Top 12 Parks in Anaheim

No.	Park Name	Key Features and Highlights
1	Pearson Park	Spacious area, lake, fitness circuit, playground, sports courts, skate park area.
2	Ponderosa Park	Natural setting, walking trails, bird watching, connects to mountain biking trails.
3	Brookhurst Park	Diverse recreation options, splash pad, sports courts, picnic shelters, eucalyptus grove.
4	Anaheim Coves	Urban wilderness area, picnicking, fishing, wildlife spotting, trails.
5	Twila Reid Park	Large park, playgrounds, picnic shelters, sports facilities, walking paths.
6	Deer Canyon Park	Nature views, hiking trails, picnic areas, playground, stargazing opportunities.
7	Manzanita Park	Compact size, sports courts, skatepark, dog-friendly, Santa Ana River Trail access.
8	John Marshall Park	Neighborhood park, playground, basketball court, picnic areas, wading pool.
9	Modjeska Park	Playgrounds, sports fields, walking paths, community center, cultural events.
10	Schweitzer Park	Green space, picnic shelters, sports amenities, walking path, dog-friendly.
11	La Palma Park	Large area, sports facilities, walking trails, creek habitat, wildlife.
12	Boysen Park	Woodland retreat, hiking trails, ponds, wildlife, picnic areas.

From sprawling green spaces with amenities for the whole family to quaint neighborhood gems, Anaheim really does have it all when it comes to outdoor recreation.

Pearson Park

Name and Location: Pearson Park is located in Anaheim, California. It’s a historic park known for its large amphitheater, swimming pool, and recreational facilities.

History and Significance: Established in the 1920s, Pearson Park is named after Charles Pearson, the former Mayor of Anaheim. It’s significant for its role in community events and cultural history.

What to Expect: Visitors can enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, baseball, tennis, and picnicking. The park also hosts various community events and performances in its amphitheater.

Visitor Information: The park is open daily with varying hours for different facilities. It’s family-friendly and accessible.

Pearson Park is one of Anaheim’s most popular parks, spanning over 17 acres near the Anaheim Resort area. Its location makes it a convenient place for Resort visitors to enjoy, but Pearson Park offers fun for everyone.

There is plenty of open grassy space for picnicking, flying kites, or simply relaxing under the sun. The park also features a lake where visitors can feed ducks and other birds. The gazebo on the south shore is a particularly peaceful spot. Fitness enthusiasts will enjoy the Parcourse Fitness Circuit winding through the park.

Pearson Park has playground equipment, tennis and volleyball courts, and a skate park area for skateboarders. You’ll also find public restrooms, drinking fountains, barbecue grills, and shaded seating dotted throughout the park.

With its central location and variety of amenities, it’s easy to see why Pearson Park is such a popular gathering place for Anaheim locals and visitors.

Ponderosa Park

Name and Location: Located in Anaheim, Ponderosa Park is a well-known community park with a family-friendly atmosphere.

History and Significance: Ponderosa Park has served the Anaheim community for several years, offering a green space for recreation and relaxation.

What to Expect: The park features playgrounds, picnic areas, basketball courts, and open grassy areas for various activities.

Visitor Information: Open daily, the park offers ample parking and is easily accessible. It’s a great spot for families and sports enthusiasts.

Tucked into an Anaheim Hills neighborhood, Ponderosa Park offers a quieter, more natural retreat in contrast to busier city parks. Mature trees provide plenty of shade over the playground and picnic area.

Two walking trails wrap around the park through chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats. Benches scattered along the trails provide the perfect vantage points for bird watching. Keep an eye out for native species like California towhees, Bewick’s wrens, and hummingbirds.

The trails connect to the larger system of hiking and mountain biking trails in the Santa Ana Mountains. The 1.5-mile Ponderosa Loop links to Canyon View Loop and Ridge View Loop for those looking to venture further.

With its peaceful setting and opportunities to connect with nature just minutes from neighborhoods, Ponderosa Park is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

Brookhurst Park

Name and Location: Brookhurst Park is another popular park in Anaheim, known for its sports facilities and open spaces.

History and Significance: The park has been a key recreational area in Anaheim, providing a venue for sports and community gatherings.

What to Expect: Facilities include baseball fields, soccer fields, basketball courts, and a playground. It’s a hub for local sports events.

Visitor Information: The park is open year-round and has ample parking. It’s particularly popular with local sports teams and families.

Nestled along the border of Anaheim and Fullerton, Brookhurst Park offers an exciting array of recreation options alongside the serene setting of a eucalyptus grove. With amenities appealing to all ages, it brings the community together.

