Gated Playgrounds

Visiting Adventure Playground in Irvine

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Looking for a big adventure beyond Long Beach? For all day fun, consider checking out the amazing Adventure Playground in Irvine.

Now that I’ve got kids ages 10 months to 9 years, it’s important for me to find places that has something for everyone. It needs to be safe, secure, and most of all fun. Adventure Playground in Irvine checks every single box and is worth the drive for a day of fun the whole family can enjoy.

The big kids love building structures with huge Lego style bricks. I love that it’s fully enclosed. They ALL love the mud! It’s the kind of playground where I get to say YES, which is also great. Yes to getting messy, Yes to running and climbing. YES to finding all kinds of ways to play.

While this is definitely a bigger commitment than one of our great local parks, it’s a commitment we’re happy to make!

Read on to find out why we love Adventure Playground in Irvine so much, for kids of all ages.

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Somerset Park in Long Beach

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Looking for fun playgrounds, sports courts and plenty of green space to run around? Somerset Park in the Cal Heights Neighborhood of Long Beach is a great spot with something for kids of all ages. This park packs a lot of punch, but isn’t super spread out – so whether you’ve got a toddler on the baby swings or a teenager shooting hoops, you can easily keep an eye on everyone!

Full disclosure, I live very close to Somerset Park. And being from this neighborhood as well, I spent a lot of time growing up playing at this playground. When we moved in, we were happy to live close to a park. Then, Somerset Park became one of the first Long Beach parks to get the much needed playground upgrade. We were ecstatic!

Needless to say, we’ve visited this park quite often, and have compiled a lot of information in our experiences.

Here’s everything we’ve learned about from our many opportunities visiting Somerset Park with kids.

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Good Neighbor Park in Long Beach

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Looking for a big, shady park with free parking in Long Beach? Check out Good Neighbor Park in Long Beach, adjacent to the Regional Park (and the El Dorado Library Branch!)

Have you had the chance to visit Good Neighbor Park in Long Beach yet?

It’s near the El Dorado Regional Park, but without the entrance fee or long drive to the playground.

Nestled in between soccer fields, baseball fields, a skate park, and a frisbee golf course, there is SO much to do in this large stretch of green.

Add in a visit to nearby El Dorado Library, and you’ve got your whole day planned out for you!

Here’s why we think you should visit Good Neighbor Park in Long Beach (and why your kids will love it so much).

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Bloomfield Park in Lakewood

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On the east side of town? Check out Bloomfield Park in Lakewood, a less busy park iwth a lot of bang for its buck!

I’ve lived in Long Beach for decades- eight of those years with kids in tow- and I’ve never been to Bloomfield Park before.

But this summer, we’ve made it our mission to visit every wading pool near Long Beach, and Bloomfield fit the bill.

We were expecting to love the wading pool (we always do), but I was surprised at how much the kids loved the green, open space and two (mostly) gated playgrounds for different ages.

Check out why we love Bloomfield Park, and plan your visit to love it too.

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Tips for Visiting Biscailuz Park in Lakewood

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Heading to the Lakewood Mall or running some errands near the western border of Lakewood and Long Beach? Consider making a stop at one of our favorite less-busy parks.

If you live in or around Lakewood, you probably know the classic parks in Lakewood: The “Cinderella” Park, Del Valle Park, Bolivar Park – but you may not have been to Biscailuz Park in Lakewood. It’s off two major streets, but without an easy way to see how you get too the park, it’s a little under rated.

It’s also, in our experience, way less busy than those other parks. Which can sometimes be a big benefit for us! Sure, sometimes my kids are eager to meet new kids and play with them. But sometimes my kids just need to get their crazies out without a crowd!

And with it’s two giant play structures, sports fields, and ample picnicing opportunities there’s a LOT to love about Del Valle.

But before you head over, keep scrolling for our pro-level tips for visiting Biscailuz Park in Lakewood.

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Visiting Mayfair Park in Lakewood

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Heading to Mayfair Park in Lakewood? It’s a really popular park with a TON of great features and facilities. Here’s what we think you should know before you go!

One of the first places I took my daughter once I started staying home with her was Mayfair Park in Lakewood. I’d heard there was lots for littler kids to do, and it seemed like a good place for us to celebrate my resignation from my full time gig.

She loved splashing in the wading pool, I loved the big, fully gated little kid playground. One of my sweetest memories took place here, realizing we would be spending long days together, just like this, every day from then on.

As time has gone by and my kids have grown, we find ourselves returning to Mayfair more and more, for a whole new set of reasons.

Read on to find out why we love Mayfair Park so much, for kids of all ages.

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Wardlow Park in Long Beach

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Looking for fun playgrounds, sports fields, and lots of green space to run and play? Check out Wardlow Park in Long Beach with your kids for a tiny taste of nature int he big city.

There are a lot of great parks in Long Beach, but outside of El Dorado Park, you’re not gonna find lots of uninterrupted green space. Wardlow Park, however, offers lots of wide open spaces for families.

It’s unique in that it offers not only a regular playground and sports fields, but it can also give kids a glimpse of what life is like outside of the city with the treeline located along the west side of the park. Adults will see it as a way to hide the aquaduct. But kids are likely to see it as magic.

Kids can climb trees, play with sticks, and create forest “houses” complete with fire pits, forage for “food” and play “lost in the woods” for hours, if you’ll let them.

There’s LOTS of reasons to love Wardlow Park in Long Beach- but here are ours.

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Bolivar Park in Lakewood

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Heading to Bolivar Park in Lakewood for the first time? It’s a great pick, for climbing, shade, and it’s star feature- a working Zipline! Everything you need to know to tackle Bolivar Park with kids, whether it’s your first visit (or your 100th!)

In the past few years, Bolivar Park in Lakewood has undergone some pretty impressive renovations. Whether you’ve got big kids or little kids, there is something at this park for just about everyone.

With it’s central location for Lakewood and North Long Beach, you can squeeze in a quick trip to Bolivar around errands at the Lakewood Mall, or make it your destination for a full moring or afternoon of play.

But before you head over to Bolivar Park, let’s look at some of the logistics to make your day at the park smoother (and a lot more fun!)

PICTURE OF PLAYDGROUND; TEXT: BOLIVAR PARK

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