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Marina Vista Park

4.7 (27 reviews)

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Recommended Reviews - Marina Vista Park

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Rob A.

This has to be one of the most highly used community parks I've seen. Spend a few minutes here and you'll understand why. Just looks at all it has to offer. With home communities surrounding in almost all directions except for the large bodies of water, it's easy to sense this is the center of gravity that draws in folks, big and small to come to get their recreation on. Wide-open spaces, spaces with shade, take your pick. You might even catch dogs running through an obstacle course. And clean, the place stays clean. Good job.

Nice playground structure
Leslie Y.

We love this park. Living next to it is just a perk, but we would drive here because of the location, the scenery, and the friendly people you meet. It's basically our extended yard. The playground structure is well maintained, and most importantly, it's shaded. There are benches right next to the structure so supervising adults can rest their legs too. For older children, they can utilize the tennis court and the newly added half basketball court next to the playground. Parking is plentiful, and it's rarely crowded. There are usually a lot of birthday parties over the weekends, especially during the summer. A newly constructed public bathroom looks great, and being located adjacent to the tennis court is a big plus. The city is going to tear down the old bathroom structure 300 yards away. The only downside I can think of is that there are lots of dogs at this park, so there are naturally plenty of dog poop to go around too. Tread carefully if you want clean shoes!

View in front of the part
Yasmin Rodriguez ..

Very nice place for a walk or to have family times. Views are the best during sunset. Highly recommend!

Amy K.

I was looking for a park to have a picnic at and had checked out several in the same afternoon; when I got to Marina Vista, I knew I'd found it. True to its name, you can see the marina from it (it's just across the street), which also provides a breeze. It's in a residential area, so you don't get noise/fumes from traffic, although you can park your car in a little lot on Eliot, or on the street. And then you can get out of your car (unless you walked or biked) and gaze out on the expanse of well-kept grass and contented park-goers. This park is a great place to do pretty much whatever you'd like to in a park. A sizable chunk of it is pretty trees and hills and some picnic benches, perfect for cookie potlucks or lying on the grass to read or nap, and there's enough space between the trees for kite flying. One section is a playground and tennis courts. Then there's a HUGE section with two soccer fields and a softball field for those who'd like to play team sports, but definitely far enough away from the picnic/quiet area that a ball won't roll into your area. There's a bike path and the Virginia Lee Benedict Grove (although I think "grove" is exaggerating, but I don't argue with signs), and dogs are allowed. Oooh I am so excited about having a picnic there!

The upland portion is landscaped with drought-tolerant plants. That's good. These plants are all non-native. That's very bad.
Raphael M.

As Amy said, the upper parts of the park consist of very beautiful and well maintained lawns, great for picnicking and other types of passive recreation. I have no disagreement with her take on ot. I would like to add to Amy's review that the Marine Vista Park abutts a very small wetland area called the Marine Stadium Marine Reserve (now doesn't that sound repetitive?). This "marine reserve" consists of two very tiny (~100 sq feet) patches of salt marsh. Salt marsh is an extremely important and rare ecosystem in southern California, and it's terrific that the city has protected these postage-stamp parcels. So why am I disappointed about this park? Well-- 1) There isn't much to look at. The native habitats are so small, that it really isn't any use to wildlife, and can't do much to improve the (very poor) water quality in Alamitos Bay. 2) There is no educational component. Although tiny wetlands can't do much for wildlife or water quality, they can be excellent outreach opportunities to teach the publiuc about these ecosystesm (like at Shoreline Park or at the Golden Shores Marine Preserve). There are no interpretive signs or educational material of any sort here.... a missed opportuntiy, to be sure. 3) The upland areas are landscaped with non-native plants. Although these plants are clearly drought-tolerant and water wise, there was no reason for the Parks Department to use non-native plants, which are a danger to the wildlands of California. They could have restored a beautioful coastal sage-scrub habitat, like at the nearby Dunster Marine Reserve. But they didn't A big waste of an opportunity. This park has great potential for native habitat restoration. But right now there isn't much to see.

Paula O.

