Explore the Best Kid-Friendly Parks in Irvine
During springtime in Irvine, there’s nothing quite like spending a day at the park! One of the best parts of living in Irvine is the city’s abundance of kid-friendly parks, which are chock-full of engaging features, beautiful landscaping and fun activities. Below is our list of parks in Irvine that are a perfect day trip destination for the whole family.
Adventure Playground
A piece of Irvine’s history, Adventure Playground has been around since the 1970s. This park quickly proves to be the perfect wide open space for highly imaginative play. Designed to encourage children to participate in self-directed play, Adventure Playground offers slides, an art wall, giant Lego blocks, climbing poles and stumps and a wooden tree house built for exploring.
1 Beech Tree Ln,
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 724-6818
Hours: March-October: Daily, 10am-6pm; November-February: Daily, 10am-Dusk
Sweet Shade Community Park
Found at the corner of Sweet Shade and Harvard, Sweet Shade Community Park is a 7.9-acre enclave that offers plenty of green space and an expansive playground your kids are sure to love. With swings, slides and climbing structures, Sweet Shade is a popular location for outdoor fun. The park includes picnic areas for groups of up to 50 with four picnic tables and two barbecues for cookouts. If you’re looking for a birthday party location, Sweet Shade Community Park has a multi-purpose room with a kitchen and courtyard available for reservation.
15 Sweet Shade
Irvine, CA 92606
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
Phone: (949) 724-6595
Community Room Reservations: (949) 724-6620
Northwood Community Park
Where else can you find a park with a genuine cinderblock castle? Northwood Community Park encourages imaginations to run wild with an array of one-of-a-kind features, including “Castle Northwood,” a kid-sized castle complete with a lookout tower and bridges. From rocking horses to tunnels to a playground fully-equipped with slides and swings, Northwood Community Park is the perfect playdate destination.
4531 Bryan Ave
Irvine, CA 92620
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-9pm; Saturday 9am-10pm; Sunday 12pm-6pm
Phone: (949) 724-6728
Community Rooms & Picnic Reservations: (949) 724-6620
Sports Field Reservations: (949) 724-6830 or (949) 724-6661
Bill Barber Community Park
Located right next to Irvine Civic Center, Bill Barber Community Park is so large, it offers a map to help guests get around! Home to soccer fields, tennis courts, batting cages, bicycle trails, basketball courts and Deanna Manning Stadium, this 42-acre park is a great spot for sports fans. If you’re taking the family out for a family play day, Bill Barber Community Park provides plenty of green space to enjoy. There are even two child play areas with colorful playgrounds and an expertly landscaped garden for afternoon strolls.
4 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92606
Hours: Daily 9am - 6pm
Phone: (949) 724-6714
Community Rooms & Picnic reservations: (949) 724-6620
Sports Field Reservations: (949) 724-6830 or (949) 724-6661
William R. Mason Regional Park
Replete with trees, hiking trails and a stunning 9-acre lake, William R. Mason Regional Park spans 123 acres of wilderness and natural features. Perfect for outdoor adventures, visitors can enjoy boat sailing on the lake, bicycling and hiking on the park’s many trails, volleyball on two sand courts and softball at the back stop. When you’re not exploring the William R. Mason Regional Park’s many outdoor offerings, there are also three playgrounds for younger children to explore.
18712 University Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 923-2220
Fall-Winter Hours: 7am-6pm
Spring-Summer Hours: 7am-9pm
Office Hours: Mon- Fri, 8am-3:30pm
Heritage Park
Both a park and a community center, Heritage Park is a hub of activity in Irvine. The 36.5-acre park includes three pools for recreational use, 12 lighted tennis courts, three lighted soccer fields, three lighted basketball courts, two lighted baseball diamonds and two lighted racquetball courts. Home to 22 barbecues and 29 picnic tables, Heritage Park is ideal for outdoor get-togethers on the scenic, lakeside grounds. When children are enjoying the two child play areas, they can participate in other activities – at Heritage Park, a craft room, multi-purpose room, gazebo, kitchen and lounge are available for reservation.
14301 Yale Ave
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 724-6750
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-9pm; Saturday 9am-10pm; Sunday 12pm-6pm
During springtime in Irvine, there’s nothing quite like spending a day at the park! One of the best parts of living in Irvine is the city’s abundance of kid-friendly parks, which are chock-full of engaging features, beautiful landscaping and fun activities. Below is our list of parks in Irvine that are a perfect day trip destination for the whole family.
