Posts Tagged ‘Parks’
Griffith Park’s Old Zoo Picnic Area
I have probably spent more time at Griffith Park than I have at any other spot in Los Angeles, but until a few weeks ago I had never heard of the Park’s Old Zoo Picnic Area. Thanks to Beth who organized a lovely afternoon picnic there, I was able to see this spot firsthand and wow was I glad she chose it! The Old Zoo Picnic Area is exactly what it sounds like – a picnic area surrounding (and inside) the old Griffith Park Zoo (now abandoned, of course) – and it’s a place you have to check out.
You can eat a sandwich and then climb inside monkey cages, tagged-up bird cages, or walk down stairs into strange caves that houses who knows what. You can even eat inside the zoo as some of the cages have been outfitted with benches and grills. The whole thing is exciting and creepy at the same time. It’s really crazy to think that animals lived in these small spaces as you get to really see what it would feel like to be confined to a zoo. Needless to say, I wanted out after a few minutes. The zoo opened in 1912 and closed in 1966. Few people know about it and it’s not super easy to find – you could easily walk right past it without noticing it. Once you do though you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled upon a great L.A. secret.
To get there take Crystal Springs Drive north through the park and turn left onto Griffith Park Drive. You’ll see a sign after the turn. Drive a few hundred feet and you’ll see parking. Walk up the hill and look for the caves (above). Pick a spot and enjoy an afternoon surrounded by a relic of L.A.’s past.
Old Zoo Picnic Area
Griffith Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(photos courtesy of Atlas Obscura)
Park[ing] Day LA 2009
When I started working in Downtown LA around this time last year, I walked outside for my afternoon walk only to find that where a parking spot used to be right outside my building now lay a tiny park. Yes…a park. Three people had set up grass, a bench and some plants and were sitting around lounging in their little man-made park the size of a parking spot. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but I loved it!
My reaction was just what they were trying to draw out of local Angelons as part of Park[ing] Day LA – a yearly event where artists, designers, and activists transform parking spots into temporary public parks. I love this event because it really makes people think about LA.’s lack of public parks and green space.
According to the web site, Park[ing] Day LA is “an opportunity for community members to engage passers-by, motorists, members of the press, city leadership and yes, even the authorities, in a rational and respectful dialogue of everything from our city’s parks and public space to the environment and allocation of land to mobility issues and local beautification projects.”
Park[ing] Day LA takes place this Friday, September 18th. Last year over 70 mini-parks sprouted up across the city and this year should see even more. For more information and to see what parks may be appearing around you, check out their web site and follow them on Twitter.
Lake Hollywood Park
Lake Hollywood Park is a great little hidden gem in the Hollywood Hills that I discovered today. My neighbor had been telling me about it – that not that many people know about it and it’s a great place to take dogs. She was right on both accounts, pretty much.
Tucked beneath the Hollywood Sign and overlooking Lake Hollywood, the park is petty hard to find. I took Beachwood Canyon up, turned left on Ledgewood then somehow made it onto Mullholland Dr which took me to 3160 Canyon Lake Dr. where the park is located. Parking is abundant and even though signs say no dogs off leash, there were plenty off dogs running around.
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