Reasons we LOVE Finch Creek Park…read more The park feels safely contained thanks to the hill banks--less worry about little ones wandering off Separate areas for everyone: toddler section, big kid playground, music zone & splash pad So many slides! Open, closed, straight, curved, and different thrill levels Soft padded turf instead of mulch Plenty of seating for parents--swinging benches and picnic tables Swings for all ages: mommy & baby, big kid, chair swings & a swaying bench A walking path all around if mom wants to get her steps in Bathrooms are actually pretty clean (which matters ) This park checks ALL the boxes for an easy, fun outing!

Very mediocre park, lots of things are broken or just dirty.. looks nice from the outside but not…read moreso great. Lots of better parks near by!

This was my first time at Roy G Holland Park -- aka Holland Park if you're following signs from…read moreFishers to the park. I had a great time here! The playgrounds are great and seemed pretty inclusive of most age ranges. There's a lot of climbing areas, some more like steps and some ropes and ladders, so they vary the challenge level. This was great for the littles I was with (4-5 yo) and still interesting for older kids I saw playing. Toddlers have their own little playground off to the side. They do have a glider for wheelchair users, but I don't think the rest of the main equipment would be accessible. Maybe the swings for some. There are a lot of mature trees off to one side and at least one picnic table over there. When the trees bloom for the year, it's going to be beautiful! They have a sand volleyball court, paved walking path, and I spotted a few more sports areas--basketball, soccer. There's potentially a lot to do here! Bathrooms were close to the playground and clean. It's close enough to go grab coffee or ice cream after as well, which in my opinion, makes it great for a day of fun. I'll look forward to seeing the park again later this spring/summer!

We came to this park for a family party. There is ample parking area. They have so many areas for…read moresports lovers- basketball, baseball, pickleball, etc. The star was the playground- it was very big with so many things. They even had a splash pad.

This is one of my new favorite places to go for a walk/ hike. There are so many trails to choose…read morefrom and when you enter the park on a sunny day, most of the trails to your right are shaded by the umbrella of trees. The trails to the left, on the other hand, are well- lit and sunny. On our most recent visit, my husband and I stumbled upon a very small cemetery. I thought that it might have been a pet cemetery due to its size, but after some quick research, my husband was able to find information regarding the family that it is believed to have belonged to. It was both creepy and cool at the same time. We walked a loop that was surprisingly dense at points and I was amazed at the fact that we didn't pop back out onto the main trail as quickly as I'd thought we would. There were some very steep slopes at points that were marked with cones that I found to be quite dangerous, but it's nature, so what are you going to do?! I love the preservation of this natural/ wild space. The sound of the birds in the forest canopy is calming and there are several places to stop, have s seat and just listen. There is also at least one of those tiny community libraries located there, as well as many other interesting features.

Growing up in the city of Danville, Illinois, there were always parks to enjoy nature. I would…read morenever expect that in the middle of Indianapolis, you could get lost in the wilderness. When me and my wife went hiking on these trails, I forgot we were in the city. It was so peaceful and pleasant and relaxing. This is definitely a place to go for a nice walk and tranquility. Even the squirrels, birds, dragonflies, and all of nature's creatures seem to enjoy the area. I can't wait for us to go back again.

My first visit here was in July 2021 when I resided in Indiana. The bridge was built in 1871 and…read morewas used for 100 years and since 1971 was listed in the National Register of Historical places in 1991. I made my first visit in July 2021 when I resided in Indiana. The park has restrooms, children's playground, paved trails to walk, tubing, jogging, running, kayaking, paddle boarding or biking. The park is also dog friendly. The park was well kept. The bridge was nicely constructed. My first sight to see this type of bridge. Overall, I enjoyed walking on the peaceful and beautiful park alongside the White River.

Free parking in grass for general public. Free entertainment and sports/bounce house activities…read more Two areas of different vendors and food to me. I plan to go back around to buy tamales. The brisket at another food truck seems appealing. Free caricatures and free van booth photo. Enjoyed exploring today. Needed a change.

The kids (and honestly, the adults too) will LOVE these…read more "tree-style" honeycomb pods at Meadowlark Park -- it's basically modern art you can actually play on! Giant treetop-style play structure that feels straight out of a storybook Padded ground Playground for all ages with 3 separate climbing structures Massive, fast tunnel slides + toddler/baby-friendly slides 2 shaded pavilions + bathrooms for snack/lunch breaks Pickleball courts, basketball court,  pond & access to the Monon Trail + other walking paths ‍ If your kid loves climbing, pretending, and exploring--you NEED to check out this treehouse-style playground

This is a great park. It looks like it was renovated recently. I've never been here and I was…read morepleasantly surprised! It's right outside of Main Street Carmel. There was a playground, pickleball/tennis, basketball, an open area, and some walking/biking trails.

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.

I took my dog here for a trail walk. Unfortunately, there was construction going on so we mostly…read moreended up on the Nickel Plate trail instead. Despite the unforeseen detour we enjoyed visiting the creek and the parts of the trail we could. There are lots of bugs in the woods near the creek but other than this I recommend visiting. It's very peaceful.

