Ahoy Matey! Did you know there is a pirate themed playground in Altos Del Mar Park in Miami Beach?…read moreGather up the crew and anchors away for the most almost free fun a fledgling pirate can have. You still have to pay for parking. I recommend the parking lot next door. The Pirate Park Playground was built by Superior Playgrounds who was tasked with designing a one-of-a-kind pirate theme play space to spark creative play and provide a safe place for budding buccaneers to play. The playground is made of recycled material like milk jugs and was created to be corrosion resistant so that it would always look good in this salt water coastal ecosystem. Located only 100 feet from the beach, the playground is fenced in for safety. There is a large pirate ship for older children to climb on and slide down and a smaller area for younger privateers. The crows nest with rigging looked especially fun to climb. Other playground play structures include clownfish and blue tang fish spring riders, a custom octopus playhouse, and palm tree shade. There are four triangle sail shades and poured-in-place safety surfacing to protect little knees and bottoms. Bathrooms are nearby. During my visit the playground was filled with kids and their families enjoying the nautical theme. This unique play space fosters imagination and physical movement for the youngest North Beach residents and visitors.

Amazing park next to the beach. It's very clean and enclosed so the kids can not run away…read more Restrooms right next to it. We walked right over to the beach which was amazing. I will return !

Bay Harbor Islands is a charming 383 acre island town in Biscayne Bay. It is made up of two…read moreislands, originally known as Broadview and Bay Harbor for the streets that run around the perimeter of each island. Today they are known as the West and East Islands. Fun fact, a condo in Bay Harbor Islands was used for the exterior of Dexter Morgan's apartment in the Showtime's TV show Dexter. Officer Scott A. Winters Park is on East Island. This park was named in honor of K-9 Officer Scott A. Winters who attended Bay Harbor Elementary and served as a police officer here in his early career. While he was a Pompano Beach Police Officer he was murdered on July 29, 1990 by a man he was trying to apprehend who was suspected of raping and assaulting a woman. The man who shot Officer Winters is on death row. Winters is the only Pompano Beach Officer to lose his life in the line of duty. After this incident, the Pompano Beach Police Department disbanded when they merged with the Broward Sheriff's Office. There is also a park named in Officer Scott A. Winter's honor in Pompano Beach. Amenities at this park include a restroom, benches, a dog run, pavilion, two shaded play structures equipped with ADA-accessible components. and splash pad. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy the open field with FieldTurf, ideal for a game of soccer. This is the most popular park in Bay Harbor Islands as it offers a clean and safe community hub with diverse facilities that appeal to families, children, and pet owners alike.

Really nice playground. First of all, I'm new here and trying to find good parks for my kid, where…read moreto spend time with. Second, it's very clean and safe. Also it has two activity centers for smaller and bigger kids. It has play grass, where you can play with a ball, and resting area, restrooms and sprinklers(don't forget a bathing suit). Everything covered with sunshades. Third, parking spaces right here. And boom, nice place to visit it ones in a while.

Crespi Park is a 2 acre triangular shaped park off of Crespi Boulevard. The park is fenced in for…read moresafety. Crespi Park amenities include a large multi-purpose field with a shade pavilion, paved fitness path, picnic tables, outdoor fitness equipment for strength and stretching, and a basketball court with lighting. In March of 2015, the park received a new playground through a partnership between the City of Miami Beach Parks and Recreation, KaBOOM!, the Irie Foundation, and Jet Blue. Children from the neighborhood collaborated on the playground design and 250 local volunteers built it in one day. The playground has climbing equipment, slides, and spring riders. Visitors to this well maintained neighborhood park can enjoy activities such as basketball, jogging, workouts, and play. The park says no dogs allowed but I did see a few well behaved pups also enjoying outdoor recreation. I also saw someone practicing operating their drone. Neatly trimmed trees and plants and shade and beauty to the park. Parks like this one provide welcome recreational resources to the communities they are placed in.

