Lions Park — Attraction in Costa Mesa

I spend many days here a week. They have a huge play area for kids, with very unique play equipment. Also, there's a newly built, good sized 2 story city library with a section dedicated to kids. Free use of a good amount of computers and a view of the whole park. They have a lovely community center on site that you can rent for meetings and other events. At the library, they have story reading and rent out, not just books but audio books, movies on DVD, and even interactive games. That's right, you can get an instruction book or DVD on how to play guitar or ping pong or ukulele, and they will rent you the guitar, ping pong set, or the ukulele! I swear! Then there's the aquatics center that has a large, very clean outdoor pool with an on duty life guard, and lessons are available. There's an on-site rec center that has pickle ball, indoor basketball court, and Mommy and Me exercise/ gymnastics classes. There's even a supervised teen center for a safe place where kids can go after school with super neat employees. There's a daycare/preschool center with dependable, safe teachers on staff. They have a neat rose garden with walking paths and a huge lawn in front of the library, which can be used for certain activities. Also, the back area is the Costa Mesa Historical Society. A neat museum type place with a knowledgeable staff. It contains history and things from the first C.M. settlers to Orange County. Tables and chairs under the trees, like New Yorks Central Park (including the squirrels and bunnies, but no ducks). And I almost forgot, there is a fenced in large baseball diamond with bleachers and a concession stand and dugout. As well as a large sized soccer field! The only problem is the outside bathrooms, which leave little to be desired. But you can also use the three other available restrooms. There's one in the library, there's one in the Rec Center and another in the Community Center. Dogs on a leash are always welcome!! And they have 24-hour security guards on site, they are vigilant but friendly. The Library community center and Rec Center close earlier in the evening but the park remains open till 10:00 p.m. and reopens at 6:00 a.m. It's just a very nice park with a lot of activities to sign up for. And for some of the classes and activities you don't even have to be a Costa Mesa resident They are even building a little cafe on site due to open in Fall of 2025. Really, I just can't say enough about it!! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is due to the bathrooms and some broken lights on the park grounds. And occasionally some sticky tables. But staff and city park workers do a great job in keeping it...

Update: now we love this place, they took actions of disadvantages from the reviews.

Update:This place is toxic, every time we went there, my baby got sick afterward, and my friend’s kid had the same situation. My baby only sick twice since born, very healthy boy, but this place is so toxic, maybe too many adults and big kids and teenagers playing there brought virus or what, will not go again, seriously. Lowery to one star, just not right to us.

Well I have different options about this newly renovated playground. The setting of these play facilities is not very reasonable especially the traffic flow. They put the big swing in the middle of the playground where the traffic flow almost all crossing that area, I see kids or adults be hit by the coming swing every time when I was there and also there are not lot things for young kids to play, also they don’t have swings for baby like the ones that look like a bucket with holes to put legs in. Also the duo swings are very close to the young kids facility while some kids swing crazy up to the sky and little babies are running wobbling around. Also the sand in the sandpit is not natural sand, it blended with big amount of small metal powder inside. Very unsafe. Also too many people whose age are not supposed to be there also playing nasty there, impropriate action between those high school couples just…..impropriate.I thought kids playground all sure be age under 12 yo. Hope the security can pay attention on...

Love bringing my kids here for the heart attacks. We spend at least three hours here between park and rest in library before going home with 50 books and crafts. They keep the maintenance up well and even added shade for parents right away. My child likes to jump off the plane wings and sit on top of the meshed hexagons way up high and wave. This park makes him feel alive on that zip line of death for trespassers. As a former kid, this park hits the spot. As a kid trying to become a parent, this park gives me anxiety with two parkourists. I like the music area, the cute toddler area and nice green spaces to lay or play on around the library/park space. Seats for about 20ppl or so around the perimeter and a few benches further around the grass areas and library. Bring a chair, sunscreen, snacks, water and I'm pretty sure their water fountains around for refills, bag for books,and sand toys. There is a fire station on the other side of the courts behind the park. Lots of homeless wandering around, mostly harmless. Police station is across the street on the left and away from library. Grocery outlet is behind you across park st. And their is a cross walk that leads directly to it across the larger road. Anything you could possibly need is in that shopping center. I'm very happy they have built such a nice park and keep it up here. Even if the bathrooms are sometimes unusable or held hostage by homeless. They...