Great spot to walk. An escape from the noise of Bristol's commotion. Close to home. A nice place…read moreto stretch your legs.

I take my toddler to the playground here fairly often. The whole playground is fenced in. It has 2…read moremain playscapes, one for toddlers and preschoolers and another for older kids. My toddler loves the smaller playscape. There are a few slides and plenty of different ladders and stairs to climb. BEWARE- after a good rain the area around this climber is a giant puddle. There's a slide that goes right into the middle of it. We avoid this park after a rainstorm for this reason. The larger playscape seems pretty fun. My toddler still climbs on it when it's not too crowded. It has a lot of ramps and some fun slides. I climb with him or stay close by because there are some openings to climbing structures he cannot navigate that are pretty high up. There are also swings (including baby swings), covered picnic tables, a sand/ digging area, and some outdoor musical instruments inside the fence.

This is a great little park for an afternoon excursion with kids. In addition to the playing…read morefields, there are lighted tennis and basketball courts for evening play. We went with our 2yr old to check out the play area. It is very well done and arranged. It is ADA compatible which in addition to being accepting to everyone makes being a parent easier, ease of access to high areas. My daughter loved the slide that was essentially a string of rolling pins. The only slide of its design I've come across. There are plenty of swings and there is a nice covered area with picnic tables. It is completely enclosed and gated, so it takes a bit for the little ones to get away! Always a plus. In the play area there is a sand box with some shovels, the sand is pretty well used at this point and isn't all that soft but it's useable. There is also a really fun little pipe instrument setup with the gates. If you venture across the street there is some hiking trails in the woods, nothing overly long or daunting but it was nice for a stroll in the woods with the baby and the the dog.

I had no idea how big this park was. Disc golf, dog park, mountain biking, hiking/nature trails,…read moreball fields, skate park... I could go on and on. It's an older park but has tons of new attractions and modern park features. It's worth going. This is a real Bristol, CT Gem. Pequabuck river flows through it. Tons of green space. Lots of parking. A really great park to visit.

Located on the West End of Bristol, Rockwell Park has been a staple in my family since the mid…read more40's! (my grandparents home is off the park) The park has a nice shady walking path around its border for hot summer days as well as a splash pad ...and pool for kids. They have SO MANY fun events just look in Bristol Park and Rec webpage... For example, they have music every Tuesday throughout the summer in the outdoor amphitheater. They have Muzzy field adjacent to the parking lot and there are games of all kinds with fireworks afterward. They have seasonal events, including visits from Santa in Mrs. Rockwells pavillion. Also, there is a skateboard cement park that was professionally designed by pro skaters.... A frisbee disc golf course on one end AND a dog park!!! I can't say enough of good things about Rockwell Park...I absolutely Love this local spot.

Beautiful playground that is loved by children of all ages! It is far enough off the road with a…read morelarge parking lot and a safety gate that helps help the littles from running out. It is not large but it packs a punch of multiple slides, climbing structures and brand new soft padding to absorb any falls. The playground doesn't have much shade so prepare for that on sunny hot days. Only thing noticeable missing are swings but the kiddos will get over it as there is so much to explore!

Picnics and ponds…read more Veteran's Memorial Park is a 21 acre park that has a whole lot of different activities available including football, basketball and baseball fields, several tennis courts, a playground for kids, a large and wooded picnic area and a swimming pool. There is even a small duck pond located in the park. Most of the facilities are in excellent condition except for the basketball court that has lots of long cracks in the surface from the ice and snow. Definitely time for some repaving. The fields are used by several different leagues but are open to anyone when not in use. In fact everything in the park is open to anyone except for the swimming areas which can only be used by town residents. The park gets very crowded in the summer, especially on weekends, and picnics and parties are very common here. The park can be loud and pretty chaotic with lots of kids running around and people playing various games but is always friendly and pleasant. A nice park that offers a whole lot of different things to do.

Cool area. lots of places to lay low and relax. Biking is not a problem. The water is nice feeling…read moredue to a cold spring as well.

If you need breathtaking views especially this time of the year where the trees change color, this…read moreis the spot for you. There is more than one trail and if you have a map you can decide which trail to follow. If you are interested in just a walk around the lake the red trail would be perfect but if you are more interested in the view of the lake from higher up, then the blue to the orange trail, blue and blue to the red trail will get you there. The entire hike got us was about 3 miles. A simple hike that is good enough for a beginner. It had a steep hill and I was so out of breath going up but when you get to the top at the lookout point it was all worth it. The lake wasn't the cleanest as the water was green but there were still people fishing. A lot of picnic tables to sit, eat or hang out and a big parking lot with adequate space.

