Best Playgrounds For A Playdate In Los Angeles
Who doesn't want to get out and play in Los Angeles, land of nearly eternal sunshine and serious outdoor activities and sanctioned areas offered to kids of all ages. Make that a date amongst your offspring and all of you will be waiting (probably impatiently) for that good time to begin. The following are five of the best playgrounds in and around LA where your children can run, swing, slide and do all sorts of other tantalizing activities.
Reese's Retreat
360 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 744-4321.
www.cityofpasadena.com
Talk Like A Pirate Day is awesome when spent at this themed playground. Actually, Reese's Retreat is awesome no matter when you and your youngsters gather there to spend a few hours using your imaginations in the spirit of Jack Sparrow. Among the facilities that abound in this space located inside Brookside Park are all kinds of planks to walk, chain ladders to climb, a rocking life boat, a killer cannonball climber, a pair of large swing sets. Other playful features include an ocean that is imprinted on a soft floor that is perfect for tumbling or jumping. To find the spot, look to the southeast corner of the larger outpost. So what about a place for the kids to hang out and just chill and chat? That would be aboard the jungle gym in the shape of an authentic pirate ship that is pulled on to these premises, matey. And don't you forget that! Arrrrgh!
Gates Canyon Park
25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Calabasas, CA 91302
(818) 880-6461
www.cityofcalabasas.com
Brandon's Village, a Western-themed playland, is located inside the seven-acre Gates Canyon Park and ready to wrangle in anyone looking for the perfect playdate. Around for about a decade, this outpost has two designated areas for youngsters. One is relegated to the tots ages 5 to 12, while the other is for younger children. This is a place full of joy, equipped with such unique facilities as a ship that sways and a slide that uses rollers to drive it. Talk about kid friendly. As for the adults who want to be in the sun and shaded at the same time, large scale umbrellas in screaming yellow, dot the area for a way to duck and cover when necessary.
Malibu Bluffs Park
24250 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 317-1364
www.malibucity.org
Any playdate is bound to be successful when held at Malibu Bluffs Park where kids are free to play and adults are treated to free wi-fi. Located across from Pepperdine University, this outdoor haven comes equipped with all kinds of equipment, like a four-person seesaw, three slides stacked together, and a small climbing wall. Perhaps even more engaging for your kids who want to play is the chance to do so at both the whale watching station and the sand pit. Have fun and enjoy the ocean breeze at one of the most beautiful parks in the Southland.
Polliwog Park
1601 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 802-5408
www.citymb.info.org
The duck pond will fascinate your little ones (bring along some bread to feed the feathery residents) when you plan a playdate at Polliwog Park or P-Wog, as the locals say. This Manhattan Beach-based retreat is a giant wonderland at 18 acres with three different areas set aside for kids to play. All is ready for the kids' rendezvous to begin where your tots will be able to climb on, explore, and slide on the deluxe equipment provided. They'll also be able to join the adults in the gazebos on the premises when taking a break from having so much fun.
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Culver City Park
9800 Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90232
(310) 253-6650
www.culvercity.org
When your children want to spend time together on a playground that's in the city but feels like it's not, Culver City Park is the place to go. At 41 acres, this outpost offers lots of space to roam but it's best to heard straight to the area designated for youngsters. The stuff provided on site is not only enjoyable but challenging, too. A company from Denmark came up with all the equipment, including a very different kind of jungle gym that's brightly coated in primary colors. Determining how to make everything work is half the fun. Meanwhile, very little kids will enjoy the special water table on the premises where these small learners can get a chance to pump water the old-fashioned way by turning a pump. Meanwhile, older kids will likely lean toward the climbing equipment on hand. That said, all that makes up this fun-filled outpost to be discovered by your tribe on a playdate is meant for striking up memories galore.
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