Bay Harbor Islands is a charming 383 acre island town in Biscayne Bay. It is made up of two…read moreislands, originally known as Broadview and Bay Harbor for the streets that run around the perimeter of each island. Today they are known as the West and East Islands. Fun fact, a condo in Bay Harbor Islands was used for the exterior of Dexter Morgan's apartment in the Showtime's TV show Dexter. The Bay Harbor Islands Tot Lot is off of Broadview Dr. on West Island. It was dedicated in the memory of Vice Mayor Louis Haas MD. The tot lot may be small in size but it has great amenities. There is a shade covered tree house themed playground and a second blue and red playground. There is also a splash pad, benches, and covered picnic pavilion with picnic tables. My favorite part of the park was the view of Biscayne Bay and the Broad Causeway which takes you on and off the island. There is no parking area but I found a spot in front of a house next to the tot lot that was being built. There is also no restrooms. This park is primarily used by neighborhood residents but if you want a great water view, stop by.

The 96th Street Park in Surfside is the town's main recreational area. It is now an inviting…read moreoutdoor destination thanks to a new design by architect William Lane who prioritized creating a space for both activity and leisure. After significant construction, the park reopened to the public on December 15, 2024. 96th Street Park is located on Indian Creek so there is scenic water views. During the upgrades to the park, a multipurpose field, state-of-the-art playground equipment, and a full-size basketball court were added. There is also a new LEED Silver-certified multi story municipal community center, Thrive 250 fitness equipment, and a kayak launch. Shade structures, fencing, advanced lighting solutions, landscaping, and comprehensive irrigation systems were also added to the park. The city holds many of its resident events here like a Winter Wonderland and Spring Egg Hunt. With its fresh design and new features, this park is a premier gathering space for the community. Whether you're looking to engage in sports, enjoy water activities, or simply relax in a beautiful setting, this modern park has something for everyone.

We've been visiting this park since we moved here four years ago. This is not our favorite park,…read moreas it tends to get very crowded at times. But the tree shade is a rare plus. We usually stop by when we're walking to or from Surfside. We visited midday on a Saturday when I took these photos and there was only one other family there, so it was a very pleasant experience. The shade under the trees gives you a breezy and cool feel on a hot summer day. The equipment at this park is a bit outdated and needs an upgrade, in my opinion. Our son loves the basketball courts and they also have a very large soccer field (grassy area) to play on. The Surfside community has many events here for residents only, which we are unable to attend since we live across the bridge. :-P

Who knew there used to be a Polo field in Miami Beach!…read more The polo field was enjoyed by millionaires and ran from 11th to 15th streets east of Alton Road. It was located adjacent to Carl Fisher's Nautilus hotel. Today you are still greeted by a reminder from that bygone era by the polo player statue. "The Polo Player" statue was built in 1923 and is still a prominent figure at Polo Park, Miami Beach. This park is one of the oldest in Miami Beach. The land was part of the Flamingo Golf Course, which was built in 1921 for Carl Fisher's hotel. The Northern end of the park was a polo field. A hurricane destroyed the golf course in 1926. The city of Miami Beach purchased the land in 1929. The park was used for boxing matches. An open air theater was built in the park in 1932. The theater was later demolished.

I was curious as to why there would be Polo Park in Miami Beach. Polo is a sport you would more…read moreassociate with Wellington. It turns out there once was an actual polo playing field on Miami Beach adjacent to Carl Fisher's Nautilus Hotel. The polo field enjoyed by millionaires ran from 11th to 15th streets east of Alton Road. When you enter the park you are still greeted by a reminder from that bygone era by the polo player statue created in 1923 but today you are more likely to find pickleball than polo. In addition to the the pickleball courts in this spacious 4.6 acre park, Polo Park also has tennis courts, a USE fitness station, basketball courts, a softball field, open field area, walking path, and a shade covered playground for ages 2-5 and 5-12. The playground is fenced in for safety and has poured-in-place rubber surfacing, spring rider, twirl around, and swings. I came during one of South Florida's frequent rainstorms so I had the park to myself except for a gentleman walking around the perimeter for exercise. When the weather is nicer I can easily envision this park filled with fitness enthusiasts. pickle ball players, and kids enjoying the playground.

