The Best Playgrounds in Indianapolis

Forest Manor Park

★★☆☆☆ 2 (4)

"This park has plenty of shade on the north end, baseball fields on the south end, and a playground and parking lot in the middle. There is also street parking all along the park, so you don't have to travel far to the specific part of the park you wish to use.The playground has some swings and climbing equipment with slides. There are some benches for adults to rest while supervising. Not a lot of equipment, but sufficient.Access is easiest from 21st Street. Forest Manor road does not go through to 16th, so you have to know your way around to get to the park from the south.Review #576"

Cornerstone Lutheran Church Fishers

★★★★★ 4.9 (7)

"The play area at Cornerstone is the perfect place for your little ones to get their wiggles out! The facility is very clean and enclosed so you can easily keep an eye on your kids while they have fun.There are 2 play areas: one area for 3 and under and the other for 3 to 12. You enter the play facility and sign in and the kids are free to play! Socks are required, but if you forget, there are socks to borrow.This facility is not a drop off! You will need to supervise your angles while they play. Current hours are 8 to 1 and 4 to 7 Monday through Friday, closed Saturday, and noon to 3 Sundays."

Dan Wakefield Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (8)

"Here is another nice park for the folks in Broad Ripple. This one features tennis and volleyball courts, a splash park, a playground for kids, and a small swing playground for toddlers. There is a shelter with picnic tables but I didn't see a grill. There are restrooms and a water fountain available during park season. There is shade for adults who might not be participating in the splash park. Note: I thought the tennis courts looked like they were in really good condition compared to many I've visited.Review #595"

Simon Moon Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (4)

"This 6 acre park is located south east of downtown Westfield and is connected to several hiking/biking trails that run through the area. The biggest feature is the sledding hill which has two slopes: The south which is more modest and the east which is shorter, but steeper. In summer months, it could be fun for kids to run or roll down.There is a shelter and a building that offers restrooms. Besides the shelter is a small kids playground that has a number of unique pieces...not your ordinary tubes/slides/swings. One of the things I found appealing was a fire pit with seating. It could be a fun spot for adults while the kids played. My only question is that if the park closes at sunset, does someone kick you out if you are sitting around the fire?Review #761"

Proctor Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"This is a very nice park with the front part being a heroes memorial and the back part being for family gatherings with shelters, playgrounds, and a fishing pond. There are several memorials including flags with fountains, numerous dedication plaques, and many bricked sections with names of veterans and other folks who serve and protect. There is also a paved path the leads from the parking lot around the parking lot and extends down to the southern end shelter and playground. A water fountain and benches can also be found along the pond. My only negatives are that there are no restrooms in the park and there is no parking near the rear playground & shelter. The front pairing is very close to the lot. The rear would be a pain to lug supplies from the car to the shelter unless you have a cooler on wheels. The park seemed to be in good condition with the only exception being that it needed a good mowing and a weed spraying for the small starts coming up through some of the bricks in the fountain memorial.Review #867"

Arsenal Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (7)

"The park has a variety of options for folks in the neighborhood. There is a decent playground, a garden area, basketball courts, a splash park, lots of open lawn, and some area that is enclosed with a wrap and is paved like it was some type of court but is in transition. It's kind of an eyesore as it is, so hopefully it will be adjusted soon.There is a shelter with a grill and picnic tables, but no water fountain or restroom was seen nearby. (There is a water fountain by one of the utility buildings in the middle of the park.)Although the park is big enough for hiking around, there are no paths, especially not paved ones.There is some parking in a small lot on the west side of the park. Review #593"

Leonard Park

★★★★☆ 4 (7)

"Leonard Park has a wide variety of things to do for children, big and small, and adults too! There is a really nice playground with lots of climbing equipment and a smaller version for little folks. There are also two baseball parks, several tennis courts, lots of horse shoe pits, and paved walking paths. For those who want to have "get togethers", there are a couple nice sized shelters and a permanent restroom building. There are lots of shade trees throughout the park. I also found parking on the east end as well as along the street. Not sure if there was parking on the opposite end by the second ball field.There were a quite a few benches around the playground for adults to relax on including several under the blue shade tarps to escape the sun. Note that the playground is in full sun, but only a short distance from places to take a break in the shade.The park was clean and maintained during my visit. Generally, it looked like a fun place to get some outdoor time.Review #1373"

