Do you have a rock climber? ‍ If so, take a trip to Westermeier Commons Playground & Splash Pad!…read more Tons of places to rock wall climb--on both the play structures and the walls Multiple slides Lots of different climbing structures for all skill levels seperate toddler section A few different types of swings Bathrooms close by Mostly fenced in Close to the Monon Trail and the Monon Community Center Con: The padded ground has a lot of wear and tear, but it's being replaced in August! Some of the climbing structures can get wet and slippery since kids run back and forth between the splash pad and playground Pack a lunch and spend the whole day here! Between the playground, splash pad, and all the climbing opportunities, this is the perfect place to get out of the house and let the kids burn some energy

This is such a beautiful, well-kept park that offers something for everyone. The turf gives it a…read moreclean, modern feel, and the playground is thoughtfully designed with equipment for both younger kids and older ones, making it perfect for families with children of different ages. From swings to slides, to the spinning flower seats, there's plenty to keep the kids entertained for hours. We really enjoyed the sway fun feature of the park. The park is also very accommodating, with covered shelters that are great for relaxing or hosting small gatherings, along with conveniently located restrooms. One of the highlights is the splash pad which is perfect for cooling off on warm days and a big hit for the kids. What really makes this park stand out is the peaceful creek nearby. The sound of the water adds such a calming touch, making it a great spot to unwind and enjoy a beautiful day outdoors. It's the kind of place you can easily spend a few hours and not want to leave. They have a parking lot making it easy to access.

It's a little bit rare that I discover a spot previously unknown to me, however, this was the case…read moretoday when I visited Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve. I was between tasks near Castleton and decided to do a Yelp search to see if I could snag a review or two during my free time. As is often the case for me, I searched for "parks" and Oliver's Woods popped up along with a review from the always dependable Nicole S. It's amazing to me that I've driven by this preserve many times without realizing its existence. In fact, even while looking for it today I drove by it a couple of times before realizing the place where I needed to turn. It's not particularly well marked from River Road. As it turns out, this is part of its charm. Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve is a 56-acre preserve owned by the Central Indiana Land Trust. It includes 16 acres of woods, 37 acres of prairie-savanna restoration, and a mile of White River frontage. As is true for most preserves under Central Indiana Land Trust, Oliver's Woods is fairly light in development but a fairly nice effort toward some ADA accessibility is noteworthy. It's not perfectly accessible but, let's be honest, nature seldom is perfectly accessible. As Nicole S. notes, this is a rather sublime weaving together of urban and nature. In fact, I really expected this to be more like a pocket park considering it's situated so close to an office park, apartments, and a nearby shopping center along with the highway. Remarkably, this is simply a well preserved area of nature amidst it all. In terms of accessibility, the accessible parking is by the Daugherty house. Oliver Daugherty, who passed away in 2009, donated the property to Central Indiana Land Trust and some unexpected funding received allowed for increased development of it in 2017. The accessible parking spot allowed for access to a .6 mile trail made of crushed gravel. I'm a wheelchair user and had no issues with it. However, it's worth noting that parking in the usual parking lot is more difficult because the gravel isn't quite as crushed. While the preserve is open daily, there are specific times when a volunteer docent is available to give a tour of the preserve. There is a canoe launch available for any craft legally allowed on the water in the city of Indianapolis that you can carry to/from the river from the drop-off area in front of the Daugherty House. The southern half of the Town Run Trail Park also runs through this property with an agreement that was made between Indy Parks and Daugherty himself. Volunteers have helped plant native trees and plants and to remove invasive species. "This special care is allowing native species like wild ginger, Virginia bluebells, waterleaf, wild hyacinth and trillium to flourish," according to the CILT website. Because this is so wooded and you are along White River, seeing wildlife is also a strong possibility. This is not a "recreational" preserve other than the ability to launch a canoe. This is a wonderful preserve for enjoying nature, appreciating White River, and enjoying a short but nicely done trail. There are signs around the preserve explaining the preserve (including at the Daugherty House). Quite honestly, I'd have loved living here. I saw one other vehicle while I was here, though I never saw the person associated with that vehicle. I did hear traffic and the highway, though on a warm and sunny Fall day it all felt really perfect. Now that I know this is here, there's no doubt I'll return!

Oliver's Woods Nature Preserve is truly an urban oasis. You can see and hear the vehicles roar by…read morefrom I-465, just a short distance away. You walk through tall grasses as you walk past billboard signs. I love the city and I tolerate nature, so this place is a great combination of both for me. There are hiking trails here, but they're not clearly marked, so as we were walking and enjoying nature, we encountered several mountain bikers who raced past us. There must have been some sort of mountain biking thing going on, because there were a lot of bikers at the park. We must have been on the biking trail, because we didn't see any other walkers, just bikers. The path is super slim, so we had to duck into the brush whenever we saw a bicycler, which was every three to five minutes. Eventually, we headed back and found an actual walking path. All this to say: If you find a dirt path that is jutted, it's probably not the walking path -- it's the biking path. Once we found the walking path, it was very pretty and peaceful. The hiking / walking path will take you to the boat launch, where you can take your boat out onto the White River. It will also take you to the Daugherty House, which is a house that belonged to the original owner of the property, Oliver Daugherty. You can't go inside the house, but you can look at the outside, and there are signs and QR codes that give you more information about it. We found a lot of native plants here, including wild raspberries that were ripe and ready for picking. We also saw a beaver (!) and trekked across a stream that fed into the White River. This is such a cool place, and it's a true Indianapolis hidden gem.

