Playgrounds are a wonderful and essential amenity in a community when you have young kids. They’re free, a family friendly place to go, and a perfect way to keep active kiddos busy. This summer my family has made it a quest to check out playgrounds we’ve never visited before. My kids are having a blast exploring all the different parks that Iowa City and the surrounding areas have to offer and finding some new favorites along the way. We’ve compiled a list of area playgrounds so you too can go on your own park adventure.
Iowa City
Benton Hill Park
615 W Benton St
It features a small but cute playground structure great for smaller kids and some walking trails. Street parking available.
Brookland Park
550 Greenwood Dr
A small playground structure with slides and a climbing wall with nearby bounce riders. Brookland Park will be getting new playground equipment in Spring 2025.
Pedestrian Mall Playground
211 E College St
This book-themed playground, a nod to being in the City of Literature, is nestled in the heart of downtown Iowa City with a nearby water fountain kids love to play in. There’s something here for children of all ages. It’s a favorite stop for kids while downtown or while visiting the nearby Iowa City Public Library. Parking ramps and on street parking nearby.
Calder Park
2831 Hickory Trail
A peaceful neighborhood park with a playground and swings with an overhead shade structure. On street parking is available.
Cardigan Park
500 Huntington Dr
A cute neighborhood park with a smaller play structure and a bounce rider great for little kids. On street parking is available.
City Park
200 E Park Rd
This huge park is along the Iowa River with lots of open spaces. It has a large play structure as well as a basketball court, sand volleyball, tennis court, and pool. Parking lots and restrooms available.
College Green Park
600 E College St
This park has a playground, zip line, basketball court and bocce court. Starting Spring 2025, the current playground will be replaced with some exciting new equipment. Street parking available.
Court Hill Park
2825 Friendship St
A fun neighborhood park with a play structure, and rocks to climb. On street parking and bathrooms available.
Fairmeadows Park and Splash Pad
2451 Miami Dr
The playground equipment is set up like an obstacle course and low enough that little kids can also enjoy it. A splash pad is also on site to cool off on hot summer days. Grantwood Elementary is next to the park for access to more playground equipment. Parking lot and restrooms available.
Frauenholtz-Miller Park
4329 St Patricks Dr
A park with a play structure featuring slides, monkey bars, and stepping pedestals. Street parking available.
Glendale Park
1250 E Jefferson St
Here’s a park with a unique dome-shaped climbing structure. It’s great for bigger kids, especially ones looking for a challenge. This park is tucked away and barely visible from the street while being surrounded by tall trees and a creek for a secluded nature vibe. Street parking available.
Happy Hollow Park
800 Brown St
The park is nestled by a wooded area with some open space. There is a play structure, stepping pedestals, swings, basketball court and a baseball field. Parking lot and bathrooms available.
Harlocke Hill Park
940 Harlocke St
A small playground has a slide, climbing wall and some swings. Street parking available.
Highland Park
750 Highland Park
It features a play structure with a suspension bridge, slide, monkey bars, along with swings. Street parking available.
Hunters Run Park
1050 Duck Creek Dr
It has a rope climbing structure, great for older kids and a paved walking path. Street parking available.
James Alan McPherson Park
1858 7th Ave Court
A nice little park, especially for smaller children. On site there is also a basketball court, baseball field, paved walking path and a community orchard. Parking lot and restrooms available.
Kiwanis Park
1519 Teg Dr
A park with several small structures, sandbox, and a paved walking path that leads to Willow Creek Park. Parking lot and restrooms available.
Mercer Park
1317 Dover St
A large playground with equipment for both big and little kids. There are also baseball fields, tennis court and next to Scanlon Gym. Parking lot and restrooms available.
North Market Square Park
600 Fairchild St
A community park with a play structure featuring a rope climber, slides, bounce riders, swings and a basketball court. Street parking available.
Oak Grove Park
700 Page St
A small park with swings, play structure with slides and various climbing features, standing teeter totter, and a basketball court. Street parking available.
Pheasant Hill Park
9 Green Mountain Dr
This playground has a structure with various obstacles, monkey bars, and slides geared more for bigger kids, as well as swings and a Gaga ball pit. Also check out the colorful mosaic art. Street parking available.
Reno Street Park
516 Reno St
It has a nice play structure great for smaller kids with twisty slides, a rock-climbing wall, and a community garden. Street parking available.
Riverfront Crossing Park
1001 S Clinton St
This large park has paved trails and lots of open area. There is a natural themed play area with low structures for big and little kids to explore and two ziplines. There is a pedestrian bridge over the creek making it walkable from Big Grove Brewery. It’s also close enough to the Iowa City airport to see airplanes as they are coming in for landing and taking off, although no view of the runway. Parking lot and bathrooms available.
Scott Park
640 S Scott Blvd
This park features a play structure and swings along with a paved walking trail. Parking lot available.
Terry Trueblood Recreation Area
579 McCollister Blvd
This huge park is perfect for the nature enthusiast. Not only does it have a playground, but also has paved walking trails, natural areas, and kayak and paddleboat rentals to enjoy Sand Lake. Parking lot and restrooms available.
Tower Court Park and Splash Pad
1124 Tower Court
A fun little park with a modern play structure and concrete splash pad. Large trees also provide shade on the playground. Street parking available.
Villa Park
424 MacBride Rd
This playground features a play structure great for smaller children, along with a play firetruck, and swings.
