Turtle Rock Community Park

Elite '09

343

578

Amy K.

Irvine, CA

7/16/2008 1 photo

Legend has it that the neighborhood of Turtle Rock in Irvine was named after early settlers found a giant rock shaped like a turtle.  Okay, maybe I'm just making this up...or am I?  Anyway, you may not be able to find a rock that looks like a turtle in Turtle Rock Community Park, but you'll definitely find a lot of other fun stuff.

This is a great place to have a picnic.  There are tons of tables and barbecues, and if you're having a really big event, you can reserve the tables and rent out the multi-purpose room which has restrooms and a kitchen inside.  I used to live in the neighborhood many years ago, and I remember taking my friend's child here for a picnic and there were lots of places for her to play and tire herself out.

If you're into tennis or volleyball, they have courts with lights for playing at night.  This is also a great place to meet your friends for a hike, run, or bike ride on the surrounding hills and paths.  The Sierra Club meets weekly in one of the parking lots, and I've seen some cycling clubs come here as well from time to time.  My friends and I often come here as a meeting spot to run.  The backside of the park connects to the Shady Canyon Trail, and running around Turtle Rock is a great way to get in a hill workout.

Some people may think of Irvine as a boring planned community, but you can't deny that along with that planning (or sterility, if you must) comes a lot of great amenities such as Turtle Rock Community Park.  And even if you don't live in Irvine, you can visit the park and then go back to your chaotic city where every house actually looks different (gasp!)

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