the view period ,and the the peace you feel is so therapeutic to soul,its like a reset.read more

If you drive up the hill, you'll find plenty of parking spaces, and there's a public restroom for…read moreconvenience. (always have your own wipes In hand) It's such a wonderful place for picnics with a stunning view of the city, and there are many beautiful trails to explore. And honestly, at night, it feels especially special and peaceful with that city view.

Reservations are needed for this lovely little garden tucked into the middle of the CSULB campus,…read moreso we made ours the night before and grabbed a 12:00 PM Sunday spot. One thing to know before you go: check the operating hours. The garden was closing at 1:00 that day, so our visit was shorter than we would have liked. About 15 minutes before closing they started rounding everyone up, which was completely understandable, but next time I'd definitely book earlier. We brought Billy's mom and dad with us, and his father is 92 amazing years old, so we're always paying attention to how much walking, stress, parking drama, or general nonsense an outing involves. This one was about as easy as it gets. There's paid parking right next to the garden. I think we paid around $6.50, and the payment system was simple enough. Once you're inside, it's just beautiful. Little bridges, waterfalls, colorful koi everywhere (bonus! tons of baby koi this time!) lilies on the pond, flowers, and these bright red dragonflies flying around that completely caught my attention. There were families, students, people sketching, people feeding the fish, just a really nice mix of people quietly enjoying the space. What I especially like is that you don't have to make a whole production out of it. You can stroll, sit for a while, watch the koi, cross a bridge, look at the water, and just enjoy being somewhere pretty. Small, peaceful, easy, and genuinely lovely. It makes for a really nice family outing, and it's one of those places that's good to keep in your back pocket when you want to do something without committing to an entire day.

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a peaceful hidden gem tucked inside California State…read moreUniversity, Long Beach. I walked into a space that is smaller than some larger Japanese gardens, but the layout feels carefully planned with winding paths, traditional landscaping, a koi pond, waterfalls, bridges, and quiet corners throughout. It is the type of place where taking your time matters more than trying to see everything quickly, and the smaller size actually makes the experience feel more intimate. The garden feels like a world apart from the campus surrounding it, and the transition from the university grounds to the garden is immediate and effective. The koi pond is easily the centerpiece of the garden and one of the most enjoyable parts to spend time around. I found myself lingering by the water, watching the fish move through the pond as the sunlight filtered through the trees. The fish are large and active, and the surrounding greenery, stone features, and water elements create a very relaxing atmosphere. The garden does a good job balancing natural scenery with traditional Japanese design, with each section offering a slightly different view and feeling as I walked through. The bridges and stone lanterns add to the sense of place, and the sound of the waterfalls creates a calming background that stays with you as you move through the space. What I liked most about this garden is how calm it feels despite being located on a college campus. It feels separated from the surrounding area once you enter, making it a nice place for a quiet walk, photography, or just taking a break. The landscaping is well maintained, and the entire space has a slower pace that encourages you to actually stop and appreciate the details rather than rushing through. The garden's design rewards a slow approach, with each turn in the path offering a slightly different perspective on the pond, the plants, and the stonework. The visit is fairly quick since the garden is compact, but it works well as a relaxing stop rather than a destination that takes up an entire afternoon. Reservations are required, so it is worth checking availability before going. Admission is free, although parking is an extra cost and can be the main inconvenience, especially during busy campus hours. The garden's location on campus makes it accessible, but the parking situation can require a bit of patience. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a beautiful spot if you are looking for a peaceful escape rather than a large attraction. The koi pond, thoughtful design, and quiet atmosphere make it a place worth visiting, especially on a nice day when you can take your time walking through the garden. It offers a brief but meaningful pause from the surrounding city and campus life, and the care that has gone into maintaining the space is evident in every corner.

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.

This is a cute little park that was across from our hotel where we stayed at the Hyatt Centric. A…read morenice little walking area to enjoy the salty sea air and watch the boats pass. You can see the Queen Mary across the way when walking the path.

Beautiful place to enjoy nature. There are a lot of squirrels that are not afraid of humans. The…read moreduck pound has tons of activities going on depending what time of day you visit. Ducks, turtles, and sometimes fishing. Tons of walking, biking, pet strolls, picnics, workouts, baseball and soccer sport.. Great place to relax.

