Great Park & Playground Under Shade Trees! This is a wonderful park for kids to use up some of that energy they have stored up. The big kids playground area is partly shaded. The little kids area is mostly shaded. The spring loaded teeter totter is super popular and awesome! Lots of people call this The Dragon Park since there is a cement and mosaic tile art Dragon here as well. Parking is easiest along the street unless you arrive early and find one of the few spots for the park behind the Primitive Baptist Church down the little alley way. This park os reasonably maintained but could use a little more love. I still have it 5 stars because it's my sons favorite. The water fountain has been broken from what I have seen forever, so bring your own water. read more

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Beautiful park that has lots of seating and shade! We loved that they have different options for the age groups, all in the shade. Nice turf, lots of picnic tables, and some real grass areas to lay in with a blanket. Really pretty tennis court, small field to play ball, and the mosaic dragon! Only bummer is no bathroom here, otherwise it would be five stars. read more

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If they had a bathroom it would be 5 stars. Great playground and cool mosaic dragon and lots of space for kids to run around. Cool wooden fort too. read more

Fannie Mae Dees Park - Wooden fort - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

We love the park! It's unique, there is lots of shade, and plenty for the kids to enjoy. It feels safe, and there's a bathroom there. The new playground structure is great. Be aware of the parking situation, and make sure you read the signs carefully, as we got a parking ticket even when we parked right by the park. It was a disappointing end to a fun time. read more

Fannie Mae Dees Park - Fort - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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This park has received several major upgrades since my last review. The dragon that earned the park the nickname, "Dragon Park," has an upgraded rubber mat for those kids big and small who like to climb. New picnic tables and benches were installed, increasing the seating options. The largest upgrade is the accessible playground. Kids of all abilities love running around, climbing, sliding, and swinging this large installation. Even with these upgrades, there are lots of lawn areas, many shaded by trees, to relax and enjoy the outdoors, read a good book, or watch your kids play. Although Hillsboro Village has seen most free parking disappear, I find it easy to park for free on 24th Avenue next to the park. read more

The reason I went a bit out of my way to check this park out a few days ago is the same reason that it's also called Drago Park - it's that dragon sculpture in the middle of the park (you can't miss it)! It's not a large park, and on a late morning Friday it was full of kids with parents running around and exploring. Definitely a fun park for taking kids. For me (no kids), it was an okay park that I wanted to check out just because of that cool dragon sculpture (the mosaic work on it is really cool). Worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

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First time visiting Nashville and I looked up some good local parks and this one popped up with great reviews. I can vouch that it is a nice big park with a lot of things for young kids to do. I was really impressed read more

Fannie Mae Dees Park - Park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

What a cute little park! What makes it so unique is the humongous, mosaic sea serpent that snakes through the better part of the park. If you look at the mosaic closely, you'll see familiar images pop out, like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, or woodland creatures, or flowers, or dragonflies, or mermaids and mermen, any number of other fun things. This park also has a huge, brick wall with a tunnel, so you can climb up it or crawl through it. It sits next to tennis courts. Over on the other side of the park is a playground with equipment for all ages. There are slides and swings for toddlers, but also monkey bars, firemen poles and rope bridges for older kids. Also, one of the climbing structures looks like a lotus in full bloom -- it's really pretty. It's actually a functional piece of art, to tell you the truth; at least, that's what it looks like. For what it's worth, we came across a couple of squirrels with NO boundaries whatsoever, and they proceeded to walk straight up to our stroller as if looking for food. So just be aware that the wildlife might not be so wild (or, at least, maybe they're wild in a different way). read more

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sturdy new playground equipment! this park is great for all ages, and the dragon is very beautiful!

It had a couple of spots for the kids to run around at. Pretty good size for them to explore as well. Fairly enjoyed being outdoor here.

