28 Coolest Playgrounds in LA & OC (2024 Map)

Standard playground equipment, swings, and slides combined with a kid-sized train play structure will thrill kids who enjoy trains! Free mini steam-train rides are offered twice a month.

Boardwalk-patterned paving encircle the playground at the Universal Playground at Fairmount Park, which contain two play areas, one for ages 2-5 years and the other for ages 5-12, a sand play area, sensory play area and splash pad water play area.

In addition to its on-site aquatic center, skate park, amphitheater, and dog park, Fontana Park also includes a range of play areas for kids. There’s an imaginative playground, checkerboard squares, a sunken ship playground, and kinetic sculptures. Plus, a few creatively contoured paths allow for bikes, scooters, and more to coast freely.

The seasonal spray park is the main attraction, with its separated gated area that keeps kids contained. But Monte Vista Park also has a playground area with swings, slides, and a rock climbing wall.

Alexandra F.:  This awesome playground was renovated in 2023 and is definitely one of the best playgrounds in Orange County! My preschooler especially loves the large splashpad with tons of fun water spray features, and the gigantic climbing structure with rope bridges and super tall slide looks so fun for older kids. The zip lines are a hit for a wide range of ages, and I really like how they have several wiffle balls and bats out on the artificial turf baseball diamond for kids to play with. If you plan to go on the weekend, be sure to make reservations online.

Kelly R:  Head to this incredible playground with your imagination, plenty of extra time, and a change of clothes for the kids - things might get messy! The fully enclosed 2-acre complex is filled with features that inspire unstructured play, including plenty of open space to explore. Kids can get messy in a mud hole, decorate an art wall, build structures with giant Legos, and unwind in a sensory garden. Standard playground fun can be had with equipment that is anything but ordinary, like cement hill slides and a towering fortress-inspired jungle gym.

The two playgrounds at Palmview Park accommodate a range of ages and have fun structures for imaginative play. There's an airplane climbing structure, plenty of shade, and even a neighboring fitness area for parents to use while keeping an eye on the kids.

Expansive play structures are the highlight of this playground, with everything NASA-themed--even the slide structures look like rockets! There's built-in shade in many areas thanks to tree cover, and there's also a seasonal splash pad. A few spinning "ride" toys add to the NASA ambiance, and of course, plenty of swings and slides round out the playground's offerings.

The park spans five acres, but the highlights are the expansive playground area and the adjoining splash pad (bring bathing suits, park rules!). The bright art mosaics have a kid-friendly vibe, and shade coverings keep the sun off in some parts of the play area.

This aquatic-themed play center is an admission-only park, but its fun play features and overall family-friendliness make it worth the cost of entry. No adults are admitted without their kids, and no kids can get in without a grownup, either. Whale, shark, and serpent-themed slides, climbing structures, and murals echo the Atlantis theme and make this more than just a park. Tons of on-site parking makes it easy for parents, too.

This pirate-themed park features 2 playground structures, a covered picnic shelter and tables, ½ court basketball area, open green space, walking/exercise path, water play area and restrooms.

There's tons of messy and hands-on fun to be had at the Huntington Beach Adventure Playground. Kids will explore, build, climb, raft, slide down a mudslide, and more. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the surrounding park area, and be sure to pack a change of clothes and wear closed-toed shoes! It’s recommended to call ahead to check availability, and to pay via their online system in advance.

Alexandra F.:  This is one of the best playgrounds we've ever been to simply because the play structures, equipment and layout were all so thoughtfully selected and designed. There's an area for younger and older kids, each featuring just the type of play equipment those age groups would want, including a large and complex climbing rope web for big kids, cool swings and slides for both, lots of climbing features of varying difficulty levels, and a large sand area with play structures for younger kids. Best of all, the ENTIRE area is covered for shade!! Bathrooms, water fountains, picnic tables, basketball courts, a large grassy field and lots and lots of benches make it a comfortable and fun place to play any day.

Alexandra F.:  This American Revolution-themed park is really something special. It has three playgrounds, large open fields, softball diamonds and basketball courts, and a large pond with plenty of ducks, geese and turtles. However, what really makes it special is the play island in the middle of the pond, complete with bridges, rock formations, and American revolution-themed play structures, including a “ship” that juts out into the water! It is SO much fun for playing and exploring, and my kids love going there as much as I did when I was their age. It’s worth noting that the line of sight is not very open on the play island, making it a bit of a challenge to keep an eye on very little ones who like to run off - especially with all the fun rocks and hills for climbing (and potentially slipping) on!

Alexandra F.:  My preschooler and I discovered this awesome playground while driving by it on an errand, and we just had to stop to check it out. The feature that caught our eye was the jet plane suspended in mid-air at the front of the park (it’s a veteran’s memorial), but the plane and rocket-themed playground equipment was really fun, with lots of interactive elements. My 3-year-old especially enjoyed the enclosed tot lot with a fire truck climbing structure, and I appreciated the surprisingly clean bathroom just next to it.