My 2 year-old and I LOVED this playground (and the pun in the name is just amazing)!…read more When you walk in, you're immediately greeted with a shaded parent area. This is great if you have older kids, but since there are two (that I saw) other entrances, it's still best to follow behind younger kids if you want to make sure they don't leave the park. There is an area called Tot Lot for toddlers, which is a scaled-down version of the rest of the park with baby swings, smaller slides, climbing structures, mounted instruments, etc. We spent some time here, but my son was really drawn to the main playground. The main area is truly a wonderland for littles. With ramps, slides, swings, ropes, obstacles, and a zip line, there is never a dull moment. We visited on a day that was about 90 degrees, so there were only 1-2 other families with us at a time, but the kids that were there all gathered in the shade beneath the main structure. There was fun to be had even under there, with the different ceiling heights and areas making playing tag or hide & seek a blast for everyone. Personally, my favorite part was the large, adult-sized swing (I regretfully did not get a photo... because I was on it the whole time!). It's a standalone swing that is supported by 4 cables. The actual seat is so comfortable it makes me wonder why all playgrounds don't have these! I imagine it's truly for older kids with different abilities, but on a slow day it was my perch. I could see the whole park, including under the main structure and 2/3 entrances, so I just enjoyed the breeze while my son played tag with his new friends. There is also a picnic area and restroom building that looked nice from far away, but we did not check them out. The whole place seems very structurally sound and well-maintained. I was positive it must be brand new because of the quality, so imagine my surprise on the way out when I noticed it had last been renovated in 2014 (11 years ago). Overall, if I could give this playground 10 stars I would. Great job, Valparaiso!

This is likely one of the best playgrounds that we have recently visited…read more We arrived early on a Sunday morning before it got busy. The vast playground has a rubbery ground and is consisted of a section for young toddlers and a larger area for older children. We have two young, energetic daughters so we gained quite a bit of steps in chasing after them as they kept running between the different play areas. I am under the impression that either everything is brand new or incredibly well-maintained. The playground equipment appear to be high-end with exceptional diversity and quality. There are several wooden structures, multi-level jungle-gyms, swings, climbing structures, slides, monkey bars with different height levels, and zip line. Several themes were highlighted in the play spaces too - from fire trucks to solar systems to Vikings. There was never a dull moment in the two hours that we spent there.

This is a very nicely kept area. Very relaxing walk, beautiful flowers and greenery. It took about…read more15-20 mins to walk around the park.

This was a beautiful Botanical Garden! There was plenty of street parking right in front of the…read moreentrance. The property was full of beautiful flowers, lush greenery, and bright colors. There was so much to take in! It's a great place for a photoshoot, relaxation, or just enjoying nature! There were a few groups relaxing around the gardens on benches or in the gazebos. Over the small bridge was a stream and a small pond with koi fish & turtles. I wasn't able to see any of the fish in the pond. The water was pretty murky, but a few did pop up. I was able to spot a few turtles! I had a fun time exploring the botanical gardens. The property was very clean and well maintained. It was extremely peaceful & a nice escape from the normal day to day to experience nature's beauty!

Great place to visit if you need a little nature. Be sure to look up the hours before you go if…read moreyou want to get the full experience.

Deep River County Park is a really nice park to visit. We've been here numerous times. Sometimes…read morejust to walk the trails, other times to visit the museum and gift shop. During the summer the Deep River Grinders play vintage baseball on scheduled Sundays. They are so much fun to watch and interact with. It's a great time for all, young and old alike! We highly recommend you come and watch a great game of baseball!

I recently attended a wedding at Foundation Meadows Park. The venue is stunning, featuring…read morebeautiful outdoor spaces and a very cool gazebo, perfect for a memorable celebration!

