For years, Lake Benson has been my go to for outdoor activities. Walking the paved loop is about a…read moremile (small dirt trail goes past lake and detours off path)and you can cross Benson Road into White Deer park to easily get 3 miles. They also have a boat house with limited hours but the prices for renting kayaks, canoes and Jon Boats is minimal... $10 for two hours kayaking if you are a garner resident

We live in a neighboring town close but and bumped into this gem. Nice area to walk and plenty of…read moreroom for children

This park is a hidden gem! Literally, it's down powhatan rd and kind of in the middle of nowhere…read more The restrooms were squeaky clean! Parking was right near the playground and close to the pavilion. They had paved handicapped parking spaces. The equipment looks brand new and they have hand sanitizer units on every section. They have shade umbrellas, 2 sliding sections, lots of climbers, 2 full swing sets, teeter saws, a sand volleyball pit and it looked like they're still developing. So happy to have found this place!

Lake Johnson Park is one of Raleigh's best spots when you want a workout that actually comes with a…read moreview. The 3-mile loop gave me the perfect mix of cardio, scenery, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting. The trail is mostly paved and very well maintained, but there are also a few off-road paths if you want to switch things up. The lake views are gorgeous throughout the walk, and the heavily wooded sections make it feel peaceful and shaded even on warmer days. I also appreciated that the trail has a few solid uphill stretches. I'd say it's ideal for intermediate walkers, runners, or cyclists looking for a scenic challenge without venturing into hardcore hiking territory. The only downside is the parking situation, which can get pretty tight during busy hours. Still, once you're on the trail, it's absolutely worth it. Raleigh really lucked out with this gem of a park.

Natures finest!…read more Local park with free (but limited) parking. Walking trails. Kayak and paddleboard rentals. Birdwatching. Clean picnic and public bathrooms. Great place to go and enjoy nature.

Fantastic local place for woods walking. This park is often crowded on the weekends in their…read moreparking lot. Your car will get dirty driving in on their gravel road. They offer a few hiking trails plus cooking grills.

Wonderful experience will definitely go back Great trails very educational we sat at the water…read morefor quite awhile serene and peaceful

This park is a great place to take a walk and kill some time. From the parking lot you can walk…read morethrough down the path. You will see basketball courts. baseball fields, sitting areas, and several fields for various activities. There were paths if you wanted to venture into the woods which i started to do but once i saw the giant spider webs, i turned around lol. There is a body of water. There is a huge playground if you have kids. There is also a building, im thinking it was a community center but i had no reason to go inside. Other than the kids in the playground this place was pretty quiet. Its a good place to enjoy your day outside.

I visited Laurel Hills today while attending the city's Wake County Genealogical Society Find Your…read moreFamily History Event & Holistic Wellness Expo. I've visited years ago while bringing my daughter to the playground. The playground is very modern here. A lovely place for young children. They also have several basketball courts and a nice gazebo picnic area. The Genealogy event was very informative. Staff were very engaged and helpful. Very well organized. It was intriguing to learn about my loved ones and where we come from.

The park Is closed for construction, however it says it's open still. All I wanted to do was look…read moreat it for my child.

I like White Deer park, the trail is a nice good workout. I even had my gender reveal here at one…read moreof the shelters. The only downside is, the left entrance. They use to have a big slide that was alot of fun & they had seesaws. Maybe too many people got hurt and they removed the seesaws but that was the best part about the left side. The slide, last time I saw it - wasn't in the best shape. But that's just normal wear and tear. The right entrance however, big playground - lots to do. I had fun here even as a teenager. I still occasionally come here to walk the trail, I like this park alot. Lots of good memories here.

Very well kept park located in south west Raleigh not too far from downtown. The parking is…read moreeffortless. The restrooms were clean. The trails were scenic and relatively easy to navigate. I enjoyed the trails and I recommend hiking here. There is a nice pond loop trail area that's really nice. I'd definitely return. No pets are allowed here. That's the only downside. Besides that it was a great time here. This is a nice 3.5 miles when covering all the trails.

