Raleigh Parks
One of the fantastic things about living in Raleigh is ALL THE Raleigh Parks!! There are definitely a LOT of parks! Below are 5 of my favorite parks in Raleigh.
Raleigh Parks – Lake Johnson Park
Lake Johnson park raleigh is a great place to go biking or jogging on their paved and mulched trails. There are picnic areas and grills. You can fish from the boardwalk or your boat. Lake Johnson rents kayaks, jon boats, stand up paddle boards and pedal boats or you can bring your own boat and launch it from the boat launch. There is a waterfront conference room that can be rented for events. As well as a pool, spray ground and baby pool that are open seasonally! I will post a link with the rates and additional information about each of the parks!
Lake Johnson Park
Lake Johnson Park Boat Rentals
Raleigh Parks – Lake Wheeler Park
Lake Wheeler Park is in such a beautiful area south of the city. It’s just a few minutes away, but you drive through NC State’s veterinary school farms so it really feels like a drive through beautiful countryside. If you need to “get away from it all” but don’t have time for a vacation, this is a fantastic place to go! Like lake johnson, lake wheeler also rents boats, has picnic areas, fishing and event space. I just love their rocking chair areas overlooking the lake. Additionally, there is a sand volleyball court, playground for ages 2-12 and 6 shelters with capacity from 30 – 150 people.
Lake Wheeler
Raleigh Parks – Yates Mill Park
Yates Mill County Park is in the same general area as Lake Wheeler and this fantastic little place has the most beautifully designed gardens. It’s a common stop for photographers because there are so many photo ops! Yates mill was the areas local grist mill and for 200 years provided local residents with fresh corn and wheat flour. The mill is still functional and serves as an educational opportunity to learn about the areas history. You can schedule a guided tour of the mill complete with costumed presenters. There is a small museum on site where you can learn about the local flora and fauna as well as more about the historical significance and mechanical inner workings of a gristmill. They regularly have scheduled events and there is an annual fall harvest celebration at Yates Mill that is a lot of fun. There are also miles of walking trails and boardwalks if you want to get some exercise in a beautiful environment.
Raleigh Parks – Pullen Park
Pullen Park is a historic amusement park in downtown Raleigh. It’s kind of a mix of a traditional kids playground combined with some fun rides like the historic merry go round, mini boat ride, mini train…which was very elusive the day I was there. I couldn’t get a picture!! But adults can fit on it, so you can ride with your kids. All the amusement rides are one ticket, which cost $1.50 each, so it’s a super fun, cheap outing that kids love!
In addition to the amusement rides, there are so many other amenities at Pullen park! There is a community center where they have classes like ballroom dance, yoga and bridge club. There is also an aquatic center, arts center, with programs like pottery, bookmaking, fiber arts and glass art. They have 6 tennis courts, 9 picnic shelters and DO NOT MISS Pullen Place cafe! This is not typical “fair food.” They serve all kinds of healthy, local and organic options. Many things are made from scratch right on site and the menu rotates seasonally. You can get stuff like homemade apple sauce, homemade soup, a baked sweet potato with cinnamon butter or more “fun” stuff like chili dogs, soft pretzels and pizza. They have something for everyone!
Pullen Park Boats
Pullen Park Carousel
Raleigh Parks – Laurel Hills Park
Sassafras Playground
Laurel Hills Park. Laurel Hills is in west Raleigh off Edwards Mill Road. The coolest thing about Laurel hills is that it is home to Sassafras playground. Sassfras was designed to be accessible to children of all abilities. So they have this great playground with all these unique features. Hey also have walking trails, ball fields and a community center where they have classes and camps.
Hope you enjoyed today’s video! Get out there and have some fun!! Don’t forget to like subscribe and share this video on social media if you think you’re friends would like it!! Have a good one!!
Laurel Hills Park
Laurel Hills Park
Raleigh Parks – Umstead Park
Umstead Park is a nearly 6000 acre oasis right in between Raleigh and Cary. Umstead boasts miles of hiking trails and is part of the 3000 mile East Coast Greenway system, connecting Maine to Florida.
