Mom Parks Review

All Children's Playground  3808 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27612, Phone: 919-420-2383

Big wooden structure that is great to imagine as a castle or maze.  Great for older children.  Some kids call this the "castle park".  Sitting benches for parents.  Tire swings.

No bathrooms.  Easy to lose sight of children, so not recommended for escaping toddlers.

Anderson Community Park Hwy 54 West, Carrboro, NC 27510, Phone:  919-918-7364

Features baseball/softball fields (4 lighted), multi-purpose fields, basketball courts (lighted), tennis courts (2), horseshoe pits, fishing pond, play equipment, trail (.4 mile), lease free area, picnic tables and grills, picnic shelter, rest rooms.

Blue Jay Point Country Park  3200 Pleasant Union Church Rd., Raleigh, NC 27614, Phone:  (919) 870-4330

Short hiking trail with creek is easy to do with small children.  Nice big sandbox, lots of slides and climbing equipment, soccer fields, children's programming, lake view (no swimming), picnic tables.  Wide open spaces for kite flying, ball playing.  Plenty of parking and bathrooms available close to the playground.  This is a really beautiful park on the shores of Falls Lake in North Raleigh.

Playgrounds get no shade, no swings.

Buffaloe Athletic Park  5812 Buffaloe Road, Raleigh, NC 27616, Phone: 919-831-6836

Parking next to playground, shaded picnic area  near bathrooms, seats for moms to sit down and relax.
 

No swings, playground is small and no shade.

Durant Nature Park  8305 Camp Durant Rd., Raleigh, NC 27614, 919-870-2871

Short hiking trail with creek is easy to do with small children.  Nice shaded playground, picnic shelters, kids programs, lake.  Plenty of parking and bathrooms are available close to the playground.

Once you park, you have to walk a pretty long way to get to the playground.  And no strollers, the path is very bumpy and would make for a very bumpy ride.  Walk back is uphill.
 

Eno River State Park 6101 Cole Mill Rd., Durham, NC 27705, Phone:  (919) 383-1686
eno.river@ncmail.net

Big variety of hiking trails with a great variety of difficulty and views.
Eno River begins in northwest Orange County, flowing eastward approximately 33 miles until, along with the Little and Flat Rivers; it forms the Neuse and flows into Falls Lake.

Falls Lake State Recreation Area 13304 Creedmoor Rd., Wake Forest, NC 27587
Phone:  (919) 676-1027
falls.lake@ncmail.net

Expansive reservoir and woodlands, habitat for diversity of animals, including American bald eagles. More than 400 campsites: 176 tent, trailer and recreational vehicle campsites with hookups; 99 tent, trailer and recreational vehicle campsites without hookups; 89 backpack campsites; 18 group tent campsites; showers, dump stations. More than 20 picnic shelters. Interpretive programs, lake fishing and swimming, 10 boat ramps, privately operated marina nearby. Lakeside trail: 12 miles of hiking trails, more than six miles of bicycling trails.

Green Road Park and Community Center  4201 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604, Phone: 919-872-4140

Some shade, bathrooms in nearby community center or library.  Volleyball net with sand.  This might be a nice quick stop after visiting the library. 

Small play area, not much to do, equipment is old. 

Harris Lake County Park 2112 County Park Dr., Holly Springs, NC, Phone:  (919) 387-4342

Harris Lake Park has a lot to offer including a playground, fishing pier and pond, educational opportunities. Picnicking opportunities are available for both large groups and individual families. Hog Run Bike Trail consists of a series of loops designed for any skill level. The Peninsula Hiking Trail is comprised of four loops.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area 280 State Park Rd., Apex, NC 27523 , Phone:  (919) 362-0586
jordan.lake@ncmail.net

Popular 13,900-acre reservoir, scenic vistas of lake and shoreline, home to American bald eagles. Lake fishing and swimming, 32 boat ramps, privately operated marina nearby. More than 1,000 tent, trailer and recreational vehicle campsites, 690 sites with hookups; showers; dump stations; 24 backpack campsites; 11 group tent campsites, group trailer campsite. Ten picnic shelters, 16 miles of hiking trails. Access to bald eagle observation tower, interpretive programs.

