The Most Flavorful Parks in Columbus

Hannah Mayne Park

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Tucked away, clean and cute! Perfect little hidden park! They have picnic benches and a charcoal grill! There are 2 baby swings and 2 standard swings as well as 5 slides. Seems to be a hang out for kids when not in school, so if you have young ones I'd plan accordingly. Playground is all one unit aside from swings. Toddler to like 10 y/o would be my recommendation."

Ben Hanby Park

★★★★☆ 3.8 (5)

"I think this is a pretty cool park. They built it just a few years ago so it's pretty new, or at least parts of it are new. There's history about an old train station that used to be there. There's a bunch of picnic tables under an awning and also some picnic tables out in the sunshine. There's a park with a climbing wall type structure that looks pretty cool. I'm almost 30 so there's no way I've gotten the courage to climb it yet. Maybe one day. Lol There's a few different jungle gym pieces and quite a few swings. Also a handicap swing which is so neat and inclusive. There's a little water park for the kids in the summertime and large swing benches along the water park which are fun to sit on in any weather. It's very relaxing there and we sometimes take books or snacks and sit in the grassy patch to enjoy watching life go by on nice sunny days. There's a Dairy Queen right down the road from here so sometimes we walk there first and bring treats back to enjoy in the park. Our pup likes the kids size peanut butter sundae best. There really is a lot jampacked in a small area here but this is a pretty neat park to have close to home. If I had kids I could definitely see myself spending a day here. Kids seem to love the water park that shoots water out of the ground. I mean, how could they not love that?! Lol I love it and I'm an adult!"

Lower Olentangy Urban Arboretum

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"I drive by this every once in awhile, and finally decided to stop and check it out. As the name suggests, it is an "urban arboretum." Essentially, they have maps to guide you to interesting flora in the neighborhood. There is a parking lot across from the school (built about 100 years ago, and architecturally interesting.) There are signboards with maps of walking routes, and you can go online and print them out too.The area is full of interesting species, and of course the nearby ravines are cool in themselves. My brother, an urban planner and arborist, would have loved this. Walk the neighborhood taking in the quaint houses, and checking out different trees. Mainly there are lots of varieties of maples and oaks, of course, but there are shagbark hickories, black walnuts, pawpaws, etc.I'm glad there are so many people working to preserve the trees and ravines. For more info on the ravines you can check out http://www.friendsoftheravines.org/"

Sunpoint Park

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Super cute park! The equipment is in excellent condition and not stuff you see at every park. If you come here though it is pretty busy usually . There is also a field where practices typically take place. There is also soccer nets and a basketball court. There is several picnic tables to sit (with covering) and watch your kids or there's tons of things for you to interact with them."

Bicentennial Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (78)

"I've been here a few times already to bike around. They also have festivals down here as well.Parking is easy to find if it's not busy. We found parallel parking with no issue.On a Sunday early afternoon, there weren't a ton of people around. Mostly families.I love seeing green spaces. It's beautiful to take walks, or for kids to play, or for taking out your dog.The bridges are beautiful! Small, but wonderful. Makes me love this city a little more."

Rocky Fork Metro Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (20)

"This is a nice park for walking. Great trails and there is one for off-leash dogs, which is cool. There is a dog park, restrooms, and plenty of parking. There is even a horse trail, which perplexed me. Do you bring your horse in a trailer to the park, rde a bit, then go home? Maybe for people in the area who have horses? Unsure, but interesting.It is next to Bevelhymer Park, and you can connect easily. We usually walk over that way too."

Ambassador Commons Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"A great, mid-size neighborhood park. Playground not too far from the street, then some rolling open green space with big trees in the back. Baby K loved the playground: 3 slides, lots of climbing areas, etc. Not a huge playground, but there must be something special about it, since she was so into it. Swings nearby, and a little hill farther back that kids were rolling down (including Baby K eventually.)She enjoyed that fairly compact play equipment so much that I priced it online. I figured since it was small, it might not be outrageous. You don't want to know. Street parking in a quiet neighborhood. Clean. No benches or tables that I could see. Just room to run and play, and a playground. Good enough, when you're a kid. And a standout due to the playground."

Whetstone Park of Roses

★★★★★ 4.6 (122)

"I was so happy to catch the roses in bloom. Still one of my favorite places in Columbus."

Everal Barn & Homestead

★★★★★ 4.7 (6)

"This was our 2nd time coming to this park. First time was couple of years ago for Halloween, trick or treat event. They did a great job in decorating the place for Halloween. This time around, we accidentally came across this place. We were driving home from visiting another place and saw the holiday lights from the street and went to see which place had these beautiful lights. And lo and behold its Everal Barn. They did a fantastic job decorating the barn and the area around it with the lights. You can park the car, walk around and take pictures. It's definitely worth a visit."

