+ Idyllic lil detour from the pleasant stroll through HB Park…read more + On the day we went, someone was playing the bagpipe. Beautiful cultural music. + Well-maintained. Clean and pretty. + Many colorful flowers. + Located near beautiful HB Library.

A small but adorable garden in Huntington Beach Central Park! We found this garden through…read moresearching for photogenic spots in the area, and it was perfect for a short but serene stroll. - PARKING - Lots of parking as it's right next to the Huntington Beach Libary! - ENVIRONMENT - Beautiful field of grass that surrounds a lake. There are several park benches for you to sit and enjoy the view and weather. Lots of geese and squirrels running around that aren't scared of people at all - they're probably used to being fed! The garden has a pretty archway designating the start of the garden. - EXPERIENCE - It only takes about 10 minutes to walk through the entire garden, depending if you stop and take photos! There are a variety of flowers and greenery inside, and I love how calm it is. We took family photos outside the garden as there were more bloomed flowers. I hope the inside of the garden continues to bloom throughout springtime!

Locals just call it the Wetlands. We only call its full name when we're mad. "Bolsa Chica State…read moreEcological Reserve, you betta git your butt down here!!' Designated by the Dept of Fish and Wildlife, it's managed by Cal Trans and California State Parks. It's like a kid with two dads who lives with his grandma. The term Bolsa Chica means "little bag" because it's full of weed.[1] Archaeologists believe the Tongva and Acjachemen tribes lived here 9,500 years ago based on cog stones. Interestingly they're not sure what they were carved for. They may be ritual & ceremonial objects, or sacred replicas of nature (starfish, jellyfish, urchins) to help replenish their food source, or fishing weights, or game pieces. One thing's for sure, they used a black light and found acjachemen on their sheets. Fast forward past colonization and land grants to 1899, when the rich duck-hunters from Pasadena and Los Angeles who formed the Bolsa Chica Gun Club (a club that included Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig) dammed Bolsa Chica for their members. They were the luckiest guys in the face of the earth. In July 1920, Standard Oil Company got permission to drill, promising a 50/50 split of revenue. Fighting to preserve the area for themselves, the Gun Club fought off efforts to drill directly on the land but from the surrounding area, still making millions in royalties without a single rig. Annual club membership was $75,000, an idea that Disney ran with less than a century later. Fearing attack in the 1940s, two bunkers (Battery 128 and 242) were built. Though the largest was demolished in 1995, the circular frame of the smaller bunker, and you might get a ranger to show you if you sure him your cog wheels. In the 1960s, most of Bolsa Chica was acquired by Signal Landmark, who planned housing and a marine. State officials objected and 300 acres were set aside in 1970. The League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women decided to create a new group to preserve the area, but they all got into car crashes the first meeting. They became Amigos de Bolsa Chica "Friends of Little Bag" in 1976. By 1990, the Amigos and developer created the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, and two years later formed the Bolsa Chica Land Trust to expand the reserve to provide nesting, shelter, and food. People thought it was for the birds. It was. The egrets, herons, and raptors. Much of the developers land was bought and the remaining land was under dispute (California Coastal Commission, Proposition 50, etc), but it eventually ended up in Acjachemen Tongva Land Conservancy (by 2023). And, the 2006 restoration included opening an inlet to the Ocean, reconnecting it for the first time since 1899. It's the Circle of Life. Ha-bolsa Machica! It was because of the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, we took our Extended Day Care kids there for educational field trips. The Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center offers live animal exhibits and other scientific stuff. They would start us off with something academic before setting us free upon lands full of "Seriously, rattlesnakes can kill you" signs. The coolest thing I remember hearing is that some of these species have "euryhaline tolerance", meaning some of the saltwater fellows are coming into the freshwater to eat and vice versa. Other fish would explode. This includes the local legend California Killfish and the Striped Mullet, which I had in high school when I was really into the Thompson Twins. Free public tours are offered each month by three organizations: the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, and the Bolsa Chica Land Trust. Say Bolsa Chica one more time!! Approximately 30,000 people visit the reserve each year. Hiking, photography, and birdwatching are popular activities at the reserve. Fishing is permitted at designated areas around outer Bolsa Bay only. Pets are prohibited, unless you dress them up as a rattlesnake and they'll fit right in.

Bolsa Chica Wetlands is a jewel in SoCal! Great place to walk, take photos, enjoy nature and breath…read morein the beauty of the wetlands. This is a birders paradise. Great walking trails just beware of snakes and other critters on the walking paths as the weather warms up. Bathrooms at the north end interpretive center on Warner Ave. near PCH.

Fairview Park is one of my favorite places to walk and run because there are endless route options…read more You can stay around the park on dirt or paved trails, climb the stairs for a workout, enjoy the grassy open areas, or connect to the Santa Ana River Trail and head all the way to the beach. The trails also connect by bridge into Costa Mesa, where you can grab coffee or food after your workout. The people on the trails are friendly, and the park workers are always courteous, stopping their trucks to let pedestrians pass. Wildlife is part of the experience, so be aware of coyotes, snakes, rabbits, and squirrels. I also recommend staying aware of your surroundings and avoiding walking alone in the early morning or late evening. Whether you're looking for a relaxing walk with a friend, a quick mile, or marathon training, Fairview Park is awesome!

