Nice place for kids to play and walk the cannal, and spend family time. It is a little hard to find but worth the look

If you're looking for a great park to take the kids, get a walk or run in, or even hop on a bike, this spot is perfect! The playground equipment is super nice--you can definitely tell they put some money and effort into making it great. It's right next to the canal, so once the kids are done playing, you can head out for a walk or rent a bike and ride along the water. There's even a dog park area, which is a huge plus if you want to bring your pup along. They have poop bag stations stocked and ready, so no worries if you forget yours. The whole place was really clean too--I didn't see any trash around, which shows people actually care about keeping it nice. The only downside is that there aren't any restrooms by the park. So definitely make sure you (and especially the kids) empty your bladders before you get there, otherwise you'll end up leaving to find a bathroom nearby. Parking is mostly street parking, and yes, you'll need to feed the meter. But if you go on a Sunday or a holiday (like I did), you're in luck--free parking! And honestly, who doesn't love free parking downtown? read more

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This place is really dang cool. Tons of things for the kids to climb around on and explore. The surface was pretty spongy so if one did fall it would most likely not be too bad. I took my family here to get them amped up before heading down the road to goto the awesome Childrens Museum. This is a must visit park if your kids love climbing on EVERYTHING! read more

Colts Canal Playspace - Wide shot looking @ the big center piece. - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

No bathrooms. Do not bring kids if you will have to go to the bathroom. There I guess is supposed to be a public bathroom in the 9c building down the canal, but it is shut down. read more

This is such a fun and engaging addition along the Canal. It was also a much needed addition to the space to welcome in younger audiences. From the soft spongy floor to the creative and fresh play areas, you can tell a lot of thought was given to this project. It's location along the canal make it ideal for playing and then heading off for a strong along the water to enjoy the ducks and downtown views. My only wish for this space would be more of a division or barrier around the toddler/baby area. Given all of the dogs in the area/water along the playscapes, etc. I'm a sucker for the fenced in playscapes in Europe that allow kiddos to play more freely without parents having to stay right on top of them for safety reasons. Parking can be found on neighboring streets (most are metered). Overall, a fabulous addition to make downtown a more family-friendly place to live and play. read more

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What a great playground and climbing structure in downtown Indianapolis located on the canal. We took our granddaughters down for a day out. They LOVED the the unique and challenging arrangement of climbing structures and special features throughout the park. There are slides, rope climbs, unusual swings and so much more to challenge the kids and keep them amused for hours. There is a soft matted surface under the structure incase the little tikes take a tumble. There are features that suit all ages from toddles up. The park is pristinely clean. The structure was paid for by the Indianapolis Colts Foundation and the Colts logo and colors adorn the structure. The park is totally accessible and easy to navigate with a stroller. There is plenty of free street parking around. We parked on Senate Street just a short walk around the block. The structure is opened from dawn til dusk. No alcohol is permitted and dogs must be on a lease. There are nice benches surrounding the structure for parents to relax and watch the kids play. There is a water fountain but I'm not sure that it was operating. The park was not crowded when we arrived early but became more crowded closer to 11 am. The park is just off the Cultural Trail and Canal Walk so that you can take a walk when you are done playing. We'll be back soon. This is a hidden gem. read more

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What an amazing play area for kids to enjoy on the Canal! I wish this was here when I was a kid! This play area has astroturf and tons on activities: Slides Rope Courses Swings Rope Merry Go Round Swirling Seats Lawn Chair Benches Grassy Seating Areas The park is clean and you have an awesome view of downtown and the canal! You can easily hop on a bike or rent a paddle boat afterwards! Bring a picnic and make it a play day to remember! There are also a few spots to eat whole walking on the canal. Again I love that it's astroturf, so even when it's a rainy damp week, the ground for the play area doesn't get muddy! Kids crawling and up have activities to do here! read more

We love this playground because my 6 year old loves to run around and play while my 1 year old loves to feed the ducks and geese in the canal!! read more

