Lake Balboa/Anthony C. Beilenson Park

Many different spots within the park to choose from, you could come here with 20 friends/family members or just yourself. Beautiful scenery, well taken care of and overall from my experience the people out here are good but always be aware when by yourself. Almost a year ago some guy I didn’t know rode his bike up to me while I was under a tree, secluded and not visible to anyone, and proceeded to ask if I was alone, was anyone coming to meet me and if I was single and wanted to get married along with a few other inappropriate questions/comments. Luckily I did have a friend who was on his way to me. I told him sorry I’m not interested and my friend will be here soon. Then he sat maybe a few feet right behind me and practically burnt holes in my shirt from staring so hard while talking on the phone to someone in another language I didn’t recognize, very angry, distraught and frantic. I also forgot to mention he pretended to be deaf when he came up to me. Once he was a few feet away he stopped his accent and was a totally different person. However the park still gets 5 stars because I know it’s not the parks fault and that was the one and only weird interaction with another person I’ve had and I come here often. One of the safer parks in the area in my opinion. So if you’re considering coming here to this day I will always recommend.

Great place to take a walk by the lake, ride bikes, have a picnic, or just get some fresh air. They also rent bikes or you can do the swan pedal boats. Very dog friendly too

A good park where you can spend time with your family and ride swans on the lake. Have a picnic and enjoy nature.

Probably the most interesting and beautiful part of the Valley is Lake Balboa! Whether you walk around the lake in silence alone or gathering with the family and friends in picnic areas you’ll be filled with the good amount of oxygen, nature’s healing and life!

It's a very beautiful place to enjoy alone or with family, surrounded by nature and a beautiful lake. It was packed with lots of people but it does not matter because it's so big that you can go around.

Perfect date spot. Or if you need some peace in your life. I enjoy taking walks here with my dog. It’s big and beautiful. Almost like you’re in a movie.

Beautiful park! You have to get some ice cream here. Be ware of duck poop, it's everywhere! But they're pretty. Highly recommend for a morning out!

The lake has a nice paved sidewalk for the entire length. Dogs are allowed on leash with many trash cans and benches along its length . Saturday and Sundays are very busy days

Nice park! Great place to walk, picnic or jog. Edges have a few unsavoury characters but near the water is great!

This is probably the largest park with more than just a play area and a grass field in the San Fernando valley. It has a lake, where you can see many "duck, duck, goose!" Get it?! Lol, paddle boat rentals, bike rentals, an extensive play area with many games for children to play all day long, food vendors, long paths for walks/jogs, sports field, barbecue pits, picnic tables, and last but not least--restrooms. My least favorite and definitely not the highlight of the park if I must admit I'd rather hold it than going in there. There is several of them, dirty beach-style looking restrooms with toilet paper that is hard to roll out without it tearing apart. Went in once and never again. On the bright side, the park is lively and enjoyable in many ways, which I mentioned above. The ducks are so cute and too friendly/brave enough to follow you around! The lake seems dirty, but they are alive. I hope the water is being cleaned for them. I always see people giving them bread; one thing I also saw my parents do when I was growing up. However, bread does not provide them with any nutritional value and can actually cause them health problems. If you, or anyone you know feeds them bread, you will do them a big favor by switching to oats, rice, corn, peas, lettuce, or spinach because these are actually healthy treats for them. Tip: Go early in the morning if you want to relax or exercise with less people around. It usually gets really packed by noon! Or if you decide to go on a weekend after noon, be ready to expect a full park with people being loud and having fun while eating, playing music, selling goodies, etc. There's plenty of parking around the park, which can become a hassle on the weekends, but I always end up finding a spot. One thing I enjoy the most is renting their surrey and riding it along with my toddler. It's a good workout with a nice view right before sunset.

Lovely park in the SFV to fish, run, bike, and watch ducks. I usually come between 6am to 9am for a morning run. There's plenty of parking at that time. In weekends, especially holiday weekends, it gets packed by 11 with the parking getting full and folks parking on the dirt. For running, I love the multiple route options. Around the lake is about 1.25 miles. Around the tree area can be 2-3 miles. And there is a bike and running trail around the outer perimeter as well. There are a ton of ducks. Sometimes there's a ton of duck poop on the pavement as well. One area of improvement is the restrooms. They are not clean and lately they are flooded from the rains.

