Lake Balboa with a stroller

If you’re looking for your very first walk with a newborn, or a gentle loop where your new walker can toddle along beside the stroller, Lake Balboa is a gift. It’s flat, paved and car-free, there’s free parking right there and the ducks are guaranteed entertainment. In spring, the whole path turns pink with cherry blossoms.

Lake Balboa is the centerpiece of Anthony C. Beilenson Park, an 80-acre park in the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley. The 27-acre lake is filled with reclaimed water from the nearby Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, and it’s surrounded by lawns, picnic areas and trees. The park is free and open from sunrise to sunset.

At a glance

• LoopAbout 1.3 miles
• SurfaceFlat, paved
• CarsNone on the loop
• ParkingFree lots
• HoursSunrise to sunset
• CostFree

One loop takes about 30 minutes at an easy stroller pace. Want more? Do two or three laps, or connect to the bike and walking paths that run through the rest of the Sepulveda Basin.

Map

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The park entrance is on Balboa Boulevard, just south of Victory Boulevard. The park’s address is 6300 Balboa Boulevard.

The loop

This is one of the simplest walks in LA: park, find the lake and walk around it. A few things make it especially good with a baby:

• 🚵
  Stroller heavenStrollers welcome, bikes separate

  According to LA Recreation and Parks, the park is restricted to foot traffic except for wheelchairs and baby strollers. Bikes and other wheeled, non-motorized vehicles get their own designated path.

• 🦆
  Built-in entertainmentDucks, geese and more

  Ducks and geese are everywhere, and you might spot herons, egrets and other water birds. Babies love watching them; toddlers love chasing them (gently).

• 🍃
  Room to roamOpen lawns

  Big, grassy lawns around the lake are perfect for a blanket, tummy time or a toddler who needs to run.

• 🔄
  FlexibleEasy to shorten or repeat

  The parking lots and lawns are close to the path, so it’s easy to cut your walk short or add another lap.

The loop is flat the whole way, which makes it ideal if you’re early postpartum, just getting back into walking or pushing a heavy double stroller.

Getting there and parking

By car

Most families drive, and the parking is a big part of what makes Lake Balboa easy. Parking is free. Enter the park from Balboa Boulevard and use the designated lots. According to the city, overflow parking opens on a dirt field northwest of the park during busy times. Don’t park on the grass.

The park is close to the 405 and 101 freeways. On sunny spring weekends, especially during cherry blossom season, lots fill up and traffic backs up on Balboa Boulevard, so arrive early.

By transit

The Metro G Line (formerly the Orange Line) has a Balboa station on Balboa Boulevard, a short walk north of the park entrance. The G Line is a dedicated busway with at-grade stations, which makes it easier with a stroller than many rail stations. Use the Metro trip planner to find your route.

Restrooms

The park has public restrooms near the parking areas and picnic spots. As with most busy parks, they can be crowded on weekends, and changing tables aren’t guaranteed, so bring a portable changing pad. A blanket on the lawn makes an easy, shady spot to feed or change the baby.

Playground and fun extras

• Universally accessible playground: the park’s playground is designed so kids of all abilities can play together. It’s a great place to end a walk with a toddler.
• Swan boats: according to LA Recreation and Parks, Wheel Fun Rentals offers swan pedal boat rentals from 9 a.m. to sunset, weather permitting. It’s a fun outing with older kids or for a special day. Check current prices and rules, and follow life jacket guidance for little ones.
• Bike rentals: also available through Wheel Fun Rentals, if you want to explore the wider basin.
• Picnic areas: picnic tables, barbecue pits and reservable picnic pavilions are spread around the park. Open lawns and uncovered tables are first come, first served.

Cherry blossom season

For a few weeks each spring, Lake Balboa becomes one of the prettiest walks in Los Angeles. Hundreds of cherry trees line the path around the lake, and when they bloom, usually in March, the whole loop is covered in pink.

• Timing varies. Bloom depends on the weather, and peak bloom only lasts a week or two. Watch local news and social media for updates starting in late February.
• Go on a weekday morning. Blossom season is the park’s busiest time, especially on weekends. Early weekday mornings are calmer and have the best light.
• Be gentle with the trees. Don’t pull or climb on branches for photos. The blossoms are fragile.
• Expect lots of photographers, including family and maternity shoots. If you’re planning one of your own, this is a beautiful spot.

Snacks and food

Food options in the park itself are limited, so pack snacks, water and a picnic. If you want to grab something before or after, Ventura Boulevard in Encino has lots of cafés, bakeries and family-friendly restaurants a short drive south of the park.

Tempted to feed the ducks? Skip the bread. It isn’t good for water birds and can pollute the lake. Watching is just as fun.

Seasons and weather

• SpringThe best season, by far: cherry blossoms in March, green lawns and mild temperatures. Also the busiest, so go early.
• SummerThe Valley gets hot, often well into the 90s. Walk early in the morning or near sunset, bring lots of water and use a stroller fan and sunshade. Find shade under the trees.
• FallStill warm, often sunny, and quieter. A lovely time for morning walks and picnics.
• WinterMild and pleasant on most days. According to the city, the park can close during rainy weather because it’s in a flood control basin, so check before heading out after a storm.

Check the LA Recreation and Parks website for current hours, closures and alerts before you go.

Pro tips

• ⏰
  TimingGo early

  Morning is cooler, calmer and has the easiest parking, especially on weekends and in spring.

• 🌡️
  HeatTake the Valley heat seriously

  On hot days, keep walks short, bring extra water and watch babies closely for signs of overheating.

• 🧹
  BirdsWatch where you roll

  Lots of geese means lots of goose droppings on the path and lawns. Wipes are your friend.

• 🥫
  PicnicPack a blanket

  A blanket on the lawn turns a 30-minute walk into a whole morning: tummy time, snacks and a feed in the shade.

• 🐶
  DogsExpect pups

  Leashed dogs are welcome, so it’s a popular spot for dog walkers too.

• 📍
  Meeting upName a spot

  “Meet at the playground” or “by the boat rentals” is much easier than “by the lake.”

If you’re postpartum, check with your provider before adding new exercise, and build up gradually. Lake Balboa’s flat loop is a perfect place to start once you’re cleared. Our guide to postpartum exercise once you’re cleared has more ideas.

Walk Lake Balboa with us

Lake Balboa is one of the places we expect our first Valley walk clubs to start. It’s easy, free and perfect for brand-new moms. We’re taking signups now, and founding members help choose the first routes and times.

See everything we’re building in Los Angeles.

More stroller walks in Los Angeles

• Fern Dell, Griffith ParkLos Feliz · our full stroller guide
• Santa Monica to Venice beach pathSanta Monica and Venice · our full stroller guide
• Kenneth Hahn State Recreation AreaBaldwin Hills · our full stroller guide