I was at this beauuutiful park for the La Mesa Earth Day Fair. It was a free community event…read morefeaturing eco-friendly vendors, a kids' zone, food trucks, and a clothing swap. I learned a lot from the vendors who provided some type of educational demonstration like composting and sustainable gardening just to name a few. The City of La Mesa did a fantastic job with putting this fair on...very well organized.

I was first introduced to this park many years ago when I came for my first swimming lesson as a…read morechild. After lessons, my brothers and sisters and I would go play at the park many times. Visiting the park as an adult no doubt brought back fond memories. The park still offers that green open space with mature trees, but new is the terrific community garden. I thought that was very cool. The playground equipment is closed for repair, as of this review, and they offer a small fenced off dog park area. Their plenty of parking and good restroom facilities on sight. The best part of this park is definitely the open space and hills and such. They still offer swimming lessons during the summer. This park brought back some good memories.

Love it! It's self contained. It's nice with multiple children. Great play equipment. You meet the…read morenicest mothers, grandparents and Nanny's

Nice neighborhood park for the kids. Would highly recommend to others in the area! It has sand, so…read morenot the best when it rains.

Rolled into the La Mesita Park not knowing where the pickleball courts were and ended up at Jr Seau…read moreSports Complex up the hill. Went back to the park proper, made a left towards YMCA and recognized the blue, green painted courts below eye level parallel to the freeway. Almost went to Big Rock in Santee this morning which has eight dedicated pickleball courts but more players. La Mesita on the other hand, has the same number of pickleball courts, four of which are newly resurfaced. They have a smaller crowd which means shorter wait times, some good shade, but adds four miles to my drive - a small price to pay to feed my quasi-addiction. It only took 2.5 hours to meet my minimum daily game quota of four challenging matches and I didn't encounter any aggro ball smashers. This is the ninth East County pickleball venue I have played at and can easily become one of my favorites.

Came to La Mesita to play some pickleball during the holidays! The courts were semi full, with two…read morecourts in the back free. The people were very friendly and we had a lot of fun games. The parking was a bit of a struggle with the YMCA still in session. Other than parking, it is a great place to stop by and play a few games while enjoying the scenery!!

I'd added parks in La Mesa and surrounding areas to my favorites in a map app a while ago,…read moreintending to check them out but hadn't. I was in the area of this park recently, and passed a parking area while driving on Bancroft. I was in need of a restroom so I turned at the first road after and that led to another, smaller parking area. I parked there, found the restroom I needed, then walked around a little bit. The park is on a slope. There is a covered area for family or company picnics@ some sort of a ball court. I walked down the slope to the other parking area. A dog would find plenty to sniff around at, but I didn't see much so I headed back to my truck. The parking area started filling. Some cars and vans with their clients, on outings. Some guy parked next to me was talking to himself and dumped what looked like grocery store dumpster finds out behind his vehicle, I guess to go through them. And commenting on stuff in my direction. Ok, time to go. 10 am by then so I made a mental note to come early again next time.

Came by here to eat our food from Valley Farm Market on our group get-together with Yelp Elites S &…read moreM. You would have to take quite a turn after seeing the sign on Bancroft if you are driving from the Valley Farm Market. Parking spots looked quite limited as there was only one way in and then one way out. The table we got was perfect for us to enjoy our BBQ ribs, chicken, and salads under the eucalpytus trees. But would say some of the other seating areas were pretty much in the sun, so wish there was a bit more shade to those closer to the parking lot. The area looked very family friendly, lots of shade, and the grassy areas looked perfect for dogs to run around. I read in another review that dogs aren't allowed there but don't think I saw the sign during our visit there, so might have missed it. The dogs that were there that day were quite friendly and no one seemed to mind. There were two pavilion areas towards the left of the park which were well shaded where parties can be hosted. Bathrooms are nearby the higher elevated one. Overall looked like a decent park.

Lake Murray is so beautiful and I enjoy coming here! I've been here a few times to walk the trail…read moreand also sit by the lake and read on a nice sunny morning. The birds can be a bit annoying, but guess that comes with the great outdoors. Definitely a nice spot to chill, take a walk and get those steps in. This area feels safe and well maintained. When I went, there weren't too many people, so it was pretty peaceful. The trail can get busy and there are bathrooms along the way (I didn't use them though) There's plenty of parking here, but just be sure you leave on time for closing. I've heard they lock up and it can be an issue with getting out. (not sure how true this is but I won't chance it) There is more parking elsewhere with trail access too, I just personally haven't found it.