Huge park with hiking trails. Plenty of parking spaces. Very nice neighborhood place to hang out…read more They have public restrooms and tennis/baseball courts there. People go here to have photoshoot sessions. I love going here.

I love to walk central park for a variety of reasons. The amount of trees here provides a source of…read moreoxygen and heat cooling that I love. Although, in recent weather, I don't know lol. I love every squirrel I see and meet on the trail. I love to see the ducks and the trees and other animals I see on the path. The people are pretty friendly too. Sometimes there are also events including recreations, fairs or concerts. This park is a local city park but it is the size of a regional park, and bigger than some regional parks. They have 3 sets of restrooms along the walking path with three water fountains. At least one of the fountains I see has a fountain for dogs. If any of my OC Yelpers do a Pokemon Go community day here, please hit me up. ***Please listen to the song I am parodying, "Girls In Cars" by Robbie Dupree.*** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSHJc59jm6s&list=RDSSHJc59jm6s&start_radio=1 While you are reading my song parody portion of my review below. They walk with a dog that has a smile that is always so nice And they smile without barking, and you just have to look twice Girls with dogs Girls with dogs I love girls with dogs Girls with dogs Girls with dogs They always have nice smiles And a friendly way to care For the dog I see On a leash that's made with care (rhymes with care) Girls with dogs Girls with dogs I love girls with dogs Girls with dogs Girls with dogs Those friendly dogs are not too far I feel a joy that's in my heart A pretty girl with a nice dog that is so happy You are what a walk should be Those friendly dogs are not too far I feel a joy that's in my heart A pretty girl with a nice dog that is so happy You are what a walk should be Girls with dogs Girls with dogs I love girls with dogs Girls with dogs Girls with dogs Walking a few hours In the coolness or the summer time heat I see the sunshine When she passes by me Girls with dogs Girls with dogs I love girls with dogs Girls with dogs Girls with dogs All you girls have gone a bit too far I'm not safe behind the wheel of my car You look too well, you have a serious effect on me You're a highway fantasy Girls with dogs Girls with dogs I love girls with dogs Girls with dogs Girls with dogs

After visiting Shipley Nature Center located in Huntington Central Park West, we had to come back…read moreto visit the east side of this park. We parked in the first lot that we drove by directly in front of the adorable Park Bench Cafe, which is located in the park. We walked the paved path from this location, which circled the large park. We passed the ponds with a variety of birds and turtles and took a break on the bench to bird watch. We also visited the very well maintained and beautiful Secret Garden. Bring a lunch and sit at a picnic table that you'll find sprinkled throughout the park. Be careful when walking on the grass, there was a lot of duck poop throughout. Overall, a great place to take pics, birdwatch or to go for a walk or run. There is one playground located in the park.

So happy I found this trail entrance. It's safe bike trail to either Newport or Huntington Beach.read more

I've ridden this trail multiple times and when you are going towards the beach and eventually…read moreconnecting up to the Back Loop trail in Newport Beach, its awesome. But if you head the other way, towards Santa Ana it gets real sketchy real fast. You're either dodging homeless folks, who throw stuff at you or they "pretend" to run after you. While avoiding these obstacles you're also trying not to run over broken glass and end up getting a flat tire. For most part, this trail is well maintained and has distinct markings on where to ride and where not to ride. In my opinion, just heads towards the beach, fight the breeze, and the enjoy some salty fresh-air. Once you're in Huntington Beach, if you keep following the trail North you'll eventually hit Seal Beach and then Long Beach. The best part is about this trail, when you head home the wind is at your back. Pedal up!

I love this park! Lake Huntington is a fun park with lots of greenery, trees, and wildlife. I enjoy…read morefishing at this lake as well since the lake has bass, bluegill, and sunfish! Even if you don't fish, you can still enjoy the geese, ducks, and squirrels that call this place home. There is also plenty of grass areas for fun activities and for walking. Great fun, family place!

The horse trail area is still being developed, back trails look great, the park continues to be an…read moreinspiration for other parks

What you'll see first when you pull in, is the small beginning park area with three regular parking…read morespots, and one handy cap spot. There's a jungle gym and swing set, and some nice grassy area with a picnic table and a couple of benches. Then you'll see the road continue, along side a dirt path leading into the trees. If you follow the road down, you'll get to the larger section of the park with a lot more parking. There are lots more trails here, and one of them leads to the Santa Ana River Trail, which you can take straight to the beach. Both park areas are very clean and well kept, and since it is so close to the beach, the temperature out here is very nice and much cooler than even the city just next door inland.

Very nice park. Tons of people walking their dogs, saw some walking groups and bike riding going…read moreon. Some good places to have a picnic. Down at the bottom of the canyon. There is a playground up at the entrance but extremely limited parking, perhaps like 3 spaces. The sand in the playground needs to be better maintained. There was debris and trash in it. No restrooms. The lack of parking and no restrooms makes this a 3/5 vs 4/5 We do our family shoot here which I would saw was a great place.