Village Green Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (11)

"I've lived here for over five years now, and this park has been a summer staple for my boys and I. From the summer events, to the splash pad, to the play ground, it's always been a well kept place for us to go and relax, maybe have a picnic, or just burn off some energy on a nice day.Maybe it's the proximity to the police station, or the always clean bathrooms that help. Ha."

Thompson Park

★★★★☆ 4 (3)

"This is a nice little park in New Albany sequestered between a neighborhood and a country club. They have a decent playground, a couple of air buildings for indoor sports, a nice bathroom facility, and a walking trail that appeared to connect to some other neighborhood trails. The park sign said it closed at dusk, which we didn't realize until we left after dark. It didn't occur to us to leave earlier because all the lights were still on in the shelter and bathroom area, and the bathrooms stayed unlocked! There weren't many other lights but we were just sitting in the shelter since no one else was there. There is a shelter that is reservable--we saw signs on it from previous reservations that weekend, but I'm not sure how much it is. There's little enough city light around that you can actually do some stargazing after dark. All in all this is a great park!"

ML "Red" Trabue Nature Reserve

★★★★☆ 4.2 (5)

"Contrary to what is stated this park is not closed!!! I just spent about an hour there just walking the trails which are very nicely maintained. You can walk, run or bike just watch out for the walnuts and wet leaves in the fall. Besides very well maintained pathways there's a lot of nature. For you bird lovers this is amazing place to watch birds. Bring the kids and the dogs! There's a log cabin which you can't get into but is fun to look at and read a little about it's history. There are several bridges over clean streams. Another fantastic local park for photographers from beginners to professionals to take some amazing pictures. Other people whom I encountered along the way were friendly and kind. It made for a lovely walk!"

Barthelmas Park

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"Saw this driving by, Baby K was keeping her eyes peeled for playgrounds and saw one, so we circled back. Big park, on a bit of a slope, ballfields and shelters, I think a restroom building. We were solely there for the playground, and it was pretty nice. Two small playsets plus a toddler one. Equipment in good shape, plenty of variety. A couple old-school swings. Lots of slides, climbing places, etc. A bouncy horse. She loved it all."

Ted Klatenback Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"What a wonderful park it's a huge property with plenty of room. They have a lot of activities going on there. I went there for a picnic and they have a nice picnic area that is covered. They have baseball fields. They have sand volleyball courts and they have a beautiful well-maintained path that you can walk around on. The grounds are well taken care of. They have a new improved playground, and I appreciated the fact that the restrooms were available and open."

Gantz Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (7)

"Beautiful moderately sized gardens which have some beautiful varied flowers and herbs at this time. Lots of walking and jogging trail. A shallow creek to play in. A playground and a barn which are probably open when CoVid isn't around. Very sunny but plenty of benches and spots of shade."

Dexter Falls Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (7)

"I love this park for exactly what it is. It's a small, basic residential park that has basketball courts, a playground and a really nice walking area. I typically go here in the morning; me and my Maltese puppy enjoy walking here in the morning it's not really crowded and it's always super clean I never have any problems with trash or dog poop or anything. Of note, several of the homes back into this park. Therefore you can see directly into many of the yards and it can feel weird. Like people are watching you. Or maybe I'm just a wierdo lol."

Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens

★★★★★ 4.6 (12)

"The Chadwick is awesome. For starters, it's free to walk around, I mean, how could they stop you? Secondly, they have an amazing array of plant life all over the grounds, very carefully planted in groupings that make sense visually. I had a really good time walking through. There's a really awesome wisteria hanging garden that's like something out of a Tolkien novel. I was pretty mesmerized by it. I can't remember the age, but I think it's a significantly old vine. They have a few Friends of the Garden sales every year, as well as a patch of garden for new hybrids that Ohio growers make and test here. There is a giant stone maze that you can walk, it's circular and surrounded by some interesting plant life of its own. Supposed to be therapeuticThat only accounts for about a third of the arboretum! There's a section along Lane Ave with bigger plants, trees and such, and another portion over near some parking lots and the 4H Center. A really nice option for a cheap yet romantic date, or a good learning experience if you take a guided tour."

Whitehall Community Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"The Whitehall Community Park YMCA just opened, and it is beautiful! This new Y has an indoor soccer field, brand new state-of-the-art exercise equipment, child care, after-school programming and a demo kitchen.Classes include zumba, barre, body pump, vinyasa yoga, stretching, interval training, strength training, silver sneakers, meditation and hip hop line dancing. The spin classes are located by a window wall overlooking trees and grass. There are lockers, showers, lounges and musical instruments, and free coffee till 2 p.m. I was very impressed!"

