Sorry folks, park’s closed…the moose out front should’ve told ya! Nothing like a good John Candy clip from National Lampoon’s Vacation to get your Friday in gear!
Well, Isabella Cannon Park is closed for renovations right now, but a few weeks ago I walked down with Ashley and took some pictures from afar. Wow! The renovations to the park look awesome! This park (formerly Gardner Street Park) has gone from dark and creepy to bright and inviting.
It is located across from the Rose Garden at 2601 Kilgore Ave. The main entrance is at the Gardner St/Kilgore Ave intersection, but there’s also a stairway entrance at the Everett Ave/Gardner St intersection. Just remember not to enter the park until it’s officially opened. They are having the Grand Opening on Monday, July 18th at 5:30pm, but I thought it’d be nice to show you a few sneak peeks of what’s to come:
Lots of new landscaping with new activities to explore!
Looking down from Gardner St
A new sign for the park
The new main entrance walkway
New hardscape provides easier access
Early next week after the grand opening, I’ll post a complete review of the park. In the meantime, visit the City of Raleigh’s Park and Planning website to learn more about current projects.
My mom visited this past weekend so on Friday morning we headed out to Anderson Point Park at 20 Anderson Point Dr in east Raleigh. This park is bordered by 264/64 bypass on the north, the Neuse River to the east and Crabtree Creek on the west. From the park you can also access the greenway via the Neuse River Trail which is over 4.5 miles of unpaved trails. Here’s a satellite view of Anderson Point Park from Google Maps.
When you arrive at the park, go around the cul-de-sac to the far left to the parking lot. From there we found a very helpful park map detailing all the features. We then walked by the Large Shelter and headed left along the main trail, which is about 3/4 mile loop. The shelter is a large pavilion with several picnic tables, restrooms, and an adjacent open field with a back stop.
Main entrance sign
Informational board near parking lot
Parking lot
Large Shelter pavilion
Restrooms at Large Shelter
Open field with backstop near Large Shelter
Another view of the open field
Walking along the paved trail we first came to the amphitheater. It’s a beautiful stone-terraced amphitheater with lush green grass at each level. At the bottom is a large tree surrounded by a stone wall with benches and swings along the perimeter. The tree provides great shade for picnics or reading on a hot day. My mom did comment on how difficult it might be to see any type of performance at the bottom due to the hedges at each terraced level.
Amphitheater
Large shade tree and benches
Ashley with her Cici
Looking from the top of the amphitheater
Back on the trail we followed the spiral pathway up to the scenic overlook. There’s a circular flower garden at the top surrounded by a stone wall perfect for sitting and enjoying the views of the park. There are also several covered swings at the top great for relaxing and taking in the scenery.
Pic of the paved trail
Flower garden at the top
Shaded benches at the top
View from the top overlooking the park
Continuing on, we passed bluebird trails and bird houses that attract martin birds. Luckily my mom, who is a bird enthusiast, was with us to identify the bird houses. The surrounding natural vegetation still allows for great views of the park.
Houses along the bluebird trail
Martin birdhouses
Next, we came upon a large open field with a backstop across from the Retreat Cottage. The cottage can be rented for conferences and events and contains a small nearby parking lot to use.
Open field with backstop near cottage
Sign outside cottage
Retreat Cottage for rent
Close to the cottage is the Small Shelter, which is a covered pavilion with several picnic tables and restrooms. It has an adjacent open field surrounded by crape myrtles and magnolias. Nearby there is also an information board with details about renting the various shelters, open fields, and Retreat Cottage.
Small Shelter with picnic tables
Restrooms near Small Shelter
Open field near Small Shelter
Beautiful crape myrtles and stone work near open field
Next on the trail is the largest playground I’ve ever seen. Part of the playground is covered in a mulch base and part is a sandy base. There is a large jungle gym, multiple swing sets, and several teeter totters with plenty of seating along the perimeter and sloped, grassy hill. The entire playground area is full sun, so be sure take a break at the nearby water fountain. The Small Shelter would be perfect for birthday parties with the playground being so close!
Looking down at the playground
Slides down the grassy hill
Large jungle gym
Swing sets
Another view of the jungle gym
Sandy area with teeter totters
Water fountain
Continuing on, we arrived near the entrance, which has several shade trees and swings overlooking a large part of the park. The signs are helpful in directing you to the various parts of the park.
Shade trees and swings near entrance
Benches at the entrance
Signage near the front
We followed the trail back to the parking lot and headed out of the park, but not without stopping at the canoe launch that we passed on our way in. Park in the lot there to get on the Neuse River Trail or head down the gravel road to the launch area for the Neuse River.