Leave it Carmel to have an amazing indoor sports facility that serves beer and hard cider. It sure…read moremakes being a grandparent fun. Anyway the facility has in indoor soccer fields, rock climbing facility and more. Both of my local granddaughters have taken sporting classes and attended birthday parties at the center. This weekend, I attended my granddaughter's soccer game. The inside smells a bit like gym socks, but the hard cider makes the smell tolerable. Spectator bleacher seating is uncomfortable, but the beer makes it tolerable. The place is loud, but the kids seem to be having fun, as was I. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. The parking lot is large enough. If you live in or near Carmel, you're bound to visit at some point.

Great playing field. Good organization. However, the referees are terrible. I've witnessed two head…read moreinjuries and the referee did not follow concussion protocol, even if the players were in the 7th & 8th grade division. Unacceptable behavior from the referee.

Perfect spot for a laid-back family adventure!…read more Flowing Well Park in Carmel is a hidden gem for families looking to spend time outdoors without a big production. The open space, fresh air, and scenic creek made for a relaxing, fun-filled afternoon. Our kids had the best time splashing in the water, exploring the trail, and collecting cool rocks along the way. It felt like a mini nature escape right in town. Major parent win: there's a foot wash station at the entrance--so helpful when little feet are muddy but happy! There's also a picnic area to grab a bite to eat. We'll definitely be back for more sunshine and creekside exploring. Towels would probably be a good idea to have on hand.

Lovely little park besties between neighborhood. Very easy walking trail if you are not looking for…read moretoo much intensity. It would be a great spot for kids to play in the shallow creek or for dogs. We enjoyed our morning hike!

This is my place!!!…read more Sho'Time is super welcoming and incredibly energetic. The owner, Sho, is a natural teacher and incredibly fun. After growing up with intense dance instruction at other studios, Sho'Time is a breath of fresh air. There are hip hop, body sculpt, barre, and dance fusion classes- I honestly love all of them. I'm sore after each one! Sho always plays great, new music and is constantly teaching new moves and awesome choreography. The prices are great as well- college students only had to pay $60 for the whole summer this time around! You will love coming here and make some great friends as well. Highly recommend!

I was recently appointed to the Indiana Trails Advisory Board. We held a meeting at Wilfong…read morePavilion in Founders Park, another Carmel Park I'd had yet to visit. This is a 37-acre park (it feels bigger, but that's according to the Carmel Parks website). I think the reason it feels bigger is that it better utilizes its space over a park like the nearby Hazel Landing. Founders Park has a large shelter, restroom facility, open sports fields (there were kids playing soccer while I was there), walking trails, and a very cool playground that is nature-inspired - swings, a sandbox, climbing structures, and more. Founders Park also has native prairie, wetlands, and a pond. Wilfong Pavilion is a neat facility with a capacity in its main room of 99 people. It also has beautiful views. Founders Park has had multiple upgrades recently including repair of its retaining wall, new fencing, an improved parking lot, and added rubber safety surfacing with the playground. I definitely see this as a very family friendly park. There's a seasonal drinking fountain, fishing, trails, a bike rack, and a seasonal foot wash station that makes me wish I had feet. Carmel is typically good about accessibility and that's definitely evident here. The bathroom had a nice, larger stall with grab rails. I would definitely return and I would definitely consider renting Wilfong Pavilion myself as it has accessible parking and appropriate curb cuts.

Are you looking for a park to take your little ones to or just a park to have picnic at then look…read moreno further. This park is really nice and has some wonderful activities at it for children to enjoy. There are a lot of picnic benches and plenty of grass here for a nice picnic on a nice warm day. There are bathrooms that looked well kept here. If you are in the area definitely check this park out. I had met my friend and her daughter here and found this park to be very enjoyable.

The City of Carmel has injected a bunch of fun activities and art along the Monon Trail in area…read moreknow as Midtown. The trail splits in this area with bike/running paths and pedestrian paths. In the medians between, there is a artsy splash pad/fountain, good for a quick cool down on a hot day. One area has a fun climbing structure for kids. There is even a colorful ping pong table, complete with paddles and balls. I even saw a bocce ball and shuffle ball courts - completely equipped! The setup is perfect for a date night or family fun. There was a temporary photo backdrop of splashing water commemorating the local swimmers going to the US finals and Olympics. Along the trail are several sculptures and murals that keep the trail interesting. There are benches and tables periodically to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or socialize. The landscaping is lovely. The area is kept immaculate. The maintenance staff is super friendly. There is some street and garage parking nearby. The pedestrian traffic gets congested during peak times. Pro tip: Early morning walks are quiet and there is plenty of parking.

