Best Playgrounds around Louisville

What are the best playgrounds in Louisville?

best playgrounds

We asked out writers about which playground in Louisville they like best and why!

 

The Best Playgrounds in Louisville

There are so many great playgrounds nearby but what are the best playgrounds in Louisville? You can spend all year visiting different ones. Here are some ideas for the best playground near you! 

Tyler Park is newly updated and so quaint. The play areas are nice because they have different sizes for kids of varying ages. We love the bridge to walk under and just the way it’s tucked down in a neighborhood. Read more here

Tyler Park

Caryn: We like Waterfront Park with the Ohio River fishing/walking, Big 4 Bridge, and restaurants across the river for lunch/dinner to make a day of it! The playground on the Jeffersonville side is also really nice and never crowded!

best playgrounds in Louisville

Waterfront Park

Lauren: Hounz Lane Park. It’s smaller so it isn’t so crowded, but with plenty to do. There’s also a creek to explore and great picnic places or room to play games on the fields!

best playgrounds in Louisville

Iroquois Park

Stephanie: Iroquois is great because the playground is big but also has a smaller contained kids area and it’s near the spray ground and hiking trails. Sometimes the bathrooms are not very clean so plan ahead!

Also, like so many people, we love the Parklands Playgrounds – there are several to choose from so you can try something new each time you are looking for the best playgrounds in Louisville. Plus, you can combine your visit with a hike, creek walk, fishing, or a picnic. We never have a dull moment at the Parklands and we enjoy it all year round. 

best playgrounds in Louisville

Douglass Hills: There’s a newly updated playground near the pool area (Warren Walker). The surface is soft and foam, it’s fenced in, and the parking is easy. Plenty of seating for caregivers and nearby, there’s a volleyball court and paved trails for walking!

Douglass Hills

 

Maples Park in Crestwood is very new and really nice. The play structure is unique and there are slides that are built into the hill that kids enjoy. They have a grassy area if you want to spread out and bring a picnic or walk around. 

best playgrounds in Louisville

Maples Park

Maples Park

Shawnee Park has a splash pad and a NEW (2023) natural play space. Kids love when they are climbing on longs and building in a more natural environment, even more than a big fancy playground!

Shawnee Park

Hillview Inclusive Playground (Prairie Drive 40229) – With a sprayground and a new playground (2023), this is a definitely a play to check out. The playground has special features that make it a a place for everyone to play, like being very wheelchair accessible. 

Hillview Playground

There is a new playground in Central Park in Old Louisville and it’s an inclusive playground. See a video here of some of the fun items they have as features of the playground. 

Central Park Playground – new 2023

Maggie: Robsion Park in Lyndon is one of the best playgrounds in Louisville, it has a really great walking trail (for little ones learning to ride bikes too.) Their playgrounds are great, but be sure to wear sunscreen since there’s not a lot of shade. And, there is a sprayground that’s relatively new.

Maggie take 2 – she can’t make up her mind: I might want to change my answer. We like Wendell Moore Park because there’s a great Lake for fishing, picnic sheds, and a nice playground.

best playgrounds in Louisville

Erin: For playground only purposes, our fave right now is the Don Fightmaster Playground that’s by UofL. It’s huge, lots of great ramps to explore (making it very accessible for disabled/handicap children), and enclosed with a fence so my active toddler can’t escape! Hard to park, but if you eat at McD’s right next door you can park in their parking lot.

More great playgrounds!

 

Forest Friends Playground at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve

Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve – their new large playground is wonderful. It’s has a playground, gardens and trails. They even have giant rocks that are like fossils and the kids can climb on them. The kids love it! Pack a picnic and explore. They have a pond with frogs and turtles too. 

Creasey Mahan

Riverview Park in south Louisville. Great sprayground, lots of neat playground equipment for various ages, and a great view of the Ohio river!

Crescent Hill Reservoir

Crescent Hill by Mary T Meagher Aquatic Center – it is TINY, but has both a play structure and a splash area. We have never been when it is crowded. The aquatic center is right there so you have access to bathroom. It’s also great because you can walk to the Crescent Hill Reservoir and take a lap around. It’s interesting there are great views. 

Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Playground in New Albany – This is a new inclusive playground in Floyd County we checked out in 2022. We have more info about it on our post. It’s a wonderful new addition and worth the drive. You can play and then cool down at the sprayground in the summer months. 

 

Looking for more outdoor fun, click here. There’s so much to do in Louisville for family fun. 

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