Kids delight in the playground’s climbing structures and swings, as well as the splash pad to cool off on hot summer days. For the adults, the park features lighted tennis and basketball courts, a baseball field, sand volleyball pits, and a soccer field encircled by a running track.

Families and friend groups often reserve one of the covered picnic shelters and bbq pits for get-togethers. Whether it’s a child’s birthday party or a relaxed weekend cookout, it’s an ideal spot for gathering in the shade of the towering eucalyptus trees.

Leashed dogs are also welcome in certain areas of Brookhurst Park, making it a popular spot for dog walking as well. Benches scattered alongside walking paths provide places to take breaks.

With amenities for all ages and interests, scenic beauty, and a convenient location, it’s easy to see why Brookhurst Park has been a well-loved community park for Anaheim residents since 1955.

Anaheim Coves

Name and Location: Anaheim Coves is a nature park in Anaheim, offering a more natural and serene environment.

History and Significance: This park is a reclaimed natural area, significant for its efforts in preserving local wildlife and providing a green space in the urban environment.

What to Expect: The park features walking and biking trails, bird watching opportunities, and scenic views. It’s a great place for a peaceful walk or a nature escape.

Visitor Information: Anaheim Coves is open throughout the year, with specific rules for preserving its natural state. It’s a perfect spot for nature lovers.

Nestled along the Santa Ana River Trail, Anaheim Coves provides a scenic urban wilderness area just minutes from the hustle and bustle of city life. Mature oak and sycamore trees tower over grassy areas and shoreline perfect for picnicking, fishing, or just observing nature.

In addition to casting for catfish or bass in the pond, visitors frequently spot ducks, heron, osprey, and other wildlife native to river habitats. Informational signs identify bird and plant species for budding naturalists.

Well-maintained paved and dirt walking paths weave through the park and connect to the Santa Ana River Trail. Cyclists, joggers, and walkers will appreciate this link to the broader trail system.

With nearby parking and drinking fountains, shaded picnic tables, and even an outdoor amphitheater that hosts events, Anaheim Coves welcomes visitors to linger and enjoy this oasis.

Whether you have half an hour or half a day, Anaheim Coves allows you to relax alongside natural beauty.

Twila Reid Park

Name and Location: Twila Reid Park is a large community park in Anaheim, known for its diverse facilities.

History and Significance: The park is named after Twila Reid, a community leader. It’s been an integral part of the community, offering a wide range of recreational facilities.

What to Expect: Features include a disc golf course, playgrounds, picnic areas, and sports fields. It’s a favorite for family outings and sports enthusiasts.

Visitor Information: The park has ample parking and is accessible daily. It’s well-suited for large groups and family gatherings.

As one of Anaheim’s largest parks at 19 acres, Twila Reid Park has something for everyone. Mature landscaping sets the backdrop for amenities catering to a range of ages and interests.

Kids can burn off energy climbing and scrambling over Wilderness Playground or swinging at the playground for younger children. Families appreciate the variety of picnic shelters for hosting get-togethers as well as chalk art areas and lawn game spaces.

Adults stay active at the park with two lighted tennis courts, lighted basketball courts, a baseball field, and parcourse stations winding through the park.

For those who want to relax, walking paths meander through flower gardens, rose bushes, and shade trees. Visitors frequently spot squirrels and birds native to the area, like finches, sparrows, and hummingbirds, while strolling through the natural spaces.

With convenient parking and restrooms, Twila Reid Park has all the amenities you need to make the most of Anaheim’s sunny days.

Deer Canyon Park

Name and Location: Deer Canyon Park, located in Anaheim, is a preserved natural area known for its hiking trails and wildlife.

History and Significance: This park is significant for its conservation efforts and as a natural habitat for local wildlife.

What to Expect: Expect hiking trails of varying difficulty, scenic views, and the chance to see local flora and fauna. It’s a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts.

Visitor Information: The park is open to the public with specific guidelines to protect the natural environment. Ideal for hikers and nature photographers.

In the hills overlooking Anaheim, Deer Canyon Park provides a slice of nature with views reaching to the Santa Ana Mountains. The moderately challenging Canyon View Trail switchbacks up and down the canyon slopes under the shade of sycamore trees and maples. Along the way, hikers cross over a wooden bridge spanning a rocky gully. Benches placed at intervals offer spots to pause and admire the scenery or look for birds and small animals that dwell here.

At the bottom of the canyon, visitors will find picnic tables along the babbling creek – an idyllic spot for lunch. The park also includes a playground area and additional shaded picnic tables.

Whether you come for the 360-degree panoramas from the ridge or to relax alongside the creek, Deer Canyon Park lets you leave the city behind for a few hours without traveling far. The lack of light pollution also makes Deer Canyon one of the best spots in Anaheim to sit under the stars.