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This is a top notch playground, very trendy. It is located right off the Cultural Trail and is along the canal. The play space is touted as part art, part playground and consists of a vertical climbing tower and ladder, a spinner bowl, twister nets, stepping stones, water fountains, a slide and more. The entire ground is covered with a soft rubbery mat. It is awesome. The playspace is right by the USS Indiana Memorial. There is nearby metered street parking within a short walk of the play area. You can also take a scooter or bike (they have a bike rack) there too. My kids love this playground and I wish I could visit here more often. It is very entertaining. I could literally spend hours here and it is free. And if it is free, it is for me. The families that live near here are very lucky. I highly recommend this play area. read more

The main street off the canal seems very industrial and a bit sketchy. However, this is a very engaging and creative addition to the canal. Our young girls had plenty of fun exploring and trying to conquer all the obstacles, climb the ropes, and enjoy the swings. Some of the climbing structures are very tall so parental supervision is recommended. Our girls easily spent an hour here and they didn't even cover everything. read more

I wanted to take a walk on the canal after an appointment close by. I followed the sidewalk from my doctor's office and ran into this fun, clean, bright blue Colts Playground with swings, jungle gyms, a large slide, and several challenging obstacles for kids to enjoy. What I did observe was the playground is used by a wide range of ages but the 4 -10-year-olds appeared to be having the most fun. Most of the equipment isn't for toddlers though. A couple, of much older kids, were occupying the popular web swings so the smaller kids didn't get a chance to use them while I was there. It was only 9 a.m. on my first trip so it wasn't super crowded as it can get. This trip was mostly Mom's taking their little ones for a stroll and the bright blue equipment easily got their attention. The 6 and 7-year-olds were happy, laughing, running, and exploring everything. A few parents were allowing their little ones to just walk on the soft, squishy padding around the equipment. Benches are available by the playground as well as on the canal walk, a water fountain, and a mixture of shade and sun depending on the time of day. I never did see a restroom which was a serious problem for a parent with a 5-year-old who had to leave because of it. The playground is steps away from the canal and the USS Indianapolis Memorial plus a beautiful water fountain. Great spot to let the kids play and it has a smaller footprint which helps when supervising. Green space is close by for lunch or a small picnic. Nice area to let the kids run off some energy. read more

After a whirlwind of travel from Honolulu thru Denver, I arrived here in Indianapolis. After a friend of mine picked me up at the airport, we hung out here for about an hour or so enjoying the ambiance. My travel adventures begins here at the Indianapolis Colts Canal Playspace on a Thursday afternoon in May 2023. My friend was driving and she found a nice parking spot on the street and we walked a few yards to come down to the park areas. The park itself was very nice and quiet. We found a nice spot near the fountain and hung out while playing Pokémon Go. The ambiance was quite nice and rarely spend time in public parks and spaces while on vacation / traveling. It's a nice experience for me and I had time to kill anyway before checking into my hotel for the evening. The canal is a long stretch of waterway that is quite extensive, weaving through downtown Indianapolis. During my stay here at the Indianapolis Colts Canal, I got to watch local people, individuals, families, and just anyone who were visiting this park on a Thursday afternoon, when is supposedly work time before 5 PM. It's pretty cool that people use the park whenever it is equalto and the ambience is just amazing. I do love the fountain though. It's pristine and very much blends in with the landscape. This area of the canal with in downtown Annapolis is just a piece of the entire project construction. Further south, you can find similar features that mimics this one here at Indianapolis colts canal playground if you follow the Canal southward. It was nice that my friend brought me here. Just to kill some time, enjoy what Indianapolis has to offer for free, and enjoy life while on vacation. If you're in the area, stop on over. The landscape is just gorgeous and well maintained. The overall experience here at the Indianapolis Colts Canal Playscape was very good and a little different than just go to the hotel right after flying in. It was a way to decompress and see parts of the city that I wouldn't have if it wasn't for a friendly suggestion. My friend and I walked along the canal just to enjoy the open space here, especially when one is working from home and decides to pick up a friend on a casual Thursday afternoon. We saw alot of people here just enjoying life in the downtown area, which my friend and I were too. It was nice to see people using the park as it is intended to be. It is a fun place to be, especially when you're on vacation. For the most part though, we ended up walking about .75 miles north along the Canal, and walked the rest back towards the fountain. Easy way not to get lost and back to the place we parked the car. I was glad that my friend told me that she and her group play Pokemon Go along this stretch of the canal. I can see why, with many spawn points and a few gyms here too. If you are in the area and really nothing to do, consider coming to the Indianapolis Colts Canal Playspace to decompress and unwind while having the open space and sun shine help brighten up your day. It's definitely worth your time. The Indianapolis Colts Canal Playspace is located at 330 W Walnut Street in beautiful downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Like most, if not all, public parks in the area, are free. No admission required to enter or exit the park. As far as parking goes, your best bet would be the street parking nearby, where you can find it. Not sure about paid parking garages though, as I am from out of town. If you use public transportation regularly, best thing to do is to figure out IndyGo and choose the best routes that are suitable to get here to the Colts Canal Playspace community park. I can guaratee you'll love the fountain and while I was there, the mist from the aformentioned fountain got on me and I thought it was starting to rain, even though there was not a cloud in the sky that afternoon in May 2023's visit. Strange. lol Do yourself a favor and visit this park if you're in the area. It's awesome! 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+ read more

