It is prime time to be outdoors in the south. The heat finally breaks, the sun is shining and the humidity is low. We are giving our top picks of area parks for your outdoor activities. Enjoy these parks with picnic lunches, bubbles, water guns, chalk and more. Many of these parks are the perfect spot to ride a bike, take a stroll, and enjoy the beauty of our area. We’d love to know which parks are your favorites! Send us an email at Tammy@FamilyandKidsGA.com!
All-in-One Parks
The Park at Cascade Hills – 982 56th St, Columbus –
One of the newest parks in the Columbus area, it boasts large, fenced-in fields with luscious grass, a large playground area with regular and infant swings, a zipline, grills, plenty of seating, and a basketball and volleyball court, plus indoor bathrooms
Lakebottom & Weracoba Park
– 1505 Cherokee Ave, Columbus –
This park has an array of amenities, including a large, shaded playground area, walking trail, fitness trail, baseball field, tennis courts and a football field.
Britt David Park -5560 Armour Rd, Columbus-
A shaded, mile-long walking trail surrounds the park, which is home to little league fields and offers bathrooms, concessions and plenty of seating. It also has multiple playgrounds and a football field.
Lakewood Park -Bridgewater Drive & Park Drive, Phenix City –
The park is shaded and allows fishing from a bridge-accessed gazebo, plus enjoy waterfalls, playgrounds, fishing and picnicking here.
Play-Hard Parks
Bridging The Gap Playground – 1700 Midtown Dr, Columbus-
Located behind the Columbus Public Library, this playground is home to a giant dinosaur skeleton, rock wall, a towering rope-climbing web, tons of slides and more. It’s completely fenced-in and offers ramps for easy accessibility to slides and other playground features.
Martin-Idle Hour Park -3743 Moon Lake Drive, Phenix City –
Home to Moon Lake, this park has a jogging path circling the lake and a shaded, dog-friendly nature trail. It also offers a large playground, splash pad and tennis courts.
Manchester Park & Ride -3690 Manchester Expy, Columbus-
This playground is located next to Fall Line Trace Trail. It offers indoor restrooms, shaded gazebos for seating and is next to Bikes & Beyond for inexpensive bicycle rentals. The most popular feature at this park is a large, elevated sandbox.
Linwood Tillis Park– 14th Street, Columbus-
A brand new midtown playground. Installed in 2020, this playground features two zip lines, a large tower for climbing, 5 slides, monkey bars and a nice, shaded place for sitting. It is fenced-in and has a great grassy area for picnics.
Parks for Toddlers
Woodruff Park – 1000 Bay Ave, Columbus –
This park is perfect for younger children. It has two baby swings, a small climbing area for new walkers, splash pad and a music garden. Plus, it’s next to the Riverwalk and the newly opened Banks Food Hall.
Cooper Creek Park – 4816 Milgen Road, Columbus –
This park is another hit with the toddlers. It has small playgrounds, baby swings and a large grassy area near the creek for little explorers.
Phenix City Art Park – 1400 Whitewater Avenue, Phenix City –
Just opened in September 2019, this park features a large grassy area, numerous art features and a rock garden. It plans to have a hammock park and fun, artistic seating like you’ve never seen before.
Columbus Botanical Gardens – 3603 Weems Rd, Columbus –
This garden is a hidden treasure in Columbus. The walking trail is perfect for little ones and is well shaded. The newly built rose garden offers a beautiful running water feature and is a perfect spot for a picnic in the gardens.