6 minute read
City Parks
22nd Street Park
140 W. 22nd Street, on a sloped area between Crescent Avenue and Miner Street. Portoflosangeles.org San Pedro’s 22nd Street park opened in 2010 with approximately 18 acres of grassy fields, open meadows and ample parking. This park offers marina views along trails with way-finding signage to other waterfront locations, bike paths, two bocce ball courts, benches, lighting, and restrooms. Walking the park’s perimeter is about 1 mile. A staircase leads up to a bike path. A variety of birds can be seen and heard.
Angels Gate Park and Cultural Center
3601 Gaffey St. San Pedro, CA 90731 Laparks.org/park/angels-gate-park This 64-acre complex with sweeping coastal views and grassy fields is the coastal highpoint of San Pedro. You will recognize the basketball courts from many Hollywood movies. The park includes the Fort MacArthur Military Museum, International Bird Rescue, Angels Gate Cultural Center, the Marine Mammal Care Sea Lion Hospital, the Korean Bell of Friendship (Descriptions of each are throughout this guide.) The most helpful and concise description is found at outdoorproject.com.
3601 S. Gaffey St. San Pedro, CA 90731 Heyrookie.lacitypools.com An extensive $7.1 million restoration completed in 2017 brought this public pool with ocean views back to life, with a nod to its World War II history. Once the Gaffey Street Pool, “ Hey Rookie “ refers to a play written and produced by soldiers stationed at Fort MacArthur. Their production raised $250,000 that was used to build the pool for its original opening in 1943.
Averill Park
1300 S. Dodson Avenue San Pedro, CA 90731 Laparks.org/park/averill Enjoy dramatic views of San Pedro and the LA Harbor, while following meandering trails through lush greenery. The Averill Park gazebo sets a spectacular background for weddings and its pathways delight photographers. A gentle waterfall rambles downstream and under a wooden bridge to a peaceful pond that is home to wild ducks, swans and geese. The park also features barbecue pits and picnic tables.
Bandini Canyon Park
West Sepulveda Street, between Bandini Street and Marshall Court San Pedro, CA 90731 This 5-acre canyon area is a linear city neighborhood park located at the northwest side of San Pedro, One end is adjacent to Bandini Elementary School, the tot lot end is at Marshall Court. The trail includes seating areas, lighting, and security fencing. It’s near the recently dedicated San Pedro Welcome Park (at 415 N. Gaffey Street).
The Cabrillo Beach Park
3720 Stephen M. White Drive cabrillobeach.org Cabrillo Beach has two beaches – one outside the breakwater with ocean surf, and the other within the harbor, a protected bay perfect for families with children. The Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse Recreation Center, a fishing pier, tide pools, picnic tables and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium are all within barefoot-walking distance. As whale-watching season draws to an end, grunion season begins. Twice a month, from March through August, these silvery fish emerge from the water at Cabrillo Beach to lay their eggs in the sand under a full or new moon.
Daniels Field Sports Center
845 W. 12th Street San Pedro, CA 90731 You’ll find four lighted public tennis courts, a lighted football and soccer field, batting cages, a golf cage, basketball court and picnic area. It’s where Mary Star of the Sea High School played football between 1954 and 2017. The San Pedro High School Pirates also played football there until 2000.
Deane Dana Friendship Park
1805 W. 9th Street, San Pedro CA 90731 Overlooking San Pedro Harbor and with views all the way to Santa Catalina Island, this 100-acre park has a picnic area with barbecue facilities, children’s play area, jogging and hiking trails, baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields and the Bogdanovich Recreation Center. It features a nature center and natural history museum as well.
1920 W. Cumbre Drive San Pedro CA 90732 Laparks.org/reccenter/ martin-j-bogdanovich Here’s where to sign up for baseball, volleyball, basketball and flag football teams for youth and adults. The center also offers preschool and pre-K classes. The Bogdanovich Recreation Center was remodeled in 2006. Fishing History: Martin Bogdanovich was born in Croatia in 1882, emigrated to the United States in 1908, and started a sardine fishing business with three partners on Terminal Island in 1910. In the 1940s the French Sardine Company shifted to canning tuna. That tuna became Star-Kist.
Joan Milke Flores Park
3601 S Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731 This scenic park overlooks the ocean bluffs at Point Fermin and boasts rolling hills and abundant picnic areas with views that reach to Santa Catalina Island and beyond. Car advertisers and many other TV/Movie types love the iconic highway curves that follow Joan Milke Flores Park.
Leland Recreation Center
863 S. Herbert Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731 Laparks.org/reccenter/Leland This is the home for Girls Play LA (ages 8-15) program, L.A. Kids Classes, a day camp, indoor recreation facilities and lighted outdoor basketball, volleyball, and baseball courts and fields. The 15.7-acre park was established in 1929 and has been the place for Halloween carnivals and Easter egg hunts. Renovations were completed in 2017.
Peck Park and Recreation Center
560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro, CA 90732 near the corner of Summerland Avenue Laparks.org/reccenter/peck-community This park features several picnic sites with barbecue pits, a baseball diamond, basketball and volleyball courts, football and soccer fields, children’s play area, canyon trails, and a recreation center with a gym, pool and many community activities. Numerous day camps, preschool, afterschool and teen programs are integral to Peck Park programming. A 7,600 square-foot outdoor skate plaza lies between the picnic area and Western Avenue.
Point Fermin Park
807 W. Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731 Pointferminlighthouse.org The southernmost point of Los Angeles, this beautiful city park is one of the few places on the peninsula where monarch butterflies spend the winter and peregrine falcons roost. This stately park provides spectacular views of the Pacific coast and Channel Islands. It is host to Shakespeare by the Sea theatre performances and other events, home to the historic Point Fermin Lighthouse and a perfect site for picnics or a leisurely stroll.
Royal Palms State Beach
1799 W. Paseo Del Mar San Pedro, CA 90731 Beaches.lacounty.gov See Southern California marine life in its natural habitat without getting too wet; the tide pools at Royal Palms offer glimpses of the unusual sea life found off the shore. Picnic tables and gorgeous views are part of the experience. Sturdy footwear is recommended.
White Point Nature Education Center & Preserve
1600 W. Paseo Del Mar San Pedro, CA 90731 The Preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk. The Center is open from 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Pvplc.org
Take a sunny bluffside hike through this repurposed historic Cold War coastal defense property that is now a 102-acre Nature Preserve. The Preserve is owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy.