This property was originally supposed to house a wing of Vanderbilt Hospital, but was deemed unsuitable, so the city determined it would be a green space adjacent to Vanderbilt. Although Fannie Mae Dees was passionately against the Vanderbilt expansion, the Metro Board of Parks and Recreation unanimously voted to name the park in the expansion for her, in dedication to her love of the neighborhood. It's always been a place of teenage debauchery. There are newspaper articles of increased policing and tickets issued for climbing the dragon in the 80's, and littering of whipped cream canisters left by huffing teenagers with regularity in the 90's. I myself had a few midnight tokes in this park, and a memorable hallucinogenic laced 4th of July staring at the mosaics for what felt like hours. The park opened in 1979. Sculptor Pedro Silva created the sea serpent sculpture in 1981, and 1,000 members of the neighborhood helped create the intricate designs. The tiles themselves were leftovers and samples from Nashville tile companies. It's BEAUTIFUL, waving in and out of blue foam water. But someone called it a dragon, instead of a sea serpent, and the name stuck. The sculpture itself has required a lot of maintenance, with a repair effort in 1998, to go tile by tile to fill in cracks and replace broken tiles, and another repair effort in 2016. There is a great playground, which is called "Lily's Garden", named after a 22 month old Lily Shaw, whose parents fundraised over $350,000 to build the playground that was handicap accessible after Lily was diagnosed with muscular atrophy in 2000. There's also a lotus flower bike rack, made from recycled bike frames and designed by artist Michael Allison, and a tennis court. read more

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Coming here from Clarksville with 4 energetic children (7, 2.5, 1.5, & 5 months) was worth the hour drive!The play ground has so much to offer! - A giant playing area for all ages included gated in ramps, which I was thankful for because my 1 year old was all over it! I didn't have to worry about him falling off. - A smaller playground area for pre-k & toddlers - Minimal swings, but they do have one that is handicap friendly! - Plenty of benches, tables, & chairs. - Giant mosaic Dragon, although it's been closed due to repairs both times we've gone. (Bummer.) I can't wait for it to reopen so we can finally see the masterpiece! - LOTS of grassy area for running, playing frisbee, or picnicking. - Restrooms, not very clean as they are public. - TINY parking lot specific for the playground, however, it is mostly all handicap so perfect for those who need close parking. -Plenty of street parking! There is a parking lot just down the road, a block away, if you don't have change for the meters. My boys spent hours playing here (and chasing squirrels). We had a couple little picnics on the grass, too! It's now a favorite park of ours and we'll be back here MANY times again. read more

Such a fun place to go!! I was searching for fun places to take kids in Nashville and I came across this gem! It is a park and playground with a huge, mosaic-tiled dragon sculpture. The kids enjoyed climbing all over it and playing on the playground equipment. I enjoyed studying all of the fun tiles on the dragon. read more

Beautiful Park, AKA Dragon Park. Nice place to have a Picnic Lunch. read more

I had no idea the real name of this park as it is referred to as "Dragon Park" by residents and visitors. It is easy to miss hidden among residential streets and so close to Hillsboro Village, but it's a nice little space! I come here primarily to use their tennis courts that need a little love to be honest, but it definitely will get the job done! This is definitely child friendly with a large playground and covered picnic tables. Nice little park, and I enjoy visiting! read more

It wasn't the best day, weather wise, but the playground itself was well maintained, spacious, even adult friendly to some extent, good location, always open, and a little bit of something for everyone. read more

This park is just off of 21st Ave. Everyone calls this place Dragon Park. They have a playground that is designed for disabled children, a beautiful dragon mosaic, and a handful of public tennis courts. This is a good make-out spot in the evening if you are not old enough to get into the bars over at Hillsboro village. It is a safe and clean park because it is located right next door to the Vanderbilt Campus and behind an elementary school. That seems to keep riff raff to a minimum. Kids love the playground here, every weekend the place is packed with toddlers screaming with joy as they run around the safe turf. The ground is some kind of rubber composite material designed to be easy on the knees or head if you trip and fall. I visit the park to take advantage of the public tennis courts. These courts are not really in that great of shape, but the nets are always strung properly, and there is always an open court. So, it is a good spot to visit. During the summer especially, since the students are gone, the tennis courts are usually free. The tennis courts do not have lights, so if you want to play after dark, you are out of luck. My suggestion is to go to the park during the day to take some pictures of the dragon mosaic. It is a really cool piece of outdoor sculpture near Hillsboro Village. read more

