There's lots of potential for this park. I did see construction going on while on a walk. Under the highway and on the side of it there were homeless tents and a bunch of tagging. Which is normal at this point as a LA resident. The neighborhood reeks of urine. I wish there was a city service throughout LA to power wash the streets and side walks. The lake looks like I can receive more attention. I did not feel safe walking underneath the highway. Otherwise it can be a much more pleasant experience if public parks were tended too more often in this area. read more

Hollenbeck Park - Building could be potentially used for performances. - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The good: There are a lot of cool-looking fowls/ducks here. There's a skate park, great fall foliage colors in the tree-island area, a lot of public benches, a theater/stage space, a huge playground for kids, and a lot of grassy areas. I think the park itself is very pretty but some of the patrons there look a little bit seedy. So, like many places in LA, it's nice but less nice because of the homeless and trash hanging out. We found free parking along the streets outside of the park. The park's very big and semi-hilly. I liked that the playground was enclosed so kids could play more freely without you fearing they'll run into the lake. I saw lots of people feed the ducks but wasn't sure if this was allowed. The bad: There was profane graffiti on the wall by the playground. Someone painted the turtle statue's eyes red and it looks like it's bleeding. My toddler was concerned. The interesting: There was an ice cream truck here that was massive and served soft-serve ice cream. It was great! read more

Park is okay. There's a playground for kids ( dont really recommended it for toddlers in my opinion). There are trees and benches for picnics. There's a walking path along the pond. The bathrooms are okay,very dim and sometimes unhygienic. It did make me nervous the first time I used it but I like that the locks work. No area to change toddlers,again not a toddler/family friendly area ( changing tables/ family restrooms like the parks in Northern California). Park parking lot closes around 4:30-5 pm so it's suggested to park on the street if you're going to do evening walks/runs. Tons of people walking/exercising, saw some folks fishing ( not sure it's edible but maybe just for fun), napping and having picnics under trees. There are ducks so the grass area contains poop the closer you are to the pond. Small bit of littering and trash on the ground. Lots of hills/slopes and some stairs. There is a workout area with equipment. Homeless encampment near playground area. Street vendors with fruit,water, elotes,etc. read more

The small lake at Hollenbeck Park may have unintentionally become part of the great Pacific Migration Flyway for migratory water fowl. Those birds flying from western Mexico to possibly Canada would find this small body of water & its surrounding lawns & trees an ideal place to rest, rehydrate, re-energize for the next leg of their arduous journey from winter to summer foraging grounds. There were groups of Canadian Geese taking a break from their long journey that have black heads & necks w/ white around the cheek & chin, brown, tan body, white rump, black tail feathers. Mallard duck, Grebes, white geese & ducks also use Hollenbeck Park as a place of refuge. It seems that life in general here is "La Vita Dolce" so that many of these water birds make this their year round home. They're smart. Why go through the hassles of migrating when surrounded by avian paradise? The park goers, at least on a late winter early evening w/ clear blue skies a day after a cool rain storm, either feed the birds or leave them peacefully alone. Some people were lying only a few feet from the ducks also resting away that made for a magical, languid, scene. It seems to almost validate the outdated misconception of California as being the home of "lotus eaters" from hoary Greek myths. It's an urban park surrounded by old, stately, faded craftsman style homes, busy 4th Street, & the I-5 viaduct. So don't expect totally pristine surroundings, but Hollenbeck Park is a pleasant green respite for people also, especially for those living in apartments where gardens are usually lacking. I was pleasantly surprised by this hidden little dell w/ a small charming little body of water providing so much to living things big & small surrounded by the Los Angeles Megalopolis. 4 Yelp stars. PS There was a bit of dog poop. Dog owners, please bring plastic bags to pIck up the poop & place them in the trash can. Dog poop draining into the lake will pollute the water & hurt the amazing water birds. The birds will thank you as well as the people. read more

