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    Jack Dunster Marine Reserve

    4.8 (12 reviews)

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    Dawn at Dunster
    Leslie Y.

    We're fortunate to live within walking distance to this scenic urban oasis. The water front view is always inspiring, but it's especially spectacular during sunrise and sunset. The park itself is very small, but the meandering path makes it feel a lot bigger than the total area. Bikes are now allowed inside, but dogs are permitted if they are leashed. There is a bike rack near the entrance of the reserve. The dirt path is very even and it's easily wheelchair and stroller accessible. The trail is well maintained year-round. The wild flower bloom in the spring with brightly colored poppies brings joy to everyone's heart.

    Rob A.

    A very small and nicely designed nature reserve park right on the corner of a waterway. It has a smooth dirt pathway that winds around and finishes back where it started. Along the path are lush varieties of vegetation and flowers. There are a couple of wooden walkways out to docks over the water. Benches for rest or sitting to unwind are along the paths. If you walked down from Colorado Lagoon Park/Marine Stadium area to the north, you might need the break before your return stroll. The area is clean and well kept.

    Grace C.

    This was a nice small loop next to a watereay dotted w residential homes and boats. There was some flora but not much since its almost fall when coming here. There are many benches to sit to enjoy the serene beauty of the area. To get an additional walk in though you can park next to row house, park and walk from Colorado lagoon playground is 20 minutes (1 mile each way) or from Marine stadium playground 0.7 mile each way.

    The wetlands at the Dunster Marine Reserve
    Raphael M.

    This is a beautiful spot that nobody knows about! It's a small park featuring salt marshes and coastal sage scrub at the end of the peninsula separating Marine Stadium and Spinaker Bay. The park is only a few acres, but you can walk through trails that pass through beautiful wildflowers native to the coast and to Catalina Island. Tons of boaters and kayakers pass through the waters below. There are two over-water vieing platforms. Benches also offer a peaceful place to sit and relax. The wildlife watching is pretty good here: herons, egrets, pelicans, finches, and doves are almost always here. A colony of cliff swallows live under the docks just north of the park. When the tide is low, you can watch fiddler crabs dance on the mudflats. When the tide is high, look for fish and other kind of crabs! This is a fantastic and beautifully landscaped park. It's truly a hidden gem in Long Beach.

    Hiromi I.

    I love coming here for a walk with my baby. It's so quiet and serene. You almost forget that you are still in the city! The trail within the reserve is all dirt path but because it's so well traveled, you can definitely bring your stroller in and won't be too bumpy for your baby. It's relatively short loop - it's about less than a mile and if you don't make any stops, you'll be able to complete the loop in about 15 minutes. There are some benches along the way and I love that you can stop and just enjoy the the view and plants/flowers. I've gone mostly in late afternoon and you might see a few people at most. It's a beautiful hidden gem of Long Beach!

    The path on the reserve.

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Nice quiet area to bring the family for a stroll and then walk over to the park with a tennis court and a few seating options.

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    19 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Jack Dunster Marine Reserve

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    Review Highlights - Jack Dunster Marine Reserve

    At the end of Marine Stadium, through a narrow pathway next to the rowing center, is the entrance to this park.

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    Shoreline Park

    Shoreline Park

    4.6
    (90 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    A nice sunny afternoon at the park calls for a little picnic. The old days are completely different…read moreat this park. Decades later, it's a whole new place. Still nice but with a major upgrade. It's part of the aquarium of the pacific just along the harbor. There's a parking lot that's part of it but the payment situations was a bit of a mess. Paying with credit card on the machine was a hit or miss. Which i also found out from someone else there. It's probably easy just to do it from your phone. It's a decent size parking lot but there's also parking at the structure just next to the aquarium. It's a cute rolling hill park that looks out to both the queen mary, shoreline village and the harbor. Depending on what side you are. It's a cute little walk around with the lighthouse on top. There's benches scattered throughout the park for seating. There's even a little beach like path along the harbor. Regardless which side you are, the view is quite beautiful. There's also fishing that you could do on the pier. You'll see people about and about walking, picnicking, walking with their dogs or a stroll. Long Beach has its hidden gems and this place was one of them.

    I enjoy strolling through Shoreline Park each time I come to downtown Long Beach…read more It is a peaceful spot, passed the Aquarium, unique for the area. Quieter, green grass (it'd be nice to bring a book here) away from the hustle and bustle. And the views are hard to beat, the Lighthouse, the shore with boats and Queen Mary in the near distance. Bring a snack, a drink, take a nice break here, a cool walk to explore the Shoreline Park. Always enjoyable!

    Photos
    Shoreline Park (Long Beach, CA): View of the park
    Shoreline Park (Long Beach, CA): View of the park
    At night, view of Downtown
    At night, view of Downtown
    Shoreline Park

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    Drake Park

    Drake Park

    4.1
    (22 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    A quiet park, that can quite noisy when soccer is being played. On a football sunday, there was no…read moresoccer so my daughter and I took a leisurely walk around the park, following a Pokemon route that somebody had established (no worries if you have no idea what I'm talking about...somebody who plays Pokemon Go would understand). There are two tennis courts here, with lights allowing for nighttime play. There is also a small skate park. Alas, neither were being used...in fact, there were hardly any children around, even on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon.