Canoe Launch sign from Anderson Point Dr
Gravel lot near put-in area
Launch area
Looking north up the Neuse River
Looking south towards the railroad tracks and 264/64 bypass
This is a great open park with lots of unique amenities surrounded by a paved trail that is perfect for walking the dogs and babies or going for a run. We had a fun morning with lots of exploring, so we finished off our adventure with cupcakes from The Cupcake Shoppe!
Yummy red velvet
Thumbs up: scenic overlook, shelters, open fields, access to greenway, canoe launch area, playground, beauty of amphitheater, birding
Glen Eden Pilot Park seems small and uninviting at first glance, but boy does it pack a punch! This park is located at 1500 Glen Eden Dr just outside the beltline. When I first pulled up I immediately noticed the empty parking lot and ugly stone building. I was carrying Ashley in her car seat due to lack of signs about trails so I figured I’d take a few pics with nothing to report and we’d head home. The main building is not staffed and was locked but can be rented by calling the Jaycee Comm Center at 831-6833. Next to the building I passed some stairs so we decided to walk down them. At the bottom I was pleasantly surprised to see a paved walkway and a gravel path that seemed like you could access it from Glen Eden Dr. My gut told me maybe there was more to this park than I initially thought, so I went back to the car, put Ashley in her stroller, headed on the narrow sidewalk and turned left out of the parking lot onto Glen Eden Dr. We found the secret wheeled-access path and met back up with the paved walkway.
Main park entrance
Front of the stone building
View of the empty parking lot
Another empty parking lot pic
Stairs next to the building leading down to the paved trail
Side view of stone building available for rent
Gravel path for wheeled access (tough for pushing the stroller)
As we continued we passed a small pond for fishing and then came upon this open space oasis! I felt like we had just entered the secret garden! There is a large pavilion with 5 picnic tables, large open fields, 2 basketball courts, and a playground area all adjacent to this 1/4 mile loop paved trail. There are benches and a water fountain near the basketball court. The playground has a swing set and 2 jungle gyms. The large open spaces would be great for picnics or flag football.
Small pond for fishing
Pavilion with picnic tables
Huge open fields
Basketball courts
Playground with jungle gyms and swingset
We walked past the basketball courts and found another entrance to the park with a small parking lot at Carlow St and Eden Croft Dr. This is a much more suitable entrance for visitors with strollers or in wheelchairs.
Smaller parking lot at alternate entrance (again empty)
From the trail we also came across a secret set of tennis courts. There are 4 courts and 1 court for single play against the backboard. The sign on the courts said to reserve the courts through Raleigh Tennis or use them on a first-come first-serve basis. There is also a separate entrance for the tennis courts although I couldn’t access the parking lot because of having the stroller.
Court with backboard
One of the four tennis courts
As we headed back on the trail I enjoyed how the birds were drowning out the noisy nearby I-440. We had the entire park to ourselves, but I couldn’t help but imagine how much more popular this park could be if only a few signs were posted in the parking lot advertising “spectacular basketball courts, playground, picnic tables, and tennis just a few 100 yards away!”. Here’s a satellite view of the park from Google Maps of the entire area so you get a feel for what it looks like from overhead.
Thumbs up: peacefulness, open space, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground
Thumbs down: wheeled access from Glen Eden Dr entrance, lack of signage throughout park, lack of information at main building
For our next greenway trip we visited the portion of Reedy Creek Trail that begins at Meredith College and extends to the I-440 pedestrian bridge. There is not a parking lot on the Meredith College side, but there is plenty of street parking on the nearby neighborhood streets. The intersection is busy so use the crosswalks. We live about 1/2 mile from Meredith College so we walked to the trail and began our journey.
The trail begins near the soccer complex on Meredith’s campus at the intersection of Hillsborough St and Gorman St. It is rather wide and paved so it’s perfect for strolling the babies or hitching them behind a bike. You won’t find any picnic tables or benches along the trail with the exception of a bench when you reach the pedestrian bridge. It’s also a pretty popular trail as it provides access to the NC Art Museum where you can then toggle over to Umstead Park.
The distance from Meredith to the pedestrian bridge is 1.3 miles. There’s not much to look at along the way except for the few glimpses of the college campus to the right. The left side of the trail is heavy brush, which helps conceal the noises from neighboring I-440. After you pass the old soccer field, you’ll go up a steep hill and through a tunnel (Wade Ave is above) and then immediately up another steep hill to the entrance of the pedestrian bridge. Be careful of the current construction around the tunnel.
