Beautiful weather is finally back in Indianapolis! Now is the time to pack up the kids and soak up that sunshine. Indianapolis Moms has rounded up our favorite Indianapolis parks and playgrounds in and around the area for you to enjoy with your family!
MLK Memorial Park – 1702 Broadway St, Indianapolis, IN 46202
This park is home to the Landmark for Peace memorial sculpture, a tribute to both Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy. Rich with community history, this park features picnic shelters, an outdoor pool, basketball court, softball field, and playground.
Garfield Park – 2345 Pagoda Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46203
On the near south side you’ll find Garfield Park and Conservatory. Aside from a playground to be enjoyed by the kids, the conservatory is home to 10,000 square feet of plant life. The 136 acre property is a beautiful spot for spending a day enjoying the outdoors.
Holliday Park – 6363 Spring Mill Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260
Kids will have a blast exploring the 5-, 10-, and 20-foot slides, as well as scaling the climbable spider web. This 94 acre park boasts 3.5 miles of hiking trails along White river. The indoor nature center, Habitat Hall, provides hands-on, interactive learning experiences.
Tarkington Park – 45 W 40th St, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Just north of the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, this park has playground appeal for all ages. A traditional playground lies to the north side of the parking lot, while the south side hosts a new adventure-style park along with equipment for your littlest adventurer. When it’s hot outside, enjoy the fountain-style splash pad nestled between the playground areas!
Old City Park – 304 S Meridian St, Greenwood, IN 46142
Located in the heart of downtown Greenwood, Old City Park is not so old anymore. It has been restored with a pedestrian and bike path and Pleasant Creek runs through it as well.
Williams Park – 940 S Locust Ln, Brownsburg, IN 46112
At over 77 acres, this large Brownsburg park is home to the Blast Off Playground, a giant rocket-themed structure that’s sure to be a hit with kids. Here you can also find wooded nature trails, additional playgrounds, basketball courts, and a large splash pad for hot summer days!
Holland Park – 1 Park Dr, Fishers, IN 46038
Located in Fishers, Holland Park is packed with fun for families of all ages. Tall slides and climbing equipment await, along with a toddler-approved area. You can find great volleyball and basketball courts here, along with a seasonal splash pad for the summer days to come.
Quaker Park – 17501 Dartown Rd, Westfield, IN 46074
Quaker Park in Westfield recently welcomed a brand new play ground structure. It now features a large climbing dome big enough for parents to play along side kids, toddler play area, large shade coverage, hammock-style and multiple-person swings. All this rests on safety turf that is resistant to generating heat!
Central Park – 920 Central Park Drive West, Carmel, IN 46032
From the minute the finishing touches were put on Central Park, it’s been a hit for parents and kids alike! Here you can find plenty of places to climb, bright colors and fun shapes on the new playground structures. Bring your swim suits, because a splash pad can be found to cool off in the heat!
City Center Park – 415 Lincoln St, Greenwood, IN 46142
Nestled in old town Greenwood, you’ll find City Center Park and Splash Pad. Kids as well as parents love the closeness of the splash pad to the two age-specific playground areas. Here you’ll also find picnic table areas great for parties or celebrations, as well as tennis and basketball courts.
Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park – 1850 W 38th St, Indianapolis, IN 46228
Also known as the 100 Acres or Fairbanks Park, this is a public interactive art park located on the Newfields campus. A living sculpture park focused on experimentation, public interaction, and community engagement, it includes a 35-acre lake, woodlands, wetlands, and the largest native pollinator meadow in Indianapolis.
Freedom Park – 850 W Stop 18 Rd, Greenwood, IN 46143
Get some family exercise on the 1.5 mile walking trail, or try out the disc golf course along with soccer fields and basketball courts. The park’s playground can be seen from afar with it’s large tower slides for big kids to enjoy. Freedom Park is also home to Freedom Springs Aquatic center, a summertime favorite.
Eagle Creek – 7840 W 56th St, Indianapolis, IN 46254
With 1,400 acres of water and 3,900 acres of forest, Eagle Creek Park is one of the largest city parks in the nation, offering unmatched opportunities for family fun and discovery of nature only minutes from downtown Indianapolis.
Flat Fork Creek – 16141 E 101st St, Fishers, IN 46040
Flat Fork Creek Park is Fishers’ newest, year-round park located near 101st Street and Cyntheanne Road. The facility includes amenities to the Fishers Parks system such as mountain bike trails and a 60 feet sledding hill. Here you’ll find 59 acres of green space to run and play, a fishing pond, three tree houses (one completely ADA compliant), and trails for hiking.
Lacy Park – 700 Greer St, Indianapolis, IN 46203
This 2 acre park is one of the jewels in the parks system. Created to be an ideal urban park catering to families with children, it’s also quiet enough to provide some respite from city life.
Hot Shot Tot Lot – Grove Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203
Tiny but mighty, this park is located in the Fountain Square area. It has swings, a slide, and play features just perfect for families with small children. There is a picnic table and benches located close to play features, for when snack time arrives!