Jimmy Nash City Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (4)

"This park has it all! If you like hiking, they have a 2 mile loop with hills to make it challenging. If you like swimming, they have an aquatic center. If you want sports, they have basketball and baseball areas. The park has numerous shelters. Some are the basic open sided types with grills and picnic tables. However, most are closed sided and look reminiscent of log cabins. And all those have their own playground equipment..some have swings, some have climbing/sliding pieces. Some have more than one!There is also a really large playground piece right by the parking lot so that you don't have to go up the hill to the shelters to have fun.And speaking of the hill, you won't believe your eyes that you're in Indiana when you see the beast they have for sledding. It doesn't look that bad from the bottom, but when you are standing on the top (or trying to walk straight up it), you get a whole new appreciation. It looks like a blast for kids!Review #633"

Wildwood Park

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"This park is relatively new and takes advantage of the greenspace near the right of way needed for the large transmission lines. The actual entrance for parking is north of the post office off Wildwood Blvd (Miller Drive) instead of Southeastern. The park has lots of paved parking located near the shelter, playground, and splash park. There is also a grill and a few picnic tables in the shelter. The rest of the park is open space with a few mature trees, just not near the shelter and playgrounds. There is even a small pond on the south end of the park that extends around the post office down to Southeastern Ave. The playground has a lot of climbing pieces that look unlike the majority of playgrounds in the area, so if your kids like climbing and want to try something new, this might be a place to try. There are no trails here, but if the grass is dry, you can walk around since the area is relatively flat and open. Review #677"

Washington Park

★★★★☆ 4.2 (10)

"The park is huge with open prairie and lawns that run from 30th to 38th street on the near east side. As many other reviews have mentioned, there is room for frisbee golf in addition to the other amenities.The north end has numerous basketball courts and a small playground by one of the shelters. There are several shelters scattered throughout the park. On the south end, a local police check-in spot lies on the southwest corner across the street from the Community Center.Near the center is a nice playground and a small pond.The park has history: The Children's Zoo was here from 1964 to 1987 before transitioning to the full zoo at White River Park in 1988. If you walk around the playground, you will see a couple pedestals, one with a frog and the other with a chimp sitting on top. If you find some old photo of the zoo, it is fun to try and see where the attractions were located. (Some are still identifiable.)If you like getting outdoors, there is plenty of room to walk or play while leaving your car in the huge lot on the south end of the park.Review #695"

Lawrence W. Inlow Park

★★★★★ 4.7 (17)

"This park is amazing and it just got a major upgrade.First, it has a great splash pad area that is always full on a hot summer days. But Carmel Clay Parks and Rec just added three new playground areas that are ah-mazing. Benches with shade for parents, fun swings and slides for kids, etc. Take a look at the pictures and you'll see what I mean.This is definitely a family-friendly park. Not much else to to besides the splash pad and playground."

Hot Shot Tot Lot

★★★☆☆ 3 (7)

"You're reading this right: Hot Shot Tot Lot! Yosemite... meh. Yellowstone... meh. Those names of parks, and those parks!, have nothing on Indy Parks's Hot Shot Tot Lot!At first I thought it was someone's yard, and they made their own "park" sign. Alas... that's a government-funded, designed, official park sign & name!Their website description isn't joking... it's mini. Like a side yard mini... It's pretty awesome that it's smack in the middle of a neighborhood. I mean... there were kids playing in the street so it makes sense to have something for them not in the street; yet... the leftover underwear and soda cups sprinkled through out might deter kids from entering. I think it might be exactly why kids in the future will be afraid of parks.... get the drift?I feel like the name calls to be more of a meet up for hipsters than really a kids' park. Let it be known... this is the best name of anything in Indianapolis. No other title can compare. So this review is really to make sure everyone is aware there is a place called Hot Shot Tot Lot, and it's right here in our fare city."

