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Marsh Creek Park

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The day after Claire came home from the hospital, she visited her first park, Marsh Creek Park in east Raleigh.  Marsh Creek Park is located at 3050 N New Hope Rd and is bustling with a variety of activities.  This park is most famous for its outdoor skate park, which was very busy when we arrived.  I became more aware of this park after following Instagram user raleighstatic and his amazing black/white skate park photos.

When we visited the park, we spent most of our time in the back at the playground, which is fenced in!  The playground contains jungle gyms for both age groups 2-5 and 5-12; both of which are great because they aren’t high from the ground and don’t have any large openings.  Ashley quickly zoomed around the slides and ladders at the 2-5 age playground and spent most of her time on the 5-12 age playground where there are larger slides, more complicated ladders, and rings for swinging.  She is totally into gymnastic-like exercises right now, so the rings were a big hit for her as was playing chase with my sister.  The playground area is beautifully landscaped with different trees, bushes, flowers and hardscape and has several benches scattered throughout and a few picnic tables near the entrance.  There’s not much shade at the playground and the surface is a mixture of the cushiony rubber and wood chips with concrete paths throughout, so plan accordingly.  If you’re looking for a shaded picnic spot there are about 10 picnic tables located below the nearby community center.

After our time on the playground we headed out for a short walk up to the skate park in our new (to us) double Bob stroller!  On our way we passed an ice cream truck strategically parked near the large crowd of adults playing soccer.  After a few cold treats we were back on our way to the skate park area.

Other than watching my college roommates play hundreds of hours of Tony Hawk on the Playstation, I know NOTHING about skateboarding.  It is a pretty cool sport to watch even if most of the skateboarders just stand around watching each other.  This skate park has a street flow and bowl element and requires all boarders to wear safety pads and sign a waiver.  Unfortunately I couldn’t capture images quite like raleighstatic, but I did enjoy introducing a new spectator sport to Ashley.

Up from the skate park is a fenced-in inline hockey rink with goals and bleachers and a large shelter with restrooms.  We were all very impressed with the different activities available for the public to use at this park.  Even if you don’t have experience skateboarding, you can still be a wallflower and catch a good show from the sidelines.

Thumbs up: skate park, inline hockey rink, large playground areas, landscaping, shaded picnic areas below community center

Thumbs down: lack of swings in playground area

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Honeycutt Park

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img_3549The final park we explored as a family of three was Honeycutt Park in North Raleigh.  Knowing that baby #2 was cozy and not giving any hints to arrive anytime soon (still late though), we ventured out to Honeycutt Park on the Sunday morning before baby Claire was born.  This park is located at 1032 Clear Creek Farm Dr just outside 540 near Falls of Neuse Rd.  For a Sunday morning in Raleigh it was par-for-the-course quiet; we had the park to ourselves for at least 30 minutes.

The playground area is completely unshaded, so plan accordingly if you’re trying to avoid the sun.  There are playgrounds for both age groups of 2-5 and 5-12.  The 2-5 age playground has several slides and few challenging climbing structures for the little ones.  It also has a fun “theater” play area under the playground, which can be fun for the young ones.  Ashley quickly ran through all the play areas at this playground and headed to the older kid playground.  The 5-12 age playground also has several slides, one of which includes a trifecta slide where 3 friends can race each other at the same time.  Since I was feeling too large to race, Bill and Ashley enjoyed several runs down the racing slides.  This playground also has several climbing structures too, which include a rock wall, swivel monkey bars, and a rope ladder.

After a lot of playground time we explored the rest of the park.  Adjacent to the playground is a large shelter complete with charcoal grills and restrooms, lit baseball field, basketball court, and sand volleyball court.  Adjacent to the basketball court and parking lot is a large open grassy memorial area surrounded by large rocks and dedicated to Rosalina M Rodriguez.  Then, we walked down the nearby greenway to learn that it is under construction.  The scope of this greenway project is to design and build a 5.6 mile segment of greenway trail, connecting the existing Mine Creek Greenway Corridor to the South Shore Trail on Falls Lake.  For more information about this project visit the City of Raleigh website.

