Looking for a little sensory fun in the downtown area? You’ve GOT to check out Lincoln Park in Long Beach. With dog parks, skate parks, basketball, playground and VERY instgramable photo ops, this park really does have something for everyone!
Downtown Long Beach isn’t really known for its parks. The downtown area can be difficult, with limited parking and many individuals experiencing homelessness.
But there are also tons of amazing families in downtown Long Beach, and those families absolutely deserve this park.
It’s got something for people of all ages, lots of wide open space, and Big City vibes.
So whether you’re visiting from the suburbs or live in the heart of downtown, Lincoln Park in Long Beach is DEFINITELY worth a visit.
Here’s what you need to know about visiting Lincoln Park with kids!
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Planning a Visit
Lincoln Park is located in the heart of Downtown Long Beach. It’s a large park with tons of amenities for people of all ages.
Lincoln Park in Long Beach doesn’t really have an address per se, but you can find it on the northwest corner of Pacific and Ocean Avenue.
If you need and address for Google Maps purposes, you can input the address of Billie Jean King Main Library, located at 200 W Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802.
Is Lincoln Park in Long Beach Safe?
This was the biggest question we heard from our readers on Facebook, and from the public in general.
Lincoln Park was formerly an encampment site for those experiencing homelessness. Currently, security guards are in place all day and night long to ensure Lincoln Park stays safe and beautiful.
We can’t promise anything for the future, but during our visit, I felt perfectly safe going alone with my two kids. A security guard stayed stationed near the playground, and another moved around the park (on a skateboard, which was extra cool in my humble opinion.)
Where to Park to Visit Lincoln Park?
There’s no ifs about it- parking is difficult at Lincoln Park.
There is no parking lot, but if you’re willing to pay, there is easy parking in the Civic Center parking lot, located at 332 W Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802. Parking is $5 for 2 hours, with a $12 daily max.
Pro tip: if you visit the Billie Jean King Main Library at the same time, you can get your parking validated, which brings the cost to $1.75 for the first 90 minutes.
There is also additional metered parking on the streets north of Lincoln Park.
What Facilities are at Lincoln Park?
Lincoln Park has a lot of awesome amenities, and it’s one of the rare parks in Long Beach where you’ll honestly find something for everyone.
The amenities at Lincoln Park include:
- Half basketball court
- Bathrooms (rare downtown!)
- Accessible Playground
- Dog Park
- Skate Park
- Lincoln and Penny Statues
- Lots of space, both grass and artificial turf
Is Lincoln Park Gated?
There’s no gate going on here, but the wide open space offers a large buffer between where the kids will play and the street.
Is Lincoln Park on a Busy Street?
This is a very busy part of town, and this intersection is no exception.
Except to see lots of cars whizzing by, as well as bikes, pedestrians, and people navigating from the nearby Metro station.
How are the Bathrooms at Lincoln Park?
The bathrooms at Lincoln Park are located on the west side of the park. There are ample, individual bathrooms.
At the time of this posting, the bathrooms were clean and in good working order. We’ll keep our fingers and toes crossed that they stay that way!
Does Lincoln Park have Sand?
The vast majority of the ground surrounding the playground is made of recycled tires.
There is a small sand patch, but it’s easy enough to avoid, so going home with sandy feet is not a sure thing.
There’s also tons of grass and artificial turf to play on, too.
Is Lincoln Park Accessible for Kids of All Abilities?
Lincoln Park is one of the most accessible parks I’ve ever seen.
Most of the play opportunities are located at ground level, or at the top of slopes that all have accessible entry points.
I was especially impressed with the merry go round, which has spaces for wheelchairs to park and spin (with locked wheels, of course).
There are also handicapped accessible workout stations, and music areas for kids with limited mobility.
I’m a Special Education teacher, and I have to say, even I was impressed with how accessible Lincoln Park is.
Does Lincoln Park have Shade?
Lincoln Park is mostly in the sun. There was a sun shade present, but it would definitely get very warm here on a hot day.
How Many Swings does Lincoln Park have?
Lincoln Park doesn’t have traditional swings, but it does have some of my kids’ favorite swings of all time.
They are huge metal circles, and they swing in 360 directions. They are THE coolest.
When we were there, they were mostly occupied by teenagers and adults (they deserve to swing too!) so expect a little wait to get on one for yourself.
What is the Best Age Range for Lincoln Park?
Lincoln Park has just as many adults as kids, and all ages in between.
With basketball, a skate park, a playground, and exercise equipment, we saw people of all ages enjoying Lincoln Park.
The playground also seems accessible for kids of all ages. We saw babies banging on the drums, and 12 year olds on the merry go round.
Is Lincoln Park a Good Place for a Picnic?
Lincoln Park is a surprisingly good picnic spot. We saw lots of adults enjoying their lunch break while we were there.
There are no picnic tables, but there are plenty of benches and lots of space to spread out a blanket.
Would this be a Good Place for a Party?
That’s a nope. A big nope. Even if they allow it (which I’d guess they don’t) I would not do it.
What do we Love Most about Lincoln Park?
There is a ton to love about Lincoln Park, so here are some of our favorite features:
Sensory Play
Lincoln Park is a great spot for sensory-friendly equipment. There are great places to climb, very long slides (that our kids love to go down – AND UP!), and swings to get sensory input.
There are seats that spin, a merry go round that goes FAST, and lots of rock climbing/hill climbing opportunities.
Musical Instruments
There are tons of neat places to make music in Lincoln Park. Drums, a xylophone, and lots of areas to make NOISE make for very happy kids!
Skate Park at Lincoln Park
The skate park was one of the busiest areas of Lincoln Park! There were kids, teens, and adults all taking turns riding their skateboards in all the ways.
I’m not going to pretend I know the names of the tricks they were doing, or what the equipment was called. All I know is that it looked like they were all having so.much.fun.
Dog Parks at Lincoln Park
The dog parks at Lincoln Park are gated, and separated by size (one side for larger dogs and one for smaller dogs).
The dog parks are partially shaded, and the ground is covered with tree bark mulch.
You’ll also find drinking fountains for dogs located right outside the gates.
Exercise Equipment at Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park has pretty incredible exercise equipment located around the perimeter of the park.
All of the equipment offers accessible options, many of which are body-weight based.
We saw both adults and kids (well supervised!) using the equipment, but it is probably better used by teens and adults.
What Else is There to Do Near Lincoln Park in Long Beach?
Lincoln Park is located in the heart of downtown, very near City Hall. It would be an ideal place to take your kids if you needed to visit City Hall to pay a fine, get a permit, or the like.
It also shares a lawn with Billie Jean King Main Library. We visited on a Monday (because I forgot that nearly everything in Long Beach is closed on a Monday), so we didn’t get to add it to our visit.
But a peek inside the windows showed an impressive kids area, as well as areas for older kids and teens. Along with soooo many books, of course.
Lincoln Park is also just a short drive or bus ride from Shoreline Village, the Pike, and the Aquarium of the Pacific.
If you’re in the Downtown area, we can give our whole-hearted recommendation for visiting Lincoln Park in Long Beach with kids.
And we’ll just keep our fingers crossed that it stays safe and gorgeous for many years to come!
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