What a welcome addition to the canal! I first became aware of this play space when walking along the canal during my lunch break from work -- and I'm not sure I would have ever found it otherwise but I'm glad I did. On a sunny Sunday after church I decided to take my kiddos over to the play space to run out some energy. Before we went we talked about how since I was flying solo they needed to practice really good listening or we would have to go home (nearly 3 & 6 years old) -- and I'm glad we had this convo because we had to hike for a few blocks to make our way down to the this area. Parking was tricky. The best spots we found were on Senate near Quills Coffee (bonus: no meters, so it was free!) but that was a bit of a walk for little legs. We walked down to the canal from the staircase next to Quills/Burgerhaus/CrossFit/parking garage which was great and a fun adventure in and of itself for them to walk down one level and see a huge canal! There was also an entrance there with public restrooms and an elevator which was great to see. We walked a block or two along the canal to the playspace and my kiddos eyes lit up! It is in a great location with lots of other opportunities for play/relaxation/picnic-ing, etc. The Walnut St. bridge sits just steps from the play space and it has recently been renovated and is a beautiful orange color. There is a huge fountain and there were many ducks enjoying the area. There's a big hill (perfect for rolling down or napping on!) and there is a historic monument there as well that I couldn't tell you anything about because I passed it as I was chasing my 3 year old onto the bridge. :) The Colts Playspace itself if FUN for kiddos of all sizes. The ground is that good squishy texture which feels like a giant yoga mat, and there are climbing, sliding and swinging mechanisms of all kinds to enjoy! It was busy while we were there but parents were closely watching their kiddos. There are several benches for breast-feeding parents or anyone else who needs a rest or wants to take a break. The area is partly shaded and partly in the sun. There are some great dining options for a lemonade or lunch within just a block or two (Quills, Burgerhaus and Fresco which is seasonal). This park gave me yet another reason to love Indy! And, when I have friends w/kiddos come into town it'll make me MUCH more likely to recommend visiting the canal. read more

This playground is absolutely beautiful and fun and reminds me of how fun playgrounds were in the early 2000s late 90s. HOWEVER and the MAIN reason for such a low review in hopes for change, where tf are you supposed to park?! We were driving a 12 passenger van because we were in town for the Fever game and parking was darn near non existent! It's so sad that such a BEAUTIFUL and fun playground is not made more accessible for visitors of the city. read more

