Little Cottonwood Park in Los Alamitos is super popular. So popular, in fact, that it took me a very long time to get photos without kids!  I can see why, too. It’s a great and compact little park with two sizable picnic shelters to shade parents and host parties.

Location: From Interstate 405, take the Seal Beach Blvd. exit. Drive east toward the mountains.  Turn right onto Farquhar (at the Jack-in-the-Box). Turn after you cross Bloomfield Street. Also easily reachable from Katella and the 605 Freeway. MAP TO LITTLE COTTONWOOD PARK IN LOS ALAMITOS

Recommended by: Jennifer (her comments in italics)

Highlights:

• 2 great playground structures (1 for big kids, 1 for toddlers) Kids will love the climbing elements, especially the man-made rock bridge. When I visited there was a large group playing tag between the structures (the toddler structure was safe and they had to navigate around the big structure without getting tagged).
  
• Swingset (1 baby swing, 2 bench swings)
  
• Basketball Court (2 half courts)
  
• Restrooms
• Huge grass area
• Small path for lil bikes and scooters. Only one entrance/exit adds to safe feel.
  
• Shaded grass area and two covered picnic areas (usually reserved on weekends)
• Spider web climber, “showerhead spinner” apparatus (see photo below), rock climbers, walls and nets.

Be Aware:

• Ground cover under equipment is bark (don’t wear sandles).
• Parking area is small. Not sure if it is lighted at night.
• Transition from grass to equipment area can be steep for toddlers in some spots.
• There are two “spinning Toad Stool” type playthings. My son spun until he got sick on our last trip. YUCK !!
• Note from Michele: Sorry! No pix of the toddler equipment. The kids wouldn’t stop playing long enough for me to get a shot.
  

Checklist:

• Dedicated FREE parking lot
• Bark play surface under older kid area. Recycled rubber under swings and toddler play equipment. Large lawn area (fenced at the back).
• Restrooms
• Drinking fountain near restrooms
• Two large reservable covered picnic areas with grills (City of Los Alamitos 562-431-3538)
• 2 half basketball courts
• 1 sand volleyball court

Rush Park is olden days Americana and families playing softball on lazy weekends. It’s also the only one of Los Alamitos parks I’ve had the pleasure to visit. We stopped at this park on the way back to Orange County from the Aquarium of the Pacific in February 2008. It’s easy an easy on/off the freeway and just a gorgeous setting. It’s idyllic with emerald green lawns spotted with many shade trees. On our first visit in February, we found the playground in a swimming pool of water from rain. On our second visit in July, we were treated to nice shade on a sunny day. This post is updated with the new pics and 2 slideshows!

Recommended by: Susie

Location: Take the Seal Beach Blvd. exit off the 405 Freeway. Drive east toward the mountains. Turn left on Rossmoor Center Way which looks like a driveway into the shopping center. Continue past the shops into the neighborhood. Bear a bit to the right and drive onto Mainway Drive. The parking lot is off of Blume Drive. [Address: 3021 Blume Drive, Los Alamitos.] MAP to Rush Park in Los Alamitos

Highlights:

• Cute pirate ship for imaginative play with smaller playground
• Slides for younger tots
• Separate play structure with monkey bars and bigger slides for bigger kids
• Not crowded and nestled in a quiet neighborhood
• Playground surrounded by cute tiled walls – painted by children
• 2 bench swings, 2 baby swings
• Great “halfway-point” park to meet up with LA friends

Be Aware:

• Sometimes in the morning, dirt is muddy/wet by the playground
• Obviously, the playground floods after HEAVY rain (most probably do)

Checklist:

• Parking in dedicated lot
• Sand play surface
• Restrooms in nearby building
• Water fountain near the blue whale doesn’t work. Use the fountain near the restrooms.
• Lots of shade and trees
• Easy to view the kids
• Grills
• Shade covers over the picnic tables
• Good for small or large birthday parties
• Fitness course winds through the park