Fannie Mae Dees Park - Dragon Mosaic, from their website - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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When I was a kid I came here on a day when they were tiling the dragon. I remember talking to someone who I thought was the artist and he had me place a couple of pieces. Now that I'm an adult I can't figure out what the hell I placed, but the dragon is an amazing piece of work. This is not really a park to go to to walk, stroll, bike or rollerblade, it's just too small... this is more of a park to bring kids to run around and exhaust themselves... also a nice stop over if you're walking through the area. The wife and I had our Nashville reception here at one of their picnic shelters, it's just a great small place. read more

Dragon Park is the quintessential city park. At day, toddlers abound and nice people of all ages can be found enjoying the park, playing and picnicing. At night, it does turn into a teen hang-out spot, and can seem sketchy to some, but it's pretty tame. It's a fun place to take a walk too to get away from the craziness of the Village, to unwind with friends, or just to talk. Also, great during the day to eat, but if you're an awkward teenager like me who needs a definite filter around children and mothers... make sure to keep your filter. And of course, it's lovely. Lots of picnic tables, and if all else fails, of course lots of lovely grass. The tunnel, which a little bit gross, is definitive, and the dragon mosaic is always something to explore. The playground itself is very diverse in what it offers, the material used as a mulch alternative is awesome, and kids seems to love it. read more

I've taken my son to this park, and he absolutely loves it. It's almost hidden if you don't know where it is, although being hidden out in the open is probably a more apt term. It's funny, in one sense, as one one end, there's a thoroughly modern, handicap friendly, almost antiseptic play-area on one end, while on the other is a very old school, rocky, dirty, gritty, worn-down, wooden monstrosity just waiting to skin knees, cut fingers and break bones. Both are lots of fun. I enjoy the center area, but I never realized it was a dragon until now. Call me ignorant. There's a little bit of everything at this little park, and it is a great place to take your young 'un if he needs to get rid of a little extra energy. read more

I have loved this park since it was bohemian central in the 80's and 90's! It was a magical place to come of age. Now it's my toddler's favorite park. It's got it all: shady trees, sandbox, killer playground equipment, and, of course, the ever mystical dragon! The see-saw is also a highlight. Good vibes no matter the year! read more

A neat park to let the the kiddos blow off some travel steam. Includes street parking, and bathrooms. The dragon, while awesome to look at, is made out of broken ceramic tiles which caused a lot of hovering by us parents when it was being played on. Best part was the 4-6 seater seesaw that stays completely balanced while dismounting. Quick walking distance to The Dog of Nashville for a quick bite after. read more

This park is such a lovely feature of midtown Nashville. It has a wide variety of features for such a small place. It's usually well-populated but not overcrowded. It's a great place to have a large picnic under the pavilion with friends then kick a ball around or toss a frisbee in the sunshine. The dragon itself is an amazing feature. It was a community project, and it's cover in tile mosaics. Pictured is everything from hot dogs to snails to underwater divers. The dragon makes good climbing for kids. It's also designed to be a bench around the inside of the bend. It's a good place to go with a friend to chat and catch up in a casual atmosphere that doesn't cost anything to enjoy. read more

So that's the name of this place. I've been coming here for a while but have always just called it Dragon Park, like everyone else. The park has some fun rides for the kids, and some things you don't see very often anymore, like see-saws. It is also a good place to run into kids named Madison, Emma, Kaitlyn, Katelyn, Caitlyn, Caitlin, Katelynn, Kaitlin, Kaitlynn, Katlyn and Katelin. I'm just sayin'... read more

A lot of rating inflation on Yelp it seems. Dragon park is pretty cool; it's a nice large park close to Vanderbilt with a playground that includes a hill with a tunnel that works well as a Nerf shootout spot or when it snows a great place to sled down. The cute sea dragon statue that gave the park its nickname is a mosaic by famed artist Pedro Silva. read more