Heartwell Park is one of our favorite parks to visit to go on walks the park itself has lots of…read moretrees and shade. The park has a lake in the middle with a lot ducks and birds. This lake is super long and goes for about three blocks long, some portions of the park has baseball and soccer fields.

Grandkids loved it, playing on all the equipment. Had benches, trees and clean. Close to walk toread more

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.

Amazing spot to sit a minute and take in the wind, the view, and the people! Long Beach loves one…read moreanother and it shows. Thank you park people!

Went here to see a summer July Queens Coverband concert. Great evening vibe! Bring your chairs…read moreand your choices of beverages to the park and enjoy the great ambiance by vibing to the music. Its a hill, so beware to the older folks, take caution while going up and going down. Can be difficult due to the grade of hill. They have hotdog vendors with soda to serve for purchase. But one dissapoint about this park are the restrooms. To my understanding the restrooms are locked in a certain time. I believe 5pm, even when the concert finishes by 830pm. You are stuck with no restrooms. Park Rec should take notice with activities. Leave them OPEN! Overall, cool park. Clean and family friendly.

If you're looking for a challenging walk with great views of Long Beach, this is a great area. We…read morealways park at the bottom of Hill Street, adjacent to Richard Browning High School and walk the popular steep incline to the park. The park has a playground, pickle ball court with friendly players who are always look for people to play, and a basketball court. Walk through the field and follow the dirt path until you see a set of steep stairs to the top. Check out the views of CSULB and then head north on Panorama Dr. The end of this street will lead you to the Signal Hill trail that takes you to Hill Top Park. The Signal Hill trail has great views of the Long Beach Airport. Once you're at Hill Top Park, on a clear day you'll have beautiful views of downtown Long Beach, the port, and the Queen Mary. A great location to have lunch. After a break, cross the street and take Skyline Trail to Ridge Trail. Ridge Trail will end on 21st Street where you'll go east and then make a left on Stanley and a right on Hill St. You're basically going to circle back to youre starting point. Some parts of the last two trails will have you going through a residential area. The trails are public. Definitely a walk worth checking out!

Lovely little park at the top of a hill. Community center, playground, and big grassy area. Weird…read morehow so many oil derricks in the area. Great views getting to and from here.

Walked around the area which used to be my shortcut until they started this 18 month construction…read morethat's been happening for like 5 years. Noticed they have a new pickleball court and tenis on the other side. Very nice and clean. Also a playground nearby. You can sign up for pickleball classes or play

Marina Vista Park is a great community space. There is plenty of green space, a playground, and…read moretennis and pickleball courts. Restrooms are available and are well kept with sinks (but no soap, BYO). There's also a water fountain which even has a dog bowl for your furry friends. The Marina Vista Pickleball group plays here most mornings and offers free lessons to new players twice a week as well as daily open play. Lots of fun and a great way to get out and meet new people.

My kid and I love this park. We especially love coming here during the summer when they have their…read morefree jazz/music concerts.

I love this little neighborhood park. It has a nice playground and a tennis court. So much nice…read moregreen grass. We had a great afternoon family party this weekend pre Easter celebration. The dogs were out sniffing around, squirrels were squirreling. Kids playing games hunting for eggs. Bathrooms were decent they could use some work but it seems most parks fall short in this arena. Since it's a neighborhood park there really isn't a parking lot but there was ample parking I didn't have to circle the park found a spot immediately. If I was to have any con is I could hear the train every time it went by but I'm sure if you live near you auto tune it out. Other than that I'll definitely visit again as my DIL just moved around the corner!!

Nice park with lots of shade. Parking on street. Close to 2nd st where there's restaurants and…read morecoffee shops. Lots of toys that people donate. It's gotten more full throughout the years. There's a few benches to sit and there's tables like maybe 4. There's a younger area to play and an older area for older kids. There's sand to play in and for the most part cement and soft turf. Two swings, no restrooms.

This is a very nice playground. No dogs are allowed, so there is no poop (left behind by some…read moreowners). There are sand-areas that have some toys left by some parents for all the kids to play. We like this little playground. There are trees for shade.