Creative Playgrounds in Long Beach
Summer’s here, which means kids and the parents/caregivers who love them will be looking for ways to fill the long hours of daylight. Is there any activity more tried, more true or more fun than heading to a playground for the day? Playgrounds are free, they’re fun and they’re free. And, in Long Beach, they’re all over the place–on the beach, under shady trees, overrun by dinosaurs. And, in a bit of good fortune, many have recently been redone, remodeled or reimagined. Here’s just a few ways to play all over the city.
Admiral Kidd Park Playground
Admiral Kidd Park’s (2125 Santa Fe Ave.) play area includes a large rocking boat, zipline, double-seater swing, and plenty of structures to climb on with rubberized flooring underneath and shade structures overhead. It also has a focus on ADA accessibility, especially for kids who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. The playground has a nautical theme–with portholes, a periscope, and a spinning ship’s wheel–in honor of the park’s namesake, Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who served in the United States Navy during World War II.
Recreation Park
This sprawling play site recently reopened after a significant upgrade that now features a dinosaur theme complete with “Dino Excavating Zone” and T-Rex climbing structure. Recreation Park playground (4900 E. Seventh St.) is suitable for kids 5-12 and was remade to increase ADA accessibility, including American Sign Language to help those who are visually-impaired. Activities include spinning swings, merry-go-rounds and plenty of climbing features. The playground is surrounded by a wide plot of grass and trees, making it easy for families to relax and/or picnic while keeping an eye on their kids and those dinos.
DeForest Park
Though it borders the 710 Freeway, DeForest Park (6255 DeForest Ave.) maintains a mellow vibe. The playground–bordered by a grassy area ready for picnicking, running about or general relaxing–has a nice selection of play equipment: swings, slides, bridges, climbing structures, and shares space with fitness equipment that kids often like to try out. Though the playground skews fairly young, it’s bordered by a basketball court and, just a few steps away, a wetlands area that the entire family can explore, whether hiking, bird watching or enjoying the native plants and freshwater wetlands.
Cherry/Junipero Beach
This recently opened, beachside playground features two high, rope web climbing structures that look like something out of Swiss Family Robinson–ask your parents–as well as tube slides and swings on rubberized mats. If your kids like sand, well, there’s a whole beach of it one step off the mat. If you like food, well, the playground is connected to the recently opened Saltwater Deck eatery. The playground sits underneath the Long Beach Museum of Art and Bluff Park and is just across from basketball and pickleball courts, while being bordered by the pedestrian/cycle path. So, there’s a lot going on there.
Livingston Drive Playground
Located just a block off Second Street in Belmont Shore, this used to be a greenbelt until residents took it upon themselves to convert it into a preschool playground in 1990. It got a makeover 20 years later and now has play areas for toddlers as well as for for kids ages 5-12. Located between Park and Argonne avenues, Livingston Drive Playground (4700 E. Livingston Dr.) is a treasured, well-utilized part of the neighborhood. There’s climbing equipment, swings and lots of other fun features located on sand. Though it’s in an area with consistent traffic, kids are safe behind a locking gate located at the playground’s entrance.
Lincoln Park
Recently reopened, Lincoln Park (101 Pacific Ave.)–yep, the one with the giant penny out front–features a playground that sits in the middle of a host of activity zones: skate and dog parks, turf sports field, disc golf, basketball court, while offering plenty of climbing equipment, bumpy slides, swings and seesaws on a rubberized mat. There’s also fitness equipment, because it’s never too early to start training the next great Long Beach athletes. Located downtown at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pacific Avenue, the park is bordered by the Billie Jean King Main Library, providing a great place for kids to cool down with a great book.
Los Cerritos Park
Its play equipment sits under a large spread of shade trees, a fact Los Cerritos (3750 Del Mar Ave.) builds upon with much of the play structures designed to look like they are emerging from mighty tree trunks. There’s climbing structures, swings and slides, along with a rather unique and very popular zipline feature. There’s a lot of grass around the playground, including a grassy hill that’s just right for a good roll or two (or four). If you have little ones that need to be pushed on swings, that feature is located under sun sails, so you’re protected.
Mother’s Beach
One of the most popular places for young families—hence the name—Mother’s Beach (5839 Appian Way) is perfect for kids who get easily distracted. If they tire of splashing or swimming in the safe, waveless ocean water, they can head to the beach's north end and play in the new playground featuring climbing, sliding, swinging and jumping equipment. If they get bored or overheated, the water is just steps away, as is the cool calming effect of bordering grass/shade tree areas where they can enjoy a snack, a sip or a nap. FYI, there’s usually an ice cream truck parked in the parking lot. Just sayin’.
Whaley Park
This park, located near to Cal State Long Beach, offers extensive play space for a variety of ages, with equipment including brightly colored spinning swings, climbing structures, ladders and slides. The playground is surrounded by grass, trees and picnic tables and is connected to a gated play area for younger children, making it easier for parents or guardians to keep an eye on multiple kids. Though Whaley Park (5620 E. Atherton St.) is located on a relatively busy street, the playground sits behind a community center, creating a protective barrier from the street.