While this was our last park trip as a family of 3, we couldn’t be more excited to share so many future park visits with baby Claire.

Thumbs up: fun playground slides, large shelter, future greenway project

Thumbs down: unsightly utility area, lack of shade around playground

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Update: Greystone Recreation Center

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The weather this summer was extremely kind to my previously pregnant self.  There were few, if any, days where the weather was so ungodly hot you couldn’t go outside.  On those ungodly hot days we ate an early lunch followed by some type of run-your-ass-til-you’re-tired activity…all indoors.  This is when I discovered the super cute local coffee shop, Sola, in the Greystone Shopping Center in North Raleigh.  Actually, I didn’t discover Sola, but TriangleExplorer writes about it frequently so we finally checked it out.

True to the reviews, the folks there are super nice and accommodating of small children and they make some delicious sandwiches and mini donuts!  Let me repeat – they make mini donuts and they are freaking amazing!  They are also super fancy with their coffee making techniques, so if you’re looking for a french press coffee these are your people.

After a lunch at Sola we had some extra time to kill before nap, so we ventured over to Greystone Recreation Center, which is located in the same shopping center as Sola.  The last time we visited Greystone, Ashley was still crawling and it wasn’t a practical place to take her.  Now that she’s a rough and tumble 2 1/2 yr old she can pretty much do everything in the play area.  We arrived at just the right time too – summer camp was finishing up for the day so the play area was pretty quiet.  The playground is a perfect spot for kids who love to climb, jump and swing from ropes.  Ashley is still learning how to climb the rope ladders so this was a good place to try because the surface is spongy and I can be right there to assist.  She wasn’t a fan of the spinning play equipment yet, but also liked the 2ft tall rock you can jump off from.

It’s been interesting to see how my perspective of playgrounds has changed over time while Ashley has become more capable of doing difficult activities.  I wouldn’t dream of bringing a crawling child here again because of the smallness of the play area and all the big kids like Ashley running around, but I’m excited to see how much fun she’ll have here over the years to come.  If visiting Greystone, be sure to check the playground hours before going as they seem to change quite a bit over the year.

Visit my original post on Greystone Rec Center for additional photos.

Thumbs up: great indoor activity for hot or rainy days, various organized programs held through City of Raleigh

Thumbs down: smallness of area, tendency for playground to be crowded

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Baileywick Park

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img_3239The playground at Baileywick Park was closed this past winter so we finally made a visit in late May.  Baileywick Park is located in Northwest Raleigh at 9501 Baileywick Rd.  Upon entering the park you pass access to the Baileywick greenway trail and eventually come to a large parking lot that provides access to all of the park’s amenities.  We parked near the bathroom facilities and started with a visit to the playground.

The playground consists of an expansive jungle gym for ages 5-12, a smaller jungle gym for ages 2-5, four tot swings, four regular swings, a sand box with diggers, and several teeter totters.  The base of the playground is covered in wood chips and there are several benches scattered around the playground.  The playground for ages 5-12 has several slides that are of medium height, multiple climbing options, monkey bars, bridges and more.  The tot playground has several slides, matching games, and a few different climbing ladders.

Adjacent to the playground is a large open field, restrooms, a large shelter with eight picnic tables, an area shaded with trees (no picnic tables though), a covered bench area, and two lighted baseball fields.  A paved walking trail is also nearby, which leads to another shelter with two picnic tables and an open field.  This park is also equipped with the Big Belly solar trash and recycling compactors, which has provided great savings for the city.  These have been installed in several places throughout Raleigh and it’s great to see them at the parks.  Learn more about the Big Belly solar compactors in this N&O article from earlier this year.

Thumbs up: open fields, numerous benches, several swings, climbing options on large playground, nearby walking trail, landscaping around playground (several hardwoods and crape myrtles)

Thumbs down: full-sun playground area is very hot

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Three Bears Acres

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img_3495A few months ago we headed north with a friend and her daughter to Creedmoor to visit Three Bears Acres, an outdoor recreational park for kids.  We thought it reminded us of summer camp on crack!  Three Bears Acres is located at 711 Beaver Dam Road in Creedmoor.  Even though it was a bit of hike from North Raleigh, we arrived right when they opened and happened to go on a Thursday when adults are free and kids are only $10.