So with great "wisdom", despite inclusion of two of my photographs from the wonderful Howl'oween doggie parade my review of this event was removed! Wasn't I there? It seems that although a review is defined as a platform for photography, or so we are told, perhaps that is not so. So my photos cannot be displayed as originally used and any votes have been lost? This is my second year at the parade which occurs on the Sunday prior to October 31. The good luck of seeing the very same very witty paraders was fortunate and I wanted to emphasize that. One sits along the parade route for a ten dollar fee, very worth it. Not only do the pups clearly enjoy their costumes but their human parents are so creative with their own and frequently construct "floats" that must take many hours and much energy. Someone did a great "chairy" harkening back to PeeWee's Playhouse days. Some doggies are feathered, painted, tutu'ed, dragon suited or dressed. Police dogs, hot dogs, devil dogs... how the judges choose is beyond me. A winner from the approximately 300 entries should really just represent the joy that they all give. This parade assures ear to ear smiles. After, if one wishes, venders are present to provide product information and the opportunity to donate to worthy groups. So my original sentiment is still: Hooray for the great Howl'oween doggie parade! The park is a lovely place to walk, play or bring a lunch. The water's edge is a turning point for waterskiiers and quite enjoyable to watch the swerves closeup. The Christmas season lights shining from the water's midpoint are truly a delight.

Looking towards Long Beach Rowing Association from Marina Vista Park
Mary F.

The Sole Runners meet at Marina Vista Park every Saturday morning at 7:00 am during the summer and every other Saturday at 8:00 am in the winter. The location is great because of the great parking and beautiful view out over the water. Convenience of parking is often a make-it-or-break-it factor for me when choosing places to run because I don't want to spend more time looking for a place to leave my car than I actually spend running. For all your early birds, I highly recommend coming before the sun comes up and heading down the path towards Marina Stadium/Long Beach Rowing Association so you can catch a breathtaking sunrise. The reflection on the water makes it look even more magnificent.

Long Beach Municipal Band concert in the park
Holly T.

I agree with most everything both Amy and Raphael have said. The upper part of the park is a great area for picnicking and recreation, especially if you are looking for a park in Long Beach with an ocean view. Raphael has made excellent points about the Marine Reserve, which albeit interesting, could be vastly improved - see Raphael's review for details. I have seen some cool birds there, though. I'd like to add one more thing that *I* like about this park, which is that during summer, the Long Beach Municipal Band plays concerts in the park here every Thursday evening. LB Muni is a top notch concert band, and conductor Larry Curtis is still going strong. Of course, this is not the only park at which they play - during summer, they also play at El Dorado, Whaley, Bluff Park, and Los Cerritos Park, on other nights of the week (see http://www.longbeach.gov/park/facilities/lb_municipal_band.asp for more info and schedule). But I've noticed that the Marina Park concerts have a really fun, Hollywood Bowl-type vibe, what with people bringing their picnic dinners and adult beverages and relaxing by the beach. A lot of boaters will pull their boats right up near the park to listen to the concert in their boats. These concerts are a great way to introduce kids to live music - I saw a kid last night that was utterly fascinated that music could come out of instruments rather than speakers - plus they play some great crowd-pleasers. I know some of my earliest concert experiences were hearing Muni Band in the park. While you're here, be sure to walk over to the nearby Jack Dunster Marine Reserve (http://www.yelp.com/biz/xLdcZrY_QxEN2lo-lP4eNA), which is much better than the marine reserve here.

Love this park!
Jasmine R.

Every time I've been here I've left with a big smile and a happy-go-lucky feeling. Well manicured healthy grass, big trees over head, tables, playground, picnic areas, tennis courts, and tons of space to create and live life

Retro pups
Ben H.

Very beautiful, well kept park in the nicer side of Long Beach. Parking is no hassle as there's plenty. The park is very scenic and is also now the new home of The Annual Haute Dog Halloween Dog Parade! If you're a dog lover and haven't been, it's a must.

You come for the Ocean view

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8 months ago

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8 months ago

Clean and well kept. Good parking and nice playground for the kids. Tennis courts which we convert to pickleball during mornings.