Manzanita Park

Name and Location: Manzanita Park is a community park in Anaheim, offering various recreational facilities.

History and Significance: The park serves as a community gathering space, offering a range of activities for residents.

What to Expect: Amenities include sports fields, a playground, and picnic areas. It’s a popular spot for local sports teams and families.

Visitor Information: Open daily, Manzanita Park provides a space for various community events and recreational activities.

Nestled against the Santa Ana River Trail in Central Anaheim, Manzanita Park packs a lot into its compact size. Mature sycamore and eucalyptus trees tower over a playground and grass field, shading families who gather for picnics or kids playing pickup soccer games.

Four tennis courts lit for night play and a basketball court meet the needs of sports enthusiasts, while the adjacent River Arena Skatepark offers an alternative for skateboarders and BMX riders. Walkers and joggers often access the Santa Ana River Trail from Manzanita Park or use it as a midway point during longer runs.

Leashed dogs have use of much of the park, making it popular spot for pet owners in the area. Benches and drinking fountains keep both visitors and their companions comfortable.

Restrooms and on-site parking round out the amenities at Manzanita Park, which serves as an easy access point for recreation and relaxation by the Santa Ana River Trail for residents of this Central Anaheim neighborhood.

John Marshall Park

Name and Location: John Marshall Park is located in Anaheim, featuring open spaces and recreational facilities.

History and Significance: Named after the former Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Marshall, the park serves as a community recreational area.

What to Expect: The park offers playgrounds, picnic areas, and open spaces for various activities. It’s ideal for family outings and casual sports.

Visitor Information: It’s open to the public year-round and is well-maintained, making it a great choice for a relaxing day out.

Just across the street from Anaheim High School sits John Marshall Park, a pocket neighborhood park providing local families and sports teams a place to gather since 1969. Canopy trees and picnic shelters shade most of the park’s modest open space. Kids test their skills scrambling over playground equipment or shooting hoops on the basketball court.

On weekends you’ll often see friends playing soccer or residents walking their dogs along the park’s meandering paved paths. Tiny tots ride bikes with training wheels or splash at the small wading pool. Plentiful picnic tables offer spots for family meals or birthday parties.

While it packs a lot into a small footprint, John Marshall Park retains an easygoing local vibe perfect for relaxing. Its location across from the high school makes it easy for students and residents to access some grass and fresh air during breaks in their day. When you want a low-key neighborhood hangout spot minutes from Anaheim High, John Marshall Park fits the bill.

Modjeska Park

Name and Location: Modjeska Park in Anaheim is known for its sports facilities and community events.

History and Significance: The park is a key recreational space in the community, hosting various sports and cultural events.

What to Expect: Visitors can enjoy basketball courts, a playground, and open spaces for picnics and casual activities.

Visitor Information: Modjeska Park is open daily, offering facilities for both sports enthusiasts and families looking for a day out.

Named after famed 19th century actress Helena Modjeska, Modjeska Park brings a slice of arts and culture to an East Anaheim neighborhood. Children squeal racing down the park’s signature 75-foot long concrete slide built into the hillside. Families gather in the shade of oak trees for impromptu picnics or climb on the junior jungle gym.

In addition to playground facilities, Modjeska Park sports a baseball diamond and basketball court backing up to palm trees. Walking paths loop through flower gardens blooming with vibrant colors. An adjacent community center, dance studio, and swimming pool round out the amenities.

Throughout the year special events like outdoor concerts, craft fairs, and theatre performances hosted at Modjeska Park foster a creative community spirit. On any given day, you may see residents practicing Tai Chi, sketching in the gardens, or taking dance lessons in the studio.

Centrally located near dance and music studios, Modjeska Park reflects the vibrant performing arts culture of the neighborhood with its unique architecture and programming.

Schweitzer Park

Name and Location: Located in Anaheim, Schweitzer Park is a community park with a variety of recreational facilities.

History and Significance: The park is named after Albert Schweitzer and serves as an important community space for recreation and events.

What to Expect: Features include playgrounds, picnic areas, and sports fields. It’s well-suited for family outings and community events.

Visitor Information: Open throughout the year, Schweitzer Park provides a space for leisure and community gatherings.

As one of Anaheim’s newer parks developed on a former school site, Schweitzer Park offers plenty of open green space adjacent to a residential area. Gazebos and picnic shelters dot the landscape, welcoming families gathering for a reunion or kids celebrating a birthday party. Play structures with climbing walls, slides, and bridges entertain children for hours.

Sporting amenities include lighted tennis courts and one of few handball courts in Anaheim parks. Visitors play pick-up soccer or gym hockey on open lawns when the baseball and softball diamonds are not occupied by community league teams.