Small bits of shade throughout
A small bridge you pass near campus
The old soccer field on campus
A steep hill you cover just before the tunnel
Current construction in the tunnel
Another steep hill up to the bridge (this pic is looking back towards the tunnel)
The pedestrian bridge is an amazing engineering structure that connects the campus to the Museum Park. Construction was completed in 2005. Once you cross the pedestrian bridge you enter the Museum Park preserved by the NC Museum of Art. We had been long enough by this time so we headed back. If you continue on the trail you’ll eventually come to the Art Museum, but we’ll save that portion of the trail for another day.
Arriving at the bridge
One of the few benches along the trail
Ashley before crossing the bridge
Looking out towards I-440
On the other side of the bridge looking into the Museum Park
This would make a great trail to visit for the upcoming weekend! Happy Fourth of July!
Thumbs up: pedestrian bridge access, wide paved path, views of campus, map of greenway near entrance
Thumbs down: noisiness near I-440, lack of benches along trail
From playing sports, walking, and having picnics to viewing the numerous gardens there is such a variety of activities at Fletcher Park. Fletcher Park is located at 802 Clay St inside the beltline. Parking is available along Washington St or in the nearby parking lot. We parked in the large parking lot and began our stroll along the paved walkway. The entire park is magnificently landscaped. Follow the walkway and you’ll come across stone walls protecting the gardens, perfectly edged lawns, and beautiful gardens filled with varieties of crape myrtles, gardenias, magnolias, hostas, butterfly bushes, and daylilies.
Enjoy a picnic lunch on a bench, on the lush green grass, or in the amphitheater-style seating in the grass. There are plenty of private areas to lay a blanket down and soak up some sun with a good book too!
Next, we came upon the Borden house, which was built circa 1900. It has been restored and is available to rent for weddings and other events.
We then walked through the grass next to the Borden building to get a better view of the baseball fields below.
Afterwards, we walked through the grass behind the Borden house and came upon another paved walkway that backs up to residential homes. We passed several labeled species of daylilies.
As we followed the narrow path around, we discovered the water gardens that were under construction in 2008. First we came upon the Forebay, which is the deepest pool of the water garden.
Information plaque about the Forebay
Plant life in the Forebay
We continued on and enjoyed the rest of the water garden and wetlands. There is a great wooden deck overlooking the wetlands, perfect for spotting wildlife and enjoying the views. Informational plaques located along the walkway and on the deck provide more details about the benefits the water gardens provide. It’s a great place for kids to experience; while there, we saw ducks, dragonflies, and butterflies! Here’s more information about the City of Raleigh Water Garden and Wetlands Project.
Information plaque about the Water Garden
Demonstrating how the water garden improves water quality in Raleigh
Looking into the water garden
Views of the plant life
Plants thrive here!
Beautiful purple flowering plants love it here too!
One of the many ducks living in the water garden
Learn more about the different plants that inhabit the water garden
Baby Ashley enjoying the views from the deck
It was such a sunny day!
Across from the water gardens are the basketball courts and tennis courts. When Bill and I used to play tennis here it was always a very popular spot.
Across from the tennis courts you’ll see the art sculpture. Further ahead, you’ll pass the shaded playground area along Washington St. To the left there is also a large pavilion with picnic tables and a charcoal grill. If you continue on the walkway you’ll find your way back to parking lot. This is also a great place to visit on Sunday evenings in the summer for their free concert series! Bring a blanket and some snacks and have a fantastic evening!
Thumbs up: condition of basketball and tennis courts, scenic views, wetlands, water gardens, picnic spots, landscaping, free concerts
Thumbs down: lack of signage
I’ve only been to a handful of small towns in my life and this week I had the extreme pleasure of spending the week in Southport, NC for my brother’s wedding. He is marrying the lovely Rachael Anderson today and I couldn’t be happier for them.
We had a lot of free time this week before the wedding festivities began so I took my sister, Ginni, and Ashley around downtown Southport for some exploring.
After we walked through the shops we headed to the Waterfront Park & River Walk area (corner of Howe St and Bay St), which is located on the Cape Fear River. This is a beautiful spot to have a seat on a bench or swing and watch the boats come by. There are several small pavilions with picnic tables, but be careful of the seagulls if packing a picnic lunch.
View of the Waterfront from the north
Map of the area detailing the various islands around Cape Fear River
Bike racks are available
Paved walkways make it easy for strollers
Pavilion with picnic tables
Benches along the Waterfront
Next to the Waterfront is City Pier, which is a popular spot for fishing. The moderate breeze from the river also helps cool down the hot and muggy NC summer days!
