The park has a lot to offer. There are two great play structures for kids of all ages. There are…read morealso sports offerings such as basketball, sand volleyball, tennis and horse shoes. There are plenty of picnic tables and grills. The bathroom is far from luxurious, I would stay away unless you really need it. Utica does a good job maintaining the park and keeping it clean and safe. Occasionally you will see police presence driving through or hanging out to keep everyone safe. They installed the blue light poles a few years back. Overall it is a great place to go for a run or walk or let the kids burn energy.

2019-09-18. Grant Park. Utica, MI…read more Nestled amid a residential area in Utica is Grant Park. While not the newest or fanciest of parks, its compact and bountiful. Just east of Van Dyke, Grant Park's footprint is bounded by Nancy Ave to the north, Hanh Ave to the south, Deshon St. to the west, and Grant Park to the east. There are two small parking lots, one off Nancy, and one off Hanh. Every time I bring my kids here there are plenty of people enjoying the public space, yet I never have a problem finding a parking spot. This tells me that many are locals, which is great to see that the city's money is well used. The park is not huge, but they make excellent use of their real estate. Amenities include 2 full size basketball courts, 3 tennis courts, two beach volleyball courts, and two playgrounds; one for the big kids, and one for the kiddies. There are also two large pavilions, one by each parking lot, and the green scape is dotted with mature trees, providing green canopies for those who prefer the shade. A walking path winds through the park, and there are a couple of swing benches by the larger playground. There is even a book house where you're welcome to take a book or leave one. The centerpiece of the playground is the large tubular slide. A rare three storey tube slide, which is the primary reason why we come; that and the rare playground roundabout. There is also a Wendy's within walking distance on Van Dyke for those hot days or when you're craving a frosty. All in all, don't let this mature park fool you. It packs plenty for all ages in a small footprint and would serve any community well. Whether you're looking to get active; improve your skills at Basketball, Volleyball, or Tennis; or simply looking for a relaxing day at the park, Grant Pack can accommodate. I'm definitely a fan, 4 stars. If you would like to experience more, come dine-with-me.yelp.com I'd love to have your company... See you on the swings!

Beaver Trail Park is a small neighborhood park in Troy…read more This 7-acre park offers a paved walking loop as well as both wooded and open space areas. Visitors can enjoy a sand volleyball court, play structure, swings, picnic tables, benches, and a little free library. The swings include traditional swings, baby bucket swing, as well as one ADA swing. However, there is no restrooms, water fountain, or parking at this park. You'd have to street park in the neighborhood and walk in.

It's a good little park if you're looking to get some fresh air and walk, play some baseball…read more(provided there isn't games going on), and/or let your little ones play at a playscape. As mentioned, there is baseball fields that are well maintained and a good size newer playscape. They have a covered pavilion with picnic tables and the bathroom was open to the public and it was clean. They have a basketball court and plenty of parking. Located right off 22 Mile, just East of Van Dyke freeway. You can park and walk over the catwalk, like I did with my kids. They waved at the traffic down below and even got passerby's to honk! Even a few big truckers! I remember doing that when I was a kid!

Sizable urban park that is lovely and has everything you could need…read more And my daughter swears it's the best playground ever! Could do with fewer than the like 32 speed bumps but that also makes for safety. Nice place to watch a soccer game Parking lot could have used some attention

I'm shocked this place doesn't have higher marks…read more The park is very clean with self serve BBQ grills. The pavilions are spacious and once again very clean. Plenty of parking and the place closes at 10:00 which is reasonable for a park. We walked around and the amount of property here is amazing. I wish I had more to say but I don't need to I guess. It's appears to be free and the only down fall is that there is no alcohol. With this said, Kuhnhenn is just down the road so no harm done.

Preserved land for all to enjoy. Don't expect a physical nature center. Instead, check out the…read moretrails that lead you along the Clinton River. As an extra bonus, they have bathrooms and a pavilion.

I'm not Mr. Outdoors or anything but I've hiked a few trails in my day. The Porcupine Mountains,…read moreCanadian Rockies, the Pinnacles in Berea, Kentucky, Castle Rock in North Carolina and just basic stuff here in Southeast Michigan. Barton nature area in Ann Arbor, the trails at Lake St. Clair Metropark, the E. L. Johnson nature center and one in Livonia whose name is slipping me right now, etc. I wasn't expecting Nicholson nature center to be anything epic like some of the earlier entries on that list. You can tell that by looking at a map. But there's pleasant enough hiking trails nestled in Michigan suburbia. Nicholson might qualify as one of those if it wasn't so damn muddy! I've never hiked such muddy trails. You best wear big rubber fishermen's boots to trudge through this slop or get big mud stains running way up the side of your jeans like I did. It's a nice enough little swath of woods here but just not worth it for the mud puddles. I kind of wish Barrymore's would buy this forest and build giant roller coasters back here.

Sadly I wasn't a big fan of Memorial Park. In my opinion, this park is more set up for…read moreworkers/employees in the area to take their breaks, and enjoy the outside. If you want a pretty outdoor area to enjoy during your lunch, this is perfect! There are plenty of tables, and a small, short, path to walk along the river. I will note that I didn't notice any public restrooms in the area. If you are looking to hike trails, and feel like you escaped from the city into nature, this is not the place. It does have a couple spots with a beautiful view, but paths/sidewalks mostly lead you around the local neighborhood and business area. The graffiti tunnel is disappointing. Honestly, I feel like the city is missing out on a great opportunity to utilize the tunnel, it could help encourage community engagement with local artists, or maybe an art contest. Give the city the chance to re-design it in a yearly competition. It could even be specifically targeted for graffiti artists, if preferred. As of now though, it's just a bunch of ugly scribbles and insults written on the walls of the tunnel. I will say overall that the park was well kept and clean. You can find an available bike repair station, if you need it while passing through, and there is a really nice drop off for kayaks and canoes. The parking lot is small, but the park is tiny, so it works. There is a second small lot, just West of the park, that you can park in when using the drop off point. Overall, it's a pretty, small, city park. Great for a quick sit, but not for an adventure.

A neighborhood park that is slowly improving throughout the years. It's NOT on the map. The fence…read moreis a wonderful addition for safety. Excellent for a few hours of play. Rockstar parking.

I like this park. It has basketball courts and tennis court. It has a huge field for running…read morearound. Also, there are bbq tables and nice big playground. There are trees by the playground you can hide under from the sun.

Have hosted my daughter's Sweet 16 at Brinston Park. Great location & park activities! We…read morearranged a food Truck (GoCheez) - and it was perfect for our guests. The picnic benches under the pavilion were convenient to walk to the food. The park attendant was super helpful. Everything was great. Have held impromptu other events here too