Cerritos Sports Complex in Cerritos CA, Review, Amenities, Directions/Maps

Surrounded by high end, multi million dollar homes in the bustling heart of Cerritos California is where you'll find one of the largest, self contained recreational parks in Southern California. The shear size of this sports enthusiast's wonderland is impressive, an imposingly massive estate dedicated to public enjoyment covering what seems to be at least one half of an entire city block. Situated on the Los Angeles, Orange County border, this central location easily accommodates all neighboring communities comprised primarily of sprawling upscale residential developments, as well as the densely populated surrounding cities and suburbs which skirt the county boundaries and beyond. It's a well known, extremely popular, and highly reputable complex so needless to say, people from both near and far flock here to take part in the wealth of diverse activities. Youth team sports such as Little League Baseball, Softball, and Soccer Leagues use the grounds year round for competition, and a casual family picnic day or other leisurely outing is the typical choice for the non-athletic crowd. It's just a fun and very practical place for the entire family to enjoy a favorite outdoor activity, gather for a special occasion, or simply release extra energy or alleviate pent up tension from the days events by exercising at the outdoor gym, or walking the expansive configuration of asphalt paths.

The "Cerritos Sports Complex" is just one more amusement and sports oriented recreational city park to add to our ongoing list of adventures as we continue our exhilarating quest to discover, explore, experience, and document Southern California's finest family entertainment and activity friendly venues which are designed to enrich the lives of all who visit. Uncovering the absolute best is our primary objective and we are well on the way to achieving this goal. Please read on to find my personal perspective and "Review" of this expansive park at article's end.

• Amenity & Activity Overview

Within moments of arrival, it's vividly clear to all who visit this gigantic 26 acre plus sports complex and recreational community park, that it's one of the absolute best in its class. Wide open space to breath freely is one way to describe this "Acres Forever" gem. Indoor activities, outdoor picnics, a beautiful crystal clear water fountain, and a variety of segmented sports venues highlight this impressively designed and engineered facility. From an outdoor swim in the Olympic sized lap pool, to a game of one on one or team play basketball, or from a rigorous and physically demanding soccer match, to a round of home run derby on the baseball field, activities here are almost limitless.

A vast and expansive array of traditional sports venues can be found here along with one unique and highly desirable feature that distinguishes this city park from many others, the inclusion of a free usage, outdoor gym consisting of several resistance training machines. The gym area is located all the way at the end of the main parking lot, just off the sidewalk and adjacent to the pool area which is parallel to the man made pond. When I visited the complex it was such a pleasant surprise to see this apparatus conveniently placed for everyone to enjoy, an amenity which all visitors are immensely appreciative of. I visit and frequent diver-gently unique parks all over the amenity rich Southern California region, and I can't recall ever finding a complete outdoor workout area in any other venue I've visited to date. But I still have several noted on my to do list and who knows, maybe I'll discover similar features in other locales.

Baseball/Softball Fields

Several Baseball/Softball fields, complete with bleachers are located on the grounds, professional light trees stand tall waiting to be engaged to emit a showering of illumination, and a remote controlled electronic score board is embedded to tally the numbers. There are no fences surrounding the outfield but the dimensions appear to be up to professional specs. The fields are designed for both Baseball and Softball so give park representatives a call to inquire as to if and when they are reserved strictly for official league play, or designated for general public use as well.

Outdoor Swimming Pool

Another distinguishing feature of the Cerritos Sports Complex is the large outdoor Olympic sized swimming pool located near the main entrance, and adjacent to the primary parking lot. The pool comes complete with a large section of bleachers for parents, friends, and family to watch and observe from a reasonable distance. The facility is big enough to accommodate a small to moderate sized group of swimmers and a fence surrounding the perimeters ensures a layer of protection from outside elements. Elevated Lifeguard Stations dot the landscape on one side for safety purposes to ensure an unobstructed view of the entire swimming area.

• Unfortunately, the swimming pool was closed when I visited - I would recommend calling in advance for more information if you plan to use the facilities -

Outdoor Resistance Machines

As previously mentioned, one of the most unique and popular features that distinguishes this complex from many other community parks is the outdoor nautilus style resistance training machines. A complete muscle building and toning workout can be achieved for free right there on the grounds. The machines are similar in appearance, style, and feel to those you would find at most indoor athletic centers and are specifically designed to work almost every part of the body. The equipment is very easy to operate once you acclimate yourself and understand the precise way to activate the motion, the machines are designed to use your own body weight to provide resistance, so there is no removal or addition of heavy plates for adjustment purposes. You can work the shoulders, back, abs, thighs, quadriceps, triceps, and there's also a "Motion Machine" which provides cardio stimulation to encourage tenacious circulation for loosening up the leg muscles and joints. The grounds surrounding the outdoor gym area was also a pleasant surprise, it's made of a durable, synthetic, soft cushion material to help absorb impacts and minimize stress on the body.

This built in feature is truly cutting edge and a tremendous benefit to the entire community, hopefully the installation of this type of highly desirable outdoor gym, an innovative fitness idea which improves the health of the entire community without the obligation of paying exorbitant fees, evolves into an emerging nationwide park trend.

Review/Opinion

The Cerritos Sports Complex is one of the best planned and designed athletic friendly community parks I've ever visited in Southern California. The shear size provides an exhilarating walking and observation experience in itself with a rural feel to it even though the actual location is within a very densely populated city center. The large man made pond and geyser fountain which spurts endlessly then flows continuously amidst a wildlife refuge provide an attractive destination and congregation point for ducks, geese, and other indigenous species. Just one more unique and engaging feature that sets this park apart from others. While the bird friendly atmosphere exists throughout the entire complex, the pond and bubbling water keep the majority of species joyfully preoccupied with this gathering area.

Access is good, consisting of two parking lots and entrances located adjacent to the main street, Bloomfield Ave. The lots are adequate and seamless entry and exit should be the prevailing outcome regardless of the hour of day unless an event(s) is scheduled, in which case you may encounter minor to moderate congestion depending upon the type of game or nature of the activity. The picnic area is adequate however, I didn't notice any built in barbecue grills, pits, or other swath of land dedicated for this amenity. Four large professional Baseball/Softball fields take up one entire section on the south side, a moderately large slice of real estate which seems to be more than adequate space for leagues or casual visitors. The pools are another welcomed addition and the children's playground should keep toddlers active for hours.

Sidewalks throughout the park provide a great avenue to get a cardio workout via jogging or a brisk walk. The cement pathways zig zag right through the center of the complex and extend around the entire 26 acre perimeter if you prefer a more rigorous routine. Wide open grassy spaces are abundant for those who choose to bring an activity from home such as Volleyball, Croquet, etc. Overall, I was quite impressed with the shear size and number of built in amenities this park has to offer which is far more than the average local venue. The grounds are manicured and maintained very well considering the task, and even the common area around the bird friendly pond is reasonably clean however, I would not recommend a walk or sit down rest in the grassy areas immediately adjacent.

• In conclusion, if you're interested in having a fun family picnic or active sports packed day, the Cerritos Sports Complex is easy to find, easy to access, and very easy to enjoy -

• Call to verify Hours of Operation -
• Please see below "Comments" section for "Driving Directions" to the Cerritos Sports Complex -