Beeman Park
What makes a great park? A great park is different things to different people. Some are happy to find a swing that doesn’t creak. Others want everything under the sun and nice place to sit, in the shade.
Beeman Park at 12621 Rye Street has a playground for the kids and a ton more. Beeman is the home of the Studio City Recreation Center which hosts classes for kids and adults, from Zumba and Tai Chi and guitar to tennis. Lacrosse anyone? The recreation center is available to rent out for events, birthday parties and the like. You can contact them about that or about having a party at the park, they ask that you get a permit if you will be getting a bounce house. Unlike some other parks in the area they have restrooms.
If you want to get your kid involved in team sports, check out the Studio City Recreation Center’s online schedule. Right now it’s time to sign them up for baseball or softball. Basketball is just wrapping up. There is a lot to choose from and what they offer varies depending on the time of the year, soccer is just around the corner in the Spring. They have sports camps for those times when your little ones are off of school and could use something to busy their minds and tire them out. There’s even a Pre-K class for the tiniest wee people.
I haven’t personally been a part of their adult classes or leagues, but there are pickup basketball games, tennis, softball, a running track (dirt) and excersize equipment to get fit or help you stay fit.
The Studio City Coop Preschool makes it’s home here at the park. It’s tucked away in the corner near the parking lot on Rye Street. Our bigger kid went there for two years and we had a great experience. It’s a way to be very involved with your child’s first learning experience. Classes are four days a week, Monday thru Thursday from 9-12. It involves more time on your part than a traditional drop-off type of school because the parents actually run the place. At the same time, it’s also less expensive than the other drop-off schools in the area if that’s a concern for you.
So if you’re looking for something to do this is a great place to stop in for a couple of hours, you’ll want to bring cash for the ice cream truck that’s parked out front.
http://raponline.lacity.org/larap/
Coldwater Canyon Park / Fryman / Tree People
The Hike
A hike will take you on a loop consisting of both dirt and asphalt (mostly dirt) from a parking lot south of Ventura Blvd. It’s off of Laurel Canyon at Fryman Avenue… or from the juncture where Mulholland meets Coldwater Cyn. I like starting at the bottom, not only because it’s closer to my home but because I’d rather hike up and then down rather than down and up. The parking lot at Laurel and Fryman does charge a few dollars. Bring cash or change. The Tree People parking lot at the top is free of charge. Depending on what you drive it could cost a dollar in gas to get up Coldwater, so you make the choice.
For the littlest ones, you may want a jog stroller for this hike or be comfortable wearing them in a backpack or on your shoulders. The hills do get steep and there is a bit of elevation gain, about 500 feet over the course of the loop. Keep your eyes open for critters, birds of all shapes and sizes and reptiles on the three mile trail. My bigger kid could do it without whining at 4 years old, your results may vary.
This place is dog friendly but keep it on a leash and bring bags. Personal Rant: Not everyone knows your dog is safe and I’ve seen otherwise friendly dogs go after mountain bikers (me). Some dogs are friendly and wouldn’t think of biting, some do (me). An apology from the owner doesn’t make up for getting bitten. Additional Rant: Social Trails, which is what trail builders call those bits of trail created by users finding their own path are not sustainable and tend to erode quickly and can ruin the trail. Stay on designated trails. Rant Off.
Mountain Bikers use this area. Some are good and some aren’t. Just like dogs. I’ve never been bitten by a Mt. Biker but there is a first time for everything. As a cyclist I’m offering a bit of advice, when one is riding up from behind you or approaching from the front, your best bet is just to keep your line and hold your kids hand so they don’t do anything erratic.
From the parking lot at Fryman Canyon you’ll climb a steep hill on what’s called the Betty B. Dearing Trail. One of the nice things about this trail as a whole is that there is quite a bit of shade while you are climbing and benches to stop at if little legs need a rest. Always bring water, even though there’s shade this can be a hot trail. Remind your kids to drink often. Mine likes to carry her own water, it gives her a feeling of accomplishment and teaches her responsibility.
People are friendly on the trail so if you feel like you need directions ask someone who looks like they know where they’re going. It is a busy trail and you won’t go more than a minute without seeing another hiker. As long as you stick to the wide and widely used trail you shouldn’t have a problem. Eventually you’ll head downhill and the dirt ends at Iridell Road. You can either turn around and go back the way you came or follow the paved road passed George Clooney’s house all the way down to where it T’s with Fryman. There you’ll make a left and head back to your car at the lot.
Along with the main trail there are off-shoots that you can explore if you have some extra time.
Along with hiking there is also an area where Tree People does clinics and shares information with the public on a variety of environmental topics. They have educational displays my kids enjoyed. After wildfires clear the land of scrub and brush, the folks at Tree People will help to restore what was lost. There are opportunities to volunteer at their facility, to work with Tree People in your own community to plant trees and learn about forestry.
A couple of years ago in my little chunk of Studio City we had a tree planting with the help of Tree People. They have a program called Citizen Forester where you can help them to bring trees to your own neck of the woods. That’s what my neighbor did. She worked with them and got it done, with the help of many volunteers including myself and my older one. She named the tree near our house Rosie.
Just the other day they were back doing maintenance, clearing out grass and weeds from around the base of the trees we had planted, laying down fresh mulch and gave them a good watering.
Coldwater Canyon Park and Tree People is a great resource, it’s an island of wilderness so close to everything Studio City has to offer. Go get it.
Local Links (Weddington Golf Course)
If you blink driving South between Moorpark Avenue and Ventura Blvd. you might have missed it, but Studio City has it’s own par 3 nine hole golf course. It’s been a big part of sporting life in Studio City for more than 50 years. There’s a 24 stall driving range and even on a busy Saturday afternoon I’ve never found it full. It’s a great place to get outside and hit something with a stick. I’ve driven balls there at 9pm in the rain (about half of the stalls are covered). It’s open until 11pm daily so you can put the kids down and come out for a bucket. There’s also a well maintained practice green to keep your short game on par.
This is a great place for smaller golfers to figure out how to swing a club. I love taking my 8 year old daughter to Weddington, whether it’s to hit a big bucket between us or go out and get some time in the tee box and on the fairways. The greens are very forgiving, so they’re not likely to surprise anyone and it’s a good place to teach. There’s even a coffee shop for you to grab a hot chocolate and coffee if there’s a chill in the air. They do burgers and have a counter where it’s fun to talk about the game with your little one after playing.
When it comes to getting a kid into golf, I’d suggest looking for used clubs at first. A new set can be pricey and if your kid doesn’t take to it, you don’t want to have spent a C Note on something that’s just going to take up room in your closet or garage. Trust me, it happens. You might look at the Salvation Army for a set that someone else’s kid grew out of or that just didn’t take to it. Or try the online Classifieds. Hit balls to get them used to being out there. Remember, for the most part this is an adult sport and you want your little human to be comfortable.
When you head out on the course, keep positive and remind them of course etiquette. Teach them to pay attention to their surroundings, golf can be dangerous. Let people play through if they look like fast movers, normally you might be but with your kid you’re not. And grab one of the carts for their clubs unless you want to end up carrying their bag as well as yours, it’s not heavy but it is inconvenient.
Weddington Golf
4141 Whitsett Ave
Studio City, CA 91604 Golf
(818) 761-3250
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