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Close your eyes, now listen... Ignore the birds flying over head. Let their helicopter engines be silent as they continually circle. There... Now, nevermind the ice cream trucks jingles, don't think about the bomb pops or choco tacos. Just let it go... Now, open your ears to the silen...Pay no attention to the cars racing by on the freeway that lies overhead. Pay no attention. ..go to the silent spot... Great. Now picture a lake teeming with birds. Their silent whistles and a child laughs in the distance. A calm breeze breaks through and you hear water from a magnificent fountain and with the breeze an aroma of fresh grilled elote and the smell of bbq fills your nostrils. Now open you eyes and see the City of Angels at your feet. Paints a pretty nice picture in my head. My head might not be a good gage tho. I tend to ignore or not see the pink elephants in the room. But, I like this park, I do. read more

Hollenbeck Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Recent street and trash cleanup provide a beautifully romantic park setting with a lake view. One of the best places in LA for bike riding, picnics, and just walking around the lake. The bridge over the lake is great and the place was recently cleaned up for a movie. There is a skate rink on the top of the hill and large playground area for the kids. There is another area for adults to stretch and workout before jogging around the park. Overall, the greenscape looks very good and the walkways were being cleaned up from the bird waste. I'd suggest this place for a nice wedding. The park has a decent amplitheater for plays, movies, or a music concert. read more

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Updated link to movie 7/20/2014 My 300th review dedicated to Laurel and Hardy Hollenbeck Park is beautiful. It must been like Paradise when Laurel and Hardy made their film, "Men O' War" in 1929. The story is about two sailors who pick up two women who are strolling around the lake. (See my photos) The soda fountain scene and the battle with the other row-boaters is priceless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj9y8WOVjWk The lake was in its glory back then before the freeway was built that destroyed most of the park. All that is left of the "boathouse" is a slab of concrete. (See the photos) I agree with the other reviewers. There is still a sense of peace and tranquility. read more

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If you don't mind the dog and bird poop, the park is actually kind of beautiful. It's hard to ignore sometimes, which is why it's so surprising to me that people don't think to pick up their dogs poop. I like to run here a few times a week, it's pretty nice to run around the little lake/lagoon. I've spotted a turtle that hangs out here (maybe you can find the little guy too). I've seen people fishing here and I've always wondered if anyone's actually caught anything. There's mediocre park work out equipment around the park and a little skate park area uphill. I also like doing the stairs right by the pull up bars/running uphill on some of the steep slopes there. read more

Hollenbeck Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Certain areas were really nice and others not so much. The building across the street is a bit creepy and interesting. read more

No matter how much you want to love this park it has so many flaws that you cannot bear to witness its demonstrative demise. Some people say the renovations over the years have made this park shine through cracks but I disagree. They're wrongfully focusing their attention on mediocre 'improvements' where instead they could come forth and renovate the disgusting eyesore that is the lake. I cannot fathom how the ducks manage to survive under such unimaginable conditions. I guess you can argue that East Los Angeles has made the ducks evolve into tough OG's. To reiterate once more, the water should be the first issue to tend to. Once that is completed we can move forward as a community to make Hollenbeck the beautiful park that it deserves to be. While renovations are still welcomed, a beast with trimmed nails is still a beast. read more

Hollenbeck Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This park really isn't that bad. All these people with the negative reviews are tripping. There are way, way, way worse parks in LA. One of the other negative reviews said "homeless just sitting on the hill" and it's a picture of a normal guy with a cowboy hat who is definitely not homeless lol. And even if it were, what does it hurt having a homeless person simply sit in one place on a grassy hill not making a mess or making any noise? People are so cold to their fellow human beings that a person can't just sit down at a fucking park without having some asshole judge them and take a picture of them to upload on the internet. Sad. read more

So at first sight the park look tranquil enough, the playground for kids was cute and NO SAND, but we walked around the pond and it was just so gross, not kept up at all homeless people in the dark corners a few joggers but mostly just really sketchy vive :-( sad for the ducks. read more