    My daughter had a soccer game here on a Sunday morning, Sept 2022. While the soccer pitch is…read morelocated "across the street" Drake Park, we could not seem to find access to the lower field from Loma Vista, and made a left on Chester and another left in DeForest to access the small lot for the "Drake/Chavez Greenbelt Park." Assuming this is all part of the Drake Park proper, but it took a little intuition to find the entrance for our first visit. And still, the parking lot is small, filled with litter, human waste, and lots of broken auto glass... And it's about a 200 yard walk to the entrance of the artificial turf soccer field. Much of the human detritus in the parking lot is likely attributed to the considerable homeless population that is evident in the immediate area: dozens of people were camped out just across the street, in the dirt lot area adjacent to the river channel. That same dirt lot is variably covered with piles of demolition construction materials haphazardly dumped by who knows who? In pure defiance of posted signs prohibiting dumping. Other "unhoused Angelinos" seem to be wandering about the park, utilizing senses beyond my standard five (sight, smell, taste, hearing, and feeling) to experience things I can only imagine.... and a couple had set up camp in the park's landscaping adjacent to the walking path. Not so much unsafe as much as unsanitary This part of the park features what appears to be some kind of community garden - - locked and secured behind 10 foot chain-link fences. there is a public park restroom with only 2 of the 8 single seater stalls unlocked, and both are horrific inside. Some beautiful wall murals are marred by tagging. Much of the park here is adjacent to industrial yards, and most of the bordering landscape is littered with garbage. The soccer field is actually quite beautiful: artificial turf field with a perimeter fence. I laughed a little bit at the idea that this was a "green belt" and the soccer field was artificial turf... But there is certainly some actual real grass field in this park, and some California native plants along the periphery. So I guess that counts in the midst of This residential-industrial interface. The air was pretty heavy with the smell of oil refinery and low tide from the nearby river channel, which was probably a bigger deal to the soccer players than it was to me as a spectator. A generous three stars for the really nice soccer field and the fact that my truck windows weren't added to the considerable collection of broken auto window glass on the ground in the parking lot. My only other Long Beach Park frame of reference is Bluff Park, so I can confidently say this is nicer.... relative, though, that comparison is...

    Photos
    Artwork by the tennis courts
    Artwork by the tennis courts
    Artwork by the skate park
    Artwork by the skate park
    Drake Park in the City of Long Beach

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    Drake Park in the City of Long Beach
    Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

    Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

    4.4
    (404 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    It's a great place to visit! It's not big garden, but very elegant! So beautiful place, and free…read moreentry. Just need register online before go there. Everyone should go there at lease once!

    Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a peaceful hidden gem tucked inside California State…read moreUniversity, Long Beach. I walked into a space that is smaller than some larger Japanese gardens, but the layout feels carefully planned with winding paths, traditional landscaping, a koi pond, waterfalls, bridges, and quiet corners throughout. It is the type of place where taking your time matters more than trying to see everything quickly, and the smaller size actually makes the experience feel more intimate. The garden feels like a world apart from the campus surrounding it, and the transition from the university grounds to the garden is immediate and effective. The koi pond is easily the centerpiece of the garden and one of the most enjoyable parts to spend time around. I found myself lingering by the water, watching the fish move through the pond as the sunlight filtered through the trees. The fish are large and active, and the surrounding greenery, stone features, and water elements create a very relaxing atmosphere. The garden does a good job balancing natural scenery with traditional Japanese design, with each section offering a slightly different view and feeling as I walked through. The bridges and stone lanterns add to the sense of place, and the sound of the waterfalls creates a calming background that stays with you as you move through the space. What I liked most about this garden is how calm it feels despite being located on a college campus. It feels separated from the surrounding area once you enter, making it a nice place for a quiet walk, photography, or just taking a break. The landscaping is well maintained, and the entire space has a slower pace that encourages you to actually stop and appreciate the details rather than rushing through. The garden's design rewards a slow approach, with each turn in the path offering a slightly different perspective on the pond, the plants, and the stonework. The visit is fairly quick since the garden is compact, but it works well as a relaxing stop rather than a destination that takes up an entire afternoon. Reservations are required, so it is worth checking availability before going. Admission is free, although parking is an extra cost and can be the main inconvenience, especially during busy campus hours. The garden's location on campus makes it accessible, but the parking situation can require a bit of patience. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a beautiful spot if you are looking for a peaceful escape rather than a large attraction. The koi pond, thoughtful design, and quiet atmosphere make it a place worth visiting, especially on a nice day when you can take your time walking through the garden. It offers a brief but meaningful pause from the surrounding city and campus life, and the care that has gone into maintaining the space is evident in every corner.

    Photos
    Enjoying the fall colors
    Enjoying the fall colors
    Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
    Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

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    Jack Dunster Marine Reserve - parks - Updated June 2026

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