Lake Murray Service road walking trail is one of my go-to workouts--about 5.5 miles to the locked…read moregate and back. After entering the main entrance, follow the road and turn right where you will see a yellow locked gate. This is the beginning of the paved walking trail. There's plenty of parking at the main entrance, and the paved trail is perfect for walkers, runners, bikers, and even kids tagging along. It's basically a choose-your-own-adventure: bird watching, fishing (permit required), or just a casual picnic. Bonus perks: lots of porta potties and benches when you need a breather. If you're holding out for a real restroom, there's one just past the second baseball field--plan accordingly. Photo is attached to show where to locate this. Heads up: the main gate is closed every 2nd Tuesday of the month, but don't panic--you can still access the trail through the neighborhood entrance off Baltimore Drive. Hope you enjoy this walking trail as much as I do.

Id say this park is nice for Parents to bring their kids to play. It's in a safe neighborhood. Park…read morewas pretty clean. 》Fair warning: their is no restroom just a porta-poty so I'd have some hand-sanitizer or hand wipes handy!. Parking is fairly simple here due to it being in a residential area.

We love this park and lake -- pretty much come here every day to walk and talk and enjoy the…read morebeauty. Today I wanted to give a "shout out" to OSCAR, one of the staff members. He's always the "real deal" -- a good worker and a nice, helpful person. He cares and steps up when people come to him with questions or unique concerns. We think he's a great employee -- and that sure sets the tone for a happy visit!

I like how nice and enclosed this park is. Feild playground bathroom walking track all close so you…read morecan keep an eye on your kid. The downside is it can get pack especially when they have baseball, but I don't mind it. The bathroom can get beyond nasty. I almost stepped on human doo doo walking into the men's bathroom lol so for that 4 stars

Such a fun park geared for 5-12 year olds. Plenty of shade and benches. Clean & had cute a trash…read moretruck to climb in. My son loved it here ! He is 3 1/2 for reference and needed a little help going up the steps. He still went down the slide :) For reference we came here on Easter Sunday morning 2023. No baseball game or parties. Very quiet.

Although nearby Mission Trails Regional Park gets all the attention, Rancho Mission Canyon is one…read moreof San Diego's many neighborhood open space canyons through which hikers can take a short yet remote walk, forgetting, for an hour or two, that we live in the country's 8th-largest city. Parking lot is down the hill from the park. Trailhead is next to the lot. No facilities, so do your business before arriving. Bring water. Watch out for rattlesnakes.

The playground is amazing here! Great structures for all ages and love that it has trail access and…read morea large field. The downside? You can barely use the equipment by 10 am. My baby got burns on his hands from touching a metal slide at 10:15 am. It was 72 degrees out. All the slides, stairs, and climbing equipment was too hot to touch unfortunately. Also, there are no bathrooms. We really want to love this park but so hard when you can't use it after 10 am.

Small, clean, low key park near freeway. Across from assisted living facility. Lots of small well…read morebehaved dogs on leash, and elderly folk. There's a bathroom, kids play area, and shade. Handicap accessible

What a hidden gem! Quiet park tucked away near Grossmont area. This park is unique in that there is…read moreno traditional playground. There is a set of four swings, a big sandbox, and a unique musical area with large xylophones. Several picnic tables with umbrellas. It's great if you're trying to catch up with a friend - quiet enough to talk and hear each other, and small enough for the kids to run and play on their own. Lots of open space for them to explore.

Situated 1365' above San Diego and east of downtown, Mt. Helix Park is a hidden gem to most who…read morelive in or visit San Diego. It is well worth taking the scenic drive up Mt. Helix, starting in neighborhoods and stopping at or near the summit. Parking near the top is very limited, and the road is one way, so be prepared to take the first space you find as you approach the summit and walk to the top. At the summit, you'll enjoy spectacular views that stretch from the mountains to the east, south toward Mexico, and to the Pacific coastline to the west. Here you'll also find an open air amphitheater used for concerts, as well as lookout points and trail heads. Plan to spend time here absorbing the views, fresh air, peaceful surroundings ... and maybe a picnic. I highly recomend a visit.

One of my favorite parks in La Mesa. Sd best kept secret…read more Best place to watch sunrise or sunset with extraordinary views of spring valley/ Rancho sd La Mesa. Also the incline is a great workout! Bonus tip. In October they host the Halloween candlelight for the best spookiest vibes under moonlight!