We are proud to share our top playground picks in Richmond , brought to us by our sponsor KNOWDifferent.Net
KNOWDifferent.net is an online resource for special needs families and they will be sponsoring this guide to run through October.
Park & Playground Picks
ARCPark
The Greater Richmond ARCpark is open to everyone - every day from dawn to dusk (barring inclement weather)
The ARCpark is the first of its kind in Central Virginia.The ARCpark is free and open to the public.
The ARCpark is open to all ages and all abilities. Most features are handicap accessible.
Three state-of-the-art playgrounds for toddlers, school-aged kids and every-age
An abundance of swings, including a wheelchair-accessible glider and a hammock-like Biggo Swing
Recycled, poured-rubber safety surfaces throughout the park
A wheel-chair accessible treehouse with an extra-wide ramp and a four-ton, re-purposed eucalyptus stump
A custom-built, multi-sensory wall with panels that stimulate touch, hearing and sight
A play house, a small stage, water troughs and music instruments for creative play
Handicap-accessible fitness equipment and a multi-purpose playing court
Water misting stations
A large, shaded pavilion with nine picnic tables
A family restroom with an adult-sized changing table
Charging stations for electric wheelchairs
Hours of operation are from dawn to dusk every day of the week. (The park will close for inclement weather.)
The ARCpark is located at 3600 Saunders Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227, on Richmond’s Northside.
Deep Run Park
9900 Ridgefield Parkway, Richmond, VA 23233
Deep Run is a 167 acre park that has a little bit of everything. Two playgrounds, two ponds that are stocked for fishing, soccer fields, picnic shelters, paved trails, a nature pavilion and a recreation center. There is a playground for little ones with little equipment close to the large pond near the entrance. The second larger playground for kids of all ages in the back of the park. It has a castle with slides, a kinds of swings, monkey bars, and other fun equipment. Most important – this playground is shaded! Parking is located throughout the park and close to all the playgrounds.
A Playground for Katie and Friends at Huguenot Park
10901 Robious Road, Midlothian, VA 23113
Located in the 56 acres of Huguenot Park is a wheel chair accessible playground with adaptive play equipment for all children – regardless of ability or disability. Kids of all ages enjoy the sandboxes, ramp structures and swings. To get a better feel for the park, take a look at the photos online.
Parking: Parking is located right at the playground entrance.
Restrooms: Restrooms are located in the building adjacent to the play area.
Humphrey Calder Community Center Playground
414 N Thompson St, Richmond, VA 23221
Humphrey Calder Community Center Playground is a part of the Humphrey Calder Community Center. The playground is entirely covered with sand The community center offers a gym, a game room with a computer lab, and a multi-purpose room. Outside there are soccer fields, a youth baseball field, basketball courts, a sand volleyball court, a picnic shelter, and of course, a playground. It is a thrill for all when trains pass by below
Gym
Game Room
Multi-purpose Room
Soccer Field
Youth Baseball Field
Basketball Court
Sand Volleyball Court
Picnic Shelter
Canal Walk
The Canal Walk is a 1.25 mile walk along James River’s north bank and Kanawha Canal from Tredegar Iron Works on 5th Street to 17th Street. Pedestrian entrances are available at Tredegar Iron Works, 7th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th and Virginia streets. Moms beware – the entire 1.25 miles of the Canal Walk is not stroller friendly! Boat tours are available from the Turning Basin at 14th and Dock Streets. They offer a 35 min historical narrated tour of James River and Kanawha Canal. Call Richmond Canal Cruises at 804.649-2800 for more information.
Crump Park Playground & Meadow Farm Museum
3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060
Meadow Farm/Crump Park has a playground with all kinds of fabulous equipment for kids. The toddler area is huge with three miniature houses, a fire truck, a train, and a climbing apparatus with slides. The park also has a giant piece of play equipment for older children to enjoy that includes multiple slides, monkey bars and a crank-driven platform. This is a well laid out playground for families with kids of all ages.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMeadow Farm/Crump Park is also home to a 19th century farm and museum. For more information visit our ‘Animals‘ section.
Parking: If you enter the park from Mountain Road, the first two parking lots you come upon will give you the best access to the playground and picnic area.
