Cupid wishes he trained here. Hidden in the middle of the San Fernando Valley's urban sprawl, surrounded by the hum of the 405 and the occasional honking goose, lies one of L.A.'s coolest secrets: the Woodley Park Archery Range -- a slice of history where Olympic dreams, weekend warriors, and absolute beginners all take aim at the same targets. Woodley Park's archery range isn't just another community spot -- it's hallowed ground for archery in Southern California. Established in the mid-20th century, it became one of the premier training grounds for competitive archers, including those who've gone on to represent the U.S. in the Olympics and world tournaments. The range was home to early pioneers in modern archery and has long been supported by the Woodley Park Archers Club, a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to keeping the sport alive and accessible for everyone. Whether you're brand new or a practiced archer fine-tuning your form, this place is magic. It's free to use, open to the public, and beautifully maintained -- a rare mix of L.A. chill and Olympic discipline. The sound of arrows hitting targets is weirdly meditative, and for a moment, you forget you're in Van Nuys and not a medieval forest. If you're serious about learning, do yourself a favor and take a class here. The instructors are incredibly patient, passionate, and knowledgeable -- many are lifelong archers who learned the craft right here. And for equipment, look up Robertson Archery before you go -- one of the best local resources for tuning, gear, and guidance. Woodley Park Archers: where Olympic legends and suburban dads share the same bullseye. A place where you can legally shoot things in L.A. -- and it's encouraged. The Woodley Park Archery Range is an L.A. gem -- steeped in history, beautifully run, and accessible to everyone. Whether you're chasing Olympic dreams, trying something new, or just need to blow off some steam without breaking the law, this is your spot. And if you're getting serious? Call up Robertson Archery -- they'll make sure your bow sings like a legend. read more

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Nicely flat ground with green grass... option for the golf, archery, soccer, tennis... but no basketball places or pingpong tables. Not enough parking space during weekends. But two bathrooms are not bad. read more

100% RECCOMMEND! You attend a 2 hour intro class on Saturday Morning for $5 where they teach you the basic skills of archery. All of the volunteer instructors are kind, helpful, and want you to have a fun safe time. It's a very simple, safe, and easy to understand process. You shoot in waves and once everyone has shot you all go to collect your arrows. After your intro class you can sign up for either a 2 hour session on Wednesday night or a 1 hour session on Saturday; both are $5. The instructors will continue to provide assistance throughout these sessions. read more

Until Sunday I never knew this area of the park existed! I was booked for an Archery lesson on Sunday with Kathleen from Roberston Archers and my lesson was amazing. I was in awe of the large fields and I heard that they have lessons for beginners weekly with the intro class only being $5. In addition, not only is there an archery range, but also an axe/knife throwing area. After our Archery lesson, a very awesome and knowledgeable gentleman named Carlos offered to show us how to axe throw. It was fun and interesting the process of figuring out where to stand to get the best throw in. I had so much fun, and I loved discovering this hidden gem that I never knew existed. I must explore more, and would love to come back for Archery and maybe even knives throwing again in the future! read more

Woodley Park Archers - Beautiful day and Archery stations - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Good practice rounds on Thursday nights Lights Bring your own backing foam pad. Short range 18mtr Long range 70mtr ? read more

My friend had the idea to take archery lessons together! It was both our first time and we enjoy trying new things. Cyril was our instructor and taught us about safety, how to properly handle the bow and arrows, and form strategy and techniques. We enjoyed our experience so much and had a great time! Cyril was patient, knowledgeable, fun, and very kind! We definitely fell in love and will be coming back for more lessons! read more

Woodley Park Archers - Beginner archer lesson - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Have you ever wanted to learn archery? Woodley Park Archers is the place to go if you are a beginner or experienced Archer! If you are a beginner you can attend an intro class for only $5!! Then you can attend regular practice sessions for only... $5!! The price is amazing! The staff does an amazing job with training the students & providing support to everyone there. If you're an experienced Archer, they have a range off to the side that is... FREE! This is a great place to go in Los Angeles area to get away from the busy day to day, and do something different & fun. read more

