An outdoor adventure playground, consisting of nature exploration and structural and imaginative play.
1 Beech Tree Ln, Irvine, CA 92612
Hours: Monday-Sunday March-October(10 AM-6 PM), November-February (10 AM-4:30 PM)
Restrooms? Yes. Restrooms are located just past the entrance
Playground Surface: Rubber, sand, dirt and mud
Parking Lot? Yes. University Park shares its big dedicated parking lot with the Adventure Playground.
Gated/Fenced? Yes. The entire play area is fenced with one gated entrance/exit. Visitors must sign in upon entering.
Overview
WOW! This park is absolutely amazing and subsequently is a must do for any family. This free admission park in Irvine, California is sure to blow families away. Kids will absolutely love this place and with all the different things to do, they will undoubtedly be able to run around here for hours and hours. While there is an incredibly cool castle themed playground, the thing that sticks out about this park is its incredibly unique take on a play area. Likewise, another Adventure Playground located in Berkeley, reminds me a little bit of this one as well and has me wondering why more parks like this aren’t created. Undeniably, the centerpieces of this playground are creative and imaginative play.
Massive Lego style building blocks that are spread all around the grounds will immediately draw kids in. As a result, forts, tunnels, walls, and other structures will be seen being built everywhere that you look. In addition, every imaginable type of Tonka truck can be found here as well, as they similarly are spread throughout the park at every turn. The park also features a water pump station and a mud pit where kids can get dirty and make a mess. This is one of those places that you really need to see to believe. It is such a creative take on a play area for kids and will offer a new experience that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits.
Features
Castle Themed Playground for Kids 5-12 Years Old
- winding walkways that end at a long spiral tunnel slide
- 3 cargo net bridges, 2 small rock walls, and a cargo net climber
- Climbing area with numerous net climbing apparatuses
Imaginative Play Area
- Giant Lego building blocks dispersed everywhere for building forts and structures
- Every imaginable size and variety of Tonka truck. Dispersed everywhere throughout the park
- Two separate concrete racing slides
- Mud pit with a boulder that disperses water (there’s a button kids can push to activate it) into the water/mud pit. There are buckets, excavators, and other toys in this area as well
Other Amenities and Areas
- Ping Pong table and Foosball table
- Rock sensory garden in the back of the park
- Picnic table with a cloth on it, in which kids can draw and color on. Colored pencils are provided (located adjacent to the restrooms)
- Picnic tables and walking path that circles the park
- University Park Playground is another nice park (with a traditional playground) that is located right next to the parking lot.
Scout’s Story
The Adventure Playground is by far one of my favorite playgrounds we have ever visited. We first brought our daughter, Scout, here just after her first birthday. I emphatically envisioned it being the first of countless visits. The playground is fairly close to where we live and we love visiting other areas in the amazing city of Irvine, so I was sure we would be visiting often. On our first visit, my wife and I helped Scout climb and adapt to the playground equipment as she continuously wanted to go down the big tunnel slide but was struggling getting up to it.
After exploring the sensory garden (which she loved touching the rocks) and sliding down the concrete slides, we spent the rest of our time helping Scout explore and play with the Lego building blocks.
Since we arrived a little after noon, I was surely surprised to find the park not very crowded. With smiles on our faces, we watched as our daughter ran around and played with the other kids while it wasn’t too crowded, which can be tough and lead to a lot of falls for a 1 year old. Unfortunately, this would be our only visit up to this day and our daughter, Scout, will be 2 in a matter of weeks.
After this trip, we were met with a few trying weeks of not knowing why Scout wasn’t feeling well. Shortly thereafter, Scout was struck with a life altering diagnosis of stage 4 germ cell cancer. I have brought up the Adventure Playground to my wife so many times and in like fashion we both have been eager to bring her back. In due time I am sure it will happen. After eight months of treatment and battling this disease, we are looking forward to the day we can take Scout here regularly and as she is so much older now than when we first visited, I can’t wait to see how much she loves this place when we can get back.
May 20, 2022
Scout’s Journey
It has now been 14 months since we first visited the Adventure playground with Scout, who had just turned one at the time. Nine months after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (germ cell neoplasm) and enduring multiple cycles of chemotherapy and an 8.5 hour surgery to remove her tumors, Scout’s cancer was placed into remission the day after her second birthday. A month later, Scout’s central line was removed from her chest and she was able to resume water and sand activities. When we first visited the Adventure Playground, we never imagined it would take over a year to return. Finally, we made it back and finally, Scout was able to play in the water and sand with no limitations.
Scout has grown so much since our first visit. Being 2 now, the playground is much more navigable for her. Scout is still a little too small for the Lego blocks, but the rest of the playground is perfect for her. We spent the majority of our time here watching her splash and stomp around in the mud pit.
It was such a joy to see Scout doing things that she hadn’t been able to for the last year. We ended our day by coloring at the picnic table before heading out to a local nature center.
We are so incredibly grateful for all of the people that have helped Scout reach the place that she is at today and we are hopeful and excited for this new beginning and to what we pray is a cancer free life for Scout moving forward.
July 11, 2023