Cheeney Creek is a nice nature area just south of downtown Fishers. This area features paved and…read morenature trails with tall trees to keep things cool in the summer. If you prefer to walk/hike in the shade, Cheeney Creek is a good place to visit. The trails aren't particularly long, clocking in at around two miles. There is more to see with the nature trails since they run adjacent to a large pond. There are several spots and a dock that are ideal for fishing. Cheeney Creek was moderately busy during a weekend visit. I ran into a few folks here or there and some bikers, but that's about it. Afterwards you can take a short walk or drive to 116th street for some refreshments.

This is a very interesting park. It is a nature/sports park. It spans 66 acres and has a decent…read moreamount of parking available. The is a restroom facility, and port-a-potty available if you need it. You will find a huge patch of green space that have a couple of pair of uprights that could be used for a football or soccer field. There are a few small bleachers that overlook the field. There are also 4 multi-purpose fields with backstops that can be used for baseball, kickball, or softball. However, a permit is required to use any of the fields at the park and the Carmel Dad's Club gets first dibs, from what I gathered. There is also a playground at the park, that is inspired by the area's archeological background. That is where you will find a tree trunk chopping play set, a sand pit, a small fort built on a hill with a slide, ropes and rock climbing, and a small play gym inspired by the rattlesnake effigy. There is a very nice interactive display in a small building over in that area as well. You press a button and the displays inside the building come to life, somewhat, and a narrator provides some details and background. I have never seen anything like this at a park. It is educational and very nice. The park also features a few trails. There are natural trails, near the playground area that wind through the prairies and a large paved trail that goes around the parks fields. That trail is a fitness trail and has a few pieces of equipment, with instructions place along the circular route. The park is very well maintained, especially considering its size. because of the tons of green space, this park is popular among people who want their dogs to free roam and run around. I really like this park. Even though, I did not see any picnic shelters, it still has a lot to offer. I just won't picnic there. It is emaculate and very well maintained. I highly recommend checking this park out.

After a long week at work, I decided I would spend some time today inside area parks. I focused…read moremost of my time in Fishers and Carmel and tried to visit some parks that I've either never actually visited or never actually really experienced. One such park is River Road Park. It's a park I've driven by many times, but I've never actually stopped and enjoyed it. River Road Park is a 62 acre park. Right off the bat, River Road Park presents a bit more uniquely as most area parks because in learning the history of the park we end up going way, way back. In fact, we go back to 8,000 to 6,000 B.C. when the park area is noted as having been inhabited by what we call the Moffitt Village. It was home to the Early Archaic and Early and Late Woodland people and then later occupied by other prehistoric and historic Native Americans. Woodland people were characterized by ceramics, food production and mound building. Hunting became less main stream and the use of plants for food became more popular. The park has really been developed as a way of acknowledging this history. Moving toward modern times, the park was purchased from Kosene & Kosene in 1992. The River Trail was constructed in 1998 as a joint project between Carmel Clay Parks and Hamilton County Parks. The park's ancient history is captured in an award-winning interpretive exhibit created in 2002 along with a complementary historic play area. The exhibit really covers pre-historic Native American culture from about 700 years ago. Today, the park includes paved trails, prairies, a White River overlook, wetlands, soccer and softball fields, and lots of green spaces. River Road also has one of Central Indiana's most unique playgrounds. The playground is equipped with slides and a handicap accessible sandbox with artifacts and rock climbing structures. River Road also features an interpretive building designed to educate visitors about Native American life hundreds of years ago and the historical significance of the local area. They are in the process of adding a canoe launch (signage is already up). There's a bike trail, nature trails, and the park does have public restrooms. While the park is certainly not one of Hamilton County's fanciest parks, River Road Park is unique in that it combines education and play quite beautifully. It also allows for children with disabilities to join in for some of the fun (not every feature of the playground is disability friendly). Being close to the river, the trails here do have some gentle inclines/declines, but they are for the most part quite manageable. There's also plenty of parking here, though a nice job has been done in balancing convenience with maintaining a certain rustic quality within the park's grounds. If you haven't been here, it's certainly worth your time. While smaller children may not stay busy for long, children who can really embrace the educational aspects of the park will have much to appreciate.

Splash pad with a waterslide and THREE other playgrounds? Say no more…read more Lawrence W. Inlow Park is the place to be this summer! Waterslide fun for all ages Two separate splash pad areas designed for different age groups Three playgrounds for varying ages and abilities Lots of seating for parents, including shaded options Bathrooms conveniently located near the splash pad Bonus amenities include disc golf, trails, and open fields My biggest tip? Go early! The splash pad area gets VERY busy during the hottest part of the day. This is one of those parks where you can easily spend an entire day bouncing between the playgrounds and water play

If you graded a park on the amount of visitors, this place would get an A. I came here in the…read moremiddle of the day on a Thursday and this place was packed like it was a weekend. Granted it was 90 degrees and most people were using the splash pad. The park is not big, at only about 16 acres, but has a lot to offer. They have a more than adequate parking lot. The park features a nice restroom facility, 2 fenced in pickle-ball courts, a 9 hole disc golf course, a large patch of green space, a couple of playground areas and an awesome splash pad. The splash pad has a lot going on. There is a slide that drops off into a pad, a fixture that dumps water on you and a bunch or sprayers. There are also benches along the perimeter for littles to sit. The splash pad closes for the season on September 30th. The pickle ball courts are first come, first serve and are pretty nice. They are side by side and enclosed in a single fence. All the playground areas are pretty nice and have new/modern equipment. The playground area for smaller kids is closest to the splash pad and is on a mud free rubbery surface. The area's equipment includes: an expression swing, a wavy net climber, a nest saucer swing, a metal slide, pebble steppers, sit and spins, ropes, a bank of traditional swings, and a supernova spinner. You will find a row of benches on the outside perimeter of the area, that is shaded, and where caregivers can sit. Then there is another playground area that is tucked in the woods a bit and has a suspended pebble bridge, rock climbing hill, a net dome, and a rope ladder. It is really some exotic equipment and not a very big area. The third playground area is for bigger kids and features a huge jungle gym climbing tower with slides and bridges (it is very tall and hard to miss), a metal slide, a sit and spin, a net climber, another supernova spinner and a playground spinner and a swerving spindle playground spinner. There is a long row of benches on the area's perimeter, but they are not covered. It is you and the sun if you are sitting on these. As I have mentioned, it is all very nice equipment though and looks relatively new. As if that was not enough, the park has 2 nice sized shelters with picnic tables under them and a grill just outside of them. Just like the everything else at the park, the shelters are pretty nice too. This is definitely a destination park and has a lot to offer. I really like this park and by the number of people that were there when I was there, a lot of other people like it too. It is definitely worth a visit.

Oh gosh! This park is completely different than when I last reviewed it eight (eight!) years ago…read more River Heritage Park underwent a complete makeover in 2022, and it's so much better. We used to call this "the bee sting park" because this is the park where my son got stung by a bee. But River Heritage looks so different that my children forgot all about "bee sting park" and have fully embraced this new park because it's so much fun. What I especially love about River Heritage Park is that it encourages walking and exploring. There is a fun playground right off of the parking lot, but the magic lies beyond this area as you walk deeper into the park. A little ways away, you'll find another area with playground equipment like a netted swing and other fun things. Walk a little farther down the path and you'll see even more playground equipment, including two ziplines. Each of these areas have benches for parents or caregivers to sit and enjoy watching their kids play. If you walk even farther down the path, you'll find an area with a few picnic tables set among the woods. Walk even farther, and you'll find a secret (OK, not-so-secret) fort made out of big logs and branches! I'm proud to say that my children helped build it, and it's really cool. The walking path goes in a loop all around the park. The path is wide and smooth, and can easily accommodate strollers and wheelchairs. It's also made of a rubberized material and is a little bouncy, which I've been told is easier on the joints. If you visit this park during the off season (approximately November through mid-April), the restrooms will be locked, but there are port-a-potties available. The parking lot is still in a state of transition. The parking lot is dirt, and I imagine it would be messy when it rains.

I guess this is the first review since the parks renovation and is really a different park from the…read moreone reflected in previous reviews. This park spans 40 acres and was opened in 1999. It was closed for a while for renovations and was recently reopened in 2022. They have pumped a lot of money into this park and it shows. While I was there they were still working on the parking lot. It was all dirt. The park has 2 decent sand volleyball courts in the front. There is also a nice fully accessible playground area just off of the parking lot that has some very nice, new, progressive and modern equipment. The equipment includes: a modern in-ground roundabout, a cozy cocoon, a nest saucer swing, we-go wheelchair accessible swing, hexagonal climbing blocks, and an interactive NEOS 360 Accessible play station. The play area is on a nice mud-free rubber surface and you will find benches and picnic tables along the area's perimeter that are under shade awnings. Other park amenities on this side of the park include a bathroom facility, and a shelter with picnic tables under it and a grill just outside of it. There is a large tower right next to the shelter, I have no idea what it is, but it makes for some good pictures. Anyway, there are two paths that lead away from this area and to a very nice boardwalk. The boardwalk leads to a trail that is fully wheelchair accesible and is a 3/4 mile loop. That board walks goes through the woods and wetlands and has playground equipment placed along the trail. The equipment includes a zip line, a slide with hexagonal climbing blocks, a nest saucer swing, a group swing, and playground spinners. The part of the trail that the playground equipment is along is coated with a mud free rubber surface. The equipment is a decent distance from the parking lot and is pretty spread out, which I do not know how I feel about that. On a positive note it is some very nice equipment. This park really listened to people's input and have reimagined this park with a focus on accessibility, modernization, nature, and maintenance. I really like this park and they are not even finish with their renovations yet. This is a destination park for sure and has laid a blueprint for other parks to follow.