Highland Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (28)

"It's more of just a neighborhood park, but the skyline of downtown Indy is amazing from here! We had fun having a picnic and playing on the playground."

Riley Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (9)

"This park has all kinds of amenities, from sport courts, to a skate park, disc golf, a couple playgrounds, and even historic museums (jail and chapel). There are wooded areas, paved walking trails, and open spaces. Shelters and picnic tables and a gazebo are available for visitors too!The park is bisected by Brandywine Creek and the park has added a really nice footbridge to allow visitors to easily cross. And most of the time, the creek is an asset. But after heavy rains, much of the low, flat ground is overrun by the creek. During my visit two days after such an occurrence, much of the open space had standing water and even the road into the park from the southwest side of the park was underwater. The tennis courts showed signs of debris that had flowed over the court only to be deposited there. So, be mindful of weather conditions when considering using this park. Most times, it looks like it could be a fun place to spend your time.Review #788"

Sports Legends Experience

★★★★★ 5 (11)

"This place has so much going on it fun and exciting but it's a great place to learn. When entering the outdoor space there are basketball courts on your left as you move on football-hockey and soccer. And one the right there's tennis-baseball and golf. Across the back is racing with a drag strip and a race track. And you can't forget about the tree it's amazing. The day we were there there were 74 bus loads of kids so needless to said the tree was very popular and with my two year old grandson it was just to much for him. But all around the Sports Legends Experience are tracks for walking - running and a fitness path. There is something for everyone to do. Pavilions and concession and restrooms outside also."

Robey Park

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (2)

"The park appears to be much better when you first arrive, but then you realize that quite a bit of the equipment/courts you see are for the elementary school next door. The park itself has a basket ball court and tennis court (not in the best condition), swings, and a small climbing/sliding piece of equipment. The parking lot is okay, but not in the best shape either. No shelters, water, or restrooms are present. So, unless you are in the area, just drive on by to one of the other parks for more fun things to do.Review #652"

Lee Road Park

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"Here is another sports complex in Lawrence with lots of central parking. There is a small wooded area by the entrance with a shelter and playground on the north end of the parking area. It is in pretty good condition and is a nice place for a ball game, but not much else is here to draw you to the park.Review #752"

Ellis Park

★★★★☆ 4 (7)

"This park on the east end of Danville's downtown is a great addition to the town's appeal. There is an aquatic center and basketball courts on the west end. There are baseball fields and an old school wooden playground with lots of places to climb and hide in the middle. The east end of the park has a shelter with its own playground and there is an amphitheater and hiking trails through the woods. The park seems to be very functional, but is definitely showing signs of aging. I hope the town can invest in maintaining the existing gem they already have. Review #727"

Eagle Highlands Park

★★★☆☆ 3 (1)

"This park has the potential to be really cool. There is a playground and a shelter. There is a nature trail that winds for about 0.4 miles (not a loop, just end to end.) It has mature trees and creek and ditch that flow through with bridges to help hikers get through.But there are some things missing too. The shelter doesn't have a grill. There is no designated parking area. I parked along the street and I think you could probably park at Eagle Highlands Shoppes and walk through the parking lot to get to the hiking trail, but even that is too far from the playground and shelter. And sadly, there is a lot of trash along the street and even some larger trash that someone has dumped along the nature trail (too big for me to try hauling out.) The good news is that if the neighborhood next to it asked for volunteers, they could clean the park on a single day. Review #585"

Independence Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (10)