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8 years ago

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15 years ago

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4 years ago

Shout out to the amazing ladies volunteering their time and talent to teach newbie pickle ball. Thanks Lynne, Marji and Dahlia!!

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14 years ago

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9 years ago

Small play area but perfect for little space... shaded!!!! Beautiful view of water. Very nice

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13 years ago

My family and I always come here to walk our dogs. It is very peaceful. I especially love the Farmer's Market!!

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Ask the Community - Marina Vista Park

Can you just show up and play on the tennis courts?

Yes but half of the available space is taken by Pickleball in the morning.

Tennis courts have lights?

No they don't

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Review Highlights - Marina Vista Park

I started coming here with my dog over 30 years ago and then more recently played tennis with a friend...

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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Shoreline Park - Pierpoint landing

Shoreline Park

4.6(90 reviews)
3.8 mi

A nice sunny afternoon at the park calls for a little picnic. The old days are completely different…read moreat this park. Decades later, it's a whole new place. Still nice but with a major upgrade. It's part of the aquarium of the pacific just along the harbor. There's a parking lot that's part of it but the payment situations was a bit of a mess. Paying with credit card on the machine was a hit or miss. Which i also found out from someone else there. It's probably easy just to do it from your phone. It's a decent size parking lot but there's also parking at the structure just next to the aquarium. It's a cute rolling hill park that looks out to both the queen mary, shoreline village and the harbor. Depending on what side you are. It's a cute little walk around with the lighthouse on top. There's benches scattered throughout the park for seating. There's even a little beach like path along the harbor. Regardless which side you are, the view is quite beautiful. There's also fishing that you could do on the pier. You'll see people about and about walking, picnicking, walking with their dogs or a stroll. Long Beach has its hidden gems and this place was one of them.

I enjoy strolling through Shoreline Park each time I come to downtown Long Beach…read more It is a peaceful spot, passed the Aquarium, unique for the area. Quieter, green grass (it'd be nice to bring a book here) away from the hustle and bustle. And the views are hard to beat, the Lighthouse, the shore with boats and Queen Mary in the near distance. Bring a snack, a drink, take a nice break here, a cool walk to explore the Shoreline Park. Always enjoyable!

Photos
Shoreline Park - At night, view of Downtown

At night, view of Downtown

Shoreline Park
Shoreline Park - One of the ways to reach the lighthouse

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One of the ways to reach the lighthouse

Drake Park - Artwork by the tennis courts

Drake Park

4.1(22 reviews)
4.2 mi

A quiet park, that can quite noisy when soccer is being played. On a football sunday, there was no…read moresoccer so my daughter and I took a leisurely walk around the park, following a Pokemon route that somebody had established (no worries if you have no idea what I'm talking about...somebody who plays Pokemon Go would understand). There are two tennis courts here, with lights allowing for nighttime play. There is also a small skate park. Alas, neither were being used...in fact, there were hardly any children around, even on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon.

My daughter had a soccer game here on a Sunday morning, Sept 2022. While the soccer pitch is…read morelocated "across the street" Drake Park, we could not seem to find access to the lower field from Loma Vista, and made a left on Chester and another left in DeForest to access the small lot for the "Drake/Chavez Greenbelt Park." Assuming this is all part of the Drake Park proper, but it took a little intuition to find the entrance for our first visit. And still, the parking lot is small, filled with litter, human waste, and lots of broken auto glass... And it's about a 200 yard walk to the entrance of the artificial turf soccer field. Much of the human detritus in the parking lot is likely attributed to the considerable homeless population that is evident in the immediate area: dozens of people were camped out just across the street, in the dirt lot area adjacent to the river channel. That same dirt lot is variably covered with piles of demolition construction materials haphazardly dumped by who knows who? In pure defiance of posted signs prohibiting dumping. Other "unhoused Angelinos" seem to be wandering about the park, utilizing senses beyond my standard five (sight, smell, taste, hearing, and feeling) to experience things I can only imagine.... and a couple had set up camp in the park's landscaping adjacent to the walking path. Not so much unsafe as much as unsanitary This part of the park features what appears to be some kind of community garden - - locked and secured behind 10 foot chain-link fences. there is a public park restroom with only 2 of the 8 single seater stalls unlocked, and both are horrific inside. Some beautiful wall murals are marred by tagging. Much of the park here is adjacent to industrial yards, and most of the bordering landscape is littered with garbage. The soccer field is actually quite beautiful: artificial turf field with a perimeter fence. I laughed a little bit at the idea that this was a "green belt" and the soccer field was artificial turf... But there is certainly some actual real grass field in this park, and some California native plants along the periphery. So I guess that counts in the midst of This residential-industrial interface. The air was pretty heavy with the smell of oil refinery and low tide from the nearby river channel, which was probably a bigger deal to the soccer players than it was to me as a spectator. A generous three stars for the really nice soccer field and the fact that my truck windows weren't added to the considerable collection of broken auto window glass on the ground in the parking lot. My only other Long Beach Park frame of reference is Bluff Park, so I can confidently say this is nicer.... relative, though, that comparison is...