A paved walking path loops around the park perimeter, popular with parents pushing strollers or elderly residents going for evening strolls to take in the sunset views. Leashed dogs join their owners exercising on this scenic route around Schweitzer Park.

For its balance of open space and recreational facilities in a centralized neighborhood location, Schweitzer Park has become a go-to spot for Anaheim locals since opening in 1996.

La Palma Park

Name and Location: La Palma Park in Anaheim is a large community park known for its sports facilities and events.

History and Significance: The park has a long history of hosting sporting events and community gatherings, making it a significant part of Anaheim’s recreational life.

What to Expect: The park features sports fields, a stadium, and areas for picnics and family activities. It’s a hub for local sports and community events.

Visitor Information: La Palma Park is accessible to the public, with facilities catering to sports teams and families looking for a day out.

Stretching over 37 acres near Anaheim’s border with Fullerton, La Palma Park balances recreational amenities, open vistas, and a natural creek habitat. The main portion of the park accommodates activities like soccer, softball, and picnicking under the floodlights for evening recreation.

Yet venture further and you’ll discover walking trails coursing through wooded areas along La Cañada Verde Creek. Here mature sycamore trees intermingle with coastal sage scrub plants indigenous to Southern California riparian areas. This protected habitat serves as home to squirrels, rabbits, hawks, and other wildlife.

Additional amenities include playgrounds, lighted basketball courts, and a skate spot. La Palma Park also links directly to the nearly 20-mile-long Fullerton Creek Trail system, providing connectivity to a vast network of neighboring parks and trails.

At La Palma Park, recreation lives in harmony with protected natural spaces – which seems fitting for a park whose name means “the palm” in Spanish.

Boysen Park

Name and Location: Boysen Park, located in Anaheim, is known for its aviation-themed playground and open spaces.

History and Significance: Named after a former city engineer, Carl Boysen, the park is a significant recreational area in Anaheim, known for its unique aviation theme.

What to Expect: Visitors can enjoy the aviation-themed playground, picnic areas, and sports fields. It’s especially popular with families with children.

Nestled alongside Twila Reid Park and Deer Canyon Park, tranquil Boysen Park provides a woodland retreat in Anaheim Hills. More than 70 acres of natural landscape sit waiting to be explored along nearly three miles of rustic hiking trails. Coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitat burst with California wildflowers in season and sights of native birds and critters year-round.

The park landscape features two ponds, a cascading waterfall, and views of the Saddleback Mountains in the distance. Visitors delight in spotting black phoebes, bushtits, hummingbirds, and other species native to the area. Some even catch glimpses of elusive bobcats and mule deer that dwell in the canyons.

Shaded picnic areas offer places for hikers to rest or enjoy packed lunches under the canopy of oak and sycamore trees. After the winter rains, the ponds come alive with fairy shrimp that hatch and briefly thrive in these seasonal water bodies.

For Anaheim residents, Boysen Park provides a retreat into natural landscapes just minutes from the city. Through the years and seasons, a walk in the park reconnects us to wildlife and rhythms that have persisted here long before suburban neighborhoods arrived.

Estancia Park

Estancia Park spans over 18 acres in the heart of West Anaheim, anchoring the neighborhood with recreational amenities since 1974. Baseball and softball diamonds host Little League teams practicing their future World Series victories. Players and spectators alike appreciate the park’s concession stand when hunger strikes.

The community building opens its rooms to everything from dance classes to neighborhood association meetings. Outside its doors, residents raise their heart rates walking or jogging along the park’s quarter-mile running track lined with fitness stations.

Visitors find plenty of open lawn space for soccer games, family picnics, or simply finding a shady tree to sit under. The A-framed climbing structure, twisting slide tunnel, and spinning merry-go-round keep kids smiling. A smaller playground designed for toddlers and preschoolers lets little ones play nearby.

Estancia Park brings west Anaheim residents together for play, exercise, and community gatherings nearly 50 years running. For many, it serves as the daytime hub and heart of this neighborhood.

Conclusion

Across its palm tree-dotted neighborhoods, Anaheim’s parks truly offer something for everyone when it comes to outdoor recreation. Sporting amenities, playgrounds for kids, nature trails, and gathering spaces for groups all contribute to Anaheim’s excellent park system.

Whether you prefer popular gathering places or tucked away neighborhood gems, want to improve your fitness or study wildlife, or simply find a peaceful spot to relax, Anaheim delivers. The parks profiled here reflect some of what makes this city’s open spaces special.

So next time you’re looking to enjoy sunny Southern California days outside, consider exploring the natural beauty waiting at one of Anaheim’s finest parks.