"This is a really nice park west of Greenwood near the Center Grove Schools. Although electric transmission lines run over the eastern edge of the open space (including the driveway as you enter), the playgrounds, shelters, and most of the park are far enough away to make the wires and towers nothing more than an eyesore.As you drive the winding blacktop road up to the top of the hill, you get a good view of the open area where there is a hiking trail that has some physical workout stations along the way. At the hilltop, there is a parking lot that surrounds a central shelter. A restroom building is to the right of the parking lot.Beyond the central shelter, there is a large playground that has equipment for bigger kids separated from the pieces designed for the littler ones. There is a mini basketball court beyond one of the most diverse swing set collections I've seen in Central Indiana. There are swings of all sizes and configurations so that infants and kids who need wheelchairs can enjoy a good swing!Beyond the swings is also a music area where kids can bang away on a variety of "instruments" to make music...or maybe just noise.Each end of the playgrounds has another shelter and across from the south end shelter is a full sized basketball court that seemed in good shape.I did notice that a number of the large shade trees that line the north and west edges of the park have been cut down since my last visit. Still, there is plenty of shade surrounding the playground, but none directly over the equipment. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and the park generally has hours of sunrise to sunset. Now that school is back in session, the park has few attendees during the day. But during the summer, it can get crowded quite rapidly, so plan accordingly.Review #1356"

Hummel Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (33)

"Wonderful park for the family, couples, bicyclists, runners, walkers, events, meetings, or just meets. It's a huge place with multiple entrances depending on what you're there to do. The playground area is huge. There are shelters and the bathroom buildings are always clean. There are lots of offerings for outdoor activities as well, tennis, basketball, paved path around park, and loads of parking."

Milligan Park

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"This is a great park! It has plenty of room and something for just about everybody! Some of the features are:- swimming pool and splash park- skate park- 2 playgrounds- baseball diamonds- horseshoe pits- 18 hole disc golf courseNot only does it have the fun stuff, but it also has shelters, restrooms, and a memorial to the local infantry that fought in the War with Spain. The grounds are split by a flowing creek with several bridges for easy crossing. And the north end of the park is filled with mature trees that offer lots of shade for visitors.Review #965"

Stephens Park

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"This small park has room for growth, but not much else. It sits on the end of a street and has a gravel roundabout drive which also serves as parking. There are a few trees at the perimeter of the park, otherwise, it is just bare lawn. There is a single shelter with picnic tables and a small playground behind the shelter.Unless you like privacy, there isn't much here to keep you interested.Review #650"

Dr James A Dillon Park

★★★★☆ 3.8 (17)

"This park is much larger than you see from the parking lot. It is 77.5 acres and has three distinct entrances/parking areas. Fortunately for me, there are kiosks/maps at each of the lots to show you the exhibits available at each part of the park. Note that there is a creek that runs through the park and the only place to cross by foot is on the south end.If you are bringing small kids, then the north west entrance off Edenshall Lane is the way to go. There you will find a pond, three football fields (can be used for all sorts of games and activities when no games are going on), a splash park, a playground, and a large shelter area. If you have an older kid, you might want to enter the south west entrance where there is an enclosed skate park, a picnic area, the bridge to cross over the creek, and be close to the disc golf holes.On the east end of the park, you can enter from the neighborhood and can play disk golf or attend an activity at the large pavilion. There is a lot of room and parking on the east end. I would suggest that the east end is more open space with few mature trees other than along the creek.The park seemed to be well maintained with little to know debris, even in the wooded areas.Review #743"

Olin Park

★★★☆☆ 3 (1)

"The park has nice equipment that seems to be in good condition. There is a shelter, a unique playground for climbing and swinging (unlike the standard Indy Parks equipment), and a full court basketball area. There is plenty of greenspace and a number of mature trees towards the back. It could use some fresh gravel or paving for parking which is basically parallel with the street.Review #658"