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Drake Park - Artwork by the tennis courts

Artwork by the tennis courts

Drake Park - Artwork by the skate park

Artwork by the skate park

Drake Park - Drake Park in the City of Long Beach

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Drake Park in the City of Long Beach

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

4.4(403 reviews)
1.3 mi

The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a beautiful spot if you are looking for a peaceful walk…read moresurrounded by Japanese foliage and well-maintained landscaping. The garden features a large pond filled with koi, including around 30 big koi and what looks like hundreds of smaller ones they are raising. It is a relaxing place to watch the fish swim by and enjoy the scenery. One of the best parts is that visiting is free, but you do need to make a reservation ahead of time. They allow up to six people per reservation, and they typically do not take walk-ins, so plan ahead before coming. The garden itself is on the smaller side, and the walking path takes about 15 minutes at a casual pace. Still, there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the surroundings. You will find charming bridges, small waterfalls, lily pads throughout the pond, and even a little Zen garden area. Even though it is compact, the peaceful atmosphere and the well-kept grounds make it a great visit. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area and want a quiet, refreshing escape.

Beautiful, yes. Quiet, yes. But the staffs really do make people uncomfortable. As if they're the…read morestrict parents or mall cops, telling you to move, to not stand there too long, no picture setup, don't stop for more than 30s, don't talk too loud The garden is the size of a small practice soccer field and there are at least 10 staffs

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Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden - Enjoying the fall colors

Enjoying the fall colors

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

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Whaley Park - Bleachers by Yocky Field

Whaley Park

4.4(19 reviews)
1.4 mi

Whaley Park in Long Beach turned out to be a really lively and playful place when I visited it. The…read morewhole area felt energetic in a way that teenagers would enjoy a lot, especially since I saw so many teens around the basketball courts, the grassy fields, and even near the playground. It surprised me how naturally the park gave off that youthful atmosphere without trying too hard. The open spaces and colorful areas almost felt like spots made for taking pictures, and they did not cost anything to enjoy, which makes them perfect for teenagers who like hanging out and being creative. It was my first time at Whaley Park, and I did not realize how much there was to enjoy until I walked around. I appreciated how easy it was to relax there without feeling rushed or crowded, even with all the teens playing games, taking photos, and talking with each other. Some parts of the park looked a little older or worn down, which is part of why I am giving it four stars instead of five, but nothing took away from the overall experience. I never doubted that the visit would turn out the way I hoped it would. I have only visited Whaley Park once before writing this review, but it ended up being one of the more enjoyable and energetic parks I have been to in a long time. I would highly recommend that teenagers go there because they would love the open spaces, the sports areas, the photo spots, and the creative vibe. It gives them a place to have fun, take pictures, and feel inspired in a simple and playful environment.

Great park perfect for kids lots of things to climb, do & spin on…read more Theres even shade & instruments for kids to play on. It's a medium to small park but packed with stuff to do & very well maintained.

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Whaley Park - Yocky Field scoreboard

Yocky Field scoreboard

Whaley Park - Wide variety of things to climb for older kids

Wide variety of things to climb for older kids

Whaley Park - The sign on the bottom is pretty filthy!

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The sign on the bottom is pretty filthy!

Marina Vista Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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