Now that local parks are open here is a great list of ones to visit with your family!
As a family, we like to visit parks with the following criteria:
•access to a bathroom
•an easily-accessible and safe parking lot
•plenty of playground equipment/ games/ climbing walls
•benches or picnic tables with clear sight to the playground for tired grown-ups (AKA myself)
•nature areas with paved paths (extra points if we can -safely- spot any wildlife/ birdwatching)
With that being said, please allow me to share our family's top 5 picks for Parks in Northwest Columbus to Visit (alphabetically sorted):
ADVENTURE PARK
260 Adventure Park Dr, Powell, OH 43065
Easy access from 2 main roads (Olentangy st. and Liberty St.) this park has a medium-size playground, enough for little kids but it is mainly attractive to older children with the skatepark (skateboards and in-line skates only). In this park you can also find basketball courts and soccer fields, there is a bike parking structure and a clean path for bikes and trikes.
AMBERLEIGH PARK
4715 Vista Ridge Dr, Dublin, OH 43017
Surrounded by big houses, it is easy to pass by this park, drive slowly to get in the parking lot which was built downhill.
Close to the top, facing the neighborhood, the park provides a picturesque scene of a kid-sized village with little houses and shops and the playground, despite to have basic equipment, offers extra fun with music-making equipment. Here, we like to take our non-motorized vehicles. If you like adventure, from the parking lot, walk downhill and, in a few steps you will find the majestic Scioto River, which you will reach at the end of the staircase.
EMERALD FIELDS
4040 Wyandotte Woods Blvd, Dublin, OH 43016
We really enjoy this park! Located in a quiet neighborhood, it quickly connects with a business area to have lunch after playtime. Here, your kids will be delighted with the playground which goes from basic metal figures to climb and a jumping path to an intricate play structure, multiuser rocking ride, and an electronic musical game (NEOS 360). It is also a great place to take bikes or riding toys.
FANCYBURG PARK
3375 Kioka Ave, Upper Arlington, OH 43221
This park is an everyday favorite, it features a mostly-evenly paved walking/bike path to go all around and across the park is great for jogging with strollers. It has 2 parking lots, 2 playgrounds, baseball and tennis courts, plenty of shaded areas, and some old trees with woods around to build forts.
HOMESTEAD METRO PARK
4675 Cosgray Rd, Hilliard, OH 43026
This is the smallest of the metro parks; however, it is a true gem of beauty and activities.
We love this park because of its HUGE playgrounds (2), the main area has 2 levels, tunnels and passages to hide. In addition to the all basic playground stuff, you will find a covered bridge, sand volleyball, and basketball courts and a 2.5-acre pond for fishing or relaxing during storytime.
The vehicle transit in this park is intended to follow a circuit, to be safer to walk around, but it can also be a bit tricky for first-time visitors to get in, as well for GPS to find the right entrance, so drive carefully and be sure to use the south access where the Metroparks sign is.
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