Restrooms: Restrooms are located at the playground and museum areas.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens
1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228 Phone: 804.262.9887
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens is a by far the most beautiful garden in all of Richmond. There are so many different varieties and styles of gardens to enjoy including; Asian, Rose, Healing, Perennial, and Water Gardens. There is also a beautiful Conservatory that houses plants from around the globe. The garden is almost entirely stroller and wheelchair accessible.Mondays are Pokemon days and there is always splashing at the splash fountains! Check Lewis Ginter’s website or call for details on hours and fees.
Don’t miss the Children’s Garden complete with a 13 foot high tree house, giant sandbox, and miniature playhouses designed after villages around the world. Kids also enjoy climbing the 100 year old mulberry tree and splashing around in the water play area in the summertime.
Older kids enjoy Kids Quest, the self directed garden treasure hunt. Maps are located in the visitor center and each item is noted with a special Kid’s Quest sign to identify it.
Free Parking is available around the Visitor’s Center.
Lombardy Park
1500 Hanover Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220 at Hanover and Park Avenues.
It is a great place for toddlers and preschoolers who enjoy the sandbox and fun playground equipment. There’s a rock wall and bridge. It’s a smaller type neighborhood park but lots of fun.
Parking: Only on-street parking available for one hour blocks of time.
Forest Hill Park
4021 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
Forest Hill Park consists of the historic Stone House, once the park manager’s home that can now be rented for small meetings or events, a lake, which has been restored in recent years, tennis courts, picnic shelters, a children’s playground, and many paths and trails are popular for walking and jogging. A partial wetland, much wildlife can be viewed in the park, and there are also sloping hills for passive recreation. It is well known as a popular sledding site anytime it snows in Richmond, and during the summer months, Sunday concerts are hosted in the park. The park also has been the home to the South of the James Market, a farmer’s market.
Lake
Tennis Courts
Picnic Shelters
Playground
Walking/Running Trails
Pole Green Park
8996 Pole Green Park Ln, Mechanicsville, VA 23116
Pole Green Park is a 232-acre park with many amenities including softball fields, soccer field, football field, a skate park, tot lots, playgrounds, and more. The Pole Green Community Center located in the park also has various parks and recreation programs. Pole Green Park also has a unique feature for horse owners. The park has an equestrian ring and stable.There is a skate park, a dog park, an equestrian ring, and sand volleyball courts, it has a community center in the park where many community events and classes occur like the Hanover Tomato Festival, Family Movie Night in the Park, and much more!
Multipurpose fields
Softball fields
Walking trails
Picnic shelter
Playgrounds
Skate park
Equestrian ring with stables
Sand volleyball courts
Horseshoe pits
Dog Park
Pole Green Community Center
Cross country running course
James River Park
The James River Park System is the largest park in Richmond, encompassing 500+ acres along the banks of the James River. This park offers opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, jogging, swimming, hiking, rock-climbing, fishing, boating, sunning, and bird watching. Two of the most popular areas within the park system are Belle Isle and Pony Pasture. To really enjoy your visit, avoid peak weekend afternoons.
Belle Isle
300 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA 23219
Belle Isle is found downtown (near the financial district) in the middle of the James River. The island is the site of a notorious Civil War prison and the remains of a historic iron foundry are still visible. Belle Isle can be accessed from the northside of the River by a pedestrian bridge suspended directly under the Lee Bridge. Free parking is available in the Belle Isle parking lot just past the Tredegar Iron Works or along 5th Street, a porta potty is located on the island. Older kids enjoy riding their bikes across the bridge and around the island trail (approx one mile), wading in the shallows of the river, sunbathing, and climbing on the rocks when water levels are low.
Pony Pasture
7310 Riverside Drive, Richmond VA 23225
Pony Pasture is located on the south bank of the James a mile or so east from the Huguenot Bridge on Riverside Drive. There is ample parking and restrooms. Pony Pasture offers walking and bike trails, bird watching, rock climbing, and fishing.