Great park for many things. They have a great walking and bike trail around the lake. Lots of picnic benches and gazebos to hang out and rest with ducks wandering around with you. It's very dog friendly. I love going in the morning to just take a morning walk and relax and reflect and get some "fresh" LA air. They have bicycle rentals and you can even rent swan pedal boats too.

I have been coming here for years for a walk and sometimes to have a picnic with the family. There are so many activities you can do here with your family such as riding bikes, renting a swan boat or the pedal bikes. A very nice playground for the kids and many paths to take a long or short walk around the lake. There are ducks in the lake and on a beautiful sunny day you can see the reflection of the blue skies in the lake. Today was very gloomy but still so beautiful to be here. I enjoyed a nice walk and my son and husband rode their bikes. On weekends the parking situation is crazy but I never had an issue during the week. Oh and you can fish here...

A little hidden enchantment in the heart of the valley. A massive lake that just one part of the area. There's a whole different side that is as nice as this. But this being the main area with the park and playground. I'm mot suite sure how long wide the lake is. But plenty of people walking around as well as the bike path. It's a massive park so it tends to always be busy. The playground is always full with laughing kids. Lake, with loads of people fishing and the swan paddle board gliding along the water. There's also rental bikes for the family of you want to get around the area. Plenty of food vendors setting up shops for snacks. Parking wise, there's a good amount in the lots but also parking along the grassy area.

This park is great! It's so big and full of life, very dog friendly and there is plenty of space to do activities. There were birthday parties, cook outs, people fishing and people like me just taking their dog for a walk. I'm adding this to a regular visit for me and my dog.

I've only been here a few times however this is my first time here when the cherry blossoms were blooming. Nice park to take your dogs for a walk or just to enjoy the scenery.

Gorgeous park/lake area in the SFV. I love that the stroll around the lake is a nice scenic walk. One of my favorite places I've discovered in the Valley. There are ample parking spaces, many vendors near the park, - it's just a great atmosphere all around! There's Swans to ride too if you desire!

This park used to be so nice and now it's gross with trash everywhere and vendors everywhere who dump trash and food on the ground.

Lovely park. Busier than most though because of the location. You can find areas that aren't as busy. My parents decided to peddle on the Swan boats. I surely couldn't because I was too concerned with the lake water splashing on me ... let's just say, there is nothing awesome about the water here LOL Our senior dog had a wonderful stroll. It was peaceful. Happy dogs walking. Ppl getting their exercise in and a few bikers. Some were fishing and signs were posted that it's catch and release which is good since all the birds and ducks need their food. Lots going on in this park. Great spot. Ample parking.

I feel like I chalk this entire area up to one place, although it has a dozen plus names and sections to visit. My review from 2015 is under "Woodley Park", but I never visit Lake Balboa without covering it from what I'd consider to be a full perimeter approach. I've been coming here for ages and rediscovered the area many moons ago when some friends and I were training for an upcoming run, and my sons then high school XC team used the area for some practices. I mainly come here to run and while it's not my top choice for a destination (drive, park, run) area it certainly helps get the job done. I typically run it from Woodley to Burbank, Burbank to Balboa, Balboa to Victory - back to Woodley (approx 5'ish miles or so, one loop) but my son runs it a little differently. We come out here to lap it a few times. I think the most I've done here is 3 laps (becomes redundant and you start to feel like you're on a hamsters wheel) but if I had to use it for a 20-22 mile run I could make it work. Like I said, not my favorite spot but it's nice to have a little variation now and again, you get some dirt, some concrete, and very few stop lights to deal with so it's a nice stretch for non stop running. I dip into other areas of the park at times for short strolls, my sister and I used to come often to enjoy calm, peaceful, quiet bird watching at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve. If you're into birding, I'm a major bird nerd - bring your binoculars! There's also a golf course, which I probably desperately need to get in some range action at because I haven't swung my clubs in forever. The area has a ton to offer, tennis courts, soccer fields, birding, large water basins, walking/biking paths, you name it. In closing, it's basically one place depending on your mobility. Explore, explore, explore. As covid runs rampant and everyone either has it or is sick, I wouldn't be caught dead working out indoors (I mean other than in my own home) so coming out here before sunrise when it's most tranquil is a great time to get in a workout while keeping safe, getting in a good sweat sesh and being away from people. Parking is abundant and never an issue in any area you wish to start in.

They have -paddle boats(to rent) - bikes (to rent) - clean bathrooms - golf course - picnic tables - fish(fishing permit is required) Cons: I really hate the smell of the lake it gives me a headache The lake is dirty

Street vendors are taking over, everywhere you look you don't see a tree or a duck you see a tent with a vendor trying to make a buck. It's a sore sight when all you want to do is enjoy nature. The park is beautiful and well maintained but becoming tacky.

