- Located within Seaside and the City of Monterey
- Has a surface-level merry-go-round that is wheelchair accessible
- Separate playgrounds for ages 2-5 and 5-12
- Three-story enclosed climbing structure
- Nice walking paths
Laguna Grande Park in Seaside includes walking paths, sports fields, a lake, wildlife habitat and natural plants and flowers. A fun fact about this park is that 80% of it is in the city of Seaside and about 20% is located in the city of Monterey.
The children’s playground is really the jewel of this park. There is a small parking lot off Canyon Del Rey Blvd. with a sign right at the entrance of the playground. During a weekday afternoon visit, there were a few other families playing, but it was not busy.
Laguna Grande has some unique features. One of the coolest pieces of playground equipment I have seen locally is the surface level merry-go round. This merry-go-round can be propelled by children inside the structure by turning a wheel, or just by pushing on the outside of the structure. The best part is that it is wheelchair accessible. There is also free-standing musical equipment, which I have not seen at other parks in the area. Kids of all ages can play with the musical pieces, a great option for some sensory and auditory input.
The rest of the playground is divided int two sections: a smaller play structure for ages 2-5, and a larger structure for ages 5-12, both with wood chips as ground cover. The smaller structure has three slides and a small “rock-climbing” ramp.
The larger structure is a three-story high, fully enclosed structure so no worries of a child falling from the highest level. There are four different slides, two regular and two tube slides, which are accessed at the different levels of the structure. There are also options for climbing ropes and ladders.
Two drawbacks: the park faces a busy street and is not enclosed so be prepared to be extra vigilant. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were not clean enough to use so plan a bathroom break before you get to the park.
Overall, Laguna Grande is welcoming, surrounded by walking paths and views of the lake. It’s also conveniently located with several big box stores nearby if you’re combining a visit with errands.
Located at 1249 Canyon Del Rey Blvd. Seaside, CA 93955
Alia Hochgesang grew up on the Monterey Peninsula and is raising her family in Pacific Grove. She loves being outdoors, trying new restaurants, and going to the beach.