My Favorite Charlotte Area Playgrounds

The Charlotte area has some awesome playgrounds and I love visiting and reviewing them for you guys. After years of visiting lots of playgrounds in our area I wanted to put my favorites into a blog post so you can easily reference the entire list when needed. I hope that you’ll find this helpful and informative.

I’ll continue to share individual reviews of playgrounds throughout Charlotte on my Instagram Page so you can follow me there for those if you aren’t already.

William Davie Park (South Charlotte/Arborteum Area)

Bathrooms ✔️
Fully fenced ✔️
Great for all ages ✔️
Picnic tables ✔️
Convenient parking ✔️
Shaded ❌

William Davie located off Rea Road near the Arboretum is one of my favorite playgrounds in Charlotte and checks almost all the boxes of the ideal playground for most ages. It has three different playset areas and two of them can work well for younger toddlers.

One of the best aspects is that it’s fully fenced and set up in a way where you can keep an eye on multiple kids in different areas of the playground. I definitely feel more comfortable here keeping up with both kiddos than many others in CLT.

The only downside is very limited shade (other than the center picnic table area) so it can get pretty hot in the summer months.

There are a few soccer fields close by that can be used to play and run around as well as a dog park further into the facility.

Park Road Park (Southpark Area)

Bathrooms ✔️
Shade ✔️
Convenient parking ✔️
Good for young toddlers ✔️
Good for older kids ✔️
Fenced ❌

Park Road Park located a few miles south of downtown is an awesome park for a wide variety of ages. There are two main playgrounds close together (one for older kids and one for young toddlers) plus a boat structure, sand box, and walking trails around a fishing pond.

The larger playground is one of the few in the area that is partially shaded which makes a huge difference in the summer months.

The toddler playground is probably one of my favorites in CLT due to its size and options for play. Both playgrounds have a cushioned turf underneath which helps with absorbing falls and shoes not getting so dirty.

The biggest downside is that the bathrooms aren’t that conveniently located to the playground. They are down by the pond so it makes for a couple minute walk for a potty break. I really wish they were closer. It’s also one of the more popular parks in town so can get crowded on the weekends especially late morning and early afternoon.

Even though there isn’t a fence it’s set far enough off the parking lot to still feel safe. I’d give it a B- for being able to keep an eye on your kids easily.

The pond is nice and has walking trails and picnic tables all around. It’s a nice area to have lunch after a playground visit.

Freedom Park (Myers Park/Central CLT Area)

Some Shade ✔️
Restrooms ✔️
Convenient parking ✔️
Good for variety of ages ✔️
Fenced ❌

Freedom park located in central Charlotte near the Dilworth and Myers Park areas is probably one of the most popular parks in Charlotte. With a large playground, Panthers Football Activity area, and a beautiful pond with walking trails it has so much to offer and can easily take up a whole morning or afternoon.

The playground has a good mix of larger slides and rock walls for older kids and then smaller slides and climbing areas for young toddlers. There is also an old steam train engine that kids can walk into and an area with lots of swings.

There are a few large trees and canopies that provide some shade which is really nice during the summer months. The only downfall is that the playground isn’t fenced and is spread out in a way that can make it harder to keep up with multiple kids. Sometimes I find myself feeling a little more anxious here due to that. It can also get really crowded on the weekends so the weekdays and mornings are usually best.

The pond area is beautiful and perfect for stroller walks or scooter rides plus it connects to the greenway if you want to jump on the trail. There are also lots of picnic tables and grassy areas to have a meal.

Overall this park is awesome and it’s clear why it’s so popular.

Sedgefield Neighborhood Park (Central CLT)

Great for lots of ages ✔️
Shade ✔️
Green space/trails ✔️
Convenient Parking ✔️
Fenced ❌
Restrooms ❌

This park and playground is located in the Sedgefield neighborhood in central Charlotte off Park Road. It has a great playground area with some unique climbing equipment, a large pavilion for picnics and shade, and some nice green space and walking trails.

My kids really like this one because the playground has some features that are different than many of the other parks. They have a smaller one for younger toddlers and then some larger equipment for the big kids. It’s nice that there is some shade coverage over the equipment for those hot summer months.

Parking is along the street and I’ve never had a hard time finding a space. Unfortunately there aren’t restrooms which is definitely a downside.

Overall this is a great playground that my kids always enjoy!

