Audubon Center at Debs Park

The Audubon Center at Debs Park (4700 North Griffin, Los Angeles 90031) just might be my absolute favorite park in Los Angeles. The Audubon Center is part of Earnest Debs Park on the northwest side. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9AM-5PM. If you live locally or if you are visiting Los Angeles, the Audubon Center is well worth a visit. The park is free and open to the public.

The Audubon Center has a small office where you can check out backpacks with field guides, maps and binoculars. If you'd like to use a Kelty kid carrier pack or an off-road stroller, you can also check those out free of charge from the office. The office also makes available story books, water paints and other items completely free of charge.

In the center, there are a few beautiful fountains filled with native water plants frequented often by bright red Flame Skimmers and blue damselflies. The grounds are planted with California native plants. The area is teaming with birds, lizards and other critters.

The Audubon Center grounds have many great trees for climbing, small pockets to explore from caves to shelters.

One of the most captivating parts of the park for my sons is the water pump. Kids can hand pump water to cascade over the side...

...down a small stream that leads to the pond. As the area can get hot, the water is a welcome respite from the heat. The Audubon Center at Debs Park is a classic example of a play area that allows children's and adult's imaginations to run wild and fosters those beautiful moments of unstructured play.