A large, wonderful city park with a lot of flat open space along the river. The playground uses…read morenatural looking elements to mimic nature--hollow tree trunks, for example--to climb over, through, or around. Connects to city trails that get you along the river or downtown in 10 minutes.

A crazy beautiful outdoor space in Iowa City…read more I came to meet a friend with her almost two-year-old daughter who could not get enough of the park. My friend loves this park because "it's not just one structure, there are lots of different pieces for [my daughter] to explore." Riverfront Crossings Park has great faux nature logs and rocks for kids to play with/on. From the tunnel that runs under a hill, to the zip line there is loads of fun to be had here. I also love the parent/child partner swing which allows parents to swing in tandem with their little one- it saves you an arm workout! There are also some metal spheres that make noise similar to a steel drum. It's a nice sensory addition for children.

Great park we found out about from friends who discovered the ENORMOUS play structure here. The…read morepark includes the aforementioned playland, some baseball diamonds, an aquatic center and plenty of free space for the chilluns to burn off some energy. The benches and pavilions are quite nice as well and make for some perfect outdoor dining on spring evenings. It's located on the east side of Iowa City just past Sycamore mall, so it's a bit of a jaunt for those in North Liberty or Coralville. That said, it's not all that far and it's worth it for the playland. A must check out for families and close to Jimmy Jacks so you can get some legit takeout BBQ while you're here!

Do you ever wish there was an adult playground?…read more You know, where you could swing gleefully, strain to monkey across some bars or slide as you grin ear to ear-- maybe even build a completely BA sandcastle? Oh and most importantly, this mythical dream park is for ADULTS ONLY. If you have, consider yourself warned: DO NOT go to Mercer Park. Because oh my gosh, you'll be totally jealous at what the Iowa City kiddos get to play on. Iowa City's largest play area (I'm hard pressed to think of a bigger one) is only two years old and is pure magic. It's got a sensory play center, a net climbing course, a MASSIVE tower with enclosed slide and equipment meant for kiddos ages 2-to-5. There are also shelters, picnic tables, grills, lit baseball/softball fields, tee ball field, tennis courts, a refurbish old fire engine play structure... you name it-- it's got it. Even the indoor aquatic center lives at Mercer, too. There's ample parking and literally kids (and adults?) of all ages will enjoy it. My kids (ages 2 and 4) absolutely love the ginormous tower and crazy four person seesaw. Come check it out!

This is quite possibly my favorite play structure in Iowa City. It lives in the heart of the…read morepedestrian mall and is always crawling with kiddos. Screams of glee and children running around like crazy people are normal around this green Iowa City staple. The structure is right next to the Iowa City Public Library and sits on a soft rubber floor. As a parent, I definitely appreciate that my kids aren't playing in sand or hot asphalt! Park benches surround the jungle gym and always has parents watching their kids but also soaking in the downtown atmosphere. With the addition of Gene's and their patio, I love having a drink as I watch my kiddos play in the summer now that they are a bit more self sufficient -- and when the students are out of town, so it is less crazy busy. The Weather Dance Fountain is right next to the play area, as well. My ONLY knock is lack of shade. Holy cow! Bring your sunscreen, baseball caps and expect to roast on summer days. Park in the Dubuque Street Ramp for a short walk to the park, and first hour free!

My youngest daughter had a softball tournament here today. There are 8 fields total and the…read moreconcession stand/bathrooms are in the middle of all the fields. There was also a coffee truck and Kona ice truck which are great ideas! We like this complex because Heyns ice cream is conveniently located right across the street. :)

Penn Meadows Park is a solid location for softball tournaments!…read more It boasts nine well maintained baseball/softball fields, plenty of space for warmups, a few batting cages, trees for shade between games and plenty of bathrooms. My only three qualms are that 1) parking can be a bit crazy on tournament days, 2) the dugouts are insanely small with only one entrance and 3) the fields are numbered however they are named, too. You really have to scope out the map to figure out where 'OPTIMIST' field is or 'Pizza Ranch' field. (I get sponsorships, but let's just keep fields numbered as it's more intuitive...) I believe it is the largest park in NL. It has: picnic shelters, a few soccer fields, a playground, a volleyball court and some newer tennis courts. Additionally, there is a trail around the park. My 10U softball team took second place at the tournament here this weekend! We definitely enjoyed playing at Penn Meadows Park.

Things i like about this park. Farmers market is a plus. But today over my lunch i noticed all…read morethese people walking this path so i parked and I was grateful for sunshine and fresh air in December .

Parked here for easy access to the Cedar Valley Bike Trail. Bathrooms, water fountain, bike repair…read morestation all nearby. Large pavilion for picnics. Large open grassy area and a basketball court. Not sure but I'm guessing you could reserve the shelter for a large group outing. Plenty of parking.

Quiet park area tucked away behind the commercial area off of Boyson Rd…read more There is a small playground for the kids, and a wide open disc golf area. Not many trees, so there is little shade in the summer. In season there are also restrooms available. A surprising amenity is free wi-do.

This outdoor kids rec center is phenomenal! If you have kids (even bigger kids), they'll love this…read moreoutdoor park. Check the pics n vids. Must experience!