Hollenbeck Park is a litmus test of sorts. If you're not sure whether you (or someone you know) like to spend time in Boyle Heights and East L.A., spend some time in Hollenbeck Park. If you think it's gross, scary, and full of weird people lounging on the grody grass, then you'd best get your lily butt back to the Valley or the West Side or wherever. But if you like the lake and want to sit on the grass and eat watermelon or buy a churro from one of the guys pushing a cart around, then you need to get to know State Street and Whittier Boulevard. I'm just sayin'. read more

i could write novels about this park. Everything from gang bangs to cars in the "lake" to my family surfing cardboard boxes and surfing in to the lake. But in the end, no matter what angle i take.... this park is just plain peaceful. Even though there is a freeway along side it. Even though the neighborhood is public considered shitty. This park is just peaceful. It has annual events from carnivals (by the local religious factions) to public affairs to fishing contests. The surrounding area though is a high traffic area. It's just off the five and because of that the streets receive a lot of idiots who don't always pay attention to the traffic signs. So if you come here, have fun. Just be careful during rush hour. read more

Great park. It has like a small like with ducks. People are always selling ice cream and snacks. There are tables and there is a cool bridge. There is also like a small sort of looking like a house were you can go and see the lake and be in the shade. I really enjoy coming here to relax. read more

As parks in LA go this is a pretty nice one. I was surprised at the negative reviews. Sure, there are homeless around, but that's normal for an LA park. The day I went the place was packed with families enjoying picnics on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. As for the lake water, it looked like lake water. It was fine. There's a small, gated, sandy, playground, a bunch of those exercise things, lots and lots of picnic tables and a skate park too. Lots of kids were biking around the lake on a small paved walkway. From the top of the park there are views of downtown Los Angeles. Not bad! The biggest drawback is the freeway, which is literally right on the west side of the park. Whoever decided to put it there will hopefully spend some time in Hell for their sins, but there's not much that can be done about it now. It is noisy. Other than that I thought it was a nice place. read more

I love this park so much I am starting to pick up other people's trash I love the animals the fresh air I come very early in the morning to meditate it's my favorite place ... I find no it safe and senior friendly I'm 62 it's so peaceful read more

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I was born and breed in Boyle Heights and I have some fond memorize on this park. However, this is a unbiased review... This park is cool to walk around in and play a game of football/soccer/baseball. There's a new playground for kids and great events happening year round. The real gem of this place is the skatepark. Completely redesigned and funded by Rob Dyrdek & Dyrdek Enterprises, this part is built to be shredded. It's a pretty chill park, all things considered. I would stay away from the southwest side of the park if you're visiting. Edited bc I felt as if I was being harsh read more

Growing up in East LA this is the only park that I would ever come to. But leaving this place and moving to sout El Monte which has a greater Park legg lake read more

Hollenbeck Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I gave it 3 stars because that water is really dirty and there are creeps around the park. I jogg there everyday and its a great place to stay in shape its not as crowded and they have machines that you can work out on for free! They have plenty of parking but now they r getting strict in parking after 7pm they close the parking lot. overall this is a great park to be in and they always have shows or for 4th of july the fair which was awesome! read more

I just posted about this on my FB page, but ill make it short and sweet for you all. I decided to come here, since I didnt want to make the long drive to other neighborhoods in the LA area for my doggies. I generally dont have good experiences with this park: dirty lake, creepy dudes, and heavy police presences, but I decided to check it out. I wont be coming back. The park literally HAS SHIT EVERYWHERE!!! I not even exaggerating!! Everywhere I walked, whether it was grass or concrete, there was literally old and fresh poop everywhere. While some of it may be due to the ducks that live there it is NOT AN EXCUSE for local residents to not pick up after their dogs. Seriously dude?! Why do you have a pet if you cant clean up after it? Ill admit sometimes I dont bring enough bags, but the park's users have deliberately decided NOT to pick up after their dogs. Local residents SHOULD NOT have to go to nicer neighborhoods to be at peace with their dogs. This is the reason why some people want Boyle Heights to be GENTRIFIED! We can argue that our local gov isnt doing enough to protect our neighborhoods, which is true, but what are YOU doing to protect your neighborhood!? While most residents in BH are working class, it is NO EXCUSE to be this dirty! So BH residents, CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF, AND YOUR DOGS! IT'S YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO TAKE CARE OF IT!!! read more

