I went here for the 2nd annual Encino Fest. I had never been before and this was a good excuse to…read morecheck it out. Parking was an issue. There are metered spots all around the perimeter, but they were all taken. I ended up driving a block away and parking in front of an elementary school at a curb that's for pick up and drop off only during the school week. The park is about medium size. There's a tennis court, basketball court, a playground, tables and benches, and open grassy areas scattered with trees for shade. For the festival there were a few food trucks on the street, but you really didn't need to buy anything as long as you were willing to wait in a long line for a free pretzel, ice cream, and bottle of water. Just make sure to check in at one of the tables first where they'll ask you for your name and email and then give you tickets for the pretzel and ice cream and then you can get in line. One person is allowed to ask for multiple tickets for their family. The festival is kid centric, like the entertainment on stage were kids dancing and the live music was also aimed at kids. One song had lyrics that sounded like "Simon Says". There were also several tents that had a bunch of freebies like stickers and potato bag clips and even a booklet of the U.S. Constitution, which makes sense since a lot of the booths were promoting various local politicians. There's an onsite bathroom by the basketball courts, but beware that it's not the cleanest, but it's a public bathroom, so of course it isn't. If you have kids, this festival was made for you. If you don't, you can still enjoy the freebies, but it's not really something you'd want to stay around long for.

I've been coming to Encino Park for years, and it's one of those neighborhood spots that just feels…read moreeasy and welcoming. The park is really spacious and well-maintained. There's plenty of grass for kids to run around, toss a ball, or just roll out a blanket for a picnic. The playground is solid, clean, safe, and usually full of families in the afternoons. I like that there's enough shade from the trees so you're not baking in the sun the whole time (which is a big deal in the Valley). What I appreciate most is how relaxed the vibe is. It's not overly crowded or chaotic like some bigger parks in LA. You'll see people walking their dogs (on leash), neighbors chatting, and kids practicing soccer. There are also tennis courts and a community center, which makes it feel like a true local hub. Parking is usually pretty manageable, especially compared to other parks in Los Angeles. Bathrooms are basic but generally kept in decent shape. Overall, Encino Park is simple, clean, and family-friendly. It's not flashy, but it's dependable and sometimes that's exactly what you want in a neighborhood park.

Took my students on a field trip here and it was wonderful. The state park interpreters were super…read moreknowledgeable and welcoming with cool facts about the site and land, had three different stations of activities for my students to enjoy. A beautiful, family friendly park, completely free and tucked away in Encino

If you can, please bring feed for the geese. And three domestic ducks. Instruction from the park:…read more1) no bread. 2) corn and vegetables are great. --- you can get cracked corn and poultry feed from Walmart. About $12 per 40 lb bag.

Came here on a wednesday around 9am no wait to get in. Ticket 5 dollars parking lot free. Serivce…read morefriendly. Took around 30 minutes to walk everything. Its in a loop. Restrooms inside clean. It was a really nice and relaxing well kept garden. Cool history and plenty of photo opportunities. It had wildlife as well ducks and goose. All in all a hidden gem.

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.

Still the best place to run in the San Fernando valley. I live here I'm always here. Running…read moregroups/events are here constantly. Love seeing the same local runners out there and new people I've never seen before as well. It's a great running community we have here. You can basically run or walk whatever distance you want. Started running marathons 10 year ago. My go to daily training location.

When you arrive parking is plentiful along the borders of the park or in the parking spaces. I love…read morecoming to this park for dog training and for spending time with my dog allowing her to sniff and run on an extended leash (either 30 to 45 feet leash). The great thing about this park is that there is a sidewalk to walk on to walk the perimeter of the lake, or there are many areas of large green fields that surround the park. I have seen other dogs off leash, and normally this gives me great hesitation, but in a large park like this, you can be far enough distance away from everyone else and their dogs to avoid them. Now that it's spring, everything is blossoming and blooming, but be careful, when I was here the grass had not yet been mown, and there are so many foxtails growing right now. So many got caught in my shoes and thankfully I checked my dog's body completely and her feet and none had stuck to her. When things are mown it's great but also beware of the ants. When I was on the side of the park that has the football field sized grass area, I was watching my dog sniff and play and suddenly I felt something biting me. I looked down and dozens of red ants were climbing me from the dirt. I must have mistakenly stood on an ant mound. Thirdly, just also keep aware of coyotes, I have seen a coyote several times at Lake Balboa and they do not seem fearful whatsoever and they are just walking around casually in the middle of the day. This park is a true gem because of how beautiful and serene it makes life feel. There are people fishing in the lake, walkers, runners, people relaxing on benches reading, friends playing cards, birthday parties or other events, people bicycling or skateboarding. I love this park.

