Parque La Carolina, Urban park in Quito, Ecuador.
Parque La Carolina is an urban park in Quito covering 64 hectares with sports facilities, trails, and a lake where boats are available for rent. The green space runs through the business district, linking residential neighborhoods with office towers along wide avenues.
The park opened in 1976 on vacant land, offering the growing city a central recreation area. Authorities built the lake and main pathways while planting trees to provide shade for visitors.
Families gather on weekends to buy empanadas and sweets from stands or picnic on the lawns. The name honors a historic estate that once occupied this land before the city grew and turned the grounds into a shared space.
Early morning hours are quietest for walking or jogging, while afternoons and evenings draw larger crowds. Entrances sit on several street corners, so access is possible from different directions.
Yoga classes and dance groups use open areas on Sunday mornings, while vendors offer handmade toys and kites for children. The lake hosts ducks and other waterfowl that swim among the rowboats.
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