Beautiful trail that leads to a cake shop. It was so pretty during the fall season. You can see all…read morethe foliage. Great way to get your steps in.

Me and my family come at least once a year for a trip with WRCC. We almost always do individual…read morekayaks as they are easier to handle. The buses and kayaks have always been clean and in good shape. The path is clear and we understand where we are able to stop and where the route ends. At the end the employees (usually young boys in HS) are helpful in pulling you onto shore or helping you up out of the kayak.

We brought our summer camp here for a field trip with 50 campers, and unfortunately our experience…read morewas extremely disappointing. 1. Check-In Process The woman working the front desk (I believe her name was Cali) was kind and did her best to help us. This review is not about her. The check-in system, however, was incredibly inefficient. Every camper had to come to the desk individually, Cali had to look up their waiver, and they then had to have their name written down by hand. Checking in our group of 50 campers took approximately 35-40 minutes. As a camp, we take trips to many local attractions that require waivers, and we've never had a check-in process take more than about 10 minutes. This system felt unnecessarily slow and completely unprepared for groups. 2. Communication Before our visit, we clearly communicated that we needed to leave by 2:30 p.m. to return to camp for dismissal and that we were looking for roughly a 1.5-hour boat ride. After finally checking in, we were put on a shuttle bus for nearly 20 minutes. During the ride, I asked the driver how long the boat trip would be back to our starting point. She told us it was a three-hour trip. At that point, it was obvious there was no way we'd make it back in time. We had to turn around, ride the bus back, wait while boats were rearranged, and then be transported to another launch point. In total, we arrived around 1:10 p.m. but didn't get onto the water until approximately 3:30 p.m.--over two hours spent waiting with 50 campers in 90-degree heat. We ultimately had to notify parents that camp dismissal would be delayed by about an hour. 3. Customer Service This section is directed specifically at the owner, Andy. The employees we interacted with--the front desk staff, the people helping with the boats, and the bus driver--were all friendly and helpful. They were not the problem. After explaining what had happened, we respectfully requested a 50% refund on our $500+ reservation since a large portion of our day had been spent waiting because of issues that were outside of our control. Rather than showing any understanding or attempting to work with us, Andy was hostile and dismissive. Judging by other reviews mentioning similar interactions, this unfortunately does not appear to be an isolated incident. Overall The boating itself was fun, and the campers enjoyed the time they actually spent on the water. Unfortunately, everything surrounding that experience overshadowed it. Between the inefficient check-in process, the poor communication about scheduling, and the owner's response when we raised legitimate concerns, this ended up being the worst field trip we've had in over five years of running our camp. I would not recommend this location for large groups, and we will not be returning.

This park is what it is. It has tons of parking available in a few different set at lots. To get…read moreto the park, you take a sort drive through a wooded area. At he front of the park you will find three shelters with picnic tabes under them and grills just out side of them. The entrance to the park ends at the Monon Community Center and the Waterpark. The park's bread and butter by far is its trails. It has mile and miles of trails that are interconnected, some paved, some gravel and some dirt. Some through the woods and in the open. There is a storybook trail near the front of the park by the shelters. The trails are awesome with a capital A. They are well maintained and go for miles. You can walk, bike or run them if you so chooses and if you don't have a bike, don't worry. They have a kiosk that you can rent bikes. near the walkway leading to the water park. There is also a restroom there. You will find another restroom structure at the front of the park by the shelter area. The park itself has 3 miles of trails that wind through a variety of ecosystems including native prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. Its trails also connect to the Monon Greenway (it runs through the center of it, and has pretty much adopted it), which gives you more room to roam. Additionally, this park is connected to one of the most futuristic and best all around playgrounds that I have been to. If that was not enough. it has a community center and waterpark located on its grounds pretty much. RIght behind the playground area is a very peaceful lagoon and a boardwalk. It is very nice and I really enjoyed walking it. It has ducks and fish and I found it very tranquil. If you are planning on bike riding, walking, walking the dog and running (why would you want to do that :-)), this is the park for you, even if you have to drive a bit. This park is beautiful year-round, but I find it especially beautiful this time of year, the fall. When the leaves are changing colors and the weather is nice.

2020 has certainly been a year of new park discoveries. This past weekend, my husband and I…read morecelebrated our anniversary by checking out two new parks and grabbing a snow cone. It's the simple pleasures, right? I had visited the Monon Community Center and Waterpark several times before but never the Central Park East Woods that you pass as you enter the overall park. Central Park East Woods features a handful of trails, picnic areas, bathrooms, a community bookshelf and fun themed trails like the Paw Paw Path. I'm always a sucker for boardwalk paths too (what is about the look of boardwalk paths that always gets me to show up?). You'll find this park on the left hand side noted as "picnic area" as you enter the long winding drive for the Monon Center. Everything is within walking distance of one another.