This playground looks a little like a mini rollercoaster from afar, but it's no roller coaster -- it's a new playground along the downtown Indy Canal Walk! It makes me immensely happy whenever a new playground opens up anywhere, but it made me especially happy when this one opened because this area was in desperate need of a place for kids to play. The Colts Canal PlaySpace is the first and only playground in the Mile Square area, which is a shame (there need to be more places to play for local kids!) but it's a start, I guess. The playground is nearly an acre big, and within the little park is the roller-coaster-looking climbing tower, ladders to scale, slides for kids of all ages, swings (including two big net-looking swings), a spinner bowl, twister nets and stepping stones. The ground is soft and padded, made for cushioning the blow if you fall. This playground skews a little older because there is a lot of climbing involved, so school-aged kids who are adventurous would love this playground. Some areas are kind of tricky to get to, so I would suggest parent supervision while your kid is climbing, just to be safe. There is a very tall, steep slide in the middle of the park, and the only way you can get to it is by climbing and leaping and being very brave. My kid managed to get to it eventually, but I noticed that a lot of kids needed help. Water fountains for people and pets are just outside the playground, but bathrooms are a short (maybe 1-2 minute) walk north toward Burgerhaus. The restrooms are free and relatively clean, and there is a baby changing table in the women's restroom. We parked in that same building where the bathroom and Burgerhaus is, and it cost us $1 per hour. You can also park on the street near the canal. This playground meets up with the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, so you could also bike to it! read more

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Spotlessly clean, very safe, and a very cool setup. I brought my kiddo and a friend and they both loved it. It's geared to non-toddlers. Children under 4 don't have much to do here, but the 8 year olds had a blast. There is convenient street parking close, too. read more

A really fun and beautifully built play place with challenging courses for 5-12 year olds. The park has many rope courses a large tube slide along with a small rock climbing wall. read more

Colts Canal Playspace - Park rules and hours - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Great addition to the Downtown Canal. The canal has always been popular with runners/walkers and families on casual strolls. Somehow it feels like it's lacking specific attractions or places to rest. Enter the Colts Canal Playspace. Located on the northern end of the canal, the playspace is perfect for families with kids to take a break or burn off some extra energy. While not large in overall size, the playspace has enough features to make for a nice playground. There are slides, swing sets, and various climbing bars to give the kiddos a variety of things to do. There is also a grassy area to hang out and do free-form playing. In terms of aesthetics, the playspace just looks interesting with unique structures and bright blue colors. The Colts Canal Playspace was pretty busy when I walked by on a weeknight. It's definitely worth checking out and taking advantage of this new public space, and adds to the growing popularity of the Downtown Canal. read more

Fun play space along the canal walk! This park has it all. An area for the littles as well as something fun for the older kids. The floor beneath the play space is rubberized. Perfect setting for this playground. There is a public restroom within a short walk. Always important with kids around. Be sure to check out this park as you enjoy the canal walk. read more

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A fun park with lots of climbing opportunities. I have an 8 year old and a 2.5 year old so I'll base the review around them. The 8 year old is athletic and usually has no hesitation to climb the largest structure in at any given park. At this playground, she hesitated several times and asked for help. After we had been there awhile she had a lot of fun exploring and pushing her limits. The surface is a rubber like surface with quite a lot of give and bounce to it. Not only a good surface if you fall but also no mud. The 2 year old enjoyed the smaller slide that is built into a hill. He also enjoyed sending you cars down it. If it wasn't overcast today the metal slide would have been way too hot to use. I would suggest bringing a towel or something for them to use when sliding. He enjoyed trying to climb a couple rungs of a rope ladder. However, in another year or two I could see it being frustrating as he wouldn't be able to keep up with the big kids. No traditional baby or kid swings. Instead there were the disc rope swings that could fit a child or two. Parking is a con if you aren't already in the vicinity. We did metered street parking on Senate and walked a block or two on the cultural trail to reach the playground. Overall pros: - very clean and equipment was in perfect condition - next to the canal so great for a walk, people watching or just relaxing while listening to the water (could be a con though if you have an escape artist who is drawn to water as there is only a few bushes to separate the playground from the "sidewalk" area next to the canal) - great spot for kids who love to climb and want a challenge - several good sized benches for adults to sit and watch the kids play Overall cons: - only a small amount of shade around the perimeter on one side - drinking fountain available, but it wasn't working today - parking isn't convenient (see above) - not a lot for toddlers to do, but might be a huge challenge to a child around 3-6 that isn't comfortable with a lot of climbing and would prefer a more traditional park We saw a sign for restrooms but didn't need to visit. read more