Woodley Park Archers - Practice Range for Beginners - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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This is the place for archery in LA. We completed the beginner class and now ready to return to practice. The instructors were kind and patient. We had time to do one on one for better form and technique lessons. read more

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Took my girlfriend to Woodley to try out archery for the first time! She's been wanting to go. Anyways Cyril greeted us as we came by and we immediately got down to business! He taught us about safety and also how to equip ourselves with the gloves, how to hold the bow, and mount the arrow. We had a fantastic session and unfortunately on a time crunch, but will definitely come back some time soon to attend more classes! read more

Woodley Park Archers - My first time trying out Archery with assistance from Cyril. - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Went for the first time with friends and it was fun! It's clean, and everyone there knows what they are doing. You get many options of the distance you want to shoot. Most of the people were around the 10-20m slots. It is first come first serve. If you are new to archery, take note that you must say "CLEAR" along with everyone else before you can shoot. You have to wait until everyone is off the field before you shoot again. You also need to wait to retrieve arrows until everyone is done shooting. It is critical to be sincere and considerate of the other archers around you. There is also a lost and found area for arrows you find that are not yours. There is a small parking lot with plenty of parking available. read more

Woodley Park Archers - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Get your arrows from Carlos @paintthearrow on ig - he is the absolute best! He also does lessons. He is my favorite archer ever - coolest cat I know! Everyone here is great :) read more

Woodley Park Archers - Me shooting clout at woodley - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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I have only gone here for archery tournaments. The surrounding grounds are beautiful, however, the tournament area is not anything breathtaking. Its just an average small field they setup in and the target area upon entry is small. Its my least favorite place to visit for tournaments. I wasn't particularly thrilled with the facilities either. The bathrooms were not stocked at all and very dirty. Tournaments are an all day thing so its hard to avoid using the bathrooms. Parking isn't the best either during a tournament. I am sure the park is different when there's not a million people here, but, I have not experienced that yet. read more

I came here for their free Saturday morning class. This place operates on donations, so if you are inclined, you can provide a monetary donation or buy a bottle of water for $1.00. What I liked about this place is that it is first come first served, so there is no advanced reservations required like the Pasadena Roving Archers, which also provides free Saturday morning classes for beginners. The park where this is held is rather large. We had to ask for directions since some parts of the park were for dog agility, etc. You'll eventually want to drive up a narrow looking road on the lefthand side, and you'll come across a small parking lot, restrooms, and a fence. It is suggested on their website that you arrive an hour early. When you arrive, you need to fill out their registration paperwork. This document is on their website, but they also provide copies when you arrive. Although this place is first come, first served, you don't necessarily line up or get helped that way. I would recommend standing near the trailer (which is where they keep all their equipment). That is where the line started for us on Saturday. You'll get fitted for equipment (they'll tell you which eye you are dominant in, and take measurements of your arm to figure out which bow to give you. Once this is completed, you'll be provided a bow, 3 arrows, and a finger guard. They are very detailed in their instructions and talk to you about their equipment and safety instructions. This as well as the fitting takes up most of the time. Once their safety and instructional demo is finished, they had about 3 instructors that help you get up for your first shot. If there's a big group, it takes a while for everyone to go through. I think all together, we were able to practice 3 or 4 times with our 3 arrows. People who have already gone through the instructions and safety demo are able to line up against the fence, get equipped and have a longer time to shoot their arrows while the newbies are going through their "orientation." Pros: -Free activity -No advanced reservations required -Educational -Fun for different ages! There were children as well as adults -Free parking and restroom nearby Cons: -They are strict, and will scold/correct you. For instance, if you are straddling a line but they don't think you are, they will scold you for taking out your arrows until you straddle the line. This happened to multiple people even though they were following instructions. -I heard from someone that one of the workers/volunteers said that our group was a "pain in the ass." We were not goofing off, so I'm not sure where that comment came from. That was really uncalled for and not professional. -Since this place is free, some of their arrows, for example are damaged and may be missing their wings, etc. Just be sure to tell your instructor so that they will switch it out for you. read more

