Ballona Discovery Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Ballona Discovery Park is a 600-acre urban oasis located in Los Angeles, California.
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Summary
It is a popular destination for visitors who want to experience nature in the heart of the city. The park features a variety of habitats, including wetlands, grasslands, and coastal sage scrub, which provides a home to a diverse range of wildlife.
One of the main attractions of the park is the Ballona Wetlands, which is one of the few remaining wetlands in Southern California. Visitors can take a guided tour of the wetlands or explore it on their own. The park also has several hiking trails, including the Bluff Trail, which offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.
Other points of interest in the park include the Visitor Center, which features exhibits about the local flora and fauna, and the Children's Nature Museum, which is a hands-on learning center for kids.
Interesting facts about the area include that it was once home to the Tongva people, who lived off the land for thousands of years. The park also served as a filming location for several movies and television shows, including "Baywatch" and "The A-Team."
The best time of year to visit Ballona Discovery Park is in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, or in the fall when the weather is cooler and the crowds are smaller. However, the park is open year-round and offers something to see and do in every season.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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