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area 6254 Satterwhite Point Rd., Henderson, NC 27537
Phone:  (252) 438-7791
kerr.lake@ncmail.net

This 50,000-acre, man-made lake is a haven for water sports enthusiasts and landlubbers alike. More than 800 miles of wooded shoreline provide access to a variety of fun-filled activities on the lake.

Lake Benson  Buffaloe Rd., Garner, NC 27529, 919-662-5703

Short hiking trails with lake view/access, easy to do with small children.  Multiple playgrounds with varying degrees of shade, picnic shelters, kids programs, lake.  Lots of wide open spaces for kite flying, ball playing, etc.  Plenty of parking close to your destination.  Fabulous fireworks celebration with NC Symphony every July 3.

Go to the bathroom at home!

Millbrook Exchange Off Leash Dog Park  1905 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27615, Phone: 919-872-4156

Behind this playground is a community center and to the left of it is the Optimist Park pool which has fenced in toddler pool, fenced in water play area, and large pool for older children.  Swimming lessons offered here.  Separate picnic shelter near pool.

Not much for the kids to do, this park features 1 metal slide and climbing apparatus. 

Pullen Park & Amusements  520 Ashe Ave., Raleigh, NC 27606, 919-831-6468

Lots of activities with ticket purchase, including old-fashioned carousel, train rides, kiddy boat ride, & paddle boats.  Outdoor swimming pool available at the Pullen Aquatics Center.  Lots of picnic areas, lake with ducks to feed, 2 playgrounds with varying shade cover, swings, and sand.  Bathrooms available near carousel.

A lot of ground to cover, not a good choice if you want something simple...

Other Pullen Attractions:
Pullen Aquatics Center
410 Ashe Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606, Phone: 919-831-6197
Pullen Arts Center
105 Pullen Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, Phone: 919-831-6126
Pullen Community Center
S408 Ashe Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606, Phone: 919-831-6052
Pullen Park & Amusements
520 Ashe Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606, Phone: 919-831-6468
 

Sertoma Arts Center and Shelley Lake  1400 W. Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27612
Phone: 919-420-2329

Plan to spend the day here!  Brand new playground is fenced and has bathrooms.  Swings, sand, slides and more.  Play area is partially shaded.  Short hiking trails with exercise stations.  Walk to the lake and feed the ducks, lots of shade along the way.  Picnic tables available.  Benches for parents to sit down.

Spring Forest Road Park  4203 Spring Forest Rd., Raleigh, NC 27616, 919-872-4140

Easily accessible bathrooms, nice, smooth biking baths for beginner or advanced biking, open space for kite flying, ball playing.  Picnic shelter.
 

No shade on playground, no swings, equipment is a bit dated, a short walk from parking to playground.

Stevens Nature Center at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary, NC
Phone:  (919) 387-5980

Easily accessible bathrooms, nice, smooth biking baths for beginner or advanced biking, open space for kite flying, ball playing.  Picnic shelter.
 

No shade on playground, no swings, equipment is a bit dated, a short walk from parking to playground.

The Hemlock Bluffs Preserve is a wonderful park, with great hiking trails. Natural discoveries and exploration for kids is at its best here.
 

West Point on the Eno 5101 N. Roxboro Rd., Durham, NC , Phone:  (919) 471-1623

This natural and historic park is located along a two-mile stretch of the Eno River. The 371 acres of woods, waters and wildlife were once home to the Shocco, Occaneechi and Eno Indians. Approximately 1.5 miles of walking trails, canoeing and rafting are available. A variety of natural history programs, craft workshops and demonstrations and concerts are offered throughout the year.

William B. Umstead Park 8801 Glenwood Ave. , Raleigh, NC 27612, Phone;  (919) 571-4170
william.umstead@ncmail.net

Escape the pressures of everyday life, picnic in the pines, wait for a fish to bite, take a hike or horseback ride on trails through the woods. Hardwood forest oasis in urban Triangle region, creeks, lakes, extensive trail network with scenic overlooks. Nearly 30 tent, trailer and recreational vehicle campsites; showers; two group tent campsites; three group campsites with cabins and kitchen. Nearly 20 miles of hiking trails, including nearly 12 miles of bridle and bicycle trails. Lake swimming and fishing, rowboat and canoe rentals. Three picnic shelters, visitor's center, exhibit hall, interpretive programs. Offering nature classes for kids and adults.