There are just so many parks in Los Angeles County for kids and families to enjoy, but what about recreation centers and sports-oriented venues? This area of Southern California has something to offer every kind of athlete, whether you’re trying to improve your game and skills or just looking for a fun way to get out and be active, with amenities that include baseball fields, basketball courts, fencing lessons, soccer leagues and more.
Read on to learn about the top sports facilities that call Woodland Hills home.
The Woodland Hills Recreation Center, located at 5858 Shoup Avenue, is part of the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and is overseen by a Park Advisory Board that represents a group of residents, individuals and officials from other organizations who reflect the community and have an interest in supporting, improving and broadening the programming and facilities that comprise their community park and recreational service area. Sports and programs offered here include basketball in the summer and winter and baseball, soccer (for ages three through 10), junior T-ball, junior soccer, volleyball, sports clinics and a Heroes program in the spring and fall; tennis and sports clinics are available year round. Additional activities at the Woodland Hills Recreation Center encompass pre-school, Parent and Me programs, an Art Academy, dance classes (ballet/tap/hip hop/jazz/guitar), karate, tennis (children and adult), yoga, cinema arts classes, photography courses and painting/drawing programs.
West Hills Sports Center/Adam Bischoff Soccer Fields, located at 6900 Valley Circle Drive in West Hills, offers an unlighted baseball diamond and soccer field, and remains a part of the Los Angeles Department of Parks, included in the city’s first Freeholder Charter adopted in 1889. Placed under its jurisdiction were parks and public land that had been set aside for the perpetual use of the community in the original Spanish land grants, with today’s Department of Recreation and Parks being stewards to over 16,000 acres of parkland and offering extensive recreational, social and cultural programs at 444 park sites in every Los Angeles neighborhood – from the Valley to the Pacific. The West Hills Sports Center is open 24 hours.
Lanark Recreation Center, located at 21816 Lanark Street in West Hills, is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 10:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5:30 pm, and offers four baseball/softball fields and a small indoor basketball gym (and a few outdoor basketball courts along with a new playground area for kids, a skateboard ramp area and new turf soccer field). The playground area, in particular, is sweeping, boasting a two-by-five section and five-by-12 section with different climbing and spinning equipment.
Tarzana Recreation Center, located at 5655 Vanalden Avenue in Tarzana, is the ideal spot to play baseball, basketball, softball, T-ball and more, what with the facility’s co-ed baseball and basketball programs, lighted and unlighted baseball diamonds, lighted outdoor basketball courts, auditorium, children’s play area, community room, indoor gym, picnic tables, kitchen, multipurpose room and stage area. Additional programs offered by the center include Arts and Crafts, Creative Expressions (Pre-School Enrichment), Dance (Ballet/Belly/Creative Movement/Tap), special events, summer camp (ages five through 12) and winter camp (ages five through 12). Tarzana Recreation Center is open every day save for Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.
Gates Park, located at 25801 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Calabasas, has something for everyone, starting with its clean facilities that house two playgrounds – one for older kids from five and up and one for tots – and culminating with its breathtaking views of the surrounding Calabasas Hills. When Los Angelinos say “Calabasas certainly knows how to park!” they mean it – clean and peaceful, Gates Park will wow you with its premium equipment like make-believe stables, huge bridges and slides, musical gear, a myriad of objects to climb, swings and a general area for kids to run around in and…be kids (even those with disabilities, which is unique on L.A.’s playground scene).
A regular entry in Woodland Hills Magazine roundups, Warner Center Park, located at 5800 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, is so much more than just a recreational area, what with the summertime concerts that draw thousands of Angelinos each season and which play homage to famous acts like Abba, Earth Wind and Fire, Journey and Bon Jovi – and that’s just the beginning. Also considered a great place to bring four-legged friends, Warner Center Park offers plenty of room for canines to run about and get their exercise, as well as plenty of squirrels for them to chase; indeed, this community green space features everything from a children’s playground to a sprawling, majestic bandshell to host the performers and picnic areas. Open daily from 5 am to 10:30 pm.
Rise Up Basketball, located at 25801 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Calabasas, was established in 2008 as a training service facility to help youth players in Phoenix, Arizona properly train and reach their full potential, the program having since expanded into Augua Prieta, Mexico and, more recently, Los Angeles. This traveling company trains at gyms and facilities around the world using the same equipment utilized by NBA pros, but, above all, Rise Up Basketball takes pride in providing young athletes the skills and confidence needed to succeed on and off the court. The program’s elite trainers aim towards improving players’ defensive/offensive skill sets including Triple Threat tactics (shooting, dribbling and passing), athletic ability, footwork, strength, conditioning and overall knowledge of the game. Youth Teams and Academy Group Training are available Monday through Wednesday and Friday from 6 top 7:30 pm, in addition to available private training.
Tapout Fitness Woodland Hills, located at 21720 Ventura Boulevard, was founded in 2014 as part of the Tapout brand family, owned and operated by two powerhouse entities: Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the preeminent provider of wrestling-based entertainment once known around the world as the WWF. Here, classes are complemented by today’s hottest group fitness programming, with Master Coaches leading every course and also working one-on-one with clients for personal training sessions to achieve the ultimate customized program. What makes Tapout Fitness different from other recreation centers and gyms? The programs here combine the martial arts philosophy of discipline, determination and respect with the energy of cardio, weight and HIIT training – a fusion that fully integrates the mind and body to deliver a transformative fitness experience. The facility is open Monday through Thursday from 6 am to 9 pm, Friday from 6 am to 9 pm and Saturday/Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm.
We recommend checking with the specific facility you are interested in to discover whether or not it is operating on a special COVID schedule.
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