"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." -Henry David Thoreau…read more I love this place for its quietness. I'm usually the only person there, walking on the little trails, bird watching and enjoying sunset. There would be a few people here and there walking their dogs, but other than that, it's really nice to be alone. The field is big and pretty even when it gets a little overgrown. But it becomes super green and lush after just a day or 2 of rain. It really is a hidden nature's gem. Parking is mainly at the entrance lot. But you can also park along the street next to the field just steps away.

Harriett M. Wieder Regional Park covers about 4 acres, plus it connects to around 30 more acres of…read morenatural habitat. It's located near the Huntington Beach, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, and some oil fields, a pretty unique area! There's a Fitness Zone, and a newly renovated playground for different age groups. If you walk a bit farther, you can get to a trail near Overlook Park. No street parking so you'll need to park in the small on-site lot. Dogs are allowed, and there's a public restroom.

Not so much a park. More of a walking trail around a flood…read morecontrol basin The Good: a convenient hiking/walking trail for the residents of Huntington Beach. It's maintained twice a year, once before and once after bird nesting season. Lots of wildlife in this small natural space in the urban jungle. The Bad: This is a basin, which means it holds water, which means it's a breeding site for mosquitoes. Dress accordingly. Also, they only maintain the vegetation twice a year. It becomes quite overgrown, and it invites undesirable natural and urban predators, like coyotes or meth creatures, homethheads addictedus Also, the dog owners that don't leash their dog. It's very annoying but typical HB resident behaviors. Be alert of both dog and owner when suggesting they follow the rules. The Ugly: the filthy meth creatures (homethheads addictedus) that not only disturb the residents and park goers, but the wildlife. You gotta have some "situational awareness" at this park. Especially if you're alone or have kids. Keep them close.

When I moved here 13 years ago, I wanted to be part of the community, so I responded to an ad in…read morethe paper for a cleanup day at Bartlett Park. My kids now just call it the dirt park. When we arrived for cleanup day, we began to learn about this little bit of open space in the "walled city" of HB. Lots of homeless people live in the park. They were given time to clear out their personal belongings and the suckers brought in had the lovely chore of clearing out their garbage. The next day, the homeless were allowed back in. Just great. Hey, I realize the homeless need to be able to sleep somewhere, but I don't want to be the one to clean up their crap and welcome them back home with open arms. I started studying about the history of this park. Most know about the historic Newland House and Newland Barn in the rear of the Newland Center mall. But the lower portion, the undeveloped area is quite a mess. The area behind the main mall, the upper portion, is owned by the city and the lower portion, down near Adams Ave. is owned by the county. The city portion is a protected Indian burial ground, tree sanctuary and home to some kinds of protected insects, as well as home to a bunch of coyotes. The lower area is similar but is also a flood control channel, formerly operated by the county. Recent development has rendered the flood control useless but it still fills up with water and produces some lovely moss covered mosquito breeding grounds. Kids use the open space for various unsanctioned activities. There have been bmx bike jumps and ramps dug into the ground with shovels, paintball and pellet ball areas and there is a big nightlife in here for teenagers to do what teenagers do. The sound of helicopters in the area remind us about this activity and folks know cat burglars forage for goods in cars and open garages and stash them in the unpatroled park. Its actually a great area for folks to walk their dogs during daylight and people are generally cool about picking up after them. They have a few trash bins and a dog waste bag dispenser. There was a study conducted years ago about potential development. The most popular thing neighbors wanted was a golf course, to replace a closed down course on PCH 20 years ago. The least wanted thing neighbors wanted was also a golf course. Pretty funny. Ball field or soccer fields are sorely needed but the city has decided to create some walking trails, a tot-lot park, some picnic areas and leave it relatively undeveloped. Since this was voted on, 3 years ago, next to nothing has happened yet. We will see what the future holds.

This park is small, and also nestled and kinda hidden between Fairview Park and all the dirt trails…read morethat lead to the Santa Ana River Trail. You can get there by first parking at Fairview Park, then walking down the dirt path that leads to a paved path, or walking down the stairs. There is a restroom and water fountain, along with some picnic tables. It's very well kept and not many people know about it, so usually it's pretty secluded. Right now there is a rattlesnake warning sign up. We did come across a small gardener snake along the paved trail on our way there, but it got out of the way once it felt us coming. It's a very nice little park to relax, have a picnic, or kick around a ball with your dog. It's also only 3 miles from the beach, so on a really hot day, it's a great spot to still be able to be outdoors since it will be a lot cooler in this area.

Likes: + The BMX Dirt Trails are a fun sight to behold. If…read moreyou're lucky, you'll catch skilled bikers doing awesome tricks off the curves and ramps. + Located right by the Santa Ana River Trail. If you're biking this trail between Corona city and Huntington Beach, Talbert Park as well as Fairview Park may serve as a couple pleasant detours. + Peaceful ambience in some parts of this park. Non-likes: - Limited parking. The parking & pedestrian access options from Sea Bluff Dr & Sea Cove Ln section is limited. You'll prob wanna park around the Discovery Dr & Balboa Blvd intersection.