Yesterday my dog and I decided to visit Castle Craig which is perfectly situated for a fantastic…read moreview of the park itself plus much of Meriden. Though this year's peak fall colors were muted and a bit past, it was still enjoyable.

Hubbard Park in Meriden is about 1800 acres of woodlands, streams , a man-made lake for fishing,…read moretennis courts and various picnic areas located throughout the park. You'll find, joggers, runners, walkers, fishermen/women and family's all enjoying the natural beauty and recreational facilities of this scenic park located in the western part of the city.

Sessions Woods is a nature preserve on 700 acres of land with trails and an education exhibit. They…read moreoffer educational programs and demonstrations; there are hiking trails throughout that you can hike yourself. Trails are open from sunrise to sunset; the exhibit is open 8:30-4 Monday-Friday. There were four trails to choose from; Beaver Pond, Forest Meadow, Tree ID, and Crosscut Trail. The parking lot was large. On this visit, I completed the Forest Meadow Trail. The trail was a 0.6-mile loop trail. There were informational signs throughout; they were kind of faded and old. The trail was easy and peaceful; I noticed quite a few boulders. There was only one other person we walked by on the trail. I was being vigilant about bears and ticks. There were quite a few benches which was a nice since my toddler enjoyed resting on them. I saw that the other trail had boardwalks; I look forward to coming back to check that out.

I came here for a hike on a Monday morning and was happy to see the clear signs and we'll…read moreestablished trail. There are a few views off the path to go and check out as well as a lot of wildlife. In fact we saw a black bear crossing the path and would recommend keeping your eyes peeled. Very nice visit despite that!

Burr Pond State Park is a very beautiful and peaceful park. The pond is the showstopper here, hence…read morethe name. Driving up to the park was enjoyable; there's a big hill with a small waterfall you can see from the street. The parking area was a decent size but I can see it being packed in the summer and on weekends. The park is on 438-acres and the man-made pond is 85-acres. Popular recreational activities in this park are hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating. The pond was created in 1851 to help produce power buy building dams. There are two trails within the park; 2.5-mile blue blazed Walcott Trail which goes around the pond and 2-mile John Muir trail which goes through multiple parks. The beach is quaint but does the job on a hot day rather than driving an hour or so to the beach. There were so many picnic tables throughout; definitely a nice area for picnics. There is a seasonal boat rental and concession stand. If you want to go boating, there is a boat launch. We went in the winter for an event, the parking lot was packed so they were offering shuttles. The park was beautiful in the winter with the pond being frozen. There were people ice fishing and playing on the ice. I went recently on a spring weekday, temperature was perfect and the place was quiet. We walked on the trail and it was lovely with the view of the pond. Overall, a great park and will be there as often as we can.

"Don't say a word Don't say anything…read moreDon't say a word I'm not even listening You better watch your step" (Elvis Costello) Trust the Mayor. You'd better watch your step as you're walking the three mile trail that circles Burr Pond, or you'll end up face first on the dirt trail with a broken ankle. The dirt trail sure has its share of dangerous tree roots and rocks, followed by relatively hazard free stretches to walk. You sure get some gorgeous views of the water! We saw people fishing, swimming by the small beach, a big group hanging out by picnic tables playing salsa music, and two dog owners whose well behaved dogs were swimming in the pond. The trail itself is flat with just a handful of inclines, but most of those inclines are tree trunk related. It really is a lovely park.

Norton Park is a large park in Plainville, CT with many amenities. I was in the area and had to…read morecheck it out since I'm sort of a playground connoisseur lol. Aside from the large playground, there is a sports field, picnic spot, pool, and ball courts. There is a skate park and a paved 1 mile loop walking trail. It is stroller friendly which is a plus. They also host the hot air balloon event in August. The residents and visitors are lucky to have this recreational area. There were plenty of parking; it was a busy day when we went. We enjoyed the playground; there was shade and picnic tables throughout. It even has a zipline/swing type playscape, which I've never seen before elsewhere. Overall, it's definitely a nice park!

Great place to walk! I go there frequently. Marked trail partly crushed stone and can choose woods…read moreor open space. Playground too and bathrooms!