Summers are great for trips to the beach, lazy days at home and fun outings exploring our own city. But you don’t always have to spend money or re-invent the wheel to keep the kids entertained. An old fashioned trip to the park can bring as much joy as anything else and help the kids burn off a little energy. If you’re lucky, that just might mean mom gets a nap later too!
Here are 4 Charlotte parks worth checking out this Summer (even for grownups!)
A park with a water view
1900 East Boulevard, Charlotte
You don’t have to drive up Interstate 77 and fight traffic to get a waterside view. Freedom Park is centered on a 7-acre lake. Tucked between Dilworth and Myers Park neighborhoods, the park has two different playgrounds, including one by an old train. The paths that run throughout the 98-acre park are peppered with walkers, runners and moms with strollers. For grown ups there are also sand volleyball courts and soccer fields.
The ultimate city park
Romare Bearden Park
300 S. Church St., Charlotte
This uptown park sits in the shadow of Charlotte’s high rise buildings. It’s a great spot for picnic against the backdrop of the city skyline. It’s not unusual to find people playing catch or frisbee in the open areas while kids play in the fountains. For a bonus go during the evening when the Charlotte Knights play nearby and you’ll have a great view of the fireworks after the game for FREE! The park doesn’t have a parking lot so you’ll need to utilize street parking or pay to use one of the public lots.
Park with a pool
Cordelia Park
NoDa, 2100 N. Davidson St.
Pack the towels and sunscreen when you head to this park in Charlotte’s popular arts district.
The Cordelia Park outdoor pool has a fun water slide and costs just $1 for admission. That’s not a typo. It costs just $1. Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. during summer months. If you don’t want all the hassle of a pool there’s also a splash pad to cool off in. Plus it has the usual park amenities like basketball courts, trails and community gardens. Put this on your list for the winter too. It has one of the cities best sledding hills!
Cool off at a Sprayground- Sports Park
Latta Park
Dilworth, 601 E. Park Ave.
You can get wet without a pool at this park in Dilworth. The spray ground is just one of the attractions in this 32 acre park. Latta is actually known as a great place to bird watch… but there is a lot more to do here than just watch birds. Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball , soccer fields and a multipurpose field make this a great park for all kinds of sports. Of course as with most larger Charlotte parks there are walking and fitness trails throughout.
Charlotte parks are home to festivals, concerts and lots of extras during the summer months so take advantage of that! In my perfect world.. you wouldn’t even have to drive to the park but could walk from your house. I keep an updated list of Charlotte’s most walkable neighborhoods. Happy Summer!
