Marina Vista Park

Marina Vista Park is one of the nicer parks in Long Beach. There’s tennis courts which is an added bonus. There’s lots of room so your dog (s) can run off leash. I also love walking around the ever so beautiful Marine Stadium across the street. They keep this park clean and it’s located in a beautiful neighborhood.

Every time I’ve been here I’ve left with a big smile and a happy-​go-​lucky feeling. Well manicured healthy grass, big trees over head, tables, playground, picnic areas, tennis courts, and tons of space to create and live life

We were just here for Haute Dog’s annual Howl’oween Dog Parade. This was the first time the parade was held here and I loved it! It was a lot bigger than the previous park the parade was held. The parade was also shorter this year so short-​faced and older dogs could participate and the owners didn’t have to worry about their dogs overheating or being too tired. What I love most about this park was the huge grass area for puppies and dogs to run around! After the parade, my family and I took a spot on the grassy area and let our dogs run around (with their leashes. I’m not sure if it was okay to let our dogs off leash). There are trees surrounding the perimeter of the park, so I’m sure they provide ample shade on a hot, sunny day.

Other than a view of the bay and marina, there isn’t much to look at. If you like a lot of open grass, this park is for you. There is a diamond at the southwest end of the park and if you ride, a bike path cuts through the middle.

This is an awesome park by my house. There are, as the name implies, views of the Marina. It is right next to the newly renovated Colorado Lagoon. There is also a well-​maintained tennis court. It is surprisingly under-​utilized!

I always came here with my dog for a nice long walk and a view of the scenery. This park is nice and has plenty of open room for picnics and playtime.
Farmer’s Markets take place here right in this area and there are also bands here that play during the summer for the music in the park concerts. These concerts were always such a treat to listen to and just enjoy the summer evening.
This park is well maintained and there is always plenty of parking.
Place is nice and calm, peaceful and has the best view, what else could you ask for in a local city park?

It’s a park… so open spaces. Though, there is a cricket league on Saturdays that plays there. Unfortunately, I still don’t get the sport. On occasions there are rugby games.

The Sole Runners meet at Marina Vista Park every Saturday morning at 7:00 am during the summer and every other Saturday at 8:00 am in the winter.
The location is great because of the great parking and beautiful view out over the water. Convenience of parking is often a make-​it-​or-​break-​it factor for me when choosing places to run because I don’t want to spend more time looking for a place to leave my car than I actually spend running.
For all your early birds, I highly recommend coming before the sun comes up and heading down the path towards Marina Stadium/​Long Beach Rowing Association so you can catch a breathtaking sunrise. The reflection on the water makes it look even more magnificent.

What’s this? I’m reviewing a park? But that would require me to go and spend time *gasp* …outdoors! …during the day! I know, tough to believe, but it’s true. Times, they are a-​changin’, and it’s getting warmer, and cute Anthropologie dresses just aren’t made for all this jelly. So, I’ve taking to hanging outside and *gulp* …jogging.
I’m all about this park and its curvy bike path and free tennis courts. Of course, there are only two courts, and they aren’t lit — but, hey! Free! And quaint. Plus, since there are only two, that only leaves a couple of people available to laugh at my mad tennis skillz instead of scores of people at a bigger tennis complex.
Add all of this to municipal band days, farmers market in the Marina on Wednesdays, and kickball on Sunday… you’ve got yourself my second fave LB park. (I’m sorry, El Dorado is tough to beat)
I think what I really like about this park is that it’s right up against the marina, while it’s not the most beautiful view in the world — it ain’t too shabby for some nice sunset watching in LB. I mean… jogging scenery. I swear I’m not sitting around watching the sunset.

I agree with most everything both Amy and Raphael have said. The upper part of the park is a great area for picnicking and recreation, especially if you are looking for a park in Long Beach with an ocean view. Raphael has made excellent points about the Marine Reserve, which albeit interesting, could be vastly improved — see Raphael’s review for details. I have seen some cool birds there, though.
I’d like to add one more thing that *I* like about this park, which is that during summer, the Long Beach Municipal Band plays concerts in the park here every Thursday evening. LB Muni is a top notch concert band, and conductor Larry Curtis is still going strong. Of course, this is not the only park at which they play — during summer, they also play at El Dorado, Whaley, Bluff Park, and Los Cerritos Park, on other nights of the week (see
for more info and schedule). But I’ve noticed that the Marina Park concerts have a really fun, Hollywood Bowl-​type vibe, what with people bringing their picnic dinners and adult beverages and relaxing by the beach. A lot of boaters will pull their boats right up near the park to listen to the concert in their boats. These concerts are a great way to introduce kids to live music — I saw a kid last night that was utterly fascinated that music could come out of instruments rather than speakers — plus they play some great crowd-​pleasers. I know some of my earliest concert experiences were hearing Muni Band in the park.
While you’re here, be sure to walk over to the nearby Jack Dunster Marine Reserve (
), which is much better than the marine reserve here.

As Amy said, the upper parts of the park consist of very beautiful and well maintained lawns, great for picnicking and other types of passive recreation. I have no disagreement with her take on ot.
I would like to add to Amy’s review that the Marine Vista Park abutts a very small wetland area called the Marine Stadium Marine Reserve (now doesn’t that sound repetitive?).
This «marine reserve» consists of two very tiny (~100 sq feet) patches of salt marsh. Salt marsh is an extremely important and rare ecosystem in southern California, and it’s terrific that the city has protected these postage-​stamp parcels.
So why am I disappointed about this park? Well–
1) There isn’t much to look at. The native habitats are so small, that it really isn’t any use to wildlife, and can’t do much to improve the (very poor) water quality in Alamitos Bay.
2) There is no educational component. Although tiny wetlands can’t do much for wildlife or water quality, they can be excellent outreach opportunities to teach the publiuc about these ecosystesm (like at Shoreline Park or at the Golden Shores Marine Preserve). There are no interpretive signs or educational material of any sort here… a missed opportuntiy, to be sure.
3) The upland areas are landscaped with non-​native plants. Although these plants are clearly drought-​tolerant and water wise, there was no reason for the Parks Department to use non-​native plants, which are a danger to the wildlands of California. They could have restored a beautioful coastal sage-​scrub habitat, like at the nearby Dunster Marine Reserve. But they didn’t A big waste of an opportunity.
This park has great potential for native habitat restoration. But right now there isn’t much to see.

I was looking for a park to have a picnic at and had checked out several in the same afternoon; when I got to Marina Vista, I knew I’d found it.
True to its name, you can see the marina from it (it’s just across the street), which also provides a breeze. It’s in a residential area, so you don’t get noise/​fumes from traffic, although you can park your car in a little lot on Eliot, or on the street. And then you can get out of your car (unless you walked or biked) and gaze out on the expanse of well-​kept grass and contented park-​goers.
This park is a great place to do pretty much whatever you’d like to in a park. A sizable chunk of it is pretty trees and hills and some picnic benches, perfect for cookie potlucks or lying on the grass to read or nap, and there’s enough space between the trees for kite flying. One section is a playground and tennis courts. Then there’s a HUGE section with two soccer fields and a softball field for those who’d like to play team sports, but definitely far enough away from the picnic/​quiet area that a ball won’t roll into your area. There’s a bike path and the Virginia Lee Benedict Grove (although I think «grove» is exaggerating, but I don’t argue with signs), and dogs are allowed.
Oooh I am so excited about having a picnic there!