Nice vast park with a private lot for parking as well as street parking. The restrooms were clean…read more I went for a 1 year old birthday party and this place is huge. There were multiple parties at the park and they were so far from each other which is nice way to feel like we had a space all to ourselves. Ton of tables and shade for picnicking.

I liked this park. It was very relaxing just to go up the hill and chill out and be in natureread more

The place is beautiful and green. This park has a positive vibe everyone should experience here…read more Softball, baseball, kids slide . I highly recommend this park kindness forward one person at a time

Seriously?? Closed on a holiday when people NEED a park to go to. What the heck! No bathrooms. No…read morezip line (which what my grandsons were aching to do.)

Came here on a wednesday around 9am no wait to get in. Ticket 5 dollars parking lot free. Serivce…read morefriendly. Took around 30 minutes to walk everything. Its in a loop. Restrooms inside clean. It was a really nice and relaxing well kept garden. Cool history and plenty of photo opportunities. It had wildlife as well ducks and goose. All in all a hidden gem.

What an amazing oasis in the middle of the SFV! I'm so glad this garden has reopened to the public…read more The grounds are beautiful and serene, and I really appreciate how they've integrated nature with sustainability by using reclaimed water to supply the garden's pond. We visited today and were lucky enough to catch a performance by the Taiko Project. Their performance honestly gave me chills! Love that they also talked about the history of taiko in Japan and US and they even had volunteers at the end of the show to try taiko drumming! There was also Kamishibai storytelling in the tea garden, which the kids really enjoyed. They also have Japanese Garden "I Spy" sheet for the kids to do and Clean Water Patrol activity book. This is def one of those low stress, high vibe activities that I highly recommend. Just a heads-up though, outside food and drinks aren't allowed inside, but water is ok. There are restrooms near the entrance as well as behind the tea garden. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for kids. We had such a relaxing afternoon and are already looking forward to coming back for more events at this little oasis.

A nice little park. We alternate between Devonwood and Devonshire Arleta Park. We have never had…read moreany problems at this park. Family friendly. The only downside is that there's not a restroom. Otherwise, we love it!

What a beautiful park. This great addition to this community of Mission Hills and Arleta is a gem…read more It has a small walking trail. Plenty of seating, picnic tables, nice landscaping and a covered playground that is very intriguing and will help to bring your child's imaginations to life. Great job LA City department of Recreation and Parks. Please do, continue to build more parks or update existing parks. Use this park as an example where children can enjoy a safe environment to play for future generations to come.

This is an excellent third space for walking, running, and biking (with caution)…read more Flat terrain, no shaded areas, but most of all the sense of community from the regulars who trek Hansen Dam. I've been visiting for a year on a weekly basis. One thing to be mindful for are the horse scat droppings that some horse riders apparently are careless to pick after. I've walked during the morning, midday, afternoon, and evening time. I've felt safe during all times of day and even bring my family on weekends.

My friend and I were headed to the Watermelon festival and we took the long way around which gave…read moreus an amazing tour of just how huge this place is. There are so many fields of grass that I believe are used for sports and then a lake that's for fishing it looks really clean and well maintained. The grass that I saw was soft and green with wildflowers, I did not see any foxtails so that's a plus! This would be a great location to bring my dog to walk and play and there's tons of trees providing shade! Looking across the way and seeing the actual Damn is pretty cool, it looks like a very grand structure!

I haven't been to this lovely, peaceful, tranquil Woodley Park in years. Today after I left the…read morebakery, I had to meet up with a potential client of mine to discuss her wedding arrangements. This is a very big park that actually has free, big parking lot and also street parking is available with couple of restrooms. We found a shaded area that also had a picnic tables. They have children's playgrounds, lots of beautiful, healthy looking trees and a full grass. Nice and green. They also have wildlife and the geese and ducks were swimming in the pond. Woodley park is adjacent to Lake Balboa park, but yet divided. Has pathways, trails, people walking their dogs, kids, has a place to exercise, and also there were venders selling some snacks. The weather was perfect around noon. Wasn't too hot nor it was cold. The Japanese Garden is really something to look into. It is breathtaking and beautiful. They have a golf course, and there was a birthday party going on along with a festival on the other side. I still wonder why people don't write reviews on parks? The park itself was clean and very well maintained. Didn't see no trash anywhere except where they belong. Inside the trash cans that were around the park.

Best Park in the valley. Many activities and so whimsical when everything is in bloom…read more Unfortunately, it still needs to be revived from the fire and the homeless the house there are becoming unsafe to be around.