Great park with 3 levels of slides. Beautiful walking paths and public bathrooms. Entire play area…read morehas rubber pellets to protect the kids when they fall. Trust me, they will fall, they are kids!!! Two covered pavilions that make for a great place to have a meal/snack. This park is less crowded than ValPlayso while valplayso has more to do!!! This park is one of the many reasons Valparaiso, IN is an amazing place to visit and live!!

Beautiful clean park! Nice neighborhood, very well taken care of and the equipment was very fun for…read moremy kids!

This is a very good park to visit and spend time. It has a little bit of everything. You do have to…read morepay an entrance fee during the summer months. There is ample parking once you get in though. The park has a little lake that you can swim in (if a lifeguard is precent). Around the beach/lake is a walking path, that does get a bit narrow in some parts. It is paved and well maintained. There is also covered pavilions around the park there are 4 decent sized ones with grills. One even has a patio that overlooks the beach/lake.In addition to the large and medium sized pavilions, there are a few personal sized ones scattered about the park. At the front of the park is an adequate baseball field. It is well groomed and ready to play on. Next to the ball field is a full basketball court. It is nice and has a smooth new looking deck. The rims are in good repair and have adjustable heights. I would love to shoot a few airballs here. In the back of the park is a dog park that is basically a fenced in area with a bench placed in there for you to sit and watch your pooch frolic. Behind the entrances to the lake is a sand volleyball court that needs a little TLC. The net was down while I was there, but did not look like it would take much to get the court back up and running. The park has two playground areas. The bigger of the playground areas is next to the baseball field. It has some pretty updated and newer equipment including, see-saws, merry go rounds, rock climbing walls, swings, rocking animals, a saucer swing and slide. The ground is covered in wood chips and has rubber mats in high traffic areas such as under the swings. The playground is very impressive. The other playground is by the lake entrance and is ok, but not as nice as the one on the other side. It has a set of the older style swings and a small jungle gym with a slide. Both play areas are accessible though, which is cool. I really like this park and was surprised that this is the first review. You can spend an entire day here and not even know it. There is a lot to do and it is a very relaxing place. It is well maintained and has a friendly staff. definetley a must visit.

Coffee Creek is a terrific place for light hiking in Chesterton. The trails are maintained making…read moreit accessible for everyone.

A very cute nature preserve. It's not very big. I walked the whole thing in under 2 hours, and…read morethat was stopping and taking pictures and enjoying my surroundings. Multiple little bridges, a pond, and even an amphitheater. There are multiple benches throughout the park and there is a pavilion. Super cute. Beautiful area. I recommend checking it out.

Nice park with children's playground. In the winter you can rent skis for cross country skiing…read more Beautiful trees & trails. Bird feeders with lots of bird species.

Stopped here to check out the winter scenery. There was not enough snow for cross country skiing…read more Want to go back when the conditions are right. Nice park but a little out of the way for me. I am sure it looks totally different every season. Walked by their bird feeder and spotted a few unique birds. It was a nice nature reset.

Wonderful visit! Our family of 10 ages from 93-3 all found something to love! Well planted…read moregardens and wonderful wildflower prairie full of multi-colored plants and tall grasses. Lots of birds to watch. Thoughtful train garden with working model trains on a huge layout. It told the history of trains in America including laying the first tracks to Civil War and Lincoln's funeral train up to current passenger and freight trains. Every detail was perfect from a Bald Eagle in the "mountains " to the Golden Spike where East met West. Many bridges added to the thorough details! A walk to another area included the "Adventure" garden witch was more like a farm garden. It included chickens, goats, rabbits and turkeys as well as vegetables in raised beds. Further along under the canopy of tall trees was a new Music Garden with "instruments " that mimicked the sounds of nature. This visit did not have time to include everything this arboretum had to offer -- so we will definitely be back!!!

The adventure garden is small, but cute! This was well done for little explorers. It would be nice…read moreif the train ran a bit more regularly in the model train gardens, and the playground near the trains could use a little TLC. There were nice trails and a beautiful atmosphere overall!