We love coming to this park, there is a great space of grass for sitting and hanging out with the family. Sometime too noisy so depends on the day

Amazing place to have a picnic, enjoy some gorgeous LA weather, and play with your fur babies! I would bring my dogs all the time and now I bring my cat. She loves it! The park is very spacious and offers some lovely views of the lake. I've never been on these swan boats but they look so cute! There are also biking trails, playgrounds, vendors, bathrooms, picnic tables, and parking is free and there's a lot of it which is good bc it can get busy on weekends. Overall, this is a GREAT place to visit! My kitty can't wait to go back ;)

Lake Balboa is very dirty right now. The grass is super high, there has been no maintenance for a while. There are these green flying mosquitoes looking like things, by the millions. Your walking and feel them flying all over you. It's like a plague, my car and others were full of them when I got back. The sidewalk is also full of duck poop all around. Just an fyi it's probably not good to go there with dogs or kids right now.

Me encanta este parque, rentamos con mi familia unas bicicletas y nos divertimos mucho

Most beautiful park ever rides boats lakes walks good ppl love it ducks celebrating Eid here was the greatest Alhumdhulillah

Very nice park, bigger size, more European style with alleys to stroll, benches, a lake, cute birds - swans, ducks, etc and nice vegetation. There's a big playground, picnic tables, bike paths. A bit of everything. Restrooms included, sometimes there are vendors if you need a drink or a snack. I've been going to this park for many years, on and off. Sometimes it can be crowded and the parking reflects that, it's harder to get a spot. Even during Covid there were many people for outdoor activities, I tried to social distance. There is a huge need for bigger parks like Lake Balboa in LA area, more greenery, more alleys where everyone can stroll. It's well maintained, perfect for a nice morning or afternoon out!

What a beautiful day to enjoy!!! Not so hot and not so cold.. All walks of life... Parking lot is full but we were able to find a spot.

Very peaceful and beautiful park. Great place to get some exercise while enjoying nature walking around the lake.

Who loves a quiet day alone or social gathering with friends or family at the park? This place has it all- dirt bike park, lakes, tennis courts, golf, paved trails, benches, and plenty of ducks. Free parking, onsite bathrooms with hand washing sinks. A small lake with paved walking path around the perimeter. There seems to be a marina where you can rent water-based activities, like swan paddle boats. there are many gazebos and trees with benches so plenty of ways to get out of the sun. It was fairly busy. Lots of couples. Lots of dogs walked with owners. A few joggers.

This is no ordinary Park . There's so many activities going on here! The vibe is much more festival like . There's vendors everywhere you look selling , bracelets , tacos, corn, hotdogs, soft drinks, toys, inflatable things and so much more. Plenty activities like bikes to be rented and the swan paddle boats too. Don't forget to bring your hat ! Come to Lake Balboa For a day full of activities #FunInTheSun

Lake Balboa has so many options. You can ride your bike around the path, ride in a swan boat in the lake, walk/run around the lake, enjoy all kinds of food and ice cream from mobile vendors, enjoy the massive playground for kids, play golf, archery etc. It does get a bit crowded during peak hours and the parking situation is a bit crazy once the lots are full (you park on the road however you can), but this is a great park with tons of options.

You enter on Balboa or Woodley and parking is available throughout the park. It's great for all ages for whatever you want to do in the park. There is a lake you can walk around, fish, sit under a plethora of trees, exercise the perimeter of the park, ride your bicycle or a swan boat on the lake. I love coming here to getaway from The Valley heat, but mostly to run and get my steps in for the day.

Beautiful park, and the guys at the swan peddle boats location are very customer friendly !!

A nice park where you can take your family and pets. A lot of activities can be done here and they have on-site grill available for everyone to use. Decent pathway around the lake (about 1.3 miles) with some elevation - perfect for jogging, walking, or running. I just hope that bird droppings will be cleaned because it can be slippery when you unknowingly stepped on one. Playgrounds are available for kids - fun activities like slides, swings, etc. Vendors are available around the place making it more lively - they sell various stuff ranging from food items to toys and balloons.

