Culver City Park

A testament to thinking outside the sandbox (although there is one, of course), the postmodernist hilltop playground at Culver City Park is sure to be a hit with hipster parents, as well as budding art and architecture aficionados alike. Steeped in child development research, the state of the art play equipment was designed by Danish company KOMPAN to expand minds and challenge bodies. It includes a complex series of walls, ladders, cables and ropes for bigger kids (ages 5 and up), plus a sliding and climbing area for younger ones and a sand and water play area complete with a working pump, water wells, chutes and wheels. For sportier park-goers, there’s also a nearby basketball court, baseball diamonds and soccer fields—plus a skate park and “The Boneyard” dog park. The adjacent picnic area was recently upgraded with a shade structure and concrete tables, and a recreation hut can also be reserved for parties.