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This is definitely a must do! The instructors are very helpful and it's so fun! It's worth the experience. I honestly didn't know what to expect and it was so fun to learn a new skill. We enjoyed it very much and we will definitely recommend doing this outdoor activity. read more

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Recently the place been burned down. It's unknown who did it, but it breaks our hearts to hear about it. People are now unable to attend the free classes and experience the many joy this place can offer. If you would like to donate to help rebuild the range, please donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/woodley-park-archers-short-range-reconstruction I myself have been going there for about 3 years. Started off in their beginner's class and stayed ever since. It's a family here; I've meet so many of my good friends while shooting at this place. This place provides the best fun for all kinds of people of all ages. I am so grateful to have found this place and the people here. read more

Hunger Games training? No, not me. But asides from knife throwing, archery has always been a sport I have wanted to try. There's something fascinating to me about the silence of the arrow, the swiftness of it traveling through the air and the precision it takes to hit the target. Finally, I found the chance to try it at Woodley Park for FREE through some good friends of mine. Every Saturday, from about 8am-12pm, there are free classes for beginners, equipment included. They also offer classes on Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Woodley Park is located between the 405 and 101 freeways, between Burbank and Victory closest to Balboa in Van Nuys. It requires you to wake up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, but once you get out there, it's definitely worth the treck and the training. Supposedly there's another place where you could train in archery for free in Santa Monica. It's called Rancho Park. I haven't been there yet but I thought I'd mention it in case people were wondering about other training grounds. For now, I'm pretty satisfied with going to Woodley Park. It helps to know that a US Olympian archer also trains there. Hunger Games? Nah. Survival training? Archery, isn't a bad skill to pick up, if you think about it. read more

Woodley Park Archers - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I can't gave this place less than 5 stars! I have never heard of a public anything offering free services to the community. Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Get there early to secure your place in line. There is a required safety "class/course" you take when it's your first time and it kinda sucks, but after that first visit you are good to go on your own and shoot. When you are at the roundabout on Woodley, enter the driveway and there's plenty of parking. read more

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Attended one of their free classes for a first time last Saturday. Me and my friend got there pretty early, and the spaces filled up pretty fast! Luckily we were able to get in. There is a lot of waiting, but some of the instructors are practicing while you wait so it it's pretty cool to watch. We were analyzing their techniques, so when the actual class started we had a better idea. They provide you with all equipment, make sure you wear it properly, specially the arm protector (I didn't wear it properly and got a huge bruise. The class lasts about an hour, if you have never done archery it is very interesting and helpful. I know a lot of people on my group thought it was too basic an boring. But we learned a lot. After the class they pair you with an instructor (there are about 4-5 instructors for a group of 25 so you have to wait for your turn), and you get to "shoot". Instructors help you perfect your technique, you have about 5 turns before they open the range to the "students" with more expertise (the ones that have taken the class already). By then the group gets pretty large and you don't get as much of 1 on 1 attention. But we were surprised because we actually felt pretty confident by then! You do learn a lot in such a short period of time. Overall you shoot for about 1 hr. The following time you come, you don't have to take the class, you can just start shooting (make sure you still come in time so you can get the gear). read more

Woodley Park Archers - Having a great time! - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Amazing to find something "free" in LA The people here are also so nice and helpful! Def recommend coming out read more

Woodley Park Archers - Getting it back - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Had the best experience with these two cyrill and Maria...i been put of Archery for year's..went to other places to get lesson and help getting started..bad experience. These two very good, patient, knowledgable. And made u feel good about learning again.. They even stopped what their we're doing to give me a lesson today. Just awesome! I'm defintely coming back. Love it. U need lessons boom these two!!! U won't regret it. read more