Colts Canal Playspace - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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If your kids are old enough to enjoy climbing and sliding (and bouncing around on a spongy surface), then they may love this new park that opened in Nov 2018. It's located just north of the USS Indianapolis Memorial on the canal. I also found some affordable street parking during the week on Senate by Walnut Street (about $1 per hour) that is just a short distance away. The park has a blue theme due to the involvement of the Colts supporting the park. There is a lot of emphasis on getting outside to play, so I understand the endless varieties of webbed rope paths around the park. They also have a couple slides and a fortress to climb up into. There are some swings too. I didn't see any kids playing during my weekday visit since it was so cold, so I am curious how the kids will play on the elevated tarps and sections of tarp that are stretched between tubular rails. Are the steps? Are they seats? They are spaced about a step apart, but since they are elevated several feet in the air, I was puzzled about how kids will interpret what to do with them. I'm pretty sure most kids will walk on them and inevitably, some will fall through. Oh well, sports can be challenging! I would have really enjoyed this as a kid. I hope that visitors to the canal will take time to check it out. Note: They do have a large stretched tarp for shade since the trees in the area aren't big enough yet to offer shade. Note 2: There isn't much for little kids who would have difficulty climbing the ropes. Note 3: Restrooms are not on site, but are open to the public a few blocks away. Review #1714 read more

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So, I have 0 kids and it might be weird that I am reviewing this park but hear me out. As someone who walks the canal often with my dog and fiance, we love having a stopping point halfway around the canal to just hang out. We love this new addition to the canal within the last year or two. The playground is well suited for small children and adults! They have swings that I could swing on all day and are large enough I can put my dog on my lap. It offers so many climbing options for kids that love heights as well. The ground is made of a soft rubbery surface so if your kid falls it probably will not lead to any large bruising. I highly enjoy this playground and I think many families will too! CHEERS read more

This park is definitely for climbers! They have plenty of options like ropes and swings that lead up to a tall slide! They do have a smaller slide for the littler ones. My little sister is not much of a heights fan so we were limited to the swings and some of the lower ropes. The lack of mulch is a plus! There is a large grassy area where you will find tons of doggos enjoying their days with their owners. We park at the end of the canal near the IU building on the street which isn't a far walk but I know others park nearby the park. There are benches for people to sit and a water fountain. Overall great park and a great addition to the canal! read more

Colts Canal Playspace - One of the swings! - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This is a beautiful play area in the heart of downtown. The canal runs along side it and it's with in walking distance to Burgerhaus. I think the sign said suitable for ages 5-12. Lots of great climbing equipment and two slides. One that's pretty tall and looks like a lot of fun. The ground is made out of a nice soft rubbery material. It's nice to walk and play on. This is a very modern playground. Lots of thought went into the design of this. It's aesthetically a neat looking playscape and looks like a work of art. The Colts did a great job adding the blue and the Colts logo throughout. The only downside is that the water fountains weren't working. Many joggers and kids wanted to get a drink but weren't able to. I guess someone said it hasn't been working for a while due to the construction close by and the water line. Hopefully it will be working again soon. The other thing is they need more signs for the restroom and it needs better directions. It says restrooms with an arrow, but the sign needs to be turned to face the real direction you need to go. Lots of people were coming over to some of the grounds keepers and asking how to get to them. So, if you're there you will see a restroom sign you need to walk along the canal under the concrete bridge not under the orange bridge and past Burgerhaus. The restrooms are to the right. Nice and air conditioned. But, neither the women's or men's restrooms had soap! They were adding a nice shade umbrella over a slide that needed shade so it wouldn't be so hot to go down. Two thumbs up to the Colts and the designers of this playscape. It's really neat and in a great location!!! Oh, the USS Indianapolis has a nice little monument by the orange bridge to the lower left of it. read more

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Awesome spot. kids love it. only negative is the water fountain. its been broken for 2 months. PLEASE FIX