"Why do you have to say that there's always someone who can…read moredo it better than I can? But don't you think that I know that walking on the water won't make me a miracle man?" (Elvis Costello) There are four baseball fields in a park where Asylum Avenue and Trout Brook Drive meet in West Hartford. Three of the fields are used by the WH Little League. The fourth field is different. You might say it's a Miracle Field. This field was designed for physically and cognitively challenged players. The playing field is built with a soft rubberized surface that is fully wheelchair accessible. Instead of raised bases and a pitching mound, these features are painted into the field's flat surface. The  base paths, distance from the pitchers mount to home plate, and outfield fence distances are shorter than regular Little League fields. Other than these tweaks and accommodations, the Miracle Field looks very much like a  typical Little League field. Fundraising for the Miracle Field started in 2008, and through private, corporate, philanthropic and governmental entities, over $800,000 was raised to construct not only the field but a playground, restroom and concession facilities that were accessible to all. In 2012, the Miracle League Field opened as the first of its kind in New England. Their website says it's still the only one of its kind in Connecticut.

Wonderful playground in West Hartford, parking can be tricky as you park in the old UCONN parking…read morelot off Trout Brook. Drive to back of the lot where you will see a row of handicap parking spots and a small wooden bridge. The ball fields and playground are extremely well maintained with restrooms for your use. Our 2yr old had a wonderful time, love the ground covering. There are several picnic tables there are well if you want to bring a snack/meal with trash & recycling containers.

"Same hurt in every heart Same trailer, different park"…read more(Kacey Musgraves) Charter Oak Park was unexpectedly one of the biggest and best parks we've seen in Connecticut. When you pull into the parking lot the park doesn't look that big, but as we walked around we were so surprised to see it keeps going and going on and on like a peaceful Energizer Bunny. We saw a playground, a dog park, basketball courts, murals, the East Coast Greenway walking/biking path, a waterfall, and a bridge to name just a few. The Greenway was beautiful, very flat, very wide with lots of pretty scenery and water views. If you want a low impact place to walk, its perfect. We saw a second path up to the Dog Park, but that was on a rather steep incline, so we passed on it. But the two very coolest things we saw were a student decorated fence and a Rotary Musical Garden. The fence project involved a five foot high vinyl chain link fence collaboration between the Cheney Tech Carpentry Program, Country Carpenters of Hebron, and Home Depot. Students had painted squares of wood to represent their interests, so we saw hockey, music, nature and books among the hundreds of miniature works of art. The squares were mechanically attached through the fence into a second square on the other side of the fence, essentially locking them into place, The musical Garden has multiple big xylophones in all kinds of shapes and sizes and big colorful bongo drums. You can have a blast making cool noises as you engage with each of the music stations. Truth be told, Charter Oak Park was fantastic.

Charter Oak Park is definitely a diamond in the rough. Though it's not located in the most…read morebeautiful neighborhood, it's new and has so much to do! The park has a playground with 2 main play structures (one for 2-5 year olds, one for 5-12 year olds), baby and regular swings, a music garden, 4 basketball courts, 2 tennis courts, 3 baseball fields, a great paved walking path, several picnic tables, real restrooms, and a big empty field. I visited on a Wednesday morning with my toddler and we had a blast! We spend most of our time on the playground and in the music garden. The play structure for younger kids is on the small side but still has some fun features. It has a rock they can climb up, ladders, some fake stumps, and 2 slides (including a side-by-side). There's also a cool thing about 4 kids can sit in while it is being spun by an adult or another child from outside. My almost 2 year old navigated this whole structure with ease. The second play structure for older kids was very fun. It had a lot of different obstacles to climb including rock walls, different nets and webs, ladders, a balance beam... the list goes on. It also had a very cool swing that was almost like a zip line with a seat to sit on. The two play structures are not divided by anything, so my toddler moved back and forth between the two. He could navigate some of it by himself but I definitely had to stay close by or climb with him. There are many places for a smaller child to fall from and climbing obstacles that were just too big. However, this playground would definitely have more for a 12 year old to do than many I have seen for this same age. Finally, we visited the music garden. It was beautiful, even with the cooler weather setting in. The landscaping and shrubbery was well done and kept and all the instruments were still in great shape.