Took the family to the Wednesday evening beginner class. Quite a few people there that day but kept hearing that it's better than Saturday. Staff and volunteers were knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Also patient with our teenage daughters. No cost on Saturday or Wednesday introductory beginner course. It was August so it was hot but there is plenty of parking, a restroom facility nearby, and ice cream man came around frequently with snacks and drinks. Recommend that you wear comfortable clothing and bring a bottle of water. The only complaint t that I had is the range is looking tired. Instructor said it was built as a practice range for the 1984 Olympics. 35 years is a long run and facility showing its age but for the cost and quality of instruction, you can't beat it for a night out with the kids. Forgot to mention that this is a free class and largely supported by volunteers. I cost to attend Wednesday's and Saturdays but donations are accepted to maintain the range and equipment. read more

On my never ending search to find fun free things to do...I came across a free archery class. I was like, that sounds cool, I've never done that before! I wanted to do something fun on Saturday and just so happens that in the mornings from 9 til 11 they have a beginners archery class! The instructors were all really nice, but I stuck with the cute Asian guy named John. He was so helpful and encouraging and totally took his time explaining everything to me. It was nerve wracking in the beginning, but once you shoot a few times it gets more comfortable. There were a lot of people there! I'm surprised I've never heard of this before! I know what I'm doing every Saturday morning! Fun Free Times! Yay! read more

Bored? Looking for something new, fun, unique and free? Check out archery! This review is specifically for the Woodley Park Archery Range, and the Woodley Park Archery club. I have listed the club's website since it's the most detailed and useful information related to the Woodley range. It also has a great map of how to get to the range within the recreation area surrounding it. Check it out before you go! http://www.woodleyparkarchers.com/ My boyfriend has recently become obsessed with archery, and so I have found myself on many archery related excursions as of late. When he discovered that the Woodley Park Archery Club offered free instructional classes Wednesday nights 6-8 and Saturday mornings 9-11, he went, and later I visited too. After driving deep into the park, you take a windy single lane path up to the lot, near the long and short distance ranges. It's not fancy, kinda worn around the edges, but definitely adequate. During the day time you can see all the way down the long range. Yes anyone, the age of 9 and up can come receive free instruction while using the clubs own gear, for free! First, if you are new, you'll go through a brief safety class, this is so people don't shoot, poke, stab, each other with arrows or bows for that matter. Then they'll have you shoot some of your arrows, while giving you as much personal instruction as you want. Everyone is super friendly, and extremely willing to help you. They're all volunteers here too, maintaining their equipment and the range itself. Once you've gone through the class, you can come back to the open classes and use their equipment to practice OR invest in your own bow (my boyfriend did) and come back anytime the range is open. Tips for newbies: -Get there early, sometimes no one shows up and its like 5-1, other days a bunch of people show up, so you want to get there on time to make sure you can gear, and go through the safety class. -Make sure you listen to how to old your arm. My first arrow gave me a ridiculously terrible arm bruise where the string snapped. In fact make sure you ask how to avoid this. -Have fun, and be respectful, don't horse around. People can really get hurt. -Wear something warm if you come to the evening class. I really recommend checking this place out, even if you're not into it, it's totally an interesting thing to do, and its free. PLUS when you're arm gets tired (and it will) you can watch some of the people who have fancy schmancy bows who are excellent archers. read more

Woodley Park Archers - Map to Woodley Park from the Woodley Park Archers club website - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Although archery is undoubtedly an under-appreciated activity (a strange combination of golf & bowling perhaps), even with The Hunger Games and whatnot, this place gets packed on its free classes day (Saturdays 9a-11; Wednesdays 6p-8), and for good reason! Hard to pass up FREE (including equipment) recurve bow archery with beginner lessons taught by friendly, knowledgeable, and very patient staff. Even if you've already taken the class, you can count on instructors who are more than willing to coach you a little on form and technique. The caveat is that if you're a true first-timer, you should come minimum 45-60min early to the class; if you're a returning beginner, at least 30min early. Bring water, snacks, and sunscreen. You only need to take the beginner "class" portion once (about 30-40min on safety, how to shoot, components of the equipment, etc; slightly boring but exceptionally necessary), and on return trips you skip that class and can start shooting immediately. Archery does NOT favor beginner's luck and it is a tough sport that requires diligence and fine-tuning of your technique, posture, and even your entire body. There is also a long range that I am nowhere near being able to shoot on. Of note, there are no equipment rentals at the range, so unless you come during the Wed/Sat classes as above, don't count on getting equipment. read more