Wetherby Park and Splash Pad
2400 Taylor Dr
A climbing kid’s paradise! There are several different pieces for both older and younger kids like a rock-climbing wall, balance beams, monkey bars, twisty, challenging climbers, and swings. This place is a hit on hot summer days with a fun splash pad. You can also find basketball courts and play disc golf or take a walk on the paved trail. Bathrooms available and parking lot.
Willow Creek Park
1117 Teg Dr
This unique park has a playground low enough for small children to enjoy but still has a little something for the bigger kids and inclusive swings. There is an area with musical features. The park is also home to some one-of-a-kind sculptures. Bathrooms available and street parking.
North Liberty
Penn Meadows Park & Splash Pad
310 N Dubuque Street
This huge park is a hub for activity. They have a big playground structure with some fun slides, stepping pedestals, and monkey bars for older kids as well as a toddler and preschool zone with smaller equipment, bounce rider toys, merry-go-round, and a splash pad zone. This park is also home to baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, and pickleball courts. Heyn’s Ice Cream is across the street at Cherry St and N Dubuque St for a fun treat during your outing. Parking lot and bathrooms available. The playground and splash pad surfaces will be getting replaced and expected to reopen August 26.
Centennial Park
1565 St Andrews Dr
This park is huge with wide open spaces, a fun playground for older kids with tall slides, roller slide, crawling web tunnel, merry-go-round, and a smaller playground and bounce riders available for little kids. There are also climbing rocks for climbers of different levels. Centennial Park holds a variety of different events in North Liberty throughout the year and in the future will offer more amenities like an event space, bathrooms, and splash pad. Parking lot and portapotty available.
Quail Ridge Park
921 Zeller St
The playground features a big play structure, swings, disk swings, a whimsical climbing structure and has a baseball field and basketball court. Parking lot and bathrooms available.
Deerfield Park
1415 Browning Dr
A neighborhood park with a play structure features multiple slides, various climbing surfaces, a suspension bridge, and swings. Street parking available.
Beaver Kreek Park
218 S Chestnut St
This park seems hidden since it’s tucked in a neighborhood, but still maintains nature vibes. It has a play structure, swings and a zipline. There is also a walking trail that follows the creek. Street parking available.
North Liberty Rec Center Park
520 W Cherry St
Behind the library is a small park with slides, things to climb, a small zipline that big and small kids can enjoy. It also features a digging table. Parking lot and bathrooms available at the library and rec center.
Fox Run Neighborhood Park
595 Fox Run
This neighborhood park has swings, spring rider toys, sand diggers, tether ball, funnel ball, and a basketball court. Street parking available.
Creekside Commons Park
Located between Front St, Vandello Dr, and Sadler Dr
This playground structure has multiple slides, rock climbing wall and several interesting climbing ladders. Street parking available.
Coralville
ST Morrison Park
1513 7th St
This park features a play structure, swings, spring rider toys, a sandy area for digging, as well as sand volleyball courts and baseball diamonds. It’s also next to the Coralville Community Aquatic Center and the Coralville Rec Center. Parking lot and bathrooms available.
North Ridge Park
2550 Holiday Rd
The park borders I-80 but it doesn’t feel like it’s right next to the interstate. There is a paved walking path around a picturesque pond and an event center. As of June they are building a new playground and completion is slated for some time in August 2024. Parking lot available.
Kiddie Korral Park
733 12th Ave
This small, adorable park is great for kids 5 and under and not too far from ST Morrison Park. Street parking available.
Tiffin
Tiffin City Park and Splash Pad
809 E Marengo Rd
This park is home to some baseball diamonds, along with a baseball themed splash pad. The play structure has multiple slides, monkey bars, nearby swings and an old-fashioned tire swing. Parking lot available.
Potter Park
Potter St & Lilac St
This is a great park for little kids. There are multiple low slides, swings, climbing rocks and ride on spring toys. Street parking available.
Deer View Park
Deer View Ave and Jackson St
You can find a fun play structure, swings, challenging monkey bars and a standalone slide at this neighborhood park. A basketball court is also onsite. Street parking available.
Kent Park
2048 US6 NW, Oxford
While this large park is technically in Oxford, it’s not too far from Tiffin. Perfect for those wanting to enjoy the outdoors, the playground is surrounded by large trees of the Kent Park forest. Kids can also walk along the storybook trail, go wading in the lake or build sandcastles at the beach. There is a beautiful trail that runs along the lake with multiple old bridge crossings and a fenced in fishing dock. Parking lot available and restrooms available at various locations in the park.
Solon
Randall Park
Highway 382 NE
This park has a variety for different ages. The larger play structure has multiple slides and ways to climb up. A cute dinosaur slide is great for the little kids. The park also features a standing teeter totter, merry-go-round and swings.
Solon Recreation & Nature Area
Racine Ave
The sports complex boasts a splash pad, playground, several baseball diamonds, tennis courts, soccer fields, and a sand volleyball court.
Windmill Estates Park
River Birch Run and Cedar Bend Dr
This new park offers an agility style structure. Kids will stay busy on the monkey bars and climbing grid.
West Branch
Cubby Park
301 Scott Dr
This park has a playground, baseball fields, and pickleball court. Parking lot and bathrooms available.
Wapsi Creek Park
201 N 2nd St
This small park is nice for young children. It has a low play structure and a disk swing.
Beranek Park
320 Beranek Dr
Beranek Park is great for families. Not only does it have a play structure, but also has a basketball court and sand volleyball courts. Parking lot and restrooms available.
