The best playgrounds around Los Angeles
A good playground is more than lots of slides: soft ground, a toddler area separate from the big-kid area, restrooms and shade, and ideally water in summer. This list is picked by those standards, and several around Arcadia are within ten minutes of home.
The San Gabriel Valley routine is the big playground and duck pond at Arcadia County Park and the great lawn of Lacy Park in San Marino. Farther out, each has its thing: Shane's Inspiration in Griffith Park was the country's first large all-abilities playground; Heritage Park in Cerritos is a castle island surrounded by a pond; Tongva Park in Santa Monica sets its slides into a hillside with an ocean view; the Grand Park fountain Downtown is for wading; the Great Park in Irvine has a hot-air balloon and a big carousel; and Polliwog and Wilson Park in the South Bay circle duck ponds with weekend farmers markets and a little train.
- 9 places
- 8 free
- 9 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
9 places
Drive times from Arcadia
Arcadia County Park Playground
5.0Arcadia · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off both Santa Anita Ave and Huntington Dr
Lacy Park
5.0San Marino · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Lot at the Virginia Rd entrance; about $4 per person for non-San Marino residents on weekends and holidays (under 4 free), free on weekdays
Shane's Inspiration Playground
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free along Crystal Springs Dr and in the lot beside the playground
Grand Park Fountain and Playground
5.0Los Angeles · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Music Center garage (from about $10 on weekends); or take Metro to Civic Center/Grand Park station and you are there
Heritage Park Castle Island Playground
5.0Cerritos · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot off Bloomfield Ave
Charles H. Wilson Park
5.0Torrance · 45 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off Crenshaw Blvd and Jefferson St, fuller during the Saturday farmers market
Orange County Great Park
5.0Irvine · 50 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several free lots inside the park (Great Park Blvd / Marine Way), fuller on game days
Polliwog Park
5.0Manhattan Beach · 50 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots off Manhattan Beach Blvd and Redondo Ave
Tongva Park
5.0Santa Monica · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Civic Center garage or the downtown Santa Monica garages, first 90 minutes free (check current rules)
💡 Good to know
- Los Angeles playgrounds are short on shade: go in the morning on sunny days, or choose Lacy Park and Shane's with their big trees; slides burn at noon.
- Splash areas generally run late May through September, so bring a change of clothes; Lacy Park charges non-residents $4 on weekends, which keeps it quiet and clean.