Schnormeier Gardens

★★★★★ 4.8 (12)

"Gwen W and I met up to ride together & tour the grounds. I was not familiar with this place at all. I was glad to do it once, but probably won't return.It was a rainy day, and we needed umbrellas for most of it. There are no paths, so you are walking in the grass from garden to sculpture to building to house and back. There is organized parking, and a nice welcome center where you get instructions/directions/brochures. The volunteers are very nice. They also sell some hats/tees. One of the owners was there, as I recognized him from the photos.You can walk around the home but there is no inside admittance.It is very pretty and apparently they sell out every summer, so time is of the essence to purchase tickets (it's by the carload)."

Taylor Farm Park

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"There's a great new park in New Albany! Taylor Farm Park is located on 161 between Hamilton Rd and Harlem Rd. At 5526 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.Taylor Farm has been around since the 1800s, and nearly 100 acres make up the park which has just finished stage 1 of development. There are two and a half miles of paved paths throughout the park, and a new playground with ropes and towers to climb. You can see cranes, ducks, blue herons and all kinds of other native wildlife in the wetlands throughout the park. The paths have bridges to negotiate the low areas around the water.There is parking near the entrance off 161, and more of the park is being developed as the project moves into the next phases. But for now you'll enjoy a nice walk through nature in a great part of town."

Battelle Riverfront Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (8)

"All these parks downtown blend together that it's hard to know which is which.I've been down here last summer to ride the COGO bikes with friends. It's pretty! And I love that there's green space in the downtown area.I came here again during an afternoon break with co workers. We walked around a bit. I saw others who probably work downtown doing the same thing.It's so calming. And again, we need to promote green space! I saw some people kayaking on the river. I'll have to try that next time!"

Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park

★★★★★ 4.7 (67)

"It is one of my goals to visit all of the metro parks in the greater Columbus area. Only a few more to go! They have all been very enjoyable and Darby Creek is no exception. It is huge and there are several entrances, so checking out the online park map ahead of time would have been a good idea. I wish I had known to park at the nature center to see the bison. Next time. Ended up at the Ohio to Erie trailhead and it was very scenic with all of the fall foliage. The trees were turning and the colors were so pretty."

Heather Glen Park

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"This is a nice park located in the Heather Glen subdivision, featuring a large greenspace, a wetland/pond area, a playground, a gazebo with picnic tables, and a small path that leads into the woods. There are several benches available near the playground with a little shade. The playground is great - baby and traditional swings, a musical area, and a tower structure with a lot of great activities - several styles of slides, multiple climbing areas, a fun racing toy that two kids can race cars (provided) on, and more! The greenspace is great for bringing picnic blankets, soccer balls, frisbees, or the like."

Slate Run Living Historical Farm

★★★★★ 4.9 (19)

"Bro, this place is really fantastic. It's like a working farm; there are so many animals that your kids are going to blow a gasket. Bring them here man, it's awesome."

Goodale Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (106)

"A nice urban oasis tucked in between the Short North and the entrance to 670 freeway. The elephant fountain is a highlight, and there was a live band playing in the gazebo which made for a perfect background. There are plenty of places to sit a spell in the shade. It appears to be kept up pretty well, other than needing some weed killer and some love for the rundown tennis courts. I am always a fan of green space in the heart of a city."

Columbus Commons

★★★★☆ 4.3 (104)

"Love the Commons! And I especially love that this city has done a great job putting green space in the downtown area. It's so refreshing!I was walking through the Commons on my way to lunch. Lots of others sit at some of the outdoor tables or walk around on their break. It wasn't extremely busy, but there were a good number of people walking around and sitting.They have food trucks every Thursday during the lunch hour and often have events here.They also do free movies!It was such a fresh breath of air to walk through it and I'll probably walk through it again as much as I can!"

Jeffrey Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"This is a nice park located behind the Jeffrey Mansion. There are quite a few amenities available, plus a nice sized greenspace. Near the parking area are the tennis courts and what looks like the pool area beyond that (closed this time of year - November - of course). If you head past the greenspace, you will find a very nice shelterhouse with restrooms (open during warmer parts of the year) and a lot of picnic tables, the playground, and the trailheads to stroll through the forest. The playground has limited weekday hours, as described on plentiful signage around it. Weekend hours were 8 am to dark right now. It offers a fenced-in area for the youngest kids with a climbing structure, a little house, and the like. The larger play area offers slides, climbing options, monkey bars, a moving balance beam, bridges, and more. There are also baby swings available. If you head into the woods, you will find great views of Alum Creek, which runs along the western side of the park. There's a nice boardwalk that takes you right down the hill up towards it to check it out and see any wildlife that might be nearby. The trees are overwhelmingly a bright yellow right now, which was a perfect pick-me-up on a cloudy day. There are benches and picnic tables also available near the woods and trailheads."