I found this place just cruising one day and I have been coming almost every day ever since. The park has it all, a Bike trail, an area to walk/run/jog around the man-made lake, a Golf course, boat rentals, bathrooms, children's play area, baseball court, dirt bike area, people bring their little controller boats to play with at the lake. There are picnic areas too and Sunsets are gorgeous to see from here. The weekends tend to be quite busy but it is still enjoyable to seat on a shaded bench and people watch or just watch the giant ducks and geez haha they are gorgeous. There are some areas that have homeless people but I have never been bothered by them and the city workers are always cleaning or patrolling around the park. The Police also patrols around the park so it feels very safe. I prefer to do my runs very early because there are areas on the running path that has no shade and it tends to get quite hot over here but running the inside trail and one side of the sidewalks outside is about 8k. I started running only 5k here but now I am up to 10k so its a fantastic place to run.

Once a week, friends and I meet to go for a socially-distanced walk and we recently visited this Lake Balboa. On a Sunday morning, parking is plentiful and vendors are set up in the perimeter of the path ranging from novelty toys, face covers, jewelry and fresh cut fruit. There are also places to rent bikes and paddle boats. For the most part, people are masked up and there is ample room to move to side if you need six feet cleared. People are also gather for picnics but the groups look pretty small. All in all, I felt safe working out here. There are signs that said no rollerskating or skateboarding, which was something new to me. (It's been awhile since I've been here and I do remember once skating around the lake.) There are also people feeding the ducks despite the fact that they are standing near signs stating not to. (Just and observation. I wasn't going to get involved. LOL) According to my fitness app, a walk around the lake is a little bit over a mile which is relatively flat and have slight inclines. Very easy for people with knee and ankle issues. A fun and easy walk if you don't mind sharing the path with people. Parking seems to be plentiful and it is free. If you don't find parking in the parking lot, you can park on the street.

I usually follow the advice of the "Elite" yelp reviewers, and I see one if my favorite writers is on this thread. I will certainly be taking my dog Bourbon there.... Thanks for the great recommendation!

I don't know what has happened to the administration and maintenance at Lake Balboa Park but it's incredibly sad to see it in the poor condition it's currently in. It's disgusting. Everything is dying, dry, dirty and it no longer feels or looks like the oasis that it used to be I came in the spring and it was shitty and now again in the summer and it's only gotten worse. It looks like they just want it to go up flames. So sad. Breaks my heart.

Nice park. Lots of beautiful nature and animals. Playground along with plenty of other exciting things for kids to adventure. Paddle boats. Free parking. Was pretty crowded although still reasonable enough to have a good time and find parking. I'm sure the summer is much busier. Would definitely go back.

It's been 7 years since my last visit to this park. There are a lot more vendors selling items than I remember. You can get hot dogs, fruit, toys, and the usual paletas. Made me wish I had cash on me. I am now aware that you should NOT be feeding bread to ducks and birds alike. A healthier snack would be oats, grains, or rice. I appreciate the free parking. Spaces might be filled on a weekend but you can parallel park on the side of the road. You can find flowing water on the north and south ends of the lake which I think is neat.

Very large park with lots of activities. Unfortunately it's not maintained the best and there's tons of goose poop.

I found this place using the TrailLink app because I was searching for a path to ride bikes. This place is truly a hidden gem find. It's clean (for the most part), spacious for social distancing and serene. Make sure to bring your bug repellant spray since the lake attracts bugs and mosquitos. There's plenty of walking space and is especially dog friendly. A true park that has it ALL! Golf course, bball court, bike path, small river bends, boat rentals, playground, etc. Make sure to bookmark this place for your next exercise excursion.

On the East side of Woodley in the open field close to Victory and Woodley, people are allowed to have parties with blasting music with loud bass all day on the weekends. I live at Woodley and Victory and the bass from the music is heard in every room of my apartment. Why is Lake Balboa still allowing these loud parties to blast music early mornings on the weekends? Why not allow the parties in the large area closer to Burbank where there are no apartments to disturb? Time to start being good neighbors.

Great park in the encino area... my advice is to come here early if you want to explore this park. I arrived aroubd noon and it got a bit hot...beautiful spot for photo shoots!

Beautiful place to go walking. I love taking my dog here and just walk around the lake a couple of times. There's something about just watching the ducks walk around that makes me feel so peaceful.

Cool spot to come check out. Nice oasis. Seems like a good way to provide space in an otherwise very urban area. Huge.

Who loves a quiet day alone or social gathering with friends or family at the park? This place has it all- dirt bike park, lakes, tennis courts, paved trails, benches, and plenty of ducks. Free parking, onsite bathrooms with hand washing sinks.

