I came here to take some newborn photos with a mother and it was actually very peaceful. I parked…read moreon the street because I thought there was paid parking. There was not that many people which was good. The weather was nice and perfect for the shoot. I would have liked to see more nature type things like maybe flowers or facts about nature. Other than that this place is very nice for photos or taking the kids to play!

Walnut Creek Nature Park is a gem that you would not think of finding in Baldwin Park. This park is…read moretucked away in a residential neighborhood, with its own parking lot. This park may look small but is much bigger when you come for a visit. My husband, our little girl dog and I have been to this part a handful of times for dog play dates and also recently to take our family photo. The park has beautiful backdrops that would be perfect for any photo shoot. But also a place to walk (there is a loop trail here that you can walk), (covered) picnic tables, a fireplace and a playground. There are also restrooms available. This park does provide some shade and is very beautiful when the flowers are in bloom. There is also plenty of greenery. The park is pretty quiet and has always been an enjoyable visit for us.

I guess I didn't really explore this park as much I should have during my first visit, as my memory…read moredid not recall how big the park actually is. And perhaps I was just bothered by how inconspicuous the park entrance is: it's a gate that does not immediately look like the entrance to a park, which is how I missed it the first time I visited over a decade ago. During my recent second visit, I came back with a better appreciation for parks and birds. I did not expect to find any birding lifers here, but I in fact found four in one day. I heard the Green Heron before I saw it, and photographed it without realizing what it was. I just thought it was another Black-Crowned Night Heron, but boy was I delighted to find out later when I was reviewing my photos that it was a Green Heron lifer. The park appears to know it's a great spot for birding as there is signage indicating possible seasonal bird encounters. Perhaps I should stop talking about birds, but I can't help it. Also, "Peck" Road? Birds are the point. It's a large park with a delightful amount of nature to get immersed in. I can't wait to come back for a third visit!

A friend of mine introduced me to this hidden gem a year ago for birding. I recently returned and…read morefell in love with it all over again. This place is a birder's paradise, with its large lakes and blooming flowers, inviting many bird species. I've counted over 20 different species in just a few hours of walking a whole loop. My only complaint is that it was closed the one day I made the long drive out, on a day that it wasn't supposed to be closed. But thankfully there is a cut out on the gate to the side so you can still walk in. You'll just have to park on the street instead of drive in and park inside. So this is just something to watch out for - random closings.

One of my favorite parks in the area--…read more I originally heard of this park after a recommendation on where to host a baby shower/ park picnic. We ended up renting a large picnic shelter and it is actually in high demand during the summer time (rented out in June for an August date). Despite a very warm day (mid-high 90s) the shelter kept us relatively cool. The kids loved the space-themed playground and the large shelter can host up to 180 or so people whereas the smaller shelter can host up to 50 or so people. (+): experience with renting out the shelter- benches were clean, employees were nice (+): amenities of the park- tennis courts, large walking area, multiple parking lots, basketball courts Overall, I would come here again and also consider renting out the park shelters.

Live Oak Park is one of the most popular parks among residents locally and visitors that reside in…read moreother cities. They have a designated walkway for people who are running/walking, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, playground, and spaceship in the middle. It's newly renovated which makes the quality a lot smoother than before. Restrooms are available as well near the courts and also near the playground area. Parking is plentiful in parking lot but can fill up quick. Street parking is also available for free. There's 8 pickleball courts, which fills up quick these days. You can queue up with your paddles when it's full. The pickleball community here is great, on the weekends there's people who manage it voluntarily which is nice for newcomers. Overall, a great renovated park, very clean, friendly people, and spacious.

This park is super nice and chill! You always see lots of people here with their pets, friends, and…read morechildren, and there are so many different sports being played. It's a HUGE park and they have just about everything! There's a good-sized playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball and softball fields, a swimming pool, and lots of open space. I love bringing Mika here whenever I get the time! Another thing I really like is how much shade there is because they have lots and lots of trees throughout the park. It's also kept really clean, and they have dog poop bags available all around the park, which is super convenient when bringing your dog. Overall, it's a nice park to walk around and spend some time outdoors!

SoCal weather really said "pick a personality" and then refused to commit, so I took advantage of…read moreits good mood and clocked in at Arcadia Park like a picnic professional. Big, beautiful shady trees?!?!?! Check!!!!! Perfect blanket-sprawling real estate?!?!?!? Also check!!!!! It's the kind of spot that makes you forget the weather might flip on you in 20 minutes, so you eat, lounge, and live your best picnic life while the sun is also feeling fabulous!!

Pretty cool park! Feels new. There's a small + large dog park area too. It's next to the freeway so…read morea bit noisy.

This park recently reopened after about 2-3 years of renovations. Although they cleaned up a lot,…read morethe park itself still feels unfinished. The soccer field is still stripped out and is currently just a dirt field. There is a recreation center with foosball and ping pong which was cool to see. That said, the park now has new basketball courts, a huge playground, and it looks like the homeless encampment has been cleared out and is no longer there. Overall, it's a nice place to go for a run since it has a small half-mile loop, and it's also a great spot to walk your dog with poop bags available throughout the park.