Best dog park ever! This place is a hidden gem in the…read moreValley. It's clean, mostly grass, not dirt and mud, it's quiet and peaceful, the dogs and dog owners whom come here are very friendly and the dogs well behaved for the most part. No fleas like some other parks bc people take care of their dogs, responsible owners. I will not tell or bring anyone to this park if they aren't responsible dog owners or negative people. It's too much of a special place and I pray it always remains that way. Do NOT bring your dogs here if they have fleas. Because it's a clean park and all the dog owners take great care to keep it clean and a great , happy place for our dogs in the community and most are very good at picking up after their dog goes potty. This park is what all dog parks should strive to be!

I used to love this place Sadly, I was screamed at by a couple and told I shouldn't bring my…read moredog. So I'm afraid to bring my dog back even though he is generally very sweet and mellow. Our dogs got in a fight. My dog is a husky mix and theirs was a German Shepard. Sometimes my dog will get confrontational with male dogs bc he wants to be alpha, especially if the dog is not fixed. They told me my dog had gotten into a fight with their dog the day before, I realized who it was bc I remember this. There had been a confrontation that quickly escalated. I ran over and reached for my dog. There had been a few dogs involved and it became rowdy. There was one woman there when I got there, but when I tried to ask if her dog was okay, the woman said something to me in Russian and walked away, obviously calling me a name or something. I just know I felt icky and felt bad but had no chance to understand what had happened. This time I was holding my dog by the collar when the fight began. We were by the water when they walked over. I grabbed his collar bc I could see he was becoming confrontational. He also does this around the water (just resource protecting I guess?). I was holding him and the other dog was there. All of a sudden they are both going at each other. I swear the other dog lunged first bc I'm so sure I was holding my dog before the fight broke out, but they screamed at me and said my dog is the problem over and over. I honestly don't know exactly how it started but I'm sure both dogs mutually were ready to fight, likely as I'm guessing bc they're both alpha males. I held as long as I could and let go bc I was afraid to get bitten. The man was striking my dog with a ball thrower the whole time while I tried to grab my dog. When I finally got my dog they screamed and me and said my dog shouldn't come here. I apologized but said as well that their dog was also fighting. But they just blamed me and said my dog is a problem. They walked away when I tried to apologize and kept saying nasty things to me. I wish I could have just resolved it bc I know when my dog faces another alpha male, sometimes it will escalate. Had I realized this dog is like that, I would know to steer him away. But instead I was screamed at and felt terrible. And felt like my dog was not a good dog. I don't think I will be going back. If I do I will just go in an isolated part. The park is usually really relaxed and I really loved it here. I'm sad bc basically every single interaction I've had with people here has been super positive and have even made some friends. I loved this place bc I thought "wow, a park that's finally really mellow and relaxed! Everyone is so calm and friendly!!" There have been some incidents like this not just with my dog that I've noticed; things will escalate and rather that try to come to a resolution, people will just scream and get really angry and say messed up things. It makes things really unpleasant. Unless a dog is severely aggressive or gets hurt, I just feel this is how dogs are. And this is how dogs and owners learn to train and socialize. I rly can't tolerate hostility without resolution. Dogs play and they fight, it's apart of them. But I understand not everything agrees. This is the only part of this park I really don't like and won't be returning anymore bc of this :/. Other than that it is the perfect place

Jesse Owens park is one of my favorite local neighborhood parks to take the kids!…read more One of the things I appreciate most about this park is that it is fully gated, which gives me a little extra peace of mind when the kids are playing. There's plenty for them to enjoy, including two swings, a slide, a climbing area, a mini rock-climbing wall, and, best of all, a mini racetrack where the kids can have fun and create their own races. It's such a fun little feature that keeps them entertained! There's also a large grassy area in the back, which is perfect for bringing your own soccer ball and letting the kids run around and enjoy the open space. Another big plus is that the park has its own bathrooms. I always appreciate this because not every neighborhood park has them, especially when you're spending a few hours there with little ones. The only thing I wish they had was a designated parking lot. There is free parking across White Oak, as well as street parking available in the back, so parking is still pretty convenient.

Date: February 1, 2025…read more I think this is my first review of 2025! Woowoo! That's what motherhood does to ya. I had this park bookmarked for a while now and decided to check it out today. We were actually around the area for lunch but didn't plan to go to a park and ended up driving back this way for it. Read the reviews and was excited to check it out and I'm so glad we did! As a recent mom of three, I felt so comfortable and safe solo watching my kids here. It's a nice playground in the middle of a fenced off grassy area with a restroom right by it. I loved that the restroom was right next to the playground to make a quick trip and not worry too much about my kiddos playing. They have a bunch of trees and also shaded top above so it was nice even though it was hitting 80F still! Surprisingly all the parents around were super attentive to their kids and made sure nobody was hurting another. I heard so many kids apologize for accidentally bumping into other kids and it just felt so nice to be in a kid area with kids who were well behaved, especially bc of my toddlers. Restrooms weren't too bad for a park. Not the cleanest but definitely not the worst I've been to. Overall I'm so happy we found this park and we will definitely be back more often!