Went here for my birthday and it was such a great experience for my boyfriend and I. Our lady instructor was amazing and patient with us as it was our first time. Thank you again we will be coming back very soon! read more

What I love about LA (did I just say that?) is the plethora of random things to do. Thanks to Anthony N's review, I headed to Woodley park to try something new. Woodley Park is ginormous. The archery range was relatively easy to find, once you get off the 405, continue down Victory and turn left on to Woodley. One you pass the water treatment plant, the wildlife refuge, and the Japanese Garden, all on your left, make a left at the sign for the archery range. Once you pass the cricket field and enter sort of a roundabout, take the second left and you'll enter right into the archery range parking lot. Free classes are held Saturdays from 9-11am and Wednesdays from 6-8pm. This range is run by members of the Woodley Park Archers Club and they volunteer their time during these hours. They fit you with a bow and give you three arrows which you hold in a holster type thing on your hip. They also have some protective gear, an arm guard and some type of finger guard. The short range is about 18 meters and is where the class is held. They section off the short range so one side is for people who have never shot before and the other is for those that want to come out just for practice. After you've had the class, you can come and shoot on the other side. The other side has the large targets you use during the class as well as smaller ones. Get here before 9:30 because they don't hand out equipment after that time. You go through a training class where they teach you the basics, it's very informal and there isn't a whole lot to shooting in terms of the basics, it's really all about the practice and getting a feel for it which comes with practice. The targets are against a heavily padded wall and you shoot at them from the nearest distance marked in the range. I really enjoyed learning to shoot. It was a little nerve racking because the first shooter in the class was a young girl and she hit the bulls eye right off the bat. Let's just say I wasn't quite as impressive! The -1 star is for the crowd. On this particular Saturday there were probably 50 people there. There were 2 classes and one class shoots first and then you have to wait for the next class before you can get your turn again. This isn't their fault as they can only do so much and hey it's free so what do you expect? I had a lot of fun and I can't wait to come back and get better! read more

Woodley Park Archers - Getting instructions on form - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Great place to come and learn a new sport or pick up a new hobby. Went on a Saturday morning for the Introduction class. My wife had heard the class fills up and people get turned away so instead of showing up at the recommended 8:30am, we showed up at 7:30am. There were already 7 people there and I believe the class is capped at 25. Signed a waiver, and waited. Received equipment, and waited. Received information about body position, shooting, safety, and rules, and waited. There's a lot of waiting in archery, so if you lack patience you will be tested. The free shooting time is from 9am to 11am. The class (getting measured, distribution of equipment, coached shooting) takes about two hours of that time so you are left with about an hour to shoot on your own. Range master and instructors are constantly present so they provide feedback and coaching. Very helpful individuals, who are all volunteers. Nice thing is, the next time you come back you can just show up around 8:30am and use the entire time to shoot as you have already taken the introduction class. Had a great time and learned the basics of a new sport. Last thing to note. Wear sunscreen as you will be out in the sun quite a bit. read more

Woodley Park Archers - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I'm always up to try anything once.....even a recreational activity as RANDOM as archery! The volunteers were really friendly and helpful. There's a really jolly Hawaiian guy who was leading the safety training...great sense of humor and informative! One of the other volunteers was a young man who was in charge of measuring everyone's arm length to fit them for their bow, arrows and to distribute the quivers and then later helping everyone with their posture, mechanics, technique. Extremely helpful guy, not to mention absolutely adorable!! I was so intimidated by his good looks, I didn't even get his name! :) I will be back next Saturday for sure! read more

