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.

Another amazing day at Eagle Creek Park! Couldn't ask for better weather. Nature was REALLY…read moreshowing off today.

I visited here get a little exercise while in town recently and was impressed with the quality of…read morethe trails and hiking paths around. Parking was easy to come by on a weekday but I can see it getting tough on a nice weekend day. I thought the $8/day was a little steep and wished they had a weekly pass

What a great idea for Fishers residents. This Community Garden is rented for $35 per yr…read more 4/15-10/31. Plant what you want. You're responsible for planting, weeding, watering and tearing down everything at the end of the season. It is located in the back of Cyntheanne Park. The park, one of 25+ parks, has permanent bathrooms, eight pickle ball courts, and a small playground. There are also several fishing ponds with plenty of parking.

Cyntheanne Park It's a smaller playground setup, but…read moreperfect for a quick outing before nap time. There are two play areas (2-5 and 5-12), plus lots of climbing for bigger kids. It's also known for pickleball courts and has great paths for walking or biking!

Indy is truly so lucky to be able to have as much outdoor space as we do through Fort Harrison…read moreState Park. There are trails galore, and that's mainly why I go, so I'll focus on that. There are a lot of different trailheads that have different difficulty, but I'd say they're mostly moderate on average. Each trailhead has its own parking lot. There is also a $7 entry fee per car. The trails aren't too busy most of the time but it's not uncommon to pass by others. The trails are also very clean and kept under good shade covered. There's nice views here with all the trees and the historical sites from when Fort Harrison was, well, a fort. I'm mostly a hiker by way of my outdoor adventures, so I'd love to check out some of the other resources at the park sometime!

Back at Fort Harrison with my best fur-iend Bentley. There are lots of trails here, but when this…read morelittle guy is with me we stick to the paved paths. He's got a huge adventure spirit, just little legs, so we switch things up with chauffeur service, aka me pushing his stroller :D This is one of our favorite easy outings together.

Williams park is a great park with lots of open space as well as basketball courts and play areas…read moreincluding the newly fixed splash zone for kids. The wooden climbing structure for kids is nice in that it is a contained area. I do wish that there were some shaded awnings for the parents and caregivers to sit whilst kids play however because on a hot day parents will be hard pressed to keep out of the heat. Restrooms are located throughout the park. There are also some covered picnic areas, but they aren't close enough to the play structures to keep a close eye on the children. The kids that I Nanny love coming to Williams Park as one of their rotating play areas!

Great. Been about a month ago! It was a Super Time there with my Dog, Penny…read moreEven met a new "friend" with her 3 children! My pup really enjoyed the area

I haven't visited Holliday Park in several years, but I was glad I did this week. There is so much…read moreto see and do at the Park. The history of the park is interesting. I was glad to find plaques describing the Holliday family. John Holliday was a journalist who founded the Indianapolis News. The property of the Park was the country home for his family. Holliday donated the property to the City of Indianapolis to serve as a Park. The "Ruins" on the property were formally the entrance facade to the St Paul Building in New York City. Indy Artist, Elmer Taflinger, won the facade when the building was demolished in the 1950's. Taflinger designed the exquisite monument that now stands as a focal point in Holliday Park. The monument includes a water feature that kid's (and I) were playing during my visit. The surrounding garden and fountain are beautiful and provide a magnificent backdrop for photos. The Nature Center in the Park is currently housing summer programs for kids. There are two classrooms and an auditorium. A bird watching room and library are relaxing spaces to enjoy. A nature area on the other side of the building offers interactive activities for children. Trail 3 starts from the Nature Center and meanders through a lovely rock garden filled with perennials in bloom and trees. The trail is a perfect spot to watch birds. The playground is sprawling with multiple climbing features and slides. Shaded benches and lots of mature trees provide shade. The matting is cushy under the equipment to keep the kids safe. I saw a nearby pavilion with restrooms. I saw several parking lots. Signs mark where to find different venues. Bring sunscreen, water and wear bug repellent. Don't leave valuables in your cars according to signs.

