Palisades Park & Recreation Center

Very rude people!
I really wanted to enroll my daughter for basketball with her friend. They didn’t tell me that girls would play at 2 different times and would never be together. We I asked for change the same day of my paiement, it was already too late and IMPOSSIBLE to get a trade… People from the rec center were very rude with us telling it was our fault… very weird place, I wouldn’t recommend!

Great place — grew up here. Good sports leagues with better competition than you’d think for a west la suburb (still not very good), and mostly nice people and good outdoor courts. Great playground for little kids as well.

The baseball fields are great the basketball courts are great. The play equipment is okay. The only problem is lack of shade over the play equipment and the swings. Yes it’s not that hot on the west side but it’s still sunny and with little ones it can be tricky. Also in terms of park bathrooms this one needs some help.

I love these courts because of LiveBall. The staff here is so friendly. These courts are home to some of the best tennis players in Los Angeles. Steve Bellamy is an all around nice guy and true tennis enthusiast. Check out the LiveBall. Fun and best workout ever!

Best rec center I’ve ever been to! Their field is nicely kept up and very prominent. I love taking my kids to their playground! They always have something going on at this park. Also, staff is friendly and knowledgable. I would recommend.

Nice tennis court with a tennis shop.

This is a very good park to take your kids. The equipment is clean, and there’s a lots of variety of stuff for them to play on.
A couple of things:
1. There’s no perimeter fence at the back, so WATCH YOUR KIDS carefully because they can disappear behind the fire engine climbing structure and then keep going. Why they don’t fence the back is beyond me and the reason they lost 1 star with this review. Put the fence in, and I’d rate it 5-​stars. There’s a fence and gate in the front, but not the back. Odd.
2. It can get crowded on weekends, so go early in the am.
3. Just behind the bathroom building is a small store that sells ice cream and drinks. Perfect for leaving or sharing a cone with your kiddies.
All in all, a very nice park and enjoyable place to spend some time with your children.

Not to be confused with the park of the same name (Palisades Park that runs along the bluffs in Santa Monica).
This Palisades Park I’m reviewing is the one up in the town of Pacific Palisades, just off Sunset, next to the new library.
It has special significance to me.
I ended up having my Christmas dinner in this park, haha, my first year in LA when I didn’t know anyone. My son was traveling that year, and I was out exploring the city of my new digs, taking advantage of the low traffic day.
I had a cooler with guacamole and crackers and water! Lordy… that was Christmas dinner, several years ago, in the picnic area of Palisades Park. Haha, but it’s not a sad story at all. I sat in peaceful solitude among the huge pine trees (see photo) with views of the beautiful green hills, thinking life could not get much better. I could not believe I was finally living in LA, my new found paradise… on the beach no less (I lived on Venice Beach at that time).
I feel a story coming on… hahaha that was inevitable…
about Christmases past:
When I was a kid, we went to my grandparent’s house to open gifts & spend the day, and have our afternoon Christmas dinner. I’m an only child, so it was just my parents, my grandparents & me. We opened gifts slowly, no tearing off the paper in a rush haha… so as to show appreciation for the thoughtful presents on a special family day.
I knew the girl, Candy, whose family lived next door to my grandparents. She was my age. I remember her wanting to hang out… calling and calling to see when we would be done with our gifts. She said, «You people must have a thousand presents, it’s taking forever to open them all!» But when she finally did come over, she questioned why it had taken so long to open those «few things».
At the time I didn’t know that I was learning a valuable lesson: to be grateful for what we had, and to appreciate the little stuff in life… like a pretty bow on a wrapped gift… because it meant that someone cared.
So there I was, many decades later, in the park haha… feeling like a million bucks. Gratitude is not overrated.
Usually I have a ton of photos of the parks I review, but this time only 4 that I lifted from my review of the town of Pac Pal
…until I get back over there with camera to really do justice to this popular, pretty park. Maybe this coming weekend.
Palisades Park serves its community beautifully.
There’s a kids’ playground, always crowded.
There’s a big community center with a gym and indoor basketball courts.
There are baseball fields, lighted & unlighted.
Basketball courts, outdoor lighted, and indoor like I mentioned.
Lighted football field.
Lighted volleyball.
Lighted tennis courts. In fact the tennis facilities have their own phone number: 310−454−5445.
Picnic areas have bar-​b-​qs. You can walk a block to Ralph’s to get what you need.
There are lots of sports programs for kids, including karate &
gymnastics.
And senior programs. Crafts, exercise, music and more.
I love the charming town of Pacific Palisades. It would be my number one selection of places to live in LA, if I could choose anywhere.
Ever heard of Christmas in July? Happy Holidays! hahaha