Reverend Charles R Williams Park

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"Rev. Charles R. Williams Park is Indy's latest public park. Named after the late Indiana Black Expo president and the founder of Indy's Circle City Classic, Rev. Charles R. Williams Park resulted from an over $2 million partnership between a Land and Water Conservation Funds Grant matched by Indy Parks. The park features horseshoe courts, new playground equipment, a picnic shelter, an open lawn area, a perimeter loop trail, and a connection to the Monon Trail. The space also offers a universal expression swing, rubberized surfaces in a variety of colors and patterns, an arch basket swing, a sensory cove, musical equipment, and more. The park is located within a residential area and is relatively small at about 7 acres. Parking is clearly defined, though this is very much a neighborhood park rather than a destination park. Rev. Charles R. Williams Park was officially named in 2015, though it's actual development has taken several years. The resulting park may not be Indy's fanciest park, however, it is a fine legacy for Rev. Williams's long history of community work in Indianapolis. With an official ribbon-cutting on 9/20/23, Rev. Charles R. Williams Park honors a man who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Indy's African-American residents. He became Black Expo president in 1980, initially as a volunteer before a Lilly Grant began funding staff in 1983. Rev. Williams served as Special Assistant under Mayors Lugar and Hudnut and was instrumental in the city's first observance of Black History Month. He also organized the first Indy Jazz Fest in 1989. An ordained minister, he provided leadership for several organizations and received a myriad of community awards. He passed away from cancer in 2004. If you get a chance, I'd definitely check out this latest addition to the Indy Parks network of neighborhood parks."

Grand Junction Plaza

★★★★☆ 4.4 (5)

"The newly-opened Grand Junction Plaza packs a lot of punch as a public space. Amenities are aplenty for the public to enjoy.The main plaza is an ideal gathering place for events and festivals. The cafe provides an auxiliary indoor space to supplement such events. As you loop around the plaza, there is a large greenspace and stage for concerts and movie nights. Going around the stage, you will start hitting the trails and boardwalk along the creek. The playground can be accessed by crossing the bridge to the other side of the creek. Additional greenspace is located next to the playground.Parking is limited near the plaza, but parking lots are available about a block away. There is usually shuttle service during special events.Grand Junction Plaza is well-designed and thought out as a public space. The next time you are in Westfield, take a look around and you might come away impressed."

Roberts Park & Family Aquatic Center

★★★★☆ 3.5 (2)

"Connersville has a really nice park that has something for everyone. Whether you like swimming, basketball, pickleball, tennis, or horseshoes, they have a place for it at Roberts Park. If you like watching your kids play on a variety of swings, slides, and climbing equipment scattered throughout the park, the have those here too!The park is a mature park with lots of shade trees that are greatly appreciated on days like the one I visited here. There are narrow roads that meander through the park since the place is quite large.On the south end near the aquatic center, there is an amphitheater for racing and some barns near there. I didn't see any horses during my visit, but I assume that the barns and track are for those. Must be a seasonal thing like the swimming and water slides.The park also has the Longwood Covered Bridge which was relocated here for preservation. There are a couple sculptures and a few plaques to commemorate bits of history tied to the park & Connersville.Generally, there are a lot of options for individuals. The only reason I didn't give this a five star review is that the park looks like it could use some attention. The tennis courts has cracks that have been sealed, but the scraggly white lines should have been painted over to match the court. Very distracting. Some of the older playground equipment could used a fresh coat of paint too. The garden area by the park admin building was in need of some trimming and the brick around the fountain could stand some work too. Little things, but they do separate an older park from one that has the latest features.A wish list would be a walking trail separate from the roads. I don't like having to continuously watch over my shoulder for vehicles coming up behind me, or having to walk through the grass when it's wet from dew. Otherwise, the park seems like a great place for specific activities.Review #1419"

Gateway Park

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"Went early weekend morning and we found it peaceful and clean. We usually go to another park but discovered this one which is also close by. Definitely less crowded and more age appropriate for our younger toddler son. I know there's been talk about what else people would like to see here and i would say public bathrooms or washing station would be high on my list since there's none. Lots of green space, also surrounding trails, and free parking. Notice there's decent accessibility for those on wheels too."

West Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (37)

"The perfect sized park for watching one kid or two! There's something here for both my 4 and 2 year old children. The park was very clean at 9:15am on a holiday (Labor Day). There's plenty of shaded picnic tables. Restrooms on site however I didn't need to use.... but it was nice to know that was an option. My daughter loved climbing the 'boulders' (basically a concrete wall cut into cubes of various heights) that leads up to the section of the park for older children. I really appreciate that the surface of the playground has some bounce to it and it is soft. My son's knees really appreciate it.We will return here. I didn't really understand if there is a splash pad there because the water just seemed to trickle. There appeared to be other water features kids could manipulate but weren't working."