The girls started off playing on the giant jumping pillow, which was super fun for them once they figured out how to climb up.  Toddlers under 2 might have trouble walking up, but parents are allowed to assist them.  After the jumping pillow we headed over to the graffiti wall where they finger painted on a giant white wall.  They have stencils for the more sophisticated artists, but our toddlers loved dipping the paint brushes in and out of the various colors and sweeping them across the wall (and themselves).  Next up was the water garden where the kids pour buckets of water into various funnels and watch the water makes its way to the ground.  This would be a fun activity for toddlers who are taller, so our girls more or less splashed in the water buckets.

img_3502One of the biggest hits of the day was the mud kitchen.  Having a two year old means they are just starting to play pretend and I felt like this was a great introduction to mimicking what mommy and daddy do in the kitchen.  The mud kitchen area has stoves, fridges, baking supplies, counters, sinks, and a large bath tub of dirt for the kids to mix with water.  They enjoyed stirring mud batter, making mud pies and cooking them in the oven.  Parents, not to worry – there is a water supply nearby for cleaning up.  After the mud kitchen, we headed over to the picnic area for a yummy lunch.  Food is not available for purchase at the park, so be sure to bring lots of water, snacks and a lunch.  The picnic area is nicely shaded with plenty of tables and nearby bathrooms that were in great condition.  The sling shot area is also close to the picnic spot, but we didn’t venture over there knowing the girls would be a bit too young for it.

After lunch we walked to the other side of the park where the toboggan and tree house playground are located.  Tobogganing was amazing!  All you do is grab a plastic toboggan, choose a ramp, and fly down the slide.  A staff member works the top of the ramp to help push you down the detergent-soaked slide.  We did the toboggan slide twice and Ashley would’ve kept going all day if I hadn’t nudged her towards the playground area.

Our last stop before leaving for naps was at the enchanting tree house playground area.  The girls had a fun time walking from one end to the other and going down the slides, but really enjoyed being pushed on the various swings below.  The tire swing and spider-looking rope swing were the big hits for them.  They also spent quite a bit of time swinging on the bear tot swings nearby.

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to explore the large pond for fishing and paddle boating, but it gives us something to do next time!

Thumbs up: outdoor fun, unique recreational activities, creative play, picnic areas, bathroom facilities, play equipment, shady playground and toboggan areas

Thumbs down: rather pricy so try to go on Thursdays when they have discounts, lack of shade on one side of the park so don’t forget sunscreen and hats

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Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park

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img_1720If you’re looking for a place to go hiking in Raleigh and have exhausted your options at Umstead Park, you should definitely make your way into North Raleigh to Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park.  Being the only visitors at the park a few months ago, we visited the main office and spoke to the very friendly and knowledgeable staff about the history of the park.  It was lovely to hear her speak about Dr. Annie’s will to leave the land as a nature preserve park.  The park office was converted from an old residence on the property and there are future plans to convert Dr. Annie’s old standing residence into indoor classrooms.

After visiting the park office, we headed off on the Hidden Rocks trail (1 mile long), which is known for having several crops of hidden rocks throughout.  The trail is about 2ft wide in most places and an easy path to walk, but there are a few narrow and slippery spots throughout.  This trail passes through open fields, forests of hardwoods.  As this park is still taking shape, the signs aren’t completely finished yet, so be sure to pay close attention to where you are going.  After Hidden Rocks trail, we walked the Pond Loop, which is about 1/2 mile long and crosses over one of the ponds on the property.  This particular day was absolutely gorgeous and the reflections off the pond were crystal clear.  On our next trip here, we’ll be sure to bring our hiking backpack instead of the Bob stroller that we used.  I’m sure we looked ridiculous with our stroller!