I haven't been to this lovely, peaceful, tranquil Woodley Park in years. Today after I left the…read morebakery, I had to meet up with a potential client of mine to discuss her wedding arrangements. This is a very big park that actually has free, big parking lot and also street parking is available with couple of restrooms. We found a shaded area that also had a picnic tables. They have children's playgrounds, lots of beautiful, healthy looking trees and a full grass. Nice and green. They also have wildlife and the geese and ducks were swimming in the pond. Woodley park is adjacent to Lake Balboa park, but yet divided. Has pathways, trails, people walking their dogs, kids, has a place to exercise, and also there were venders selling some snacks. The weather was perfect around noon. Wasn't too hot nor it was cold. The Japanese Garden is really something to look into. It is breathtaking and beautiful. They have a golf course, and there was a birthday party going on along with a festival on the other side. I still wonder why people don't write reviews on parks? The park itself was clean and very well maintained. Didn't see no trash anywhere except where they belong. Inside the trash cans that were around the park.

Best Park in the valley. Many activities and so whimsical when everything is in bloom…read more Unfortunately, it still needs to be revived from the fire and the homeless the house there are becoming unsafe to be around.

I not quite sure how one goes about to get a plot for gardening here, but it seems like a really…read morenice space for a green thumb enthusiast. I overheard someone talking bout this place and constantly pass it getting in the freeway. It a community garden where people have plots for gardening and such. There's an also a little park area, rose garden and cactus garden. Parking is available inside a lot, closed at a certain time. As well as street parking. There's two sections across the street from each other. We popped in to have a wander and see what it was all about. It's a cute little park area where it's pretty and quaint. Nice place for a stroll. People have spots for gardens so respect and not trespass. Your able to walk along the path and check each plot out but he respectful and not pick anything. It's a little oasis out of the city even though you're right in it. It's just along the 101 freeway but you don't notice it with all the trees covering it. The rose garden is simple yet a good variety of plants. As well as the cactus garden towards the back. It's a cute place to have a wander and even a plot.

The facility has solid establishment and it is pleasant to be in the garden. However, business…read moreoffice is locked and unable to reach management during regular business hours. Had equipment stolen.

This place is completely different from lake balboa across the street. Completely different…read morevibe.... It's more quieter and with way more greenery. On the opposite side of woodley, you have the archery park and cricket park. This is more of a nature hike if you call it. There's paths that take you around the lake. Which is small and more wildlife. A lot of the trees have started to grow back from a fire that happened a while back. There's still loads of remnants of the burned up trees and shrubs but plenty of new growth. You could take a hike around the lake. Path also goes through a tunnel that will take you to the other side of Burbank with more trails. Nothing major, it's more of an easier trail. Along the lake, there's rest spots that overlooks the water with signs that tells about the wildlife that calls the place home. Every now and then, you'll see some sort of wildlife popping in and out of the water and from the shrubs. If it's a quieter place that your looking for. This place will definitely be nice for you. You could also walk along the top of the embankment that's along the freeway which will connect you back to the park. There's plenty of parking in the park area.

I recommend visiting on a weekend morning -- there's plenty of foot traffic, from runners to…read morebird-watchers flexing those giant pro-level cameras, so you'll feel safe and in good company. Go with a friend if you can, and if you're rolling solo, stick to the main trails and bring bear or pepper spray for peace of mind. I hadn't returned in a long time after an incident with a predator, but I finally revisited, and honestly, it's still a gem in the San Fernando Valley. The SFV Audubon Society also hosts guided nature walks and other events, so check out their website for more info.

People don't do much reviews on parks. Why? I don't know. I have been to this park 4 times in the…read morepast. I truly like this park very much. It's close to home and offers a lot of activities to do. It has children's playground equipment, 2 basketball courts, 4 BIG, tennis courts, a dirt track, clean bathrooms, picnic area, nice spacious landscape and the most important, it's kept nice and clean. This park is one of my favorite parks in Studio City. They have recreation areas and can let you sign up for sports/classes that interests you. Recently, I had taken few classes with couple of their teachers/coaches and they are WONDERFUL! Earlier this morning I went to play tennis with one of my friends. Tennis is one of my favorite sports to watch and to play. We don't keep score. We just like to play and have fun. You can walk, jug, people walk their dogs, kids, they have picnic areas and do a lot of kids birthday parties.. or you can just simply sit in silence and enjoy nature, the sunlight and have a good, peaceful time. Private lot parking, or street nearby parking. They are closed on Sundays. Kind of weird, but it's their rules, not mine. That's when people usually spend time with their families. I am not going to dock a star for that since it meets all the other amenities & requirements.

Quaint- Tennis courts, baseball area, and lots of space for a neighborhood park…read more Construction impedes the walking path so as of September 2024 it isn't very relaxing. I'm hoping to find a public track & field type of walk/run path in the valley! The sand is nice on my knees but annoying when ends up in my shoes!