Splash pads in Burbank, California

Johnny Carson Park is the Media District's hidden retreat — directly across from NBC Studios and adjacent to the Disney lot. The splash play is small, creek-fed in feel with naturalistic boulders, and the shade is mature sycamore. Free parking, clean restrooms. Best on weekday mornings — studio employees fill the picnic areas at lunch. Parent gotcha: California drought rules can shorten the spray window, especially in late summer; Burbank Parks updates daily. Pair with a tour at Warner Bros nearby or a Bob's Big Boy lunch. A genuinely cool LA-insider water spot.

Verdugo Park is Burbank's biggest regional play campus and the splash pad is the centerpiece on a hot Valley day. Interactive jets and ground sprays handle both toddlers and grade-schoolers, with the swim pool, skate park, and tennis courts all on the same sprawling property. Free parking is plentiful but the lot fills on summer weekends — show up by 10am. Parent gotcha: Burbank cycles the pad on California drought stages, so confirm with city parks before driving up from the Valley floor. Pack a real picnic for the pavilions. Suburban Valley summer at its best.