1. Auburn Valley State Park

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Yorklyn, DE

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Auburn Valley State Park

5.0 (1 review)
Closed • 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

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3 years ago

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Kids Dream Playground - Kid's Dream Playground

Kids Dream Playground

4.2(14 reviews)
9.6 mi

This playground is absolutely amazing. Tons to do for kids to run around- and it's all wooden…read more There are giant tires, picnic tables and the ground is filled in with really fine pebbles so kids can't run as fast. Not sure if that was by design but it's a fact ;-) There are also bathrooms on site and the library is a hop away. We had an excellent time.

This playground was recommended by my son's chiro's office. Just as a place to go, nothing chiro…read morespecial about it. There is a lot of large equipment, but not a whole lot of variety or imagination in the different interactive functions. Reeves Park's playground (Phoenixville), Smith Memorial Playground (Fairmount Park), Freedom Playground (Haverford), and Aston Twp's new playground all have really imaginitive stuff, and just as large of an expanse (if not larger). I also have to give props to the Reeves Park and Freedom playgrounds for being fenced in (Smith is, but it's so big, the fence is not as containing as it could be). Kids Dream is not fenced, unfortunately, because it is a layer of safety I always appreciate, for young kids who run, and also just to keep out wandering dogs (the ones on a long leash whose caretakers aren't paying attention) or to dissuade sketchy people from hanging around (sorry but they're everywhere). There is a nearby walking trail, and it's also adjacent to township offices (shared parking lot). I do have to comment that there was a bit of litter generally around, which is never okay for a kids' playground. Also, this playground is pretty crowded. Parents seemed adequately considerate, but honestly, all the abovementioned playgrounds had a better vibe to me. Maybe because this place was built up by my recommendation and the reviews, but it wasn't as great as my expectations (and comparative experiences).

Photos
Kids Dream Playground - Kid's Dream Playground -- entrance

Kid's Dream Playground -- entrance

Kids Dream Playground - Kid's Dream Playground -- entrance

Kid's Dream Playground -- entrance

Kids Dream Playground - Kid's Dream Playground

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Kid's Dream Playground

Kids Castle - Kids Castle / Central Park

Kids Castle

4.8(71 reviews)
43.7 mi

Love this place! The whole playground is gated with only 1 entrance so u can let your kid run free…read moreand guard the entrance as needed. The castle itself is huge but quite cramped inside so it was alot of work following my 2.5 yo kid inside. The castle is targetted for 5yo and up. My toddler enjoyed the spiral slides. The rest of the playground is nice and clean as well. There's free parking available and the castle is a short walk from there. I went there on a Friday afternoon/evening in late august and it wasn't too crowded. I would come back again if I was in the area

2 stars solely for greenspace. My opinion is based on driving an hour to meet friends here for a…read moreplay date. If you live locally it may be worthwhile but the drive for me was such a waste of my time for what this was. Ready? It's a: Big Wooden Castle Yep, that's it, folks. A gigantic version of that swingset-clubhouse combo you bought at Costco only to rot in your backyard because spiders and rain made it so unpleasant for kids that they refuse to use it. It's that creepy clubhouse times 30! It's pretty much a regular playground with most kids swarming the swings and other play features with a few venturing into the old wood play structure. They go in once and don't go back in again. My son was cursed at by older boys who appeared beyond the age guidelines (and I was surprised to see them still interested in a playground). In the myopic darkness of the castle, my son banged his head when inside the dank structure there was suddenly an unmarked (unlit) drastic change in ceiling height. Needless to say this experience was a turn off. Most kids really preferred being out in daylight because the castle felt more like a dungeon. It was fun to see friends and we enjoyed the togetherness of the play date but unless I'm in the area and desperate for a kid distraction, I won't be back.

Photos
Kids Castle - Kids Castle / Central Park

Kids Castle / Central Park

Kids Castle - Kids Castle / Central Park

Kids Castle / Central Park

Kids Castle

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Stroud Preserve - Natural Lands - Nice bench with pretty view on red trail

Stroud Preserve - Natural Lands

4.7(7 reviews)
10.2 mi

By now, I've been to a number of Natural Lands preserves, and while all of them are naturally…read morestunning in their own unique ways, Stroud is most easy on the eyes, as one helluva photogenic preserve! 571 acres of GORGEOUSNESS!!!!!!! Sunsets are beautiful here. Many visitors were there just to hike up the hill to see the sunset. Some were even there with professional photographers, for a couple's shot in the moment. I wasn't able to hike the grassy trail with a stroller, but I got some shots of it setting behind the trees, and it was still beautiful to watch from the lowlands. This preserve features a paved trail, mowed grass meadow trails, and dirt woods trails. The terrain varies as explained, so be aware that bikes and strollers, etc. will have limited access. That said, the paved trail was quite long, and we didn't have time to finish with fading twilight, hence there is plenty of exercise to be had on each type of trail. Obviously the meadow trails leave you open to sun exposure, so be prepared in summer months. I did not feel too many bugs along the paved trail, but I would worry more about them in the meadow or woods, so consider repellent if you plan to explore those areas. Also, while I hike my local park on a daily basis with no symptoms, my allergies went nuts with the variety of grasses and trees at this preserve. There is ample free parking in the gavel lot. The East Branch Brandywine creek is very close to the parking lot, so if you plan to kayak, canoe, etc., it is not far to carry anything to a slip. There is also a smaller Taylor Run stream on the property, but it's not big enough for watersports. The Natural Lands website says some of the acreage is working farmlands, and yes, there are rolling hills of hay crop all over the place. There are some old buildings on the preserve (homes, barns, spring houses, etc.), but any I encountered were prohibited areas, and are not approachable for the public. This was unusual for other Natural Lands properties I've visited. According to their website, one of the stone homes dates to 1740, and is on the National Register of Historic Places, however it is being lived in, thus the notices not to proceed beyond designated boundaries. Also unlike other Natural Lands preserves, there is a lot of scientific study/research going on at this preserve. There is evidence of data collection in various places, and their website explains ecological projects run by the Stroud Water Research Center. Stroud is the only preserve in PA to be part of the Environmental Protection Agency's National Monitoring Program, to evaluate how human inhabitancy affects water quality. Natural Lands hosts various events at Stroud (low-cost admission, and pre-registration required). For example, in August they are hosting a splash in the creek for kids, and in September they'll have an evening Harvest Moon Hike and S'mores!

This is a perfect place for a quick-ish and relaxing hike. There are several different options and…read moremost of them loop. I did the red trail loop which is a bit longer. It's through some grass and along some private properties. I went on a Friday afternoon and there were not many people there. There are great views and clearly marked trails. Parking can be difficult.

Photos
Stroud Preserve - Natural Lands - Park walk

Park walk

Stroud Preserve - Natural Lands - Stroud Preserve, Natural Lands

Stroud Preserve, Natural Lands

Stroud Preserve - Natural Lands - Photo taken by Simone Collins Landscape Architects

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Photo taken by Simone Collins Landscape Architects

Auburn Valley State Park - parks - Updated October 2026

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