Great Park in Rocky Hill but very different from Elm Ridge Park…read more In contrast to Elm Ridge, Maxwell Park boasts a fenced in area to play street hockey, soccer fields, and two tennis courts. The park also has several vending machines for soda's and energy drinks. Similar to Elm Ridge Park, Maxwell Park has a playground, a covered pavilion for picnics and two softball fields. It is also very clean and the grounds are well maintained by the town.

Very nice Park; Clean with a Tennis Court; Deck Hockey rink fenced in; softball/baseball field and…read moresoccer field. There is a play area for kids; there is plenty of parking and even a handicap porta potty. There is a water fountain and soda/energy drink vending machine.

"Leave your cares behind come with us and find The pleasures…read moreof a journey to the center of the mind" (Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes) Center Springs Park is a serene and beautiful park smack in the center of Manchester. During our stroll around the park, we found a nicely maintained walking path cutting through the greenery and up to the park's free Disc Golf course. Just show up and shoot a round, as long as you bring along your own discs. The centerpiece of the park is a six-acre pond with three water fountains shooting streams of water high into the air. There were two long boardwalk bridges over the lake which gave us some nice views of fish and ducks hanging out in the lake. Throw in a playground, a gazebo/pavilion, picnic space, and some public art sculptures, and you have everything you need to spend some relaxing time in a pretty location.

This park should be a hidden gem in Manchester. If it hadn't been riddled with trash I might have…read morecalled it as such. Manchester should do better with it's parks. Taxes are certainly high enough.

Wonderful hidden gem especially for families with small children. They have trails a barn with…read moreanimals and the playground which our children loved.

This is my first time coming here, and I definitely need to return to explore the whole grounds!…read more There is plenty of parking upon entering and a dog park right near the parking lot There is an animal barn, a tobacco museum, picnic areas, a community garden, a maple sugar house, a nature center, a soccer field and 12 miles worth of hiking trails!! This could definitely be an all day adventure.

Crandall Park has a lot going on for a little park in a small (at least population wise) town…read more Tennis courts, playscapes/swings, baseball fields, soccer fields, volleyball, pavilions, hiking/biking trails, including a fairly short handicap-accessible (and stroller friendly) paved path through the woods, ponds/fishing, rentable rec hall/cabin, a beach with a pond/swimming area and float, restrooms, plenty of paved parking. I wouldn't suggest driving too far to visit, but it's a good place overall for a quick bit of afternoon activity for anyone fairly local. The trails are admittedly confusing at times if you go into the back areas due to too many hikers and clearly mountain bikers creating their own alternate routes, but the park is small enough that you should be fine even if you get lost. Bring some water and a cell phone just in case, and ideally print out or take a picture of the trail map if you start in a location where there's a sign. The trails are also notably non-rewarding other than in terms of getting out in the woods get getting exercise. The park also feels generally safe, and the paths and trails are wide enough (particularly the main ones near all the amenities, that you can easily pass people, walk multiple people side-by-side, etc.

Clean,fun park off of I-84 in Tolland Ct. most notably this park contains a trail for ADA,…read moreproximately 6/10 of a mile all paved for those that are unable to ambulate!

Not sure where my wife ends up finding theses things but she does and we end up tagging along to…read moreeventually have fun at the end of the day and this was one of those days. Nightfall is an qnnuall event happening since 2012 which includes plays and puppetry. We came in a little after sunset so the kids missed out on pre event fun at the park which includes slides and swings. Perfect for family night picnic with great performers. Look forward for the next year even but better planned.

Has great potiential. Needs monitoring by authorities. Should go early on in the day.... Many…read moreadults drinking alcohol in the parking lit in broad day light. Honestly, they had no care if anyone saw them

Cute little park. Very easy walking trails, well maintained. The bridge is great for scenic…read morephotos. Small pond with a beach. Restrooms fairly clean.

Great place to spend family time and enjoy the sun or go for walks very relaxing place to be and…read moregreat picnic grill area