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Balboa Park
Category: Active Life Parks Parks [Edit]
6300 Balboa BlvdVan Nuys, CA 91406
Neighborhood: Lake Balboa
(818) 756-9743
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
29 reviews for Balboa Park
29 reviews in English
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Review from Eric W.
Los Angeles, CA
5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
My family and I recently discovered this park even though I remember it growing up in the valley. It's nice that the park is 100% free thanks to my tax dollars. There's not a ton of parking but enough if you get there early.
The man-made lake is really beautiful with the waterfall and path around it. There's fishing and kayaking too. Plus, there are many trees for picnics.
They don't have paddle boats for now (used to be able to rent them) and the website says they're not available. I wonder if they won't offer them again? Too much liability risk?
The long path around the park -- about 1.5 miles -- is a great exercise trail and I've walked it many times. What I especially like is when you're halfway done, you're tired but can't cheat and cut back.
Not used to going to the park in L.A. but the Parks and Recreation division has done well creating this park -- probably the best in the valley and almost worthy of Central Park. -
Review from Choy L.
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ahh, the beauty of LA county parks.. lol..
I eat lunch here sometimes.. Amongst the ducks and geese that seem to get braver by the day.. One day keeping their distance, Swiping at the sammich in your hand the next..
Even as an avid angler, I have never fished here.. Heard tales of 3 eyed tilapia, and a full blown riot of wildlife, and by wildlife I really mean children running towards you if you catch a fish asking you a million and one questions.. No thank you..
Ahh, Such is the experience of nature at an LA county park.. -
Review from Josh H.
Los Angeles, CA
5/16/2012
What a great way to start your day with a walk in the park. I enjoy going for walks around the balboa park, sunrise or sunset.
I usually walk in the morning with my wife and we take a nice stroll around the lake. You can enjoy the ducks or the cherry blossom blooming if you are in the right month.
There is plenty of parking unless you go on a holiday. There is plenty of handicap parking. The only negative thing is the tiny flies, they are quite a bother but by golly I wont leave just because of them. -
Review from Cheaptimes M.
Riverside, CA
4/25/2012
Cheaptimes here!
so I monster trucked over some patchy grass area
to park my mofo truck
and never mind that i freaked some peeps out
cuz i rolled in like a boss near their lackluster grill
but WTF mang
parking sucks here yo
whatever
off to pound some beer with some peeps
and eat some of Javier's hot meat cuz
that boy can grill
yo
all is good
eating and pounding beer on a Sunday afternoon
and no shot gun blastings near by
oh wait
this isn't Whittier Narrows
time for a crapper visit peeps
i am drunk yo
shiiiiiit
I arrived to a line so deep and frustrating
that even a shady looking drunk
had no choice but to line cut in front of a preggos lady
scandalous mofo
WOW
the crappers have to be
the raunchiest
the dirtiest
the smelliest
the wettest
the nastiest
shitters i ever seen in my life
and i've done raunchy stuff
but these shitters plain suck
the throw away wet wipes i carry with me
cum in handy for a reason peeps
FYI peeps
it's a fucken
hike to the crappers from
a prime grilling location
but next time i am bringing swim trunks
and peeing in the lake
that water is garbage anyways
word and peace out -
Review from Scott B.
4/25/2012 4 photos
Came here to meet some friends for a BBQ. The park is nice. The park is clean, the lake is clear, the geese don't bite. It's a very nice place to visit. Parking was fairly easy,. finding a map of the overall place was pretty easy. There were ice cream trucks all over the place. Bicycling, jogging, fishing, wading in little rivers, photographing, RC Boats, and picnicking seem to be some of the things I saw people doing here. I'm sure there's countless others of ways to entertain yourself here as well. I'm not sure if there was any swimming going on. But I saw lots of happy people here. It was good.
Two Thumbs up for Nature. -
Review from Bethany K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
We saw very little of the actual Balboa Park, but because the dog park down the street was closed for maintenance (doh for poor planning), we pulled into one of the many huge fields and let Bella run around and fetch a ball anyway.
It's technically an on-leash park, but there was seriously SO MUCH GRASS! I bet a lot of others let their dogs run around here too :)
I think we'd love to picnic here with friends one of these days, especially as the weather clears up... parking was fine, tons of space, lots of people watching too.Listed in: All Things Bella
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Review from Sam L.
Monterey Park, CA
5/10/2012
One place I normally used to walk around before going to work. It's real nice to see families having picnics, spending times with family or even soccer games going on. The place get crowded here on the weekends, but it doesn't beat that there is another nice park besides it. Do recommend to come here to hang out.
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Review from Juanita D.
Los Angeles, CA
2/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
On a bright sunny day this is the place to be!
I've come here a few times, once for a picnic... Once for a stroll and today I went for a bike ride. (note: there is more than 1 trail!) The bike trail I went on was fantastic! I went through the park and along Balboa, Victory, Burbank and Woodley - though dirt, by the lake, under the bridge, it seems endless. If its a beautiful day the trail can get busy!