Crooked Creek Park (Indian Trail)

Fully fenced ✔️
Bathrooms ✔️
Convenient parking ✔️
Unique design ✔️
Splash Pad ✔️
Covered picnic tables ✔️
Shade ❌

Located in Indian Trail this park is a little outside of Charlotte but definitely worth the drive. The main playground has a unique treehouse design and there is even a small zip line for older kids. There are also a variety of swings and climbing features that go with the treehouse theme.

One of the best parts of this park is that is has a very large splash pad right by the playground. The splash pad has lots of great sprinklers and sprayers plus covered picnic table areas nearby.

This park also has an ADA – accessible playground located on the other side of the grounds that offers play experiences for children of varying abilities and ages. The main playground is definitely better for older toddlers and kids (big kids would like this one a lot) and the ADA is better for younger toddlers or those with disabilities.

Overall this is an awesome playground and one of our favorites in the area!

Squirrel Lake Park (Matthews)

Convenient restrooms ✔️
Parking ✔️
Good for variety of ages ✔️
Walking trails ✔️
Shade ❌
Fenced ❌

Squirrel Lake Park located in Matthews is another favorite park in the CLT area. In addition to a nice playground it has a fishing pond, wooded walking trails, and connects to the Four Mile Creek Greenway. There is even a popular part of the Greenway close by with a shallow creek area where kids can play in the water.

The playground caters more to older toddlers and big kids with several steep slides and climbing walls but there is a small one for younger toddlers too. The short walking trail is great for young kids since it doesn’t require too much walking.

I personally love parks where there are multiple things to do in case kids get bored of something quickly and this one is perfect for that. I also like that there is a covered picnic area for eating lunch or taking a shade break.

Chantilly Neighborhood Park (Chantilly/Plaza Midwood area)

Good for lots of ages ✔️
Secluded/partially fenced ✔️
Never crowded ✔️
Shade ✔️
Bathrooms ❌
Parking ➖

Chantilly Park located just a few miles from uptown in the Chantilly neighborhood is a little different than ones I’ve shared so far. With it being a neighborhood playground you won’t see big crowds here or many amenities but the playsets themselves are some of my kids favorite in the whole city. The larger playground has huge slides and unique climbing structures and the smaller has two fun bridges and a climbing wall.

It’s not fully fenced but is offset from the road in a way that makes it very safe for kids to run around and to keep an eye on them. There are also lots of large trees around that can provide some shade on hot days.

The downsides are no restrooms and parking is limited to the small road that leads to the park. We’ve never had trouble finding a spot though since many families walk here.

Overall this is a great neighborhood playground to visit and your kids will love it!

Pineville Lake Park (Pineville, NC)

Convenient Parking ✔️
Restrooms ✔️
Great for variety of ages ✔️
Splash Pad ✔️
Shade ❌
Fenced ❌

I think we found our new favorite park! Many of you suggested that we try and review this one and I can understand why! Pineville Lake Park located near downtown Pineville, NC has so much to offer with three different playgrounds, a splash pad, zip line ride, and beautiful pond with a walking trail. It also has several picnic tables and shelters that can be rented for parties.

I love the variety of playground equipment that is great for toddlers and older kids. My kiddos had such a blast on the unique treehouse style one with the large tube slide (pic above).

Even though it isn’t fenced and is right by the pond it’s set up in a way that kids likely won’t be running towards the water plus there are rocks that block the entry to the water. I felt very safe while we were there.

The fully fenced splash pad is located on a hill above the play area and opened up Memorial Day.

Overall this is now one of my favorite parks in our area and we will be frequent visitors here all summer!

Stallings Municipal Park (Stallings, NC)

Shade ✔️
Fenced ✔️
Restrooms ✔️
Parking ✔️
Splash Pad ✔️

Stallings Park located just outside of Matthews is only about 20 minutes from the Southpark area of Charlotte. The best part of this park is that it offers a playground that is fully shaded and fully fenced 🙌. Add in the fact that it has a splash pad and you get a park that can be enjoyed during our hot summer months!

There are actually three separate playground areas – the shaded one for kids up to age 5 which includes a huge sandbox, a larger one for older kids, and one in the back with a huge slide! There is also a nice splash pad and huge grassy area for kids to run around. The splash pad isn’t open yet but should open within the next few weeks.

One thought on “My Favorite Charlotte Area Playgrounds

  1. Lauren says:

    Thanks for doing this, there are a few we haven’t been to yet. Another one we love is Trailhead Park in Tega Cay. Small kid area, big kid area, zip line, tables and benches, fully fenced, squishy floor, has bathrooms, it’s great!

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