Explorer’s Cove Park

If you’re not from the area, you’d probably drive right past this place — and that’s kind of the point. Tucked into an urban pocket with actual trail access nearby, Explorer’s Cove draws families from across Anaheim who’ve figured out that the zipline alone is worth the trip, especially for kids in that 5-10 range who think they’re too cool for regular playgrounds. The sandbox has a fossil-hunting angle that keeps younger ones busy long after the slides lose their novelty. Pack a lunch because the picnic tables get claimed early on weekends, and if you’ve got a kid on a bike, the track here beats circling the neighborhood any day.