Standard birthday parties going on during the weekend. Parking is limited if you feel like parking near the lake. There is more parking in the dirt lot when you first pull in from Balboa Way.
This place is pretty in my opinion. I like this place because I feel the need to try something new every time I go! -
Review from Pepper C.
Los Angeles, CA
I think an apology is in order for these sexually charged reviews of mine...
but you know how new relationships are. The shit is still hot, Yelp.
Hot is he. Hot is me. Hot is me for him, and him for me.
And our two flaming asses decided to take a stroll today in Balboa Park.
A beautiful, crisp, late fall day.
Birds chirping.
Squirrels getting their last bit of play.
New love.
(Well, maybe not love...but lust.)
Everything so perfect. The trees turning colors of yellow, brown, crimson and gold.
Man. Crimson. The color of passion. I swear, every time I saw a tree with red, I tore into my guy. We looked like two freaks dry humping one another while walking. But fret not...seeing a couple pass by pushing a baby stroller snapped us back to reality.
"Get off me, man. Look at the park."
Kids playing. Ducks swimming in the pond.
Hardcore ducks. I mean, I know that water had to be super cold. O_O
No bullshit from the family.
No stress from the job.
No checking texts or email.
Just frolicking in the park. Me and He. -
Review from Louie S.
Van Nuys, CA
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
It is a great park to run around.
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Review from Mike C.
9/29/2011 4 Check-ins Here
How many Balboa Parks are there in California? I've been to the one in San Francisco and in San Diego http://www.yelp.com/bi... but I'm not sure if there are any relation to each other.
It's a great place for runners, bikers and walkers. The path around the park is about 4.6 miles with several inner trails and paths with Balboa Lake in the middle. There's a golf course and an area where you can fly your model airplanes as well.
It's a nice flat course if you do the circumference, however water fountains are limited throughout the bike/running paths. There's one in the golf clubhouse and one on the other side of the park on the corner of Odessa and Victory Blvd.
Decent views, plenty of areas for picnic areas, a dog park, and basically lots to do for the active person. Plenty of free parking all around and on the street so you don't have to worry about that. Look out for for several pot holes in the parking lots. -
Review from James L.
Van Nuys, CA
4/25/2012
a place for lovers and kite flyers
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Review from Anita L.
** CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN MARCH **
This is a great spot to go to if you are a fan of Cherry Blossoms. It is beautiful to walk around the lake when the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. The park is probably the busiest around March when tons of people come here to see the Cherry Blossoms.
Parking could be a nightmare. Just be patient. Also look for parallel parking on the side if the lots are full.
Even though it is a big park, there are tons of people. Dogs are allowed, but only on leash. ** NOTE: If your dog poop, please pick it up!! **
Park Hours: Sunrise to Sunset. -
Review from Artin F.
Encino, CA
8/3/2011 66 Check-ins Here
Best spot in the valley for a late afternoon or an early morning run.
i don't recommend running around the lake in the late afternoon, sometimes the water stinks. -
Review from Daniel G.
Reseda, CA
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meh...
This park could be great.
The problem is it is so crowded 93.5% of the time, you cannot even turn around with out bumping into some ed hardy wearing douche nozzle.
Not to mention little kids that are just crazy, running around like savages and getting in your grill.
The parking is a mess, and it is constantly patrolled by parking cops. So if you are not parked just right, you will be getting a hefty fine.
It is fun to feed the ducks, and the play ground equipment is good quality well maintained.
There is a ton of riff raff here.
Gangster gangsters with pit bulls on a long leash. So if you go with your kids, be aware of that.
Maybe I am just a little bitter, but I like to go to the park and not feel like I am on the yard of a high security prison.
The valley sucks. -
Review from Chantell L.
Long Beach, CA
8/23/2011
It's soooo purrdy!
This park blows every other park I've ever laid eyes on out of the water. It's picture perfect, so much so that I have yet to make a visit and NOT see multiple wedding parties or quinceanera parties there for their photo ops.
What I like about this park is you can be as anally organized about your visit as you want or have absolutely no plan at all and just show up - either way your still guaranteed a good time.
Parking is a pain but patience does pay off in this scenario. There's a ton of people coming and going throughout the day so a spot will always open up.
If you have only a limited time I would highly suggest you consult a map, select the sites that you have a genuine interest in and plan your route accordingly. This place is MASSIVE and you can easily waste a lot of time retracing steps walking back and forth over the grounds. Its lovely at first but can zap your energy fast and get a little frustrating. -
Review from Yasmien H.
Issaquah, WA
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This park is great! The children's play area is awesome. So many things for my son to roam around on. I love that they have shade over the fixture's too. I got there at 9am and couldn't sit anywhere because the grass had been watered. It would have been nice if they could do that at 3 in the morning, when it's more efficient for the plants and me. :)
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Review from Michael S.
