food theme (how observant) all the while letting the small kids run amok & you guessed it...one kid grabbed at the glass banana, made up of multiple intricate mirrored squares, poised atop a pedestal & BOINK! the little glass stem broke off & fell to the floor. The father tried to put it back on but of course he couldn't. What? You don't keep Super Glue in your fanny pack? He did keep saying "It's OK, it's OK. This is why we don't touch" in a soothing voice that would intimidate no one. We were the only other visitor's besides them but they were oblivious & felt no guilt as they snaked their way out of the building...never mentioning the damage to the nice young woman in charge sitting at the front desk. She had no idea all this had happened but we told her hoping she'd go after him & have him fess up to damaging a glass banana but alas he & his child got off scott free. That was hard to digest. read more

See all

My husband and I came here for the hot air balloon ride at the beginning of November and the winds were blowing at 2pm so we had the opportunity to comeback at night if we wanted to or get a refund. We came back at night and was able to enjoy the ride along with the free carousel located at the park. This park is huge with places to sit and people watch or take a nice stroll. read more

I used to come here a lot when it was free, and it was always a fun experience. Now I bring my fur baby with me to enjoy a nice walk around the park. During the summer, they even have an ice cream truck, which is a great bonus. read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is unique and nice for kids. There's a lot of other places for kids in the adjacent area. For us, it didn't take the entire day, but filled an agenda of park hopping and eating out, so it's a good component to well planned day for children. read more

See all

I've heard so many great things about the Great Park, and finally got to check it out thanks to Pokemon Go this past weekend. It was super spacious here, and I liked that they offered one of the cooling centers at this park, in addition to some fun entertainment and food stalls. There's plenty of shade at this park, with tons of grass, and a great hangout area. It seems like they are also dog-friendly here, since there were doggy bags provided by the park. This park is also home to the infamous hot air balloon, along with a music venue space that doubles as a movie in the park space. I'm excited to see what else comes to the parks! read more

It's been awhile since i've been here and I was really excited to go the NEON lights feast. It was really cool except I was expecting actual NEON lights to be surrounded everywhere. Other than that this was actually a cool space to have an event and even watch music performances on stage. We were totally unprepared though, we didn't have any chairs or anything to sit on so we didn't stay long. There was also a carousel walking distance which was in a random spot but it was so cool to see and got a free ride on it. read more

What a "great" park. It is so huge we had a hard time finding the baseball fields. However, there were lots of signs once we got parked. Tons of parking too. There were so many baseball fields as well. We couldn't get over the wonderful ballpark seating and turf. There seems to be so many different sports represented in this park. I would love to explore it on another visit. Five stars! read more

THE BEST PARK... great even (lol)! It just needs more shade. Like there's no shade here... lol

The park itself is great, they have tons of free activities that I found just by walking around. Some notable free stuff. The balloon - Free ride that takes you directly up into the air. Come early to get a good spot. Also be sure the day isn't windy so that they won't cancel on you. Gallery - Free small art museum that you can spend about 5-10 minutes at. See some local great art. Carousel - I road this twice and it was completely free. Small line in the morning and worth it for adults as well as kids. Hanger - You get to see some airplanes. Some being singular, 1 plane. It's okay, free but you won't spend more than probably 2-3 minutes. Overall tons of events going on and I feel like this is just a clean and eventful park. Parking is free and park is HUGE. Love the vibes. read more

See all

***This review is for Irvine Nights that takes place in the park*** IRVINE NIGHTS IS NOT FREE ANYMORE. I know the park needs to make money to pay off its venues and construction of new amenities but PLEASE make it clear on your instagram about the bag rules, the no refund ticket rules, and the water bottle rules. My family came in during an event, had to turn back to our car to put away our water bottles (no metal water bottles allowed) and then AGAIN because I guess my bag was too big. Staff should make the rules about bag size/metal water bottle CLEAR on instagram and the website and to guests as they come in, the fact that we had to turn around TWICE bc staff did not explain the rules entirely to us was a joke. EDIT: Giving one more star because they just added the bag rule as of 4hrs ago....when the event was over.) We never had this issue last year, everything was free to enter. Pick an event, either have a live show or have a night market. Not interested in the live shows, just wanted the food. Will not be coming to this event until they figure this out. read more

Great Park - Bag Rules that they hastily posted on their instagram story, stricter than Disneyland!!!!!!! - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Environment was good. Cool park pretty chill place as well pretty. Nice for photos as well read more

Great Park - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Great Park really isn't a park in the sense of Central Park in New York. It is really massive, but I would say it's more of a sports complex. There's a nice little playground that has a zipline and some climbing equipment for kids, there's a carousel, there's the helium balloon ride, but it doesn't have the same charm as an older park with a lot of trees. There are so many soccer fields and tennis courts. There's a good amount of parking, but if you are here for some sporting event or tournament, Good luck. You might have to park all the way by Great Park live or great park ice and walk over. It's not really that far but if you are accustomed to just parking your car in front of a doorstep of a business, that is kind of a hike. read more