I went by here as downtown was bumper to bumper after a suspicious package was spotted at the metro and the bomb squad was called in. We decided to detour to Boyle Heights for some Al & Bea's and there wasn't any place to sit, so I suggested eating at the park. I had no idea the treat in store for us. The park is huge, there is plenty of room for lots of people without crowding. There is a man-made lake, which is beautiful... as long as you don't look to closely at the water (it does look like it needs cleaning more often). The ducks and swans will come up to you if you have food, so you may need to sit farther back to eat. I got some nice shots of the birds (they didn't seem to mind me getting in fairly close) and a pretty view of the sunset. From certain areas you can see DTLA in the background. There is a freeway going through one side of it, yet for me, it didn't matter. I thought it made it more interesting, as is the history of the park. It also had a cute bridge over the water on the southern side. I will definitely be back. One down side is the bathrooms are disgusting and the light didn't work. Another plus, is there is free work out equipment. read more

Hollenbeck Park - Duck Butt! - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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this park is so beautiful! I come here every day to just take a breath of fresh air and relax under a tree before work ! this park is very huge and has a beautiful pond with ducks and other critters. many people come run around the pond and train on the nice grass fields. as well it's awesome for kids due to the swing sets and am great for skaters to due to the skate park onto of the hill at the bottom of the park . read more

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Really, really nice park! Lots of ducks and geese (bring bread), and just very serene and chill.

Nice lake, lots of ducks, fishermen on the side, and playground. Quiet and peaceful ambiance here. I come here sometimes to meditate or to get some time away from home. read more

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this park after making a few wrong turns. It's across from an abandoned old hospital, which has a somewhat eerie feel to it... The place is not in the best area, but the park itself is lovely. The small lake can be easily walked around, and the walkway extends to a shaded part under near the highway that looks pretty cool. We saw lots of water birds and other exotic birds I didn't recognize or know the names of. There were some people on the grass that looked suspiciously like meth-users from the sores on their faces, but they weren't bothering anybody. The park had an overall quiet, serene feeling, and I personally loved it... but I did get a slight feeling that I should be cautious of my surroundings, especially since it was getting dark. read more

Grandson loves this park and feeding the duckies. Pretty clean park until twilight, then unsafe as many sketchy people slowly start showing up. Go early, feed the duckies, play and leave early. read more

Beautiful park right next to the super industrial downtown Los Angeles. I love the palms that are line up along the street and the gorgeous tree that overhang the lake. I also was impressed by the way the 5 freeway runs above the end of the lake. The only drawback was the graffitti that tarnish the otherwise great view of the park along the downtown skyline. There's also 2 looping trails that go around the park. One is higher than the other and gives you awesome views of the park and los Angeles. The other is more center on the pond and ducks that surround that park. Finally there's plenty of tables and seats to eat. There's one playground for the kids and a small community center for older children. I found a small stage that might still offer open-air performances probably in the summer. I'll check up on it and write an update. Overall the park is beautiful. read more

This is a beautifully laid out park, landscaped around a man made pond/lake with an impressive fountain spraying forth. The park has the coolest exercise equipment I've ever seen which is constructed like machine weights but that use your own body as the resistance. The hills afford beautiful views of the sunsets. Many people are out in the park, and yes there are some homeless people in some of the shelters, but their far outnumbered by people actively engaged in enjoying the park. It's a fantastic neighborhood park and I'd say more enticing than my North Hollywood Park (thought our park has more facilities e.g., baseball fields, skate park, and library). If you do go to Al & Bea's you might consder walking off your burrito in Hollenbeck Park. read more