I had a pleasant experience at Irwindale Park. I visited on a Saturday (around 4:21PM). This is…read morean aesthetically pleasing park with many utilities and winding sidewalks & greenery. This park felt like a comfortable adventure. Did I feel safe? Yes. I primarily saw groups upon groups of families. Many were holding celebrations and gatherings. The location felt clean & well-maintained, and it's one of the few parks that had security cameras from up above. What utilities? There's a large, fun playground area. It has nets to climb, a plastic rock wall, and plenty of slides. There's a park exercising machine area nestled by the playground, and there's a basketball hoop. There's also a volleyball area, baseball field, and concrete cornhole boards for tossed beanbags. There's a restroom, dog waste plastic bag station, water fountains, and many public picnic tables for gatherings. I especially liked how these concrete tables had cover and an installed grill station. What are the negatives? There's no clear walking trail. However, visitors can wander freely since there's a spiderweb of concrete pathways. It also lacks multiple basketball courts, tennis courts, or other familiar areas. Overall, Irwindale Park is scenic, beautiful, and clean. It's a wonderful destination for a family to lounge and relax. The area is well-maintained, and I felt happy as I observed an Irwindale Squirrel pose in front of me for the camera. I enjoyed my visit. 4.7 out of 5

I love it Safe…read more Clean And have so many trees where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine while you're here

It's nice to put a little park in El Monte for the community especially for a preschool right next…read moreto it. However, you can't directly go into the park from the school which is to make it safe with fences bordering the school and park. There are three ways to enter the park via the surrounding streets or if you're riding your bike or running on the track on the dam, there's another entrance from the dam. Though the park is pretty clean with a small play area for kids, the park itself is hidden as there are no signs to guide you to the park. It's not much of a problem though as you'll be curious to enter the walkway to the park since you see a gate open on Bisby Ave. There's a small walking trail that takes you around the park with information about the Rio Hondo River and different flowers that can serve as an education for kids to learn about or even adults to know more about the city of El Monte. If you need to go to a place to relax if you're in the city, you ought to drop by here because the environment of the trees and grass will help calm you down besides the noise from the planes from time to time since there is a airport located across the dam.

This hidden gem is right next to the El Monte Airport and Rio Vista School. What's neat about this…read moreplace is that you wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it. There are three access points (gates) that get you into the park but you have to be a local or resident to even know the park exists! There's no parking lot and no big signs leading you into the park. You really kind of have to walk into it. I think that's the whole charm of the park. It's great to know that the city of El Monte created a space just for it's residents to enjoy recreational activities. The small park has an open grassy space and walk way that circles the park. There is a big playground with swing sets, slides, and jungle gym for the little ones. All around the area, there are local plants, trees, flowers, and bushes with signs explaining the different species etc. There are also signs and boards that people can read about the history of the area and a sign showing a map of the Emerald Necklace that circles the surrounding cities. Very interesting if you ask me! Also in the park, there are tables and benches all around for barbeques and picnics. If you have to use the restroom, no worries! They got those too. One great bonus to this park is that there is an entrance to the Rio Hondo/San Gabriel River/Sante Fe Dam bike trail. You can enter it and head north towards Monrovia or head south to go to Whittier Narrows. How cool is that?

I came here a few months ago when the weather was better. The drive from Asuza was very nice and…read morequiet in the early morning. There are plenty of pull outs to get off and to take some photos. Don't drive too fast because there's a lot of bikers on the road. To get to the lake, park at the lot and walk past the yellow bollard. It's a nice place to walk and to enjoy the scenery.

Peaceful here could use more water but perfect for fishing or just relaxing will be back soonread more

Named after the last parks supervisor, Vincent Lugo Park is a beautiful oasis in the city. A lot of…read moreshrubs, vines, and trees that are indigenous to the Alhambra wash were planted and maintained. It has a well used dirt walking trail that is well used. For adults wanting to stay in shape, they have different types of equipment to strengthen arms, legs, and midsection. While these are not powered, some even offer limited cardio building capabilities. They have at least two public restrooms and working drinking fountains. Children playground equipment also exists. Finally, a baseball field with backstop, scoreboard and lights exists. At 191' to the right and left sidelines, it is suitable for high school or little league. This is a clean park that is well maintained. I was surprised not to see any homeless here.

We found the Laguna de San Gabriel beyond the ballfield at Vincent Lugo Park, just by the covered…read morepicnic tables. Colorful and cool looking.

My go-to spot for tennis! Lots of spacious courts and street side parking. Definitely a smaller…read morepark and playground, but still nestled in the corner of the Arcadia residential neighborhood. Theres been so many tennis courts that have been revamped for pickleball, fueling the tennis vs pickleball debate, but I love how despite all the others changing, this one has stayed to be dedicated to teaching tennis and promoting the sport. LOL!

I was looking for a park for my nieces and nephews to play in, right before we were at a very sad…read moretiny park. This was a better size with two playgrounds. No one else was there so they had the park to themselves. Parking was easy and there were benches that I could sit at and watch them. They had fun so I was happy with the park.