Colts Canal Playspace – 701 Canal Walk, Indianapolis, IN 46202
The brand new Colts Canal Playspace is accessible and engaging to all age groups and backgrounds with a particular focus on interactivity and engagement for young children and families. The site for the playspace was selected due to its accessibility to the Canal and its close proximity to the innovative Glick Peace Walk along the Cultural Trail. The urban playspace features a play structure that blurs the lines between a traditional playground and public art. This is one of our favorite Indianapolis parks and playgrounds for sure!
Mulberry Fields – 9645 Whitestown Rd, Zionsville, IN 46077
This 38-acre park in Zionsville is a must-see for families with little ones. The park includes a splash park complete with a creek-style feature that wins over kids of all ages. Two playgrounds can be found here, one for toddlers and a more advanced area of elementary ages kids. You can also find covered picnic shelters, multi-use athletic fields, a 1 mile walking loop, and even a skate park!
Washington Township Park – 115 S. County Rd 575, Avon, IN 46123
This park provides opportunities for both structured and spontaneous play by way of play equipment, preserved wooded areas, and open green space. The park has four covered picnic facilities, a 24 foot gazebo, two playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, basketball court, horseshoe pits, an outdoor fitness station, Pavilion Center, two stocked fishing ponds, an outdoor amphitheater, a splash pad, a Paw Park with 3 separate fenced in areas for all sizes of dogs, 5 plus miles of trails, and the historic 1876 Whipple Iron Truss Bridge.
Coxhall Gardens – 11677 Towne Rd, Carmel, IN 46032
Coxhall Gardens is a unique park just waiting to be discovered. This modern, 125-acre park includes the elegant centerpiece, twin 90-feet bell towers, a recreation lake, and a children’s garden. Hit the bike trail with your family or spend an afternoon enjoying the playground.
Forest Park – 701 Cicero Rd, Noblesville, IN 46060
The beautiful Forest Park is a 150-acre park which was established in December 1925. Within the park is a 9-hole golf course, “Tom Thumb” miniature golf course, skate park, playground equipment, swimming pool, shelters with grills and volleyball sand lots, picnic areas, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, the “Little Beauty” Carousel and the Logan and Emerson Baseball Fields.
Cool Creek Park – 2000 E 151st St, Carmel, IN 46033
Cool Creek Park is one of Hamilton County’s most popular parks, as it offers a wide variety of features and activities. Members of the entire family are sure to enjoy this beautiful 90-acre park year round along with 4 miles of wooded trails, perfect for hiking, jogging and bird watching. Scenic paved roads wind through the park are ideal for those who cycle and roller blade. Don’t forget their newly upgraded playground with thirteen slides, a play share slide and multiple auditory elements intended to deepen users’ sensory experiences. And finish up your trip with a visit to the Cool Creek Nature Center too!
Southeastway Park – 5624 S Carroll Rd, New Palestine, IN 46163
Southeastway Park is a 188-acre nature park located in the southeast corner of Marion County just off of I-74. This park features newly paved walking/biking trail, forest trails in 80 acres of forest, several prairies, a pond, Buck Creek, a sledding hill, picnic shelters, and playgrounds for kids of all ages!
Carey Grove Park – 14001 N. Carey Road, Carmel, IN 46032
Carey Grove Park was recently updated and now has a playground, year-round bathrooms, permanent outdoor exercise equipment, resurfaced trails, a half-basketball court, and both a community and seasonal shelter. The playground is divided into 2 parts – one for kids 2-5 and one for the older kiddos.
Lawrence W. Inlow Park – 6310 E. Main Street, Carmel, IN 46032
This 16 acre park includes a newly upgraded splash pad, a disc golf course and a playground throughout the woods. Inlow also has plenty of shelter for an afternoon pick or cool down as well as newly updated restrooms too!
Stacy Park – 1503 Hoyt Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203
This park is nestled in the Fountain Square area. The playground consists of slides, a swing set, and climbing features. There is also a picnic table and benches located near the playground.
Grand Junction Plaza – 118 Park St, Westfield, IN 46074
The newest park to open in Westfield, Grand Junction Plaza has a lot of really cool amenities for families to enjoy. The park includes a cafe, an ice rink, a playground, trails and a boardwalk, and a stage for outdoor performances.
River Heritage Park – 11813 River Rd, Carmel, IN 46033
River Heritage Park was updated in 2022 and has so much for your kids to explore! They have adaptive playground equipment, rubber trails to walk, two different zip lines, a ninja course, and a smaller playground perfect for little climbers.
Opti-Park Indianapolis – 780 E 66th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220
This park, located in the heart of Broad Ripple, has two play structures, swings, and ample covered seating areas. Plus you are surrounded by lots of trees which help shade from the hot sun! Bring your baseball bats and mits for some baseball practice at the diamonds.
Meadowlark Park – 450 Meadow Ln, Carmel, IN 46032
Located in the heart of Carmel’s Arts & Design District, Meadowlark Park offers an escape into nature and outdoor recreation just steps from plenty of shops and restaurants. It has “tree-tastic” playground features, pickleball courts, a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier, an accessible boardwalk winding through restored wetlands, year-round restrooms, a full basketball court, and more!
Share with us! Where are some of your favorite Indianapolis parks and playgrounds?