Being that this is a nature preserve park, you won’t find any of the regular playground equipment you’re accustomed to at other parks.  However, that did not prevent Ashley from having an amazing time in the natural play area; complete with stumps, teepees, tall grasses, and large logs, there are a lot of options for kids to have some imaginative play.

Near the natural play area is also a large pavilion used for educational programs and the public restrooms.  For more information about the Dr. Annie park, visit the City of Raleigh website.

Thumbs up: hiking trails, play area, park office, views of the open fields, photo ops, picnic spots

Thumbs down: signage through hiking trail

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Blowing Rock: Memorial Park

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In the Olympic spirit, it’s only appropriate to finish the story of our trip to Grandfather Mountain from Memorial Day!  As we headed out of town on Memorial Day Monday, we stopped through the town of Blowing Rock to grab a quick breakfast.  What started out as a quick stop turned into a yummy breakfast followed by a park adventure.

First, we stopped for breakfast at Kojay’s, which features delicious coffees and frittatas.  It’s an adorable cafe located on the main street and has lots of outdoor seating.  In addition to Kojay’s, the main street is filled with lots of cute little shops, hotels, restaurants/bars, real estate businesses, and local government buildings.  Anchored near the northern part of Main St is Blowing Rock’s Memorial Park.  It was established to honor those who served in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam.  We decided to stop and check out the park after we saw they were setting up for the town’s Memorial Day service.  Knowing I’d miss Raleigh’s service at the Capitol, it was meant to be!

I love small town gatherings…you can feel the passion for the town as the mayor speaks and the veterans play Americana music.  Memorial Park is an amazing place to take the kids to play as it has a little bit of everything.  From the playgrounds to the courts to the horseshoe pits, this park has great features surrounded by gorgeous landscaping.  The playground areas have little shade and are surrounded with black plastic borders, making the height deceptive in some areas.  But, the tot playground area is great in that it is pretty low to the ground, making it a fun and safe place for the little ones to play.

Blowing Rock is a must-visit town if you’re in the area.  I can’t wait to go back soon and try some of the pubs and restaurants.

Thumbs up: landscaping, sense of community, variety and quality of recreation, tot playground equipment

Thumbs down: little shade around playgrounds, border around playground areas, dogs aren’t allowed except for along benches on Main St

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Ashley’s First Birthday @ Laurel Hills

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One month ago (yes, I’m so behind) we celebrated Ashley’s first birthday with wonderful family and friends at Laurel Hills Community Center.  Since we were in the middle of selling our house (btw, great house still for sale) there was no way I could plan a party around potential showings at our house.  And yes, of course, there happened to be last minute showings that day.

Laurel Hills is a great place to have a party.  We rented the dance studio on the bottom floor, which holds up to 30 people.  It has large windows on two sides of the room and mirrors on another side, which made the room seem larger than it was and gave the babies extra entertainment.  We brought a large basket of toys from home to keep the babies entertained and everyone played a part in the setup and cleanup.  My mom/aunt were in charge of toys/balloons, my mom-in-law was in charge of the flowers, and my sister had the decorations.  My wonderful neighbor who has a side catering business (and who has even done small events for VP Joe Biden) made delicious salmon and chicken/sweet potato sandwiches, salad with homemade balsamic vinegar dressing, and homemade iced-clove tea.  And everyone else either set-up food, hung streamers, hauled things to/from the car, hauled chairs/tables, or kept an eye on the birthday girl!

The celebrations really began on Friday night when we all met for dinner at Crowley’s, our neighborhood restaurant.  Saturday night the festivities continued at our house with more cake, grilled meats, potato casserole, yummy drinks, a bon fire, interesting political discussions, and Trivia Pursuit! Then, we finished up on Sunday with a yummy breakfast at the house organized by my mom-in-law.  We had wonderful family come from all over (CA, KS, MO, MD, and VA) to celebrate her little birthday; we were completely overjoyed and overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity.

Thumbs up: great party room for small events, close proximity to restrooms, free tables/chairs for self set-up/clean-up

Thumbs down: nothing at all 🙂

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RDU Observation Park

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This post is dedicated to all of the guys in my life (husband, dads, and grandfathers) who flew planes in the service or for fun or who love to spend hours at air shows or the National Air & Space Museum. 