A lovely park where we ended our ride CICVIALA last Sunday... People watched some as we ate our ice cream bought from the rad little Mexican ice cream man.. nice and grassy in a nice little area.. read more

Plenty of ducks and pigeons to feed. Be careful though as they have grown to swarm any bearing human daring enough to throw bread crumbs within 10 feet of them. I strongly advise that you proceed with caution when going near these birds of prey with any snacks in your hand. read more

I love this park. I live in downtown and the weekends I grab a coffee and bring my dog here for a walk. It's a nice community park - families, people exercising, different events, people are friendly. It's a pretty relaxing place. If you're into birds at all, I've seen several different kinds of herons and egrets, some different ducks and widgeons. Cool place. I do wish they'd do something with the bridge though, it could use a rehab and the locked gate is pretty bad. read more

I actually love this park, been coming here since I was little. Besides all the shit on the ground and the dirty ass water, it has great potential. There are many ducks, which is a plus and lots of greenery hills. Although, I would NOT go to the park at night. Also, watch out for the needles and the ground. LOTS of homeless set up camp and lots of drug transactions going on here. If you mind your business and go during sunlight, you'll be good. read more

I go to this park a lot, cause it's awesome as f. I recently noticed that they filmed a scene of sons of anarchy in this park

Beautiful park on a great historic location....I spent a year on and off in the park while working on my novel....the sad thing about the park involves the gang bangers who feel as if in some way this park falls within their gang territory....they harass and attempt to intimidate those who they believe do not belong....other than that, I love the park and the history connected... read more

A very shabby park with a lot of scumbags. it's fallen on hard times. Learn to speak spanish if you go there. and wipe your shoes off after leaving. It's nice too see some "real culture". You don't see places like this in Orange County. read more

i randomly came to this park on a saturday about 2 years ago and there was a concert thing going on and until this day ive never known what was that about lol. read more

Overall the park is nice. You have a nice view of DTLA, most of the grass is green! I love playing with my dog here, the people are friendly. It's a quiet park and there's a small skate park in the park so you see a bunch of kids riding their skateboards. The only thing I would say needs fixing is the lake, there's a bunch of trash on the 4th street side of the lake and at times you get a funky scent. Besides that I like this park! read more

This my local park. I enjoy the lack of pristine surroundings and take the park for what it is....mark my words, this will be the next echo park. It was quite the hot spot in its day and it's a matter of time before this one gets a rerub. Skateboard, walk or use the exercise machines. Hell, there's a great set of stairs for those who are into it. Again. Not pristine but it's a park you can chill at and not worry about uptight picnickers. 3 fountains and an old boathouse. The way people talk about this place, you might compare it to MacArthur park, but don't make that mistake. read more

This place has always been the same. I was born and raised here in Boyle heights so this is our community park. Everyone talks about how bad it's gotten and the homeless people, closed bridge, dirty lake, etc. I think that's pretty dumb because last time I checked it's the community that makes it bad. You'll see most of the people there around 5 or 6pm. This is what you will most likely see children throwing trash in the lake to hit the ducks (parents so proud applauding and laughing at what they do) some people actually fish there. People playing soccer when there are clearly signs there saying no soccer playing. I don't know what people need to understand, a picture or something... That's right there is one! But no one listens. As for the homeless there have alway been homeless people living there and a lot of them are not mean they're respectful ( if you got to talk to them like a normal person and not just a homeless person cuz in the end we all live in a shizz hole- but I can honestly say that some homeless people people are actually cleaner). As for the bridge, it was locked up because parents dont take care of their kids. Kids would run to it and end up falling in the lake. That's why I think it better to have it locked and opened up once in a while. Than having to see a bunch of people and cops there trying to get a child out of the water. Overall I feel like most of the people who complain about the park are the ones that affect it one way or another. I know because my family has done it. My cousin was one of the kids in the lake ;). This park is great you get a taste of what the community really is. P.S. This park is cleaned like every morning (watered, lawned, etc) read more