We had a family get-together at Lake Balboa Park. We had fun barbequing and then two groups of four rode around in the rented golf carts. Most of us walked down a trail to a stream of water. We had a beautiful time and loved seeing the geese swimming in the lake.

I have lived in the valley for over 50 years and enjoy biking and walking at Balboa Park. I was recently told that they are spraying Round-Up pesticide on the grounds, despite its noted connection to cancer. Both people and animals are being affected. Please write to the park reps and city heads to stop this atrocity. E. Flores CA Credentialed teacher

I really love to run here especially when it's hot out. Lots of trail space and shade throughout the run.I have ran the outer side of the park twice and get a good almost 10 miles(one loop is about 4.7 miles). There is plenty of parking so that is definitely a non issue. There is a lot of homeless people but I have never ran into an issue. On the inside of the park where the lake is there is boat paddling and lots of wild life. There are also street vendors. The only reason I don't run on the inside of the park is because there is way too much duck poop. I will keep coming back to run my relaxing runs.

This park provides a great place for people and families to get outside for a while at this incredibly difficult time. We came here today to enjoy a picnic lunch we brought from Ay Papa Que Rico a few miles away. Good choice! https://www.yelp.com/biz/ay-papa-que-rico-van-nuys-3 It was a Friday and there were quite a few people there. Most everyone had a mask and was wearing it or had it ready to slip over their face and it seemed like everyone was respecting each others space and keeping their distance. Everyone was enjoying themselves it seemed. I think we will avoid the weekends. I'm sure it gets packed. But for now the weekdays seem fine to us. The boat rentals are closed but there's plenty of open picnic tables, shady grassy areas, and walking pathways to enjoy. The playground is closed too at this time. It's just nice to be outside!

This park has everything. Plenty of grass for picnics. There are benches too for eating They have BBQs. There is a lot of parking. A lot, on the side of the roads with in the park and a big dirt lot. In the summer it gets very very busy so all these things, parking, bbq pits, everything gets full. But the park is sooo huge that it never really feels overly crowded even though there are people everywhere. For kids they have a few play sets. There are paved pathes for biking, walking, running, skating, rollerblading, or kids on scooters. When it is windy you can fly kites here. In the pond you can do paddle boats, kayaking, and you can rent family bicycle like cars for some added fun. People fish in the pond but you must throw the fish back. Honestly this park has literally everything and it's the Central Park of the Valley. There are even off shoots of this park which include golfing. There is a Japanese garden near by as well. This is the best park to exercise, relax, have a bbq, child's party. Everything! Not for people who want to be exclusive and alone.

I really love this park. We held numerous family picnics here in the past. It's been awhile since I last visited so I dropped by to attend the Cherry Blossoms Festival a day before the official start of the event. I barely saw any cherry blossom trees but I didn't let it ruin my day. I went ahead to explore the park and reminisce all the good times we had here. I ended up spending time in the huge man made lake (hence the name, Lake Balboa). I enjoyed the sound of water streaming down the man made waterfall, the ducks quacking, the birds tweeting, etc. Although swimming is strictly prohibited, fishing is allowed with permit. You can even rent a paddle boat to go around the lake. There are gazebos and benches to sit in or simply sit under the robust trees. For added convenience, free Parking is allowed on the pavements surrounding the lake. Other facilities include Barbecue Pits, Childrens Play Area, Picnic Tables, Jogging Path, Walking Paths, Bike Path, Restroom, For Rent Pavilion and Multipurpose Sports Field.

Blue everywhere! Lake Balboa park in Los Angeles is a great place to come barbeque, fish, walk, run or even bike. One of my favorite places to go on my visits to Sunny LA. It's a good place to social distance while having a good time.

This was my first time here. This is not going to be a long post. Great place to walk, run and picnic. Lake is murky and gross looking. There are tons of ducks and birds all over the lake and what I initially thought was dog poop, ended up being duck and bird poop ALL OVER THE SIDEWALKS. The most disgusting thing I have ever witnessed. The people I was with kept saying, "oh they have not come to wash it off yet". Even more gross knowing they wash all that in the water where people are fishing I'm sure it's a nice place otherwise, but not a good first time experience for me.

This place is very dirty specially at the playground. People that come here don't care about being clean. They leave litter all over. People feed the birds when it says no. Lots of bird poo everywhere! Wish people got tickets for littering then maybe it would be nicer here. I've seen people throw trash even in the lake just sad!