Mary Munford Playground
211 Westmoreland Street Richmond, VA 23221
located at Mary Munford Elementary School. A little but smaller of a playground/parks,but it has unique features that sets it apart from others.It has a wooden medieval playground with multiple castles along with another play area designed for special-needs children.The playground is fenced in and it is also handicap-accessible
Athletic Field
Basketball Court
Exercise Trail
Tennis Court
Maymont
1700 Hampton Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Phone: 804.358.7166
Maymont is a 100 acre park located in the heart of the city and includes a Nature Center, Japanese and Italian Gardens, the Maymont house, and a Children’s Farm. Check Maymont’s website or call for details on hours and fees. If you visit the park with little ones, be sure to bring a stroller, this park is enormous and has lots of hills.
The Nature Center interprets the natural environment of the James River. A 20-foot waterfall cascades into one of 13 giant, linked aquariums that are home to playful river otters, turtles and indigenous species of fish.
The Italian Garden features exquisite stonework, statuary, gazebos, and fountains, as well as beautiful trees and flowers. It is a popular location for weddings.
The Japanese Garden landscape contrasts strongly with the formality of the Italian Garden. A Japanese Garden Guide and Map (available for purchase at the Visitor Center) provides interpretive information, including Japanese history and symbolism.
The Maymont House Museum is a Victorian-age, 33-room home, once owned by the Dooley family. It is a well-preserved example of Gilded Age design with twelve restored rooms on the first and second floors available for viewing during guided tour hours.
The Children’s Farm and Barn is a kiddie favorite. It is located at the Spottswood Road Entrance. At the Children’s Farm youngsters can visit all kinds of animals; pot-bellied pigs, rabbits, peacocks, chickens, goats, horses, foxes, and bears, just to name a few.
Pocahontas State Park
10301 State Park Road, Chesterfield, VA 28382.
Just 20 miles from downtown Richmond, this 7900-acre park is a popular park for families! There is boating, picnicking, camping, hiking, a kiddie pool, leisure and activity pools, rowboats, paddleboats, kayak & canoe rentals and more. The lake is 150-acres and you can even fish here! There are more than 80 miles of trails open for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. Kids can run and play for hours. Plenty of picnic areas and bathrooms.
Pouncey Tract Park
Pouncey Tract Road, Henrico, VA 23228.
A small park with a baseball field, volleyball fields, and playground. This is a great park for families with multiple little ones because they can see almost the entire playground at one time.
Powhatan State Park
4616 Powhatan State Park Road, Powhatan, Virginia 23139
The 1,564 acre Powhatan State Park has 2.5 miles of frontage along the southern bank of the James River. The land, originally part of the Beaumont Correctional Center, was transferred from the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for use as a state park in 2003. For more information on all of Virginia’s award-winning Virginia State Parks go to the website, or call toll-free 1-800-933-PARK (7275).
Rockwood Park
3401 Courthouse Road, Richmond, VA 23236. Phone: 804.748.1623
This is a fun park for all ages. It’s Chesterfield County’s oldest and most popular park, this site features a complex of ball fields and tennis courts, a nature center, an archery range, Ruff House Dog Park, garden plots and a system of 5 nature trails. There are 7 baseball fields, 3 outdoor basketball courts, 9 tennis courts, a 5.5 mile walking trail suitable for all ages (some inclines and hills), a nature center, dog park and fun playground.
Short Pump Park
3401 Pump Road, Richmond, VA.
This park is right behind Short Pump Elementary School and you enter to see the baseball field. There’s also a football field. The park is behind the fields as you pass through the picnic area. There are fun slides, and great structures for small children. There’s even a small play house and some baby swings. Kids will enjoy the rock wall too. This is a great park for toddlers.
Bathrooms: Nice and clean (look for sign that says “Home of the Kanawha Redskins”)
Springfield Park
4600 Springfield Road, Richmond VA
Springfield Park has fun playgrounds with structures that are safely enclosed with metal rails. Kids love running through the maze of the structure and you don’t have to worry about them falling off! There are cool tubes for sliding down too. You can enjoy a picnic and they even have special little toys for babies.
Three Lakes Nature Center
400 Sausiluta Drive, Richmond, VA 23227 Phone: 804.261.8230
Forest Hill Park
Forest Hill Park is a great park for walking and hiking. Some of the trails are paved which makes it accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. It is also a popular dog walking park. This park is great all year round. During the warm months, stop by the park to enjoy the South of the James Market and purchase locally produced food. When it snows, stop by with your sled and go down one of the many sloping hills.
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