For a day trip into Los Angeles from San Juan Capistrano, Mary McLeod Bethune Park is a Los Angeles County community park in the Florence-Firestone area. Its sports facilities and picnic spaces offer a way to build outdoor recreation into a visit to the city.
- Location: 1244 E. 61st St., Los Angeles, CA 90001
- Operator: Los Angeles County
- Notable facility: One of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s first skate parks
- Facilities: Sports courts and fields, picnic areas, play spaces, restrooms and swimming pools
Where is Mary McLeod Bethune Park?
Mary M. Bethune Park is at 1244 E. 61st St. in Los Angeles, in the Florence-Firestone community. It is a County-operated community facility.
The park is named for Mary McLeod Bethune, an educational advocate and civil rights leader. That connection gives the park its name, while its listed amenities and programs make it a neighborhood recreation destination.
What can you do at the park?
The park’s facilities support sports, picnics and community activities. It features one of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s first skate parks.
Amenities include baseball fields, basketball and handball courts, softball fields, gymnasiums, swimming pools and skate parks. For a family outing or group gathering, the park also has children’s play areas, barbecue facilities, group picnic shelters, picnic tables and restrooms. Other facilities include community centers, computer labs, multipurpose rooms, camping sites and civic art.
Activities range from baseball and T-ball, basketball, soccer and flag football to exercise and fitness, martial arts, day camps and swimming. The program list also includes computer classes, movie screenings, teen clubs, summer lunch and a toy loan program. For a different kind of outing, the day trip to the Women’s Museum of California offers a cultural alternative.
Hours, access and programs
Los Angeles County operates the park and gives separate schedules for general facility hours, staff and programming, and restrooms. Since schedules can differ across those services, check the official site before you go. The park collaborates with Kids N’ Sports to provide organized youth baseball, softball, soccer and flag-football leagues.
If you’re planning around a particular facility or activity, confirm its access and schedule with Los Angeles County before setting out. Checking the details can help you focus your visit on what is available.
Getting there from the hotel area
From Laguna Inn and Suites, Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station is about 13 minutes on foot or about 2 minutes by car. Use the park’s address to plan the onward route to Los Angeles; at the park, you can pair recreation with a picnic using its picnic areas and tables. Two-star rooms at the inn are listed online.
FAQs
Is Mary McLeod Bethune Park in San Diego?
No. Mary M. Bethune Park is in Los Angeles’s Florence-Firestone community.
Who operates the park?
Los Angeles County operates Mary M. Bethune Park.
Does the park have a skate park?
Yes. It features one of the Department of Parks and Recreation’s first skate parks.
What organized sports are offered?
Kids N’ Sports works with the park on youth baseball, softball, soccer and flag-football leagues.