Continuing north on Bay St, you’ll come to Southport Community Building, which is where my brother and Rachael are getting married today! It has a gorgeous deck overlooking the river, which is where the ceremony will be held and a reception hall inside the building. There is parallel parking available on both sides of Bay St and stairs to access the building from the street.
Views from the top deck
Southport Community Building
Continuing north, we enjoyed watching the large boats return from trips at sea. The homes along the walk are also interesting to look at, especially given their historic, New England style. Each home has a plaque near the front door listing when it was built; most are from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Not having a final destination in mind, I was pleasantly surprised when we came upon another park along the river, Kingsley Park! Kingsley Park is at the corner of Kingsley Dr and Bay St and is only about 1/4 mile from the Waterfront area. This was an area where menhaden fishing boats used to dock decades ago. Menhaden fish are caught in nets and are mostly used for their oil and ecological resources, as they have too many bones for human consumption.
Kingsley Park has several benches, paved sidewalks, information plaques detailing the menhaden fishing industry and Hurricane Hazel destruction from 1954, and a long pier into the river.
Kingsley Park
Benches in the park
Gardens around the park
View towards the river
Ashley and me on the pier
Ginni and Ashley on the pier
Information plaques about the fishing industry
Southport, NC is a fantastically quiet getaway with so much to do. Whether you’re walking around downtown, shopping, taking in scenes of the river, or eating at one of the local restaurants you’ll have a great time. From Raleigh, Southport is only 2.5 hours – perfect for a day trip and making wedding memories! Congrats again to Brandon and Rachael…can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight!
Over the years I’ve spent a bit of time biking (if you call it that) the Umstead Park trails between the NC Museum of Art and the Harrison Ave entrance. Having a new baby makes it a bit tough to get back into exercising, but when our hiking enthusiast friends from Hokie country, Greg and Randi, came to visit in May I made it a point to include Umstead Park in our weekend plans!
We were looking for a trail with some good views, shade, and moderate mileage, so we opted for Sal’s Branch Trail (only 2.75 miles). To get to Sal’s Branch Trail, turn into the park at 8801 Glenwood Avenue (Route 70) and continue on Umstead Parkway bearing right after the Visitor’s Center. We parked in the shady parking lot that is used for several of the hiking trails. We headed into the clearing above the parking lot in search of Sal’s Branch Trail. Despite walking around for awhile trying to find the beginning of the trail, we eventually found the trail head and began our adventure!
The baby bjorn is a must-have for hiking on the trails
Use extreme caution when placing babies into the baby bjorn
View of the clearing above the parking lot
Hiking the Umstead trails is great exercise for the BTs
And we're off....
Shortly into our hike, we walked by Big Lake (no, I’m not making this name up). Feel free to fish or kayak, but don’t plan on any swimming as it’s not allowed.
Once you pass Big Lake, your journey will take you on a moderately sloped and well cleared trail. There were quite a few roots to keep an eye on, but we were able to successfully hike the trail with a baby and BTs without tripping. This is a great trail to take with a baby or young children and dogs as you’ll pass the Visitor’s Center during your hike, which offers a great resting spot or quick bathroom stop (some of the nicest bathrooms I’ve seen). Besides the scenic views around Big Lake there’s not much else to see other than the typical NC vegetation along the trail. However, Sal’s Branch Trail is great for getting some exercise with the baby and doggies.
Thumbs up: clear trail, visitor’s center, scenic views, doggie and baby bonding
Historic Oak View County Park is a must-see park for people of all ages located at 4028 Carya Drive in east Raleigh. I had first visited this park several years ago when I volunteered with the Raleigh Jaycees and Wake County Animal Shelter during their Annual Mutt Strutt and was so surprised at how large and unassuming it was given that it’s right in a business park.
As you pull into the park you pass a small pond, large open fields, and shelters to the left and limited parking on the right. There’s a walking path that snakes through the open fields.
Keep straight on the road to get to the main attractions of the park – Visitor’s Center, Cotton Gin Museum, and Main House. First, check in at the Visitor’s Center and get a walking map of the area. Inside the Visitor’s Center, you’ll find some agricultural exhibits to visit and a ton of educational activities for children to do. It also seems like the center has children’s programs available during the week, so call them to learn more. Begin your journey by heading out the back doors through the patio.
Benches outside the Visitor's Center
Our first stop along the paved walk was to the cotton fields and the Cotton Gin Museum.