Some friends and I meet at Fannie Mae Dees Park regularly for lunchtime picnics during the work week, and one of the three shaded tables is almost always available. The two smaller tables have a chess board design on the surface. In addition to the three shaded private picnic tables, there is also a group of about 5 tables near the playground, and a large pavilion with a bunch of picnic tables, ideal for a kid's party, next to the tennis courts. The squirrels at Dragon Park have no fear! They'll come right up to you and beg for food, even if you try to scare them away. It's a little disconcerting. The park also has quite a few benches and some pretty awesome trees, along with two big playgrounds and a mysterious castle-ish structure with a tunnel underneath. My favorite part of the park is the giant dragon sculpture (does anyone know the story behind it?), which is covered from head to tail with mosaic pictures of easter eggs, flowers, animals, and people, a lot of them apparently made by kids. But the bizarre part is that there are about five human heads stuck at random on the dragon's body. It makes you think. read more

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This park is just adorable, nothing more need be said. Bring a picnic, bring a blanket, bring your kids, bring a tennis racket, bring a soccer ball, bring your dog (on a leash - leash law enforced apparently), bring anything you want and have a good time. Fannie Mae Dee's Park's crowing achievement is of course their mosaic dragon, which definitely warrants a visit. Equipped with a fort, two playground areas, tennis courts, soccer goals, picnic hanger, and lots of green space it is the perfect place to just hang out. read more

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I've been coming here for over a decade. It's a great park. Make sure you reserve one of the shelters way in advance, because they book up quickly. There is good shade from the sun as well as open spaces. People are usually pretty good about picking up after their dogs, but I still don't let my kid walk around barefoot. There is something for every age range to do. read more

My kids call this dragon park and we have been coming for years. The park has a huge jungle gym area for kids, featuring some handicap accessible stuff considering some of the Vandy Children's hospital kids can use it hopefully. There are also plenty of tables for picnicking. There are spray misters for the summer months as well. There is a pavilion that can be reserved for events and I think the metro park pavilions are free or if not cheap! The only challenge is there is no one there to challenge you if someone else takes it over without reserving it and refuses to move. The dragon and fort are from the older portion of the park and are unique and fun for kids to climb on and explore. There are flat areas for soccer or Frisbee. We have often run in to juggling troupes practicing on Saturdays which the kids enjoy watching. The only downside is that the only toilets are out houses. Ewwww... Not conducive to a toilet training little girl.. read more

This has been one of my favorite parks in Nashville for as long as I can remember. It is also one of the most unique ones with its massive, brightly colored dragon sculpture which lends to its nickname, 'Dragon Park'. The sculpture is actually a structural part of the playground and is as fun to climb on as it is to look at. It's probably one of the largest tiled mosaics I've ever encountered, especially for being free since it's in a public place. Fannie Mae Dees is a small community park nestled in between businesses and residential areas near the Midtown section of Nashville. Although the park is situated directly on Blakemore/Wedgewood and the sign advertising it is quite large, most of the park is hidden from the busy area by large, mature trees. Dragon Park is small, but peaceful as it never seems to get overly crowded, and offers a little bit of something for everyone. The playground is by far the most popular attraction, but there are plenty of open picnic tables and a pavilion to enjoy picnics, or just sit and converse with friends. There are open areas that are great for tossing a Frisbee or other items and the large beautiful trees are great to sit under and read a book, or listen to music, or just be relaxed. I love spreading out a blanket and spending a few hours in the afternoon here, its a great place to recharge your batteries. Since Dragon Park is surrounded by either streets or buildings, there is no designated parking lot, but there is typically plenty of street space. On days when its busier, or when events are scheduled here, parking can be hard to come by. Generally you won't have to walk more than a small number of blocks though. Traffic can be very busy around the park, so make sure to keep a firm hold on any little ones that you bring. The park supposedly closes at dark, but has been a long standing popular nighttime location for idle teenagers. Its small size and location adjacent to busy areas keeps it from being a hot spot for nefarious activities though. read more

