Looking for a fun, secluded playground with lots of opportunities for playing and picnicking with an incredible view? Check out Discovery Well Park in Signal Hill with your kids for lots of fun.
Long Beach and the surrounding areas – like Signal Hill – are home to some amazing parks, and Discovery Well Park is no exception. At nearly 5 acres, Discovery Well Park has a great playground, as well as a 2 picnic shelters, a community center, and a ton of green space for kids to run explore and play.
There are lots of reasons to visit Discovery Well Park in Signal Hill – and here are some of our favorites.
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Planning a visit to Discovery Well Park?
Discovery Well Park is located in the heart of Signal Hill. Located at the very top of Signal Hill, Discovery Well Park is almost completely hidden – if you don’t know where to look!
Discovery Well Park is located at 2200 Temple Signal Hill, CA 90755.
How is Parking at Discovery Well Park?
Discovery Well Park is nestled down a large hill off of Temple and Hill Street, so street parking isn’t really an option. There is a small parking lot for visiting the park, so you should be able to find parking there when you visit.
What Facilities are at Discovery Well Park?
Discovery Well Park is an amazing park in terms of amenities.
Here are some of the amenities:
- Large playground
- Basketball half court
- Handball/Four Square Court
- Barbeque areas
- Shaded picnic tables
- Picnic shelters
- Restrooms
Is Discovery Well Park Gated?
Discovery Well Park is not enclosed with a fence, however, there is a large hill surrounding most of the park.
Is Discovery Well Park on a Busy Street?
Discovery Well Park is down a very steep hill off two busy streets. Even if your kid is a runner, they’d have a very hard time making it to the street. There is nothing to separate the playground from the parking area, however, so you still need to be vigilant with your kids.
How are the bathrooms at Discovery Well Park?
There are bathrooms at Discovery Well Park, and they are some of the best you’ll find at a public park! They are generally very well maintained with toilet paper, paper towels – there’s even consistently soap inside! If you do find a problem, there’s a phone number on the door where you can report any maintenance issues. In our experience, this ensures that even if there’s a problem when you visit, it won’t be a problem when you return! And we’d return to just about any park for a clean bathroom!
Does Discovery Well Park Have Sand?
Great news for Mamas that hate sand: Discovery Well Park is a completely sand free park! Don’t get it wrong, our kids love sand, but sometimes it’s nice to visit a park and know you won’t be bringing most of the sand home in their shoes! Instead of sand, this park has completely rubberized surfaces, so you won’t bring any souvenirs home in their shoes.
Is Discovery Well Park Accessible for Kids of All Abilities?
Unfortunately, Discovery Well Park has not been updated to have increased ADA features.
Does Discovery Well Park Have Shade?
The playground at Discovery Well Park does not have any shade, so be sure to wear sunscreen! However, there are some built in areas of the playground where our kids hang out in the shade to get some respite from the sun.
There are also some very thoughtfully placed benches under shade trees on both sides of the playground. Whether your kids are swinging or sliding, playing basketball or just running in the grass, there’s a spot for you to sit and keep an eye on them.
How Many Swings are at Discovery Well Park?
Discovery Well Park has two baby swings and two “big kid” swings.
What is the Best Age Range for Discovery Well Park?
While the posted signage at Discovery Well Park indicates that the playground was designed for kids ages 5 to 12, in our experience much younger kids can also play and have a fun time. We’ve been visiting this park since our oldest kids were babies and they are still enjoying it almost a decade later!
There is only one play structure, but it has slides and things to climb for kids of various ages and abilities. There are also some puzzles and spinning toys on the ground for even the youngest players.
Older kids and teens can also enjoy the sports courts and the large grassy area which is great for soccer, Frisbee, flag football and tag.
Having a Picnic at Discovery Well Park
Discovery Well Park has two shaded picnic structures, perfect for a small gathering or just a shady spot to park your stuff on an afternoon visit.
If the shelters have already been claimed there are also a few picnic tables strategically located under some great shade trees. As a last resort you can always bring some shade of your own (we love this pop up shade tent) and a picnic blanket utilize some of the ample grass for your picnic.
One note: there are pockets of clover in the grass, so be mindful when setting up a picnic on the ground as you may encounter some bees!
Can You Have a Party at Discovery Well Park?
Discovery Well Park is a great spot for a party with lots of options if you choose to reserve a space.
You can reserve either of the picnic shelters and/or jumper space for parties. (Note that shelter rentals are limited to 4 hours).
Unfortunately for us living in Long Beach, the shelters are currently only available for reservations by Signal Hill residents. For the most up to date information on reservations and other restrictions, visit the Signal Hill Parks Facilities site here.
What do we Love Most About Discovery Well Park?
I love Discovery Well Park because it’s set off from major roads and I can relax a little bit more when trying to keep an eye on multiple children. There are also some unique features making Discovery Well Park a very special place. Here’s a breakdown of the best things about Discovery Well Park:
A Park with a View
Discovery Well Park has, hands down, one of the most amazing views of inland Long Beach. On a clear day, you can have a spectacular view of the Los Angeles mountains. Also, Long Beach Airport is in the direct line of sight making it a really fun place to watch airplanes take off and land.
Unique Play Features
Discovery Well Park has some features that you just won’t find anywhere else nearby. As soon as we arrive, my kids make a beeline to a giant rock climb structure. it’s huge, so a bunch of kids can use it at the same time, which is great when you bring a whole crew! It’s also got some great handles built in, helping younger climbers navigate the wall. Lastly, it’s not TOO tall, so if you need to grab a little one that got too high, you’ll be able to get them safely and easily.
Warning – the rock is made of plastic and in direct sunlight. On a super hot day, it can heat up, so make sure to check it out before you send tiny, sensitive hands up.
The other popular attraction at Discovery Well Park is this modified Merry Go Round. Gone are the treacherous Merry Go Rounds from our childhood! This Merry Go Round offers kids the opportunity to sit (pretty safely!) in their own seats. More adventurous kids can stand along the outside and hold onto the handles. It can fit a ton of kids and is a ton of fun!
Walking Paths
We love spending a lot of time outside. Yes, that means playgrounds, but it also means just running around and going on walks. So we love that Discovery Well Park has access to some great walking paths. Be mindful that these paths go through a Private Community and are only for public use from sunrise to sunset.
We hope that you’ll love Discovery Well Park as much as we do!
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