Fred Hesse Community Park
For today’s “Tourist in your own city,” I wanted to share a local park I love.
Although Hesse Park wasn’t a new place for me to visit, I still wanted to play tourist so that I can share with you this awesome place.
Growing up, I spent every Saturday at Hesse Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. My father and his friends would play soccer there while my cousins and I spent several hours playing in the field, playgrounds, and dirt.
Like most parks, there is a playground, walking path, and acres of green field. Yet, Hesse Park remains to be one of my favorite parks due to its serenity. I visited the park today, a lot older than my childhood days, and admired things a little differently.
When I was younger, a good park to me was one in which I could run freely and swing high. Today, I seek to find parks where I can gather my thoughts, read a good book, and possibly take a nap. Hesse Park seems to meet my criteria fully.
he park which is located at 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard is a little different than most parks because of its meeting rooms. Guest can rent out the recreation rooms for events, weddings, and parties. Often times, park visitors can also find brides and grooms capturing their wedding photos in the park.
Some of the features of Hesse Park include baseball fields, picnic areas with barbeques, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, soccer field, and plenty of walking trails. Stairs along a walking trail will take you “downstairs” to two playgrounds for children, recreational rooms, restrooms, and additional walking trails. Downstairs, which is considered the lower park area includes a sand volleyball court, picnic tables, and plenty of trees.
Above, where the main park area is, one can find a beautiful panoramic view of Catalina Island. The breathtaking ocean view attracts many brides and grooms who come to the park to take their wedding photos.
Fred Hesse, Jr. Community Park remains to be one of my favorite places to explore on any day. No matter the time or day, one can find a shady tree to relax under or a picnic table to have lunch on.
What park did you grow up playing at?
To learn more about Fred Hesse Community Park, please visit the website here.