OC Central Playgrounds and Parks
Central OC playgrounds and parks encompass Huntington Beach and Irvine along with smaller cities.
It’s a little weird to have on-the-ocean Seal Beach on the same list as Tustin and Orange, but I’m trying to stick with conventions already set up by other Orange County publications.
Plus, I think it generally applies to how you move around your section of the county. It’s easy to get from Orange to Huntington Beach.
If you live in central Orange County, please recommend your favorite parks so we can build on your insider information!
I’ve also provided links to OCParks.com regional parks in Central OC and city park pages.
Central Orange County Playgrounds
You can visit Central Orange County playgrounds and parks to see an archive list of ALL the Central OC parks, but it’s a pretty lengthy list. Here are the parks by city:
Costa Mesa
- TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa: Angel's Playground for Expansive Accessible Fun
- Noguchi Gardens (California Scenario) in Costa Mesa
- Lions Park in Costa Mesa | Airplane Park
- Centennial Farm at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa
Fountain Valley
Huntington Beach
- Central Park in Huntington Beach for Kids and Families
- Seabridge Park and Beach in Huntington Harbour
- Bauer Park in Huntington Beach: Almost-Gated and Beach-Close Playground
- Wieder Regional Park in Huntington Beach
Irvine
- Turtle Rock Nature Center and Community Park
- Castle Park (Northwood Community Park) in Irvine
- Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park in Irvine
- OC Great Park Playgrounds
Los Alamitos / Rossmoor
Newport Beach / Corona del Mar
- Irvine Terrace Park in Newport Beach
- Marina Park in Newport Beach on the Balboa Peninsula
- Grant Howald Park in Newport Beach
- Sunset Ridge Park in Newport Beach
City of Orange
- Grijalva Community Park in Orange
- Steve Ambriz Memorial Park in Orange
- Belmont Park in Orange
- Irvine Regional Park=4 Playgrounds + 1 Zoo + 1 Railroad + 1 Lake + Lots of Ponies
Santa Ana
Seal Beach
Tustin
- Victory Park in Tustin: An Outdoor Tribute to El Toro Air Station History
- Pioneer Road Park in Tustin
- Tustin Sports Park for Play Days Under the Shade Cover
- Cedar Grove Park in Tustin: Under the Troll Bridge and Through the Woods
OCParks.com Regional Parks
Our regional parks require a $3-$5 entrance fee - but they are worth every penny!
Buy your annual pass online. I recommend the $55 County Regional and Wilderness Parks Parking Pass unless you are a regular at the Salt Creek Beach Park in Dana Point. In my humble opinion, that would be the only reason to spring for the $80 All County Parks and Beaches Parking Pass.
Irvine Ranch Open Space (Irvine)
Irvine Regional Park (Orange)
William R. Mason Regional Park (Irvine)
Mile Square Regional Park (Fountain Valley)
Peters Canyon Regional Park (Orange)
Talbert Regional Park (Costa Mesa)
Upper Newport Bay Preserve (Newport Beach)
Harriet Wieder Regional Park (Huntington Beach)
Central Orange County City Park Links
- Costa Mesa (map of city parks)
- Fountain Valley (link to PDF map)
- Huntington Beach (text links to 78 parks)
- Irvine (links to park facilities and maps)
- Los Alamitos (text list of parks with descriptions)
- Newport Beach / Corona Del Mar (table with all the amenities, plus links to maps a few photos for each park)
- City of Orange (list of parks with photos)
- Santa Ana (list of parks with a map)
- Seal Beach (table with all the amenities)
- Tustin (list linked to pages with photos and more info about the parks)
Or check my other indexes and my playground map for:
- North OC Parks and Playgrounds
- South OC Parks and Playgrounds
- Park Map of Orange County (markers link to blog posts)
Narrow your search:
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Crystal Cove Nature Ramble
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Crystal Cove State Park: Tidepooling at a Natural Playground
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Back Bay Science Center Community Days in Newport Beach
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6 Best Toddler Beaches with No Waves
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North Star Beach in Newport Beach Back Bay
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La Veta Park in Orange: A Favorite Off Chapman Avenue
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Fred Barrera Park in Orange
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Newport Dunes Beach Cottages and Resort Overview
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Woodbury Community Park: A Training Ground for Mountaineers and Hamsters
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University Community Park in Irvine for a Full Day of Play - and Reading
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Oak Creek Community Park in Irvine
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Chaparral Park in Irvine
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Uptown Newport Park in Newport Beach
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Riding Irvine CONNECT with Kids
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Sweet Shade Park in Irvine with Universal Playground
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Valley Oak Park in Irvine
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Las Lomas Community Park in Irvine
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Blue Gum Park in Irvine
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Orchard Park in Irvine
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Plaza Park in Irvine: Where the Asparagus Grows
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Heritage Park in Irvine with Water Play Fountains
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Portola Springs Community Park in Irvine
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Bolsa Chica Wetlands and Interpretive Center
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Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve - PCH Entrance
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Lower Peters Canyon Park in Irvine
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Hicks Canyon Park in Irvine | Hicks Canyon Trail
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Muth Interpretive Center and Upper Newport Bay for Families
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Newport Elementary Shared Beach Playground
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Central Orange County Parks Index: Outdoor Adventures from Costa Mesa to Tustin
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Adventure Playground in Huntington Beach Central Park 2025
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Huntington State Beach for Families: A Relaxing Slice of Sand Off Brookhurst
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Huntington Beach Playground Near Pier (All Inclusive)
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Ultimate Guide to City Recreation Programs and Calendars in OC
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Irvine Adventure Playground at University Park
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Mason Regional Park in Irvine
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Why Save Irvine Adventure Playground?
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Peter Green Park in Huntington Beach
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Serrano Park in Orange
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San Miguel Accessible Park in Newport Beach
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Bonita Canyon Sports Park in Newport Beach
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Visit the Limestone Canyon Viewing Deck to See the Sinks
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Winter Fest OC at the OC Fairgrounds