Sherman Oaks Park is a great place to catch a sunrise in the San Fernando Valley with open vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains, green lawns and treelined foreground. The dawn belongs to squirrels and crows at this park. Learn more about the park below.
Sherman Oaks Park (known properly as Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Recreation Center or often referred to as Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park, or colloquially as VNSO) is one of LA’s best parks. It doesn’t have the fancy water features of the city’s other famous parks like Balboa Park, Echo Park or Macarthur Park, but when it comes to sports and exercise, there aren’t many places that can compete.
Whether picnicking with family, hosting a birthday party, looking for a game of pickup basketball or just getting your daily steps in, this park has a lot to offer.
The park is located in Sherman Oaks reaching from Van Nuys Boulevard to Hazeltine Avenue, between Magnolia Boulevard and Houston Street. Parking is mostly street parking which can be found all around.
With about 67 acres of sprawling flat green space, the outer circumference is home to a 1.3-mile packed dirt track for running, walking etc. This track is one of the most popular features at the Sherman Oaks park. The park also has open basketball courts, handball/rebote/racquetball courts, softball diamond, tennis courts and a public pool. Many of these features are lighted so in the heat of summer you can enjoy a softball game without roasting in triple-digit Valley heat.
There is also a picnic area in the southeast corner offering mature shade trees, a playground, picnic tables, bathroom facilities and everything else you need for a gathering at the park.
With plenty of open space there is often an unofficial off-leash dog park in the northwest field. Along the southern end of the park near the pool, you will often find doggy obstacle course events and training taking place.
Until recent years the park was much more open, but with the installation of a fancy soccer facility the center of the park has been largely closed off. I personally preferred the openness of years gone by at the park, but many are sure to find the high-quality sporting field to be a major improvement.
Organized Sports at VNSO Sherman Oaks Park
With a world class Little League and soccer complex, this Sherman Oaks park is one of the Valley’s and LA’s top spots for organized league sports. It is also home to Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Babe Ruth Baseball. Other sports and fitness programs offered at the recreation center include Baseball, Tennis, Martial Arts, Dance, Basketball, Flag Football, Soccer Futsal, Volleyball, Cheer, Fitness Exercise, Gymnastics and Softball.
Organized Recreation at VNSO
The recreation center is also host to preschool programs and camps.
The Little Folks is a pre-school type program for 3 1⁄2 – 5-year-old children. Classes run Mon-Thu and there is a Fall, Winter and Spring session. Each session runs for 10 weeks.
Camp Coyote offers a variety of camps including Art, Gymnastics/Dance, Hollywood and Sports camp. Camp is offered in the summer, winter and spring according to the LAUSD calendar.
This fantastic Sherman Oaks park is also home to Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center (Formerly Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Senior Citizen Center). This is a beautiful and fairly new facility offering clubs and activities including canasta, karaoke, tai chi, Tuesday Flicks (movie screenings), line dancing, exercise classes and walking groups.
Do you have photos of good times at Sherman Oaks Park? Send them to us and we will post them here. TheColdwaterStory@gmail.com
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