City Center Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (13)

"The City Center Park is a great playground area for children. It is located just a block south of Main Street between US 31 and Madison. You can tell it is well maintained and has a lot of great ideas built in. For instance, the playground areas (one for toddlers, one for older kids) are elevated and have padded squares underfoot that provide good traction and a soft cushion if a little one happens to tumble. The elevation allows the runoff water to go to good use by collecting in a couple rain gardens.The trails/walkways are all paved and even though I visited on a rainy day, the paths were puddle free. There are several seating areas for parents to stay close to the playgrounds without having to stand the entire time. There is also a permanent restroom and water fountain area, so no port-o-lets on site. Parking is located along the north side of the park and there seems to be plenty.In summer months, a splash garden is also available and tennis courts are fenced in to keep stray shots from traveling too far. Overall, I think it is a great addition to the local parks in Greenwood.Review #504"

Smiley

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (89)

"Well this place is great for kids. I brought by 6-year-old son and he had a blast!When you first enter, there's the biggest ball pit I've ever seen with interactive pneumatic tubes, rotating platforms, and a nearby climbing wall and slides. Beyond that, there are more play structures and a basketball area with trampolines. In the back half of the building, there's a rice pit (basically like a sandbox, but with rice instead of sand), a very fun smaller ball pit with interactive screens - throw the balls at the video game projection and blow up the bad guys, a lego area, and a small arcade (additional purchase required).We saw dozens and dozens of kids having the best time of their life. There was a good amount of seating for adults throughout the building, so we always had a place to sit to keep an eye on the kids.There are lots of hand sanitizer stations throughout and we frequently saw workers with vacuums.We played for 3 hours and our kid could have stayed much longer. I would guess older kids might get bored more quickly, but for preschool or early elementary kids, Smiley seems like heaven.You do have to buy the Smiley grippy socks, but that's a standard penalty for play places these days.After you're done playing, hit up Bugambilias a few doors down for amazing Mexican food!"

Meadowood Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (16)

"I really liked this park. There is a private parking lot (paved) that is an easy stroll to childrens' swings and two playgrounds, to a pavilion, and to adult swings, as well. There are two shelters on the west side of the park and lots of mature trees for shade. There are paved walking paths and for older kids, there is a climbing rock that has "fossil" imprints made in the surface. The park is nicely spaced with nothing seeming too far away, but allowing the features to have their own space.There is an elementary school as a neighbor of the park, so that offers even more greenspace to the setting. Review #573"

Windsor Village Park

★★☆☆☆ 2 (1)

"Potential. There is a lot of potential at this park. There is a community center built in 2009 for indoor activities including pickle ball. There is a really nice basketball court. There is a decent playground, open space, and a shelter on the west end of the park.But the parks department website says the community center is closed until further notice. The splash park is a concrete slab with a pole sticking out. And on the west end of the park, houses on each of the corners are boarded shut. Although that doesn't mean it is unsafe, it does make me take caution, especially if I had a child with me. So, my advice is to watch the website for updates and hopefully, Indy Parks will come up with a plan to re-establish this park.Review #629"

Glenns Valley Nature Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (11)

"We love this little park off Bluff Road and enjoy going as often as possible. Once you enter there is a parking lot near the entrance as well as some spots further up the road near the building. I believe you can rent out the building which is an older looking farm house, but I've never looked into that aspect. We go for the trails and the ability to be in the city and yet have a forested trail.The trails aren't marked except for the roots in the path to watch out for, but it is such a small area it is hard to be lost for long. We enjoy the perimeter trail and often cross paths with other walkers and people with their dogs. There are a few open grassy spaces for picnics and frisbee and such, but the wooded trails are the best feature. The trails tend to be dirt so plan to not go after heavy rain, but in the spring and fall there is nice shade as well as lots to observe as you wander.It is a nice spot for photos if you want to bring the family, or just get shots of beautiful trees and forest landscapes. We are very thankful for such a great park close with easily walked trails."