My first visit to Forest River Park was when I was four years old and going to nursery school. They took us to the park and I slid down the cement slide on a piece of cardboard. The boy behind me slid down too soon and kicked me in the head. I got a huge goose-egg. So much for my fond childhood memories of Forest River Park.
Fast forward a few decades or so... The cement slide is still there! Fixed up, though, and with a great little playground added with new swings and stuff for kids.
And the pool I used to pee in as a little kid has been re-built, though it's still salt-water. Long ago, it was just a cement depression in the ground that had a little concrete canal that led to Salem Harbor so they could empty and refill the pool regularly. There were periwinkles and little shrimps coming to visit and swim with us in the pool every day, then returning to the harbor when the pool was flushed. The new pool is more conventional, so no more swimming with the fishies.
Nice walking paths all around the park make for a nice jogging trail for humans, and a great walking path for doggies and moms pushing baby carriages.
There are two nice beaches that are easy to access, though sometimes, especially after storms, the tides bring in unpleasant flotsam and jetsam, from huge driftwood branches and plywood sheets, to rubber fisherman's gloves, buoys and busted lobster traps, and, thanks to the vagaries of the sewer system, occasional "beach whistles" (that's slang for plastic tampon applicators).
The main beach has a concrete ramp for launching kayaks, canoes and small boats, and the parking area is right next to it so you can get your 'yak from Point A (car/truck) to Point B (Salem Harbor) easily.
Pioneer Village, a cute little historic "living history museum," is part of the park. Check out the reviews for that if you want details.
Forest River Park, being a municipal park, requires a resident parking sticker if you want to park there from June through September. The stickers cost 20 bucks for two years, and you have to live in Salem. The pool is only for Salem residents.
The park itself is open to all, though, and during the off season you can park there without a sticker. At least, I've never seen anyone trying to enforce the sticker rule during that time. I doubt the city will pay an employee to check stickers in the winter or even spring and fall. read more