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My wife and I have been coming here ever since we moved to Encino four years ago. We love the range and are glad that we have a place where we can shoot for free. Everyone at the range is respectful or the rules and are very friendly, with a few exceptions. That being said, why are some of the volunteer range coaches such pricks? Most of them are friendly and will help you if you ask, but some of them seem to have a serious chip on their shoulder and act like they own the place. For instance, I announce, "Clear to shoot," and one of them scowls at me and says quite pointedly, "You mean 'the range is open?" Whatever helps you sleep at night, sir. Anyways, if you can endure the sanctimonious attitudes, be sure to take their free class so you can use the equipment in the future. Otherwise, bring your own gear and have a great time! read more

My son and I went here for the Wednesday Beginners class. Not only was it free and provided equipment, but the instructors were AWESOME and quite knowledgeable in their sport. The safety instruction was clear, concise and was very clear to me and my 10 year old. A definite 5 star experience. Why didn't I rate this 5 stars? Two reasons really, nothing to do with the services offered but with my experience (3 stars). First, the staff needs to follow their own rules for the best experience possible. On the website and the billboard, it clearly states: "Due to the recent popularity of archery, a max of 20 students per class will be enforced" Classes start at 6:00, and NO equipment will be handed out after 6:30. Arrive early. So we get there early, because it is 40 miles away and didn't want to disappoint my kid. As advertised, they start handing out equipment at 6:00, 6:30 passes, 6:45 passes, 7:00 passes and finally at 7:15 the incoming line is done and the class starts. So we start 45 minutes late, big deal, it happens, but im noting also that the class ends at 8pm and there are roughly 40 people in the class, and 3 instructors, one of which who has to stage the field to monitor arrow collection. The first thing he says, very clearly is "Do NOT dry fire the bows, it will cause damage". Note that every person in this class has club bows. He then was VERY clear on what dry fire was. As the class continues the instructor does an EXCELLENT job showing the parts of the bow, stances, draw, everything you need to know how to do this safe and have fun... But, throughout the course, people are doing stupid shit... Dry firing bows, taking arrows out of the quiver, and one idiot actually nocked an arrow and drew the bow for practice... My kid was just amazed that this was going on as the thwang of dry fire was heard at least a dozen times. Finally we get to the shooting, and to make a long story short, because there were so many people, we only had time for one round of arrows... Ok its a class, its free, the class was great, but it would have been nice to have enough time to do it again. Granted it was said many of the instructors were sick with the flu, the number of people should have been quelled to an amount sufficient of instruction. It was really 25 people too full. But, all in all it was a good time... Im not sure I will return to a public range with public instruction, but learned enough to perhaps pursue private instruction and range time with people who respect the fact they are holding weapons. read more

Came here for the free beginner classes and let me tell you, as a first experience it was pretty great. As a tip make sure to make it there earlier because it does get packed. So now onto the experience. The shooting range is kinda small but they separate the lanes perfectly between the experts and buggier so that each one goes at their own pace. The instructors are pretty detailed and give a run down of the equipment and how to use it. Yes I do wish I could have spent more time one on one but then again it is free and there a lot of people waiting to learn as well. The shooting was harder than I thought but they encourage you to keep trying and give you tips as you go. Overall I can't wait to go again and see how much better I can get. What a great way for this place to expose people to something different. read more

Woodley Park Archers - I ned more practice but still a fun experience - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

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Very cool place with very cool people willing to help and teach you anything about archery. I few years back I brought my group of volleyball kids here for a team bonding experience. All the kids and a bunch of the parents loved it! They give free lessons on the weekends to anyone interested, look up the website for the hours. i planned ahead and actually hired one of the old guys to handle my group. It was worth every penny spent and then some. read more

What an excellent way to spend your Wednesday evening! The instructors are friendly, helpful and give you great instructions before you even start your adventures into archery! It was a little hard to find but once you arrive you find a wonderful group of people who are out to have a great time and teach us archery correctly! The best part of all of this is it's free on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings and if you decide to actually become a archer it's only $20 for the YEAR! Thank you to all the instructors who helped us tonight and for this program! read more