First, I do not have children - unless you count my German Shorthaired Pointers. But I still think this park is worthwhile for a visit to walk the dogs around to help them with remaining socialized. Plus, I have fond memories of this park from when I was a kid. We always called it Dragon Park, and it was like someone opened the gates to heaven when the school took a field trip to Dragon Park and let us play, picnic, and everything else. Additionally, there are picnic tables, tennis courts for public use, and plenty of open grass space for picnic blankets or games of frisbee, etc. Recommended place to hang out, have a picnic, and enjoy a nice Spring, Summer or Fall day. read more

Affectionately known by the locals as "Dragon Park," Fannie Mae Dees is and ideal little place for a picnic, a stroll or pushing your niece on a swing. Fannie Mae is not a large park, but its location is fantastic, and it has an enormous, brightly colored dragon mosaic sculpture that kids (old and young) love to climb on. I first discovered this park my freshman year at Lipscomb. I kept hearing about this Dragon Park place where kids would go late at night to drink their Bongo Java or Portland Brew coffee and play around on the swings and slides. When I finally checked it out, I realized why it wasn't only a neat little spot for families but also a pretty hip place for teens and 20-somethings to spend countless idle hours. Fannie Mae Dees is an intimate little spot with only a small amount of parking and not a whole lot of activities. However, it is walking distance from Hillsboro Village and the Vanderbilt campus, and it makes for a good meeting place. Also, if you're low on cash and looking for a good place to take a date, you can't go wrong here. It's one of my favorite West Side hangouts. read more

Yay, Dragon Park! Take your kids or your friends with kids and play. There is a very small parking area (as someone else mentioned), but you can always park on the street. The picnic areas always seem taken up, too. I would say bring a blanket or walk to Provence in the Village. There is also a tennis court here if you play tennis! I don't know about the riff raff- this was also a favorite nighttime spot for high school kids (at least back in the day) to hang out on the hill and hide in the tunnel for nefarious activities. But, things do change. read more

Cute little park! My grandson loved climbing on the dragon and going in the tunnel. The restrooms needed a good cleaning but the park was safe and everyone was friendly and enjoying the sunny day! read more

This is a great park, particularly if you have small kids. There is traditional playground equipment, and not so traditional equipment, such as the see-saw built for MANY kids. I've had 15+ kids on this at once. Not all mine! :) The mosaic dragon is amazing to see for kids and grownups alike. And, if you want a bit of exercise, there are tennis courts too. This is right across the street from Vanderbilt campus, so if you are spending time with a patient there, and need a place to get out and stretch your legs, this is the place to go for a bit of peace of mind and a few needed smiles. Joe Newell http://www.QuestBicycle.com read more

I like to play tennis here but the kids are pretty misbehaved. They steal balls and are undisciplined. This should be a family environment but parents don't seem to care about wellbeing of other visitors in the park. Kids shouldn't steal stuff and should be punished by their parents for poor behavior. read more

Since this park is obviously well loved and most people don't know who Fannie Mae Dees was or that the name is anything other than Dragon Park, I thought I'd chime in to give some color... Fannie Mae was my great aunt who lived in the neighborhood where the park currently lays. She spent the last few years of her life fighting Vanderbilt b/c they had plans to move all of the elderly people out of their homes to build more campus buildings. After her death, Vanderbilt got their way and leveled the homes. However, the land remained unused for years. They eventually donated it and turned it into a park in her honor. She was a prolific gardener and a force to be reckoned with... you did not want to be on her bad side. So glad to see her park is still very popular and well maintained! read more

Fannie Mae who? Oh, you mean Dragon Park. This little patch of green in Hillsboro Village is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon with a friend or three. The main attraction is the mosaic tile dragon that snakes through the middle of the park--perfect for climbing or simple looking at. read more

You know you're from Nashville if you refer to this as the Dragon Park. I remember coming here as a kid and I still love it. It makes me happy that the park is still here and they are keeping the dragon looking pretty. read more

Very cool park! Clean, safe and fun. Our boys, 5 & 7, loved it. Plenty of wide open space for a picnic blanket or a game of catch. We'll be back here again. read more

Fannie Mae Dees Park - Mosaic dragon, very cool. - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee