Background On Visit: Last Sunday (4/12/26), the venue hosted the Pasadena Festival Of Tea. We were…read moreone of the participants for this event. Hours Of Operation: They welcome visitors to the garden on many Friday and Saturday evenings and during the day on Sundays. You can check out their schedule of events and admission cost on their website: https://japanesegardenpasadena.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/japanesegardenpasadena/event.jsp?;=&event=1612& Admission Cost: Mostly, $15 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday, it's $12. For other events, they post the cost on their website. Location/Parking: Located across from the Arlington Gardens (Free). It's kinda hidden, but just use the gps on your phone to guide you. Parking can be found along Arlington. For special events, they encourage you to park at Westridge School (Orange Grove and W. State St.) and walk up to Storrier Stearns. Ambiance/Decor: The Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is a beautiful and charming retreat with a quiet and tranquil elegance. The place is small which contains many of the much admired design features found in the most lavish of Japanese-style gardens of its era. As Kendall Brown states in his book, California Japanese-style Gardens, "this is the genius of Kinzuchi Fujii: this was once a flat area of two tennis courts; now it is a masterwork. 1) Classic Niko-an Teahouse, the garden landscape offers a variety of other beautiful details. 2) Numerous gathering points, seating areas & vistas 3) Four original bridges plus the original cedar log Japanese Waiting Bench 4) Two large interconnected, irregularly shaped koi ponds 5) The sounds of two waterfalls, one cascading down a 25-foot hill 6) An artful dry riverbed for rain overflow winding through the garden 7) Cooling shade everywhere from spreading sycamores & old oaks 8) Many tons of boulders & stones 9) Granite statuary & stone lanterns Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden For Thought: Wouldn't mind coming back to re-center myself. I did a have nice time.

This is the most difficult Botanical Garden to get in touch with…read more The hours they have posted on their website are wrong, no one picks up the phone after calling several times and leaving several messages. I went in person last weekend, and it was closed despite their online hours posted. The lack of clarity even upon walking up to the venue is not clear. They have no signs stating they are closed and it's clear they do not care to return voicemails. Please do not waste your time going there.

Brookside Park, Pasadena, CA., was hosting another vendors filled event a few months ago. This was…read moreanother Community event I learned via my professor from taking a technology course at PCC this 2024 year. The Pasadena City came up with this event honoring the victims of a hate crime that did take place some time ago. Vendors were friendly to talk to and generously shared a lot of their business swags with us attendees. This was a complimentary event as well as parking. My professor's booth called 'Peace Over Violence,' was handing out this super cute Brown Peace Bear, and it was my lucky day, I got one. I named her after Amazon tablet, 'Alexa.' What a great cause I supported this was!!!!

Spanning over 6 acres of land, Brookside Park is a wonderful place for day trips & family…read moregatherings. It's home to Jackie Robinson Baseball Stadium, has two softball diamonds, a multi-purpose field for flag football & soccer, a small stage with seating, an aquatic center, numerous picnic tables, and three play areas. At the center of the park is the Rose Bowl. The Gamble House is at the South end and the Brookside Gold Course is to the north. Kid Space Museum is also located here. Music Festivals such as Cruel World, other big events, and the monthly Rose Bowl Flea Market also take place. Another main attraction is the 3.3-mile loop trail that goes around the Rose Bowl & Gold Course. Occasionally, I'll come here for an early morning run and I'm here once a year to participate in Pasadena Human's annual fund raiser - the Wiggle Waggle Walk. The park is spacious and there is plenty of room for vendor booths, demonstration areas, and doggie costume contests. Participants have the option of walking the 3.3-mile loop or the one-mile route around the multi-purpose field. The park is nicely maintained as are the restrooms and parking is plentiful.

A little bit of everything for people, dogs, horses etc. my favorite part was the horse ranch…read more There's fly fishing though the pond appears empty and archery too. Scenery was nice, dry basin overall. Had a good time walking around with dogs and people alike.

The trailhead is located at the north end of the San Pasqual Stables parking lot. The Lower Arroyo…read moreis also a tourist attraction and park that's good for kids and dogs. Walking, hiking and jogging are the most common recreational activities in the Lower Arroyo. Connecting many miles of equestrian trails, the Lower Arroyo trails are permitted for mixed use by foot traffic of humans, horses and dogs. No bicycles or motor vehicles are permitted in the area.

Great mountain biking trails! I had a fantastic time there. I highly suggest checking them out.read more

This park is an incredible birding hotspot and a true sanctuary for nature lovers. The semi-wild…read morelandscape, filled with native oak trees and hardy scrub, provides a diverse habitat that attracts birds of all sorts--especially in the early morning. It's a great spot to see a variety of species of birds against the beautiful backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains. The park is peaceful and well-maintained. Whether you're a serious birder or just looking for a tranquil place to hike and enjoy the local wildlife, this park is a local gem that shouldn't be missed! Note: There is a frisbee golf course there if that is your thing.

My son has been attending Kids Klub for about 2.5 years, starting as a toddler, and it has been…read moresuch a wonderful experience for our family. The environment feels genuinely safe and welcoming every single time we walk in -- the ladies at the front desk are always warm and friendly, which makes drop-off so much easier. He's blossomed socially, made great friends, and always comes home excited about the activities and programs they do. I truly feel like he's a step ahead because of his time here. Highly recommend Kids Klub to any parent looking for a nurturing place for their little one!

My daughter has been attending Kids Klub for a year and a half now and we couldn't be happier. Her…read moreteachers are amazing and all staff are friendly, kind, and wonderful with kids. I'm amazed at how many of the office administration and general staff know the names of every child and parent given how many kids are enrolled there. The events they host for holidays are so thoughtful and well planned. Their flexibility of rates with drop off and pick up make it easy for us as we have an atypical day to day schedule. A highlight is the option for nutritious hot food made in-house, which makes life so much easier not having to pack food every day and still knowing your child is eating a variety of healthy foods. The curated activities like Mandarin / Spanish class, regular art time, balance and coordination, kitchen creation, and music are all wonderful. My kid comes home wanting to replicate the parfaits they learned to make and eat, and refers to colors and sings songs in all the different languages. We will be sad to leave at the end of this school year when she transitions to TK.

A mere three miles past the despair and human detritus that is the cavalcade of Eaton Canyon…read morewaterfall-bound imbeciles carrying Bluetooth speakers blaring DMX and coolers full of glass bottles that will be "deposited" in shards amidst the tagged and grafitti'ed rocks and trees, Henninger Flats is a much more peaceful representation of the San Gabriel mountains. Thankfully, the elevation gain involved in the short but steady uphill keeps the majority of idiocy far below. The hike itself is about three miles on the Mt. Wilson Toll Road, a wide dirt path with very little shade by midday. Just past the sign welcoming you to Henninger Flats, pine trees provide shade over picnic and camping areas. Pit toilets, a tree farm, a nature trail, and the nature center are also featured here. The visitor center is variably open most days, and has some historical and natural displays that are showing their age, but are still as interesting as they were when I was a kid coming up here with my dad. A soda machine offers cold drinks for a buck, but it only takes quarters. Be sure to sign the guestbook on the counter, and on the rare opportunity that someone is staffing the front desk, stop in and say hi. Note well: while a project is currently underway to bring potable water back to Henninger, as of September 2018, there is STILL NO DRINKING WATER AT HENNINGER. Bring plenty of drinking water, especially if you are continuing deeper into the mountains on a longer hike. Most of the times that I visit, there are Boy Scout group camping on the weekend. Camping is free here, but you need to reserve the spot.

This hike is a segment which is a steep tangent from Eaton Cyn in the San Gabriel mtns. If you're…read moregoing to do this, be an extremely seasoned hiker. Like we hiked for a total of 10 miles, an entire day later, 2 sandwiches, trail-mix and extensive water-bottling. It's an awesome workout. And yes and mentioned by others, the recreational hikers stay far, far below. This hike is steep, and winds for miles. Once you arrive at the nature center, there is a cool centuries old restroom. I found this lovely, don't ask why. Vintage is my vibe. The nature center is educational. There are diagrams of tree and forest history. Stuffed wild animals, of the smaller variety: squirrels, birds, and the like. And the three-dimensional map of the forest range is cool. You feel like such a tiny fragment of a massive universe. Of which, we are regardless. It just places you in this perspective, at that very moment. The forest rangers are cordial. Yes, not park ranger bc it's this Rustic. Also, note you can buy water bottles at the nature center. This is vital bc the hike is extensive and you may need like 10 refills. So here you are. There isn't a filtered water supply elsewhere. These are also camp grounds, and pine trees nestle together here for miles. And the vista is gorgeous.

I've been comin here for years playing dodgeball. I've always had a good relationship with the…read morestaff here. Now I take my kid here to play at the revamped and amazing park. Huge maze/climbing fortress that leads to a super slide. Clean and well kept. Plenty of parking. I'm a little big for the slide but I still rocked it just to prove to myself that I am not getting older and I can handle anything. I don't even think I aged that much in the last few years. Thank you

**Rating my experience with a toddler*…read more This is a new park that just opened in the Highland Park area. It's a real gem and my toddler son loved playing here with his friends. There's a big play structure for the kids aged 5 and up, and a smaller play area for under 5. My 4 year old loved playing in the big structure and going down the big blue tube slide. Some children may be hesitant going down the slide, and if so, you'd have to climb all the way down as there's not alternative slide. It could get a bit crowded if there's too many kids in the structure, so parents be forewarned and keep your eyes on your children if they need help while in the structure. There's a good handful of swings, ranging from regular swings to double swings to a round swing where 5 kids can go at the same time! Super fun! The grounds are also all rubber and no sand, which was a bit of a bummer as my child likes to play in the sand. There also a large basketball court next to the playground, and the recreational center next to the courts. We went on a Sunday and the center was closed, so unfortunately we couldn't access the bathrooms. Lots of street parking, but it can probably fill up fast during the popular months.

Remember that many public pools across U.S. cities were backfilled with concrete rather than…read moreallowing people of color to swim with the white man during the 1960s and 1970s. That itself gives this historic structure a miraculous feel because it survived desegregation in an apartheid state that still tries to hide/deny its ugly white supremacism. Nonetheless, the racist, capitalist model of diminishing public infrastructure because they provide benefit to non-whites equally, prevails. The changing rooms are a shambles. Ironically, in many poorer nations where I have used municipal pools, they have smarter, more updated locker rooms. (This reveals the character of what passes for national culture.) Enough now with the disparagement and let's pivot to this historic pool. The length is perhaps Olympic size but the deep end of the pool is in the middle. It's cordoned off into three sections across, allowing a lap swimmer to benefit from the deepest central third, although it is not a full 25 yards across. The water is much clearer than in Glassell Park and perhaps it's because it is not as heavily used? I found there's a solid jet stream of pumped water underneath leading to a kind of "rip tide" effect in the pool. You have to work harder to get across because of the undercurrent. It's quite enjoyable. The lack of trees around this pool makes the sun feel harsh, but the nearby Gold line train gives it a feeling of being part of a vibrant metro region. As well I was smelling street tacos from a nearby truck, very aromatic I was delighted to find this pool during one of the extended brutal heat waves of triple digit temperatures that are commonplace now thanks to climate change. However, consistent with the history of white colonizers being callous about the welfare of non-white citizens, and overriding the unique realities of western geography in favor of conformity with norms from the northeast, the City of LA Parks and Recreation department feels the need to shut down pools like this one during LA's *hottest months* of September and October. In other words, yes, the City of LA would rather people of this area suffer the heat than keep this pool open to allow for some respite for vulnerable human bodies. LA's hottest months are always September and October. City of LA Parks and Recreation: We don't care. Finally, note there is limited parking in a lot which exits into a mega-dip in the street side curb that will crack most sedans' chassis... Call 818-804-7570 about hours.

The front desk and locker room staff are friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is fun! I swim…read morelaps mostly. But I've brought my grandson to play as well. It's an asset to the neighborhood. Just wish it was open year round !!!

I've lived in LA for years and somehow never realized you could kayak the river until a friend…read moresuggested trying LA River Kayak Safari. We booked a weekend morning tour, and it ended up being one of the most unexpectedly fun things I've done in the city. I was a little nervous at first since I'm not super experienced with kayaking, but the guides were patient and gave clear instructions before we got on the water. Once we started, it felt calm and surprisingly peaceful. We even spotted birds and fish along the way, which I definitely didn't expect in Los Angeles. The whole experience felt safe, well-organized, and relaxed. It's such a cool way to see a different side of the city. I'd absolutely do it again.

This is the only place in Southern California, except for the Kern River and it's not worth it…read more When I was in College, during the Summer I worked as a White Water Rapid Class V Instructor on the North Fork of the American River. If you look that up or really want to raft, take a drive up to Northern California for some excitement- you are able to do Class III, Class IV, or Class V, including an overnight rafting trip. It's not exactly like "A River Wild," but it can be if you're not experienced. I grew up river rafting with my Daddy all the time and have been on more than 300 trips in my lifetime. It's one of my favorite activities, but it's boring and lame in SoCal.

so i go metal detecting in this park all the time [nothing left here folks, don't bother] but…read morethey've been renovating it and something interesting is coming! I guess it's called a pump track, they are building it now. can't wait to see this forgotten park get popular!

Nice little park that isn't busy at all for kids. Bathrooms seemed open but didn't use. Easy…read moreparking. BBQs available but not many. There is some bums but wasn't bothered by anyone. Nice visit to stop for quick fresh air or to bring your dogs for some fetch.