Free archery lesson on Wednesday from 6pm-8pm!! However, there is a suggested donation. Pros: 1) One-on-One instruction 2) Free! 3) Short- and Long-Distance ranges 4) Coaches are friendly and you can ask for assistance any time. 5) Free equipment rentals. Cons: 1) Can get pretty crowded 2) Limited one-on-one instruction. 3) Can only shoot 3 arrows. Then you have to wait for everyone else to finish. 4) The wait for the class can be long because you have to wait for all the equipment to be passed out. 5) Some accessories are damaged. read more

Woodley Park Archery is a fantastic place. My son and I go there about three times a week. The volunteer staff is knowledgeable, strict in enforcing the rules, but fun and relaxed otherwise. They keep a watchful eye without being harsh at all. The range itself is large, with everything from 10 meters up to 90 meters available. It is a free range so they rely on donations to pay for upkeep. They also have a membership you can buy to support the range. Wednesday and Saturday has open range times where they teach all new archers and have all the equipment you need to start. It's a great way to begin learning the sport. read more

Awesome range! It's free and not too far from West LA It's outdoors and big with lots of targets I seriously can't say enough good things about this place Open sunrise to sunset on weekends not sure about during the week Have fun shooting! read more

Woodley Park Archers - Shooting at the range - Archery Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Great place for anyone interested in archery. My wife and I have been going for over five years.

I think it's awesome that there is still a place in LA where you can learn a new skill, have fun, and it's free! The equipment is donated and the instructors are volunteers. They do accept donations, so please donate what you can. I came for the first time to the Saturday morning class and it was lovely. Everyone was very helpful and kind. It was a fun experience and I definitely plan on doing it again. read more

HAHA!! JAMES R. SAYS I KILLED IT, but I only bruised it BACKGROUND: The Woodley Park Archery Range consists of a partially enclosed short range (18 meters) and an open air long range (90 meters per FITA specifications). The short range is equipped with a backstop made of tightly packed material, and has lights for night shooting. The beginner classes are held on the short range, as well as weekly club shoots and some special events. The long range has 12 lanes equipped with compressed bales. Archers may shoot from 10 to 90 meters on the long range. It is often the site of World Archery (formerly FITA) qualifiers and special events such as SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) reenactments. Twice a month, on Sunday morning, there are clout shoots. STATS: FREE parking FREE shooting Saturday mornings (call for details) Hours: open from sunrise to sundown, seven days a week (check website for exceptions) http://woodleyparkarchers.org/faqs/ Range can be reserved for groups and private parties Classes offered Registration and Accident Waiver required Offers beginner classes ESSENTIALS: Closed toe shoes Comfortable clothing Water Liability waiver required EXPERIENCE: Long overdue shout out to James R. for inviting me to hit the bullseye with a bow and arrows. I had a great time, gripping the handle, fingering the nocking point, raising the bow, looking through the sight point, pulling back on the strings and letting goooooo. That's the easy part, figuring out how to it the bullseye is a whole other skill. It was a hit or miss for me. Upon arriving to the range, James introduced me to a few of his favorite archers. Then we newbies were welcomed and attended to a standing room only quick course in Archery 101. Knowing the do's and don'ts of holding and shooting a bow and arrow, we stepped to the "fitting" area where we were given our own bow and arrows. Fitted and strapped we were ready to hit the shooting line. Duck duck, no goose was injured in the flying of arrows, just a lot of fun was had by all. If you have a couple of hours on your hands and have never tried shooting a bow and arrow, this makes for some good times. They offer free days and time slots, check the website or call for more information. read more

Free Archery, what's not to love? The parking is located down the long road from woodley. First follow the signs for the Japanese gardens and then the ones for the Archery range. Originally this was range for Olympic athletes to practice at, but now it's there for lessons by donation. They give free classes and provide the equipment on Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. Get there early as you have to sign the paperwork, get measured for arrow length and eye dominance, and take the beginning safety class. You only have to do this one time and then you are set. They give you the tools and teach you the basics. It is not easy, but it is a lot of fun, especially if you have your posture right and get the shot aimed perfectly. The instructors are strict, but helpful!!! I would definitely come back. read more