Devonwood is a local small park that I am familiar with for many years as a SFV resident…read more Took my dog to get some fresh air this morning and saw a few other people out there walking, working out etc. We were able to walk a few rounds around up until one of the other patrons got my attention to let me know that there was a coyote on the premises. Unfortunately, there was a coyote on site which prompted me to leave right away as I was not about to be this coyote's next target with my baby. Don't get me wrong, my female dog 20lb will start a fight; so it's best to remove her from this situation asap. She has a deep bark which can be intimating but it's only coming from a small 20lb doggie. She's my bestie and will guard the issh out of me. The park is small and has swings and a playground for kids, only street parking available. It was such a nice day but shortened due to the potential threat.

Nice lil park. Smells a bit funny. But there is a frutero and a taco truck park there. Do not…read moreforget to bring cash to get some naranjas (oranges) in bulk.

Absolutely a wonderful Park very shaded, serene and peaceful. Unfortunately there are no restrooms…read moreand you must bring your own seating but it was still a wonderful part to enjoy 3 hours out.

What a beautiful park! I don't think I saw a single piece of litter. There were people walking…read moretheir dogs, driving RC monster trucks over the rocks in the stream and people pushing strollers. There was a playground too, but it didn't seem that they were any people there. All in all, it was a very quiet serene place! There's a sidewalk path that goes around the park and then there's also dirt paths within the park that Run alongside the little creek. You can go over some of the little bridges to get from one side of the park to the other easily. The surrounding neighborhood is really nice and has lots of trees. If I lived closer, I would be here every day!

A great park at the north end of San Fernando Valley. So many areas to spread out and enjoy…read more O'Melvany is listed as the second-largest public park in Los Angeles(behind Griffith Park), but still seems a pretty good secret, for the most part. On any given day you may see dogs playing, or training in social skills, exercise classes, families picnicking and kids running around. BUT ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WILDLIFE! Coyotes and mountain lions are very common, as are rattle snakes. But also bunnies, squirrels and an array of birds, for those who take the time to stop, listen, and try to identify. There is not a playground at this large park. Instead, the draw is toward it's many, well marked, hiking trails. This use to be John O'Melvany's ranch, until he deeded the land to Los Angeles(1976), with specifics for it to be used as a park. You'll still see orchards of grapefruit as you enter, with signs requesting you not remove the fruit from the area. The fruit has not been properly tended to in decades, so it's not really yummy grapefruit, but on occasion you'll see some people plucking and tasting to quell their curiosity. Mainly, to avoid the spread of fruit flies, the city requests that the yellow spheres be left in place. BUT OH THE AROMA OF THE FLOWERS FROM THESE TREES! And so many happy bees flitting about. Quite nice. This is also a park that allows access for equestrians. A very large dirt area for trailers to park and horses to be staged and prepped before heading off into the hills on the marked Equestrian Trail. If you do take the time to hike one of the many trails, you'll be rewarded with beautiful view of SFV. If you squint, you can almost imagine what it looked like pre-WWII, before the tract homes welcomed the veterans here. Many beautiful, very old, oak trees, eucalyptus and various maple species, along with a LOT of native shrubbery are found throughout the park and the one large bathroom at the center is well maintained. Hours are dawn to dusk, with gates at both the pedestrian entry and parking lot. Plenty of free parking in the lot and along the street. If you're up for an easy, but fairly long excursion, check out Bee Canyon Park. It starts just across the street from O'Melvany and DOES have a play area for kids. Also, it's trail runs all the way to Balboa. Cheers! "CC"

Great hiking trail! It is uphill the whole time, so it's a little harder, but take breaks as…read moreneeded. Nice hike to see nature!

*Kids tennis and swim review* My daughter has been taking tennis lessons at Ritchie Valens Park for…read moreover a year, and she absolutely loves Coach Tim. She truly believes he is the best coach. His teaching and training style is both fun and effective. He uses thoughtful exercises and drills that are perfectly suited for helping kids learn tennis while staying engaged and excited to be there. As a parent, I really appreciate how professional he is and, most importantly, the way he speaks to the kids. Coach Tim has a special way of motivating them, encouraging them, and building their self-esteem through his words. We are very sad to hear that Coach Tim will be moving away and will no longer be teaching here. He has made such a positive impact on my daughter, and he will truly be missed by our family. We are so grateful for the time our daughter was able to learn from him and wish him all the best. Swim Classes Review: The swim classes here are also wonderful. The lifeguards/ teachers are friendly, patient, and great with kids. I really like that the program has clear levels and that kids are tested. I had a hard time teaching my daughter to swim at home, but once she started classes, she learned to float in just one class and was swimming by the second level. I highly recommend the swim classes, they are very affordable, and I love that they're offered daily (seasonal only).

***Tennis Class Review Only***…read more I was recommended to sign up for the tennis adult class at Ritchie Valens Park by one or Tim's current students, and I'm glad I joined. I started last summer and it's been a great experience. Coach Tim does a great job balancing rally practices with skill development for all levels. He takes his time to go over proper form and technique, which has helped me improve. The sessions are both fun and instructional. I highly recommend taking the class!