Hannah Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (10)

"Beautiful park I was surprised to find in Gahanna. The place looks new and very well kept. The trail is simple but sufficient for a stroll or run but its not like the hiking adventure locales of Blendon woods or Highbanks. The playground is impressive and my friends toddlers loved it. The enclosed picnic/seating area with a view of the pond is really pretty and would nice for an event."

Dublin Kiwanis Riverway Park

★★★★☆ 4.2 (5)

"I come to this area constantly and I have for years and I never even knew about this place. It's so cute. Going down there and seeing the water and all the greenery makes you forgot how big of a city is just right above you. The paths and benches seem to all be overgrown but it was a very beautiful little area. I sat down there for a while under the gazebo at the table and drank some coffee late yesterday afternoon. It's a great place to come and just sit and watch the ducks and water. I even found a geocache while I was down there."

Heritage Park

★★★★☆ 4 (6)

"They did a great job hosting the Westerville Music & Arts festival here. The staffers working the event were all really welcoming and we were able to park at one of the designated lots easily. The parking map was a bit confusing, but it all worked out. It was laid out well throughout the park and you could enjoy the live music from several musical acts as you walked around to all of the vendor tents. Park has a small pond and a paved walking path."

Deshler Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Baby K loved the playground, and that was the reason we were there, so five stars. As a park in general, maybe three or four: huge open spaces, only a few trees though, and a big parking lot. Not many other amenities. A workout area, pretty far from the playground and surrounded by a flock of geese. Some benches and picnic tables. But: two playsets, one big, one small. A "zipline" thing where a kid (or adult) can hold on and slide across. Big variety of things to do."

Weinland Park

★★★★☆ 4.2 (5)

"This park is sooo close to campus! I've driven by it multiple times but never paid attention.I came on a Saturday just before noon to help out with an event that the Civic Association puts on.There were tons of other organizations tabling, a DJ, and police on horses. The neighborhood is predominantly black, so that's who I mostly saw, along with white and Hispanic people here and there.There's a playground and basketball courts.Most of the policemen were white and I was glad to see that they were engaging with some of the people in the park. With the current issues of police brutality and racism, it's good to see that people want to dismantle such barriers and prejudices. I even saw one white policemen dancing with the African American kids. It was beautiful!!!Brutus, OSU's mascot also stopped by. How fun!! I took a picture with him since I have never seen him on campus.It's such a wonderful park and I'm glad that the community came together for this event!I'm interested in volunteering again here!One downside is parking. The lot is tiny!! I parked in the fire lane (oops!), but so did others. Parking around here isn't easy, so maybe park close to campus if all the spots are filled."

Highgate Playground

★★★★★ 4.8 (4)

"Great little playground with a big kid and little kid side. My kiddos also liked exploring the forest area and riverbank nearby. We had to park on the street in the nearby neighborhood but only a 20 second walk down the path. Felt very safe and the only "downsides" it has is no parking lot and no bathroom."

The Topiary Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (89)

"Unique; don't miss!Worth a trip from afar, for art loversOn a weekday in October, I found free parking on a side street right around the corner from the park entrance.I think the park opens at 11AM; luckily, I didn't come too earlyPretty flowers and several benches, too"

Hilliard Municipal Park

★★★★☆ 3.8 (17)

"This is for the HFAC which stands for Hilliard Family Aquatic Center. It is located at Hilliard Municipal Park. We have purchased family memberships for the past two years in March to take advantage of the early bird discount. We have the keychain passes which they scan upon entry. Note: if you forget yours, you are out of luck and have to pay cash because they will not look you up by name. We always make a point of arriving on weekends when they open at noon so we can get a lounge chair. They do make announcements that these chairs are for people 18 and over, but there are still those who let their children use them. I'm shaking my fist. The kiddie pool is very fun for the younger kids; they have slides, fountains, and a bucket that dumps water when the bell rings (similar to Zoombezi Bay but smaller). The lazy river is cool to walk or float through, although there never seems to be enough rafts. There are two water slides in a separate pool, and another pool just for laps. The big pool has the shallow section with steps, as well as a kid slide on the opposite side. The lifeguards get younger every year, but seem pretty well trained. They are good about checking heights for the slides. They don't allow goggles on the kid slide. They sell swim diapers for $1.00 (cash only). They allow you to bring in coolers and your own food, even though they have a snack bar. I always see outside pizza delivery too. There are also plenty of big umbrellas for shade, and lots of grass.FYI for 2018 season. They are no longer allowing kids (or anyone I guess) to wear mermaid fins in the water. My granddaughter was very disappointed. Now the only place she can swim with it is at a private pool. They also no longer allow inflatable swim rings unless they are all clear. One plus: they can scan passes if you have them saved on your phone (I have them on the key ring app)."