Wonderful experience will definitely go back Great trails very educational we sat at the water…read morefor quite awhile serene and peaceful

Fantastic local place for woods walking. This park is often crowded on the weekends in their…read moreparking lot. Your car will get dirty driving in on their gravel road. They offer a few hiking trails plus cooking grills.

Lake Johnson Park is one of Raleigh's best spots when you want a workout that actually comes with a…read moreview. The 3-mile loop gave me the perfect mix of cardio, scenery, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting. The trail is mostly paved and very well maintained, but there are also a few off-road paths if you want to switch things up. The lake views are gorgeous throughout the walk, and the heavily wooded sections make it feel peaceful and shaded even on warmer days. I also appreciated that the trail has a few solid uphill stretches. I'd say it's ideal for intermediate walkers, runners, or cyclists looking for a scenic challenge without venturing into hardcore hiking territory. The only downside is the parking situation, which can get pretty tight during busy hours. Still, once you're on the trail, it's absolutely worth it. Raleigh really lucked out with this gem of a park.

Natures finest!…read more Local park with free (but limited) parking. Walking trails. Kayak and paddleboard rentals. Birdwatching. Clean picnic and public bathrooms. Great place to go and enjoy nature.

I was nervous at first by the price, but I quickly learned it is money well spent! This place is…read moreawesome if you want to reawaken your inner 12 year old. I could spend all day jumping from the highest points or going down the many slides!

I have been wanting to go to Fantasy Lake since last year and I finally got to go…read more We reserved a 2 hour slot and got there 25mins before our start time to get changed and settled. The obstacle course is really fun for both kids and adults. The slides were my favorite part. They also have scuba diving on the end side of the lake. The only negative I will call out is that they don't have a water fountain or a filling station. I get that they allow outside food and drinks but for an outdoor water park, having a water fountain/filling station is a bare minimum.

For years, Lake Benson has been my go to for outdoor activities. Walking the paved loop is about a…read moremile (small dirt trail goes past lake and detours off path)and you can cross Benson Road into White Deer park to easily get 3 miles. They also have a boat house with limited hours but the prices for renting kayaks, canoes and Jon Boats is minimal... $10 for two hours kayaking if you are a garner resident

This is the place to go in Garner for your July 4th fireworks! You can rent a paddle boat during…read morethe day, walk the perimeter, have a picnic or play flag football on the gigantic fields. This park had bathroom facilities, dog parks and a playground. Police frequently patrol and keep the park safe for families. Don't miss the US War memorials! Such history at your finger tips.

Swift Creek Bluffs Nature Preserve has been on my list for a while. It's off the normal beating…read morepath. This preserve is all nature. Full of trees and hills. It can seem challenging but it's doable. The trail leads to a subdivision where you can turn around . It's a good two miles with other connecting trails to extend the miles a bit. The parking is a challenge. There is an extremely small lot off the road that's easy to miss. Plan to carpool if you're going with a group.

Lovely trails in an urban area! It wasn't long before the car sounds faded and I could only hear…read morethe sounds of nature. Out and back, I walked about a mile. Watch out for some roots, but it's mostly flat. No man-made restrooms, so "go before you go."

When I moved to Raleigh our real estate agent has told us about the Greenway, but when I purchased…read moremy house I had no idea we lived so close to an entrance, or how much I would enjoy this wonderful place. It is not often a government gets something right, but in the case of the Greenway they nailed it in my opinion. Laid out nicely along the Neuse River. Trash cans set up so people can dispose of their garbage. A great place to jog, walk or ride your bike. I wish more cyclists would announce themselves when coming up from behind, but hey what would the world be without assholes. Enjoy a relaxing couple of ours and take a hike. Relatively flat and you can go as far as you like.

Great place to bike, run, or walk! It was so beautiful and kept me entertained during my entire…read moreride. I also appreciate how easy it is to follow because I get lost easily. I parked at the baseball fields off of buffalo road and headed up towards the dams at falls lake, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The trail is super wide, so there's plenty of room to pass safely. Make sure to pack you own water, I didn't see anywhere to fill up.

If your into trail running or biking this is a great place to get in some miles. Just finished 13…read moremiles of trail running. Second day in a row, did 10 miles yesterday. Just make sure you follow the directional signs.

Come here with my dad and dog on occasion. Very calming, fun and relaxing! My dog is pictured his…read morename is spot!

The river trail is 5.5 miles in total length, 4 miles between the two parking lots on the trail…read more The best parking/access is on the north side near the Jordan soccer complex. The trail is enclosed by trees so you don't really get much views of the river, but it's a nice trail in the forest. It's paved and wheel chair accessible. Bikes and scooters etc are allowed. There is also access to several mountain biking trails along the path. The trail is mostly shaded, but doesn't get much breeze because of the forest so can be muggy during hot weather. This is one of the best options for walking in the area since the city is not pedestrian friendly. There are emergency beacons along the trail about every 1 mile for safety, and it's a fairly busy trail so I would consider it to be safe to solo joggers or hikers.