SAN DIEGO
1. Balboa Park
Every tourist makes a beeline for the park's San Diego Zoo. But this subtropical urban playground is also home to all-star attractions like the Botanical Building and Lily Pond, plus more than a dozen cultural museums housed in elaborate Spanish Renaissance architecture and tucked among gardens on the pedestrian-only thoroughfare, El Prado.
Locals' secret Drop by the WorldBeat Cultural Center any Saturday through Thursday for lively multicultural classes (2100 Park Blvd.; 619/230-1190). A dose of energy and $10 to $15 are all you need to learn everything from Egyptian drumming to Afro-Cuban percussion and West African dance. 619/239-0512. –Debbie K. Hardin
SACRAMENTO
2. William Land Park
The sprawling green space south of downtown features spacious lawns, big trees, and kid-friendly fun, from the Sacramento Zoo to Fairytale Town.
Locals' secret Tote a rod and reel to the park's peaceful little lake, at the foot of sloping lawns — and cast your luck within the confines of California's capital. That's right, urban fishing. The Department of Fish and Game's Fishing in the City program stocks catfish in summer and trout in winter, but there's good angling for bluegill and other species year-round (get gear and the required license at local tackle shops). –Kate Washington
SEATTLE
3. Carkeek Park
Home to 6 miles of walking trails, legendary views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, and hundreds of spawning salmon each fall, Carkeek is one of Seattle's greenest getaways.
Locals' secret Perched above the Piper's Creek Trail is Piper's Orchard, a 120-year-old cache of heirloom apple and nut trees. Stake out a patch of grass for a picnic under the apple blossoms, or volunteer your green thumb on the third Saturday of each month (volunteer work party schedules at piperorchard.org, or contact the Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center, 206/684-0877). –Jess Thomson
SAN FRANCISCO
4. Golden Gate Park
Central Park West stretches to the Pacific with joggers, cyclists, and strollers — and boasts such bus-tour favorites as bison and the Conservatory of Flowers.
Locals' secret Hankering for an outdoor dance? Show up on the foot-bridge behind the de Young Museum to lindy-hop to Big Band favorites (11–2 Sun; lindyinthepark.com). Free 12:30 p.m. lessons teach the basics. –MacKenzie Geidt
LOS ANGELES
5. Griffith Park
L.A.'s wildest oasis combines 53 miles of rugged trails with cultural must-sees like Griffith Observatory.
Locals' secret Hidden by redwoods in the park's Ferndell area is Trails Cafe ($; closed Mon; 2333 N. Fern Dell Dr.), a rustic yet four-star concession stand with a new menu of vegan, veggie, and organic options. But the hautest of hot dogs — the Snakedog — is still a puff pastry–wrapped temptation. 323/871-2102. –Matthew Jaffe
DENVER
6. Central Park at Stapleton
Eighty acres of the defunct Stapleton International Airport have been reborn as Denver's newest urban park, complete with xeriscaped natural areas, native flowers, forests, and a pedestrian promenade with postcard views of the skyline set against the snowy Front Range.
Locals' secret Alongside the swings and slides, Stapleton's new million-dollar playground has spongy purple mounds for toddlers and bouldering rocks for teens and adults. Spring snowstorms bring out sledders of all ages to tackle a custom-built 30-foot "earth wave." In warmer weather, watch model yachts tack around the 1-acre pond. –Jad Davenport
PORTLAND
7. Forest Park
Portland's premier outdoor playground is a wooded wonderland with more than 5,000 acres of forest for runners, dog walkers, and wildlife-watchers. Miles of trails and dirt roads offer views of Mt. Hood and Mount St. Helens.
Locals' secret While most of the narrower trails are off-limits to bikes, Firelane 5's new 0.5-mile section welcomes those who like pedaling in dirt — it's the park's first single-track trail. Visit portlandonline.com for a map (none on-site); 503/823-7529. –Lucy Burningham
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| photo by Thomas J. Story |
| Desert in the city: Phoenix's South Mountain Park/Preserve |
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ALBUQUERQUE 8. Albuquerque Biological Parks
Botanic gardens meet Tingley Beach at this true desert retreat, and the Rio Grande Zoo's Africa exhibit is a big draw.
Locals' secret The new Sasebo Japanese Garden blends waterfalls and ponds with cottonwoods. But it keeps with these arid climes and times: Every drop of water used in the garden is recycled. 505/768-2000. –M.J.
PHOENIX
9. South Mountain Park/Preserve
Hiking trails crisscross 16,000 acres of wide-open desert here.
Locals' secret Petroglyph sites remind you of life before subdivisions. Get the dirt on the ancient Hohokam on Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park hikes (Apr 2 and 12; $5). 602/495-0901. –Nora Burba Trulsson
VANCOUVER, B.C.
10. Stanley Park
The 1,000-acre peninsula offers dramatic sea and mountain views from the 5½-mile seawall that encircles it, plus gardens, totem poles, and the sophisticated Fish House ($$$; 877/681-7275).
Locals' secret April may be the start of baseball season, but at Stanley Park's Brockton Oval, it's all about cricket — as it has been for more than a century. On weekends starting April 26, you'll see players from Vancouver's 65 teams there, bowling and batting in crisp whites. Don't know the rules? Don't worry. Grab a beer and watch from the clubhouse balcony — you'll always find somebody willing to explain the game (visit mvcl.org for a cricket schedule). –K.W.
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