Signs directing you to the different attractions
Plaque with information about the Cotton Gin House
Cotton fields that are available for groups to help with throughout the year
Plaque explaining the seasonal work for producing cotton
Wagons outside the Cotton Gin House
The Cotton Gin House showcases historical and educational information about producing cotton
Just past the Cotton Gin House is the Williams family cemetery.
The Williams family cemetery
Head stone marking the Williams family
Next, we visited the gorgeous Main House, which is an 1855 Greek Revival home. During our visit the temporary exhibit, “Morning to Night: Domestic Service in the Guilded Age South” was being showcased. The exhibit tells the story of the African-American work force in the south.
Entrance to the Main House
Front side of the Main House
Another view of the Greek Revival Main House
Inside the Main House
Just outside the Main House is the Cedar Plank Kitchen, which was unusual for this part of the country because of the costs of cedar. The kitchen was built separately from the main structure in the event a fire broke out it would not destroy the entire home.
Back side of the kitchen
Plaque of the Cedar Plank Kitchen
Another site to see on your trip through the park is the Herb Garden, which has everything from basil to horseradish!
Other buildings to explore on your visit include the Barn, Carriage House/Tenant House
Carriage House
Barn
Information about the Farm House
Brick walkway through the park
Great spot for photos
Benches along the way
Thumbs up: Visitor’s Center, educational activities, cotton museum, walking path, herb garden, signage, benches, shelter areas
Thumbs down: location of park being within business park
For my first Mother’s Day we spent the weekend in Nags Head with great friends and the pups for our traditional Yuengling 5K race. When we got home on Sunday we walked down to the Rose Garden, which is just two blocks from our house. We were too late for their annual Mother’s Day brunch celebration (mimosas and yummy food) so we just walked around and enjoyed the fantastic sights, smells, and company. The Rose Garden can also be rented for weddings and other events (hint: no money needed on decorations).
Wandering through the rows and rows of roses
Lovely shades of peach, hot pink, and light pink roses
The rose garden is located in the circular, below-street level area at 301 Pogue St. Parking is limited to around the circle and the nearby neighborhood streets. There are a few different entrances with stairs or you can walk down the paved entrance way near the theater. The grass height in the gardens is kept pretty low so you can easily push a stroller.
There are over 50 varieties of roses to touch (no snipping) and smell. One end of the garden has a beautiful pergola covered in white roses and the water feature and the other end has a gazebo with other varieties of shade-loving plants. There are benches and picnic tables covered with large shade trees for great picnic spots.
The pergola at one end covered with white roses
The other end of the garden
Some of the shade-loving hostas
You can’t visit the Rose Garden without scoping out the latest plays at Raleigh Little Theater, which is adjacent to the garden. RLT is a community theater that produces 11 shows each season. I’ve been to a few shows and know folks who work on the production so be sure to check them out!
We’re not in Raleigh anymore! Yes, we did venture out to Durham in early April to see the Sarah P. Duke gardens on the campus of Duke. My best friend, Kelly, was coming into town to meet Ashley so the timing was perfect for my inaugural visit to the gardens.
We went mid-morning on a Friday and had to circle the hourly pay parking lot for about 15 mins before a spot opened up. We stopped off at the Visitor’s Center first to get a map and use the restrooms. Not knowing much about the gardens (besides it being a great spot for weddings), the folks at the front desk were extremely helpful with explaining the different gardens. We decided to first visit the Terrace Gardens. The walk to the garden is a rocky, dirt path that was partway under construction so it was somewhat difficult to push the stroller. However when we got to the top of the terraces and walked under the gazebo, the breathtaking views were so worth it! It was April which means tulips, tulips, tulips in bloom everywhere! Most of the paths along the terraces are compacted mulch, which made for easy strolling. After walking through the rows of tulips and other flowers we checked out the water lily pond, but nothing was in bloom yet so we walked along the South Lawn.
Tulips and other flowers in the Terrace Gardens
Tulips, tulips, tulips!
More pics of the Terrace Garden and Kelly with Ashley at the top
Views of the South Lawn
After that we made a short trip to the Native Gardens before deciding they were a little too native for the stroller.
We had worked up a sweat so we stopped by the Terrace Cafe in the Terrace Gardens for a lunch. They sell pre-made sandwiches, chips, drinks, ice cream, fruits, and coffee. All of the shady spots in the garden were taken so we ate in the cafe’s shady courtyard. It was a fun, relaxing lunch after all the walking and stroller pushing.
We ran out of time to visit the other gardens, but we’ll be back soon. Next time we’ll bring the Baby Bjorn instead of the stroller. Afterwards, we headed back to Raleigh to cool off with ice cream sandwiches from the Cupcake Shoppe on Glenwood Ave.
