PARKS AND FACILITIES

Parks in Hollywood Hills are managed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks. It manages nearly 16,000 acres of parkland, including parks in the Hollywood Hills, and offers substantial recreational, social, and cultural programming at 444 park locations around Los Angeles, from the valley to the sea.

It also manages and operates hundreds of athletic fields, 422 playgrounds, 321 tennis courts, 184 recreation centers, 72 fitness areas, 62 swimming pools and aquatic centers, 30 senior centers, 26 skate parks, 13 golf courses, 12 museums, 9 dog parks, and 187 summer youth camps, as well as supporting the Summer Night Lights gang prevention and intervention program.

LA is proud to promote the city’s urban wilderness and open spaces by preserving and caring for the park’s urban tree canopy, 13 lakes, and 92 miles of hiking paths, all of which add to the city’s rich natural resources.

Most Popular Parks in Hollywood Hills

Griffith Park

Griffith Park, the granddaddy of all Los Angeles green spaces, is one of the world’s largest municipal parks. Its southwestern part, which runs north of the Los Feliz neighborhood and borders the Hollywood Hills, provides excellent walking options in the mountains and canyons west of the Griffith Observatory. Bronson Canyon, where the iconic Bat Cave from the 1960s Batman TV series is located, and Sunset Ranch Hollywood, which provides guided sunset horseback rides up Mt. Hollywood, are also highlighted. Before your journey, stop by The Trails Cafe for coffee and organic vegetarian meals.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park 

Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills is a bucolic memorial park and cemetery located just east of Warner Bros. Studios that has model colonial churches, super-sized sculptures of American presidents, a replica of the Liberty Bell, and the world’s biggest historical mosaic, ‘The Birth of Liberty.’ While the park organizes a number of patriotic and high-profile events throughout the year, such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it is primarily recognized for its enshrined celebrities. The park does not give maps, yet legends such as Bette Davis, Stan Laurel, Liberace, Telly Savalas, and Buster Keaton have all visited.

Runyon Canyon Park 

Runyon Canyon Park is located near the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains and is designated as an “Urban Wilderness.” According to the Hollywood Reporter, this is one of the finest celeb-spotting places in LA because of the large number of movie stars who live in the nearby residential communities. Miles of hiking routes crisscross the countryside, including some lesser-known and more difficult parts documented on the park’s official website. The 7300 block of Mulholland Drive serves as the canyon’s northern entrance, while Vista Street and Fuller Avenue serve as its southern entrances.

Lake Hollywood Park

Lake Hollywood Park, located to the north of the Hollywood Reservoir, provides a clear view of the Hollywood sign in one direction and watery vistas of the Mulholland Dam in the other. The steep surroundings, like with practically other parks in the Hollywood Hills, are ideal for trekking or running – or you may stroll or cycle around the lake on the paved road. There’s also a wide grass for grilling and picnicking, as well as a children’s play area. It’s close up Canyon Lake Drive from the Lake Hollywood viewpoint. 

Wattles Garden Park 

Wattles Garden Park is regarded as one of Los Angeles’ best-kept secrets. The freshly renovated park, located in the heart of Hollywood at the far southern extremity of Runyon Canyon, has hiking paths, a 4-acre community farm, a Japanese garden, and the magnificent Wattles Mansion. The palace, once known as ‘Jualita’ and home to banker Gurdon Wattles, is notable for being the last surviving Hollywood estate from the agricultural era before the film industry existed. It was also in Rain Man and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so you might recognize it.

Today, the park attracts visitors looking for a respite from the bustle of Hollywood Boulevard, which is just one block to the south. The home is exclusively available for special parties, but the sloping grounds provide a tranquil haven with views that stretch all the way to Palos Verdes.

Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation

221 N Figueroa Street Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 202-2700
RAP.PublicInfo@lacity.org

For more information on Parks and Recreation visit Here.

Leisure Centers

Hollywood Recreation Center
West Hollywood Aquatics Center
JEM Community Center
Cheviot Hills Recreation Center
Cheviot Hills Pool
Citywide Aquatics
Baldwin Hills Recreation Center
Valley Plaza Recreation Center
North Hollywood Recreation Center
Yucca Community Center
Westside Jewish Community Center
Pan Pacific Park