We took advantage of last Thursday’s gorgeous weather and headed to the RDU Observation Park at RDU Airport.  Thinking I’d never spend more time at an airport than absolutely necessary, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  Surprisingly, it’s a pretty neat way to watch planes land and take-off provided, you don’t have a vested interest in the ones you’re watching take-off 😉 For those of you who have sprinted from one end of DFW to the other to catch a connection only to learn you missed it, may not enjoy spending additional time on airport authority owned property.  But, for those who are interested in the simplicity of an airport, going from one place to another, this is a fun place to visit!

First, be sure to take the simpler entrance into the General Aviation area from Lumley Rd, which you can get to from 540 or 70 and follow the signs to the Observation Park.  The park is actually located near the intersection of Business St and E International Dr closest to the Terminal 2 runways and the private jet hangars.

The park has a large parking lot with stairway and ramp access to an elevated and covered deck overlooking the Terminal 2 runways.  Along the deck railing there are educational guides with information about the different planes built over time, from the Wright Brothers plane to the Cessna CJ1 and beyond.  We had great views of the control tower and the take-off and landings of large commercial jets and smaller private planes.

The park also has a small, sandy playground area with climbing equipment, a kiddie-size runway, picnic tables, benches, open fields, public restrooms, and more aviation information guides.  Not far from the park is a cafe open from 8am-2pm.

Finally, if you find yourself at the airport with a few extra hours to spare, check out this helpful airport guide I stumbled upon at Stuck at the Airport.

Thumbs Up: beautiful views, picnic spots, aviation information guides

Thumbs Down: bad signage from Aviation Pkwy entrance

Greystone Recreation Center

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With the weather being rainy on the 10th day of Raleigh Parks Christmas, we headed to an indoor park (yes, that’s correct) in North Raleigh.  We visited Greystone Recreation Center at 7713 Leadmine Rd in the Greystone Village Shopping Center.

Greystone Rec Center has a unique indoor playground area with several different climbing structures that are all intertwined. There’s a giant rope spider web, holes suspended by rope to climb through, nature rocks, and spinners.  The back wall has been turned into a great climbing wall.  The playground area sits atop the spongy surface, which is mostly green in color except for the blue “river” that runs through the playground.

This indoor playground is mostly designed for kids ages 5-12 years old, but there were plenty of kids ages 2 and up enjoying the playground too.  I was clearly the one with the youngest baby and the staff didn’t say anything to me about her age.  We mostly hung out near one of the corners by the rock wall, cruised along the rock wall, crawled on the ground, and tried to stay out of the way of the older kids.  Ashley was also pretty entertained by the paintings on the wall too.  The playground hours are 9-11am and 12:30-5pm Mon-Fri and 9-noon on Saturday.

This indoor park also has several benches along the wall, vending machines, and nice restrooms.  Greystone Rec Center also has several programs for people of all ages going on throughout the year.  Here are a few coming up:

  • Jan 10-Feb 2: Mom and Tots Leap into Learning (ages 20-24months, Tues/Thurs, 9:15-10am, $35)
  • Jan 12-26: Dance-Twinkle Toes I (ages 2-3yrs, Thurs, 11:20-12:15, $40)
  • Jan 12-26: Tumbling Tinies (ages 9-24months, Thurs, 9:30-10:15am, $40)
  • Jan 12-Feb 2: Math Madness (ages 3-5yrs, Thurs, 2-3pm, $40)
  • Jan-Apr: Mahjongg Open Play (adults, Mon, 2-4pm, FREE)
  • Jan-Apr: Bingo (adults, 1st & 3rd Tues, 2-3pm, $1)
  • Jan-Apr: Senior Fitness (Mon/Fri, 10-10:45am, $15/month)

Thumbs up: unique indoor play area, rock wall, community center programs

Thumbs down: indoor playground is small and gets easily crowded on popular days, unattractive shopping center setting