Head Backstage to be in the know. 

We want to take you behind the scenes, to give you insider information you won't find anywhere else. This is where we pull Bloomington's hip happenings together with recommendations from our team, first-hand accounts from project producers, and guest blogs by local gurus.  The Backstage Blog helps you stay in front of it all.

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Bloomington's Best Parks with Playgrounds

Categories: Family Fun, Outdoors

One of the best, easiest, most fun activities for families is taking a trip to the park to play on the playground. For kids, playgrounds are kingdoms full of imagination, exploration, adventure, and fun. For adults, a trip to the playground offers a chance to enjoy the outdoors and relax as the kids play. Families visiting Bloomington will be thrilled to know that we offer several incredible parks with amazing playgrounds — next time you're in B-Town with your littles, be sure to check out at least one of these fun-filled playgrounds.
 

Bryan Park

Playground at Bryan Park

Bryan Park is a 33-acre park located just a few blocks south of the Indiana University campus and the downtown area. The park offers not one, not two, but three playgrounds that include traditional & accessible swings, various climbing apparatuses, multiple slides, and more.

Other amenities at Bryan Park include a community pool with waterslides and a diving board, a baseball field, tennis & basketball courts, three shelters, fitness equipment stations, and an open field space for play.
 

Lower Cascades Park

Playground at Lower Cascades Park

Lower Cascades Park is a secluded park tucked away just behind our Visitors Center! Located between the two north-most exits to Interstate 69 in Bloomington, the playground at Lower Cascades is one of the largest and most accessible in town. Playground amenities include play-castle structures, traditional & accessible swings, various climbing apparatuses, multiple slides, boardwalk bridges, and more.

Other amenities at Lower Cascades Park include picnic tables, two shelters, two baseball fields, and a nature trail that passes a waterfall.
 

Karst Farm Park

Playscape Playground at Karst Farm Park

Karst Farm Park is a 120-acre park on the west side of Bloomington near the Monroe County Fairgrounds. The park, well-loved by locals, boasts four playgrounds. The biggest of the four playgrounds is referred to as "The Playscape," and it features a musical playground, traditional & accessible swings, various climbing apparatuses, tunnels, multiple slides, and is located right next to the splash pad. The smaller playgrounds feature many of the same amenities on a smaller scale, excluding the musical playground and splash pad.

Other amenities at Karst Farm Park include the Karst Farm Greenway and four shorter trails, a splash pad, a dog park, eight open-air shelters and an indoor shelter with a fully-equipped kitchen, a disc golf course, an open field space for play, horseshoe pits, a bike course, an athletic complex with fields for soccer, lacrosse, and other field sports, and courts for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, shuffleboard, and tennis.
 

Switchyard Park

Playground at Switchyard Park

Switchyard Park is a nearly 58-acre park in downtown Bloomington. The park offers an enormous playground at its south-most end that includes rock walls & hills, a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round, tunnels, traditional & accessible swings, various climbing apparatuses, multiple slides, bench swings, and more.

Other amenities at Switchyard Park include a splash pad, a community garden, a dog park, a skatepark, a pavilion, an amphitheater, a picnic shelter, numerous fitness stations, a shaded bosque with bistro tables & chairs, a stage & performance lawn, as well as basketball, pickleball, and bocce ball courts. One mile of the B-Line Trail also runs alongside the park, and the Bloomington-favorite Food Truck Friday event gathers every week from April through October at the park as well.

 

In need of accessibility-friendly activities? Check out our Accessible Places in Bloomington blog.
 


Looking for more kid-friendly activities in Bloomington? Check out these blogs:
Visit Bloomington Staff

Visit Bloomington Staff

Visit Bloomington continues to update previous blog posts to help give our followers a great experience.

Comments