Although out of the way from Wake Forest, this park is nice. Not too easy and not too difficult…read more Very little elevation change, however the trail is mostly dirt. So, if it is raining be prepared for some muddy conditions. The trail is pretty much covered by trees that provides some shade. Yesterday it was in the 90s, but with the breeze and shade, I was able to get 12000 steps. There are clean restrooms at the entrance/exit of the park. There was also ample parking. The trail is a little over 1 mile if you just go around the lake. There are more steps if you take the trail into the woods. Stay on the paths and they will loop you back. Yesterday, the only disappointment was the water wheel wasn't being used and we didn't get any pictures of that.

Love this park and the water splash area for kids when it's hot! Sometimes they have marketing…read moreevents there with information and free handouts samples promoting community services. The play equipment isn't as exciting as other places but the open space and freedom to burn off some energy is fabulous

Chavis Park is named after John Chavis, a free Black educator, Presbyterian minister, and American…read moreRevolutionary War veteran. In 1808, he opened his first school, the site of which was located near the grounds of modern-day Chavis Park. There is rich black history here at this park. If you visit the community center on its grounds you can see the black and white photos adorning the walls of the center dating back to the 60's featuring the people of this African American community. This is a beautiful park that is home to the main attraction its early 20th-century carousel. Allan Herschell Carousel, showcases a Wurlitzer 146A band organ, oil paintings of waterfalls and other natural scenes, and thirty-six jumping, hand-carved, hand-painted horses. There are several indoor and outdoor spaces available to the public and for rent. In addition a playground, tennis courts, and a pool, the park offers a community center, picnic shelters, a gymnasium, a lit, outdoor track, a fitness center, and a game room. A half-mile of Raleigh's Capital Area Greenway traverses the park via Little Rock Trail. During the week my daughter attends basketball practice here and we love the view of the city skyline from the community center This is my favorite park in the Raleigh area.

No doubt the best park in the Raleigh area with lots of things to do for the rug rats. Carousel,…read moreboats, playgrounds, Choo Choo train, and wonderful picnic pavilions. Food stand has a few things which are actually pretty good plus ice cream and soft drinks, which are refreshing in the summer months. New bocce courts are nice addition and the tennis courts are never busy. Check out their live music schedule, too!

Every year around Christmas season, Pullen Park sets up the park in Winter Wonderland mode. This…read moreyear was fantastic and it's easy to see why tickets sell out so fast. There is a train ride through the park with all sorts of lights and Christmas displays. There are numerous free activities and crafts for kids of all ages. There is even a gorgeous carousel ride that seats many. It doesn't hurt that it is inside so you can warm up from the chilly outside. There is even remote parking with comfy buses that will take you to and from the parking lot and the park. It is a great experience and our grandkids ( and grandparents) have such a great time.

Awesome park! Visited this past weekend with the main attraction being the sunflowers ! I haven't…read moreseen a field of sunflowers this big since living in South Dakota. Some were dead, but many were still living. Although there was significant rain this week, many parts of the fields were sandy and dry, there is a ramp like at the beach for wheelchairs and strollers. Also saw one of the hammock areas, a dog park and a troll ! I was seriously impressed at the size and scale of this park, and could easily spend an entire day exploring and enjoying, or bringing a lunch spread. Would definitely like to find and see the other trolls (heard there are 5 in total), spend some more time relaxing in hammock alley! Hope to return in the future!

Other than the renovation of certain park areas, this place was great. We did so much walking,…read moreespecially when you walked to 4 of the 5 trolls residing within the park fences (we saw one at the start of the loop in our car). We enjoyed the hammocks set between two trees - and there were many of them. The trolls were fun. They each had names, and a QR code to read their stories. Other visitors offered pieces to the puzzle. One even visited Charlotte, NC, where I believed she talked about the grandmother, but it's a tree instead of a troll. Anyway, good strolls, lots of sun, and it was fun watching the dogs at the dog park. Plan on a couple of ours in search for the trolls. Or, do that, and picnic under the trees or pavilions. There are shuttles so you can park in one area, and then visit another.