Holliday Park is a mix of nature and joy--once you go, you'll want to stay all day…read more From climbing towers and hillside play to hammocks under the trees, this park truly has something for everyone. Mix of natural play materials: turf, padded ground, rock & mulch Slides built into the jungle gym AND into the hills Lots of swings Open-ended building materials + natural loose parts play Bathrooms fairly close by Lots of trails + open space for exploring Small rock garden + historic ruins Fountain area where kids can splash and get wet Nature center on-site Hammocks + shaded areas for relaxing Plenty of seating for parents + cute little tables for kids This is one of those parks where kids can explore, climb, create, and slow down all in the same visit

I live not far from Indy's Ellenberger Park, an Irvington landmark designed by George Edward…read moreKessler and opened in 1909. This makes it one of Indy's oldest public parks. The pool opened in 1930 and in 1962 an ice rink was installed. The park encompasses 42 acres and includes two playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, football/softball/baseball areas, and has played host to the popular Irvington Farmer's Market. It's also a popular spot for Indy Parks concerts. Those into geocaching should note the park actually is host to multiple individual geocaches. The park is actually surprisingly undeveloped. It has rolling hills, a popular spot for winter sledding, and a good amount of the park doesn't even have sidewalks. It's remained quite natural over the years with lots of mature trees. As a wheelchair user, of course, this can be somewhat frustrating given that a certain amount of development is needed to be accessible. While I love Ellenberger Park as a place to visit, there are geocaches I can't reach and places where I risk tipping over if I venture to them. Trust me, I've done it more than once. The park is close to most Irvington area restaurants along with the adjacent Pleasant Run and nearby 10th Street. The Park is named after John Ellenberger, whose family owned much of the land in the area and who'd been generous with the community and had often let residents use the land. In fact, there was controversy when the park was "officially" established as it required a tax hike. People couldn't figure out why they were being asked to pay taxes for something they'd already been using for free. But, they did. The park temporarily changed names, but residents again protested and it returned to Ellenberger Park as it has been since the early 1920s. Ellenberger Park lacks sheltered picnic areas and public restrooms. There was talk of creating more parking, but it would have cost the sledding hill and that was too steep a price to pay (Sorry, couldn't resist). The ice rink was closed in 2009 due to needed repairs that were deemed too expensive. Even the ball fields don't have seating with them. Ellenberger Park is that rarity - a rather large park more focused on nature than activity. While I can't quite go a 5-star because of accessibility issues and some general upkeep concerns, it remains a place I visit often.

This park is huge covering about 42 acres. It dates back to the early 1900s. It is a nice park,…read moreespecially for walker/joggers. There is adequate parking, especially by the pool. The park has a very nice paved trail to run. It trail is pretty flat and is rock/dirt. There is also more woodsy trails available to hike if you so desire. That trail runs along a small creek. Additionally, You will find benches and picnic tables scattered across along the trail across the park. I did not see any restroom facilities around the park. I did however, see a few porta-potties. The park's tennis courts (2 sets of 4) are in need of repair. The nets are decent, but the courts themselves are ragged. It has a unique set up, The fence is tall in the back and short on the sides. It makes it easy to watch, but I can imagine some balls sailing over the fence. The park is home to a huge green field that is well maintained. There is where you will find a football field, or at least two opposing goal posts and two baseball/kickball fields. Those fields are the pure basic and they do not offer many amenities or features. The field can be used for activities such as playing catch, frisbee, soccer, kite flying, and field hockey. It was surprised to see that the park had an aquatic complex, however, it is not operational and was empty. It does look like it has a lot of potential though. There is a small playground at the park that consist of a swing set with an older set of swings and an accessible jungle gym that has parallel bars and slides. The ground is lined with wood chips. The park is also home to a sand volleyball court and some of the most bold squirrels I have seen. They are not afraid of people at all. The volleyball court is decent, nothing special. The Irvington Farmers Market, day camp, community water gun fight and some concerts are hosted here. It is a nice park to play sports or workout. The playgrounds are a bit lacking and would probably not be as fun for kids.

River Heritage Park in Carmel sits right along the White River and is SO much more than just a…read moreplayground. There's one main playground with: * Swings * Climbing structures * Spinning equipment * An interactive game on a rubber surface * Two shaded picnic tables But here's where this park gets really fun Take the hard, rubberized trail through the park and you'll find three mini play areas scattered along the trail. And THIS is where you'll find the zipline! I've checked out a lot of parks around Hamilton County, and this is one of the longest and fastest free ziplines I've found. There's also a slide just past the zipline, and if you keep walking, you can make your way to White River overlooks. A few things to know: The main playground doesn't have much shade There is shade along the trail Bathrooms are available The rubberized trail is smooth and much easier on your joints than mulch or uneven trails It's basically a playground + mini playground adventure + scenic walk + White River views all in one. And did I mention the zipline is FREE?!

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.