Denver, CO
12/22/2009 1 photo
Gorgeous weather. Windy. Cool. Blue, cloudless skies. By far the prettiest I've ever seen LA. That is my Chicagoan perspective. I figure the locals would have said it was a crummy day because the golf course was empty. My host thought it was freezing at 55 degrees or so.
The 3.5 mile path around Balboa Park provided the perfect after lunch walk and talk with my Scarlet F fraternity brother. I loved it. -
Review from Niki M.
Glendale, CA
7/25/2011
A lovely park for a variety of reasons. One of my favorite places to walk, bike, and rollerblade. There is a great path that goes around the park, and the lake provides a tranquil atmosphere with ducks and critters running around. Good parking access, and lots of activity buzzing. The Cherry Blossoms in the spring make it especially nice for photography.
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Review from Jody S.
Los Angeles, CA
8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
My coworker introduced this place to me in preparation for practicing bike riding without the fear of getting hit by a car. This park is huge! It reminds me a bit of Central Park or Boston Commons. There's a 3, 5 and 9 mile trail around the park which has become very useful in figuring out how far I've gone. There's running streams flowing through the park, a lake to sit and reflect or have a BBQ and even a golf course! I'm not too familiar with the Valley as it seems so foreign to me being from the south side. But this place is one of the few places in the Valley I will always return to. =) It's also very accessible from the 405 and 101 freeways.
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Review from Anna G.
Other than the nasty ducks that enjoy attacking my personal space, I love coming to this park. I always manage to find a good parking spot and the park is usually very clean and well kept. I would suggest coming here early on weekends if you're going to have a huge picnic because the spots fill up quickly.
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Review from Michael H.
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA
5/22/2011 14 Check-ins Here
This park is HUGE. We took a walk last weekend and I think we went close to 10 miles without even repeating the same route!!! Its amazing. I like the little path between the golf course and the park. it's dirt so if you run, it takes a load off the joints and it measures about 1 mile so you can find your rhythm there for sure. The lake is great but the think I don't get is why familys take over the park and have their parties out there from dusk till dawn...geeze
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Review from Ian A.
Encino, CA
I ride my bike here all the time. Gets crowded on the weekends but its a good place to people watch, especially the girls who like to jog.
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Review from Nicole A.
1/28/2011
Lake Balboa is a great place to spend a few hours if it's a beautiful day outside. Today was a beautiful day so I decided to drive over to the park to do the 1.3 mile loop around the lake and enjoy the sunshine as well. It wasn't too crowded at all, there were a few people more than I expected walking on the path but it was mostly elderly people, the rest of the park population seemed to be at the ice cream truck or in the playground areas. Walking around the lake is a lot of fun, not only because of the beautiful scenery of the little waterfall and the ducks, but because of the ducks themselves who are so friendly that they crowd in herds on the sidewalk. They are perfectly harmless and very cute. The lake does have a polluted smell that wasn't too pleasing but it's L.A., so what can you do. I plan on coming back here everyday that I can and doing that loop!
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Review from Pete S.
Van Nuys, CA
12/28/2009
Great park for getting away from some of the traffic in the Valley.
If you can get away from the kids at this park, its good enough to sit down and have some coffee, just chill.
Glad this park is around, if you go later in the day before sundown usually there are alot of people so it might be better to go earlier during the day. -
Review from Othello S.
Northridge, CA
3/7/2011 2 photos
Be sure to check out the cherry blossoms before it's too hot. Remember the park closes at 5:30, what I recommend if you go during the best light to take photos - 4:30 or so park on Balboa street to avoid the hassel of leaving the park when it closes. The park is overall nice
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Review from Antoinette O.
Cameron Park, CA
8/15/2010
I'm a city girl that currently lives in a rural place but visiting family in the oh so crowded LA county. So after a whole weekend of crowds around Santa Monica Promenade and mall, constant traffic and blaring sirens it was nice to find a little piece of nature nearby. It's been a few years since I've seen a man made lake but for LA, it was just nice to see some scenery that didn't include a tall building. This park is huge and a great place to take your dog for a walk, have a picnic, or have a nice run for yourself. They even have these cool bike rentals that fit up to 6 adults and two small kids. Next time I come down here and visit, I'm bringing the kayak so I can go around the cute little lake.
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Review from Eddie S.
Northridge, CA
12/5/2010
Easy parking, plenty of things to see and do. Indoor and outdoor basketball gym, with descent competition. soccer field has no nets and the grass is horrible. The lake is nice, and its a good running/biking trial.
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Review from Erin A.
Lake Balboa, CA
5/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
good for picnics, rollerskating, jogging, fishing, walking, etc. i jog around the golf course, and rollerblade around the entire park including the golf course, it's close go home for me and i love getting out there often