I brought my godkids (ages 2 and 7) to this amazing park, and they had an absolute blast!…read moreThere's so much to do -- a tennis court, basketball court, soccer field, a pool, and even a gym inside the YMCA. The park was super clean, very family-friendly, and there's free parking inside. Such a great place to spend the day with kids!

Peter Bluesten Park was formerly City Park which was built just after the Korean War so residents…read morecould have a place to gather and play. By 1990 the park had fallen in disrepair. In 2005 City Park was changed to honor Peter Bluesten who was the founder and publisher of the Hallandale Digest. Mr. Bluesten was a WWII veteran who moved to Hallandale from New Jersey in 1946 and he founded the paper in 1963. He took the paper from a one sheet advertisement to a widely read and respected paper that chronicled the history and growth of the city. It was a hometown paper that the community relied on. Mr, Bluesten was very involved with youth sports in the city. He passed away in 1996. The park was redesigned by Craven Thompson & Associates Inc. and the remodeled 16.5 acre Peter Bluesten Park opened to the public on September 28, 2019. One of the highlights is the park's Aquatics Center which has a 25-meter by 25-yard competition style pool with eight lane short course section for high school swim competitions and recreational interactive water features. The pool was designed to meet all of the requirements for USA Swimming. The multipurpose main pool has a large learn-to-swim area, a dedicated water aerobics area, and a beach entry. Both pools are design-built concrete pools with deck level overflow gutter systems. There is also a 1,800 sq. ft water playground with an elevated play structure, which includes multiple decks, slides, rain buckets, water cannons, dancing floor jets and water curtains. Other park amenities include The Hallandale Beach YMCA, an artificial Safeshell turf soccer field, three baseball fields, concession stand, outdoor stage, playground, tennis, basketball, bankshot basketball, racquetball, walking path, and support buildings. The city uses the park for a number of events like their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Movies Under the Stars. If there is one small drawback to Peter Bluesten Park it is that it does not have a parking lot. You have to pay by app and park on the street. Other that that this is a really amazing park with something for everyone to enjoy.

Formerly named Civic People's Park in Fort Lauderdale was renamed Dr. Elizabeth Hays Civic Park in…read more2009, in honor of longtime Barry faculty members Dr. Elizabeth Hays. Dr. Hays was a faculty member at Barry University's School of National and Health Sciences for twenty-four years while working as a Ft. Lauderdale civic activist serving on many city advisory boards. Dr. Hays passed away in 2009. The 2.49 acre park is located off of Riverland Road in Ft. Lauderdale, It is open daily from 6 AM until 9 PM. Park amenities include a walking exercise path, open play area, pavilion with picnic tables, grills, benches, and a very nice shade covered playground. Since it is a civic park there is a grove of trees at the park entrance that have plaques commemorating the volunteer efforts of community members. Although small the park is very nicely maintained is perfect for taking the kids to play, a picnic, or just getting some fresh air and exercise.

Visiting this park for the first time . Love the location so close to the turnpike. Love the…read morePlayground for the toddlers kids . The park has small parking lot. Luckily we park. Love all the trees around it . Clean and safe.

I was intrigued by this art exhibit at the Aventura Mall, so I went to check it out. It's outdoors,…read moreso it provides that sense of jungle and tropical environment that is just right for "gorillas". Gorillas in the Mist is a unique public work designed expressly for Aventura Mall. A whimsical fountain comprised of three large-scale bronze gorillas, four massive bronze trees and five hand-carved marble benches. I found them a bit spread out, so I needed to get at the right distance and angle to appreciate the entire exhibit. It's a fountain and a playground, built specifically with children in mind. And sure enough while I was there...many children were having fun playing around them and on them...freely and care free.....

Let me preface this with saying that it is a beautiful set up and the architecture and design are…read moregreat. However, In my opinion this is incorrectly advertised as a Fountain, Children's Playground or Splash pad. By word of mouth, we heard how great this "little splashpad" was. Great for moms who wanted to get some shopping done and then take their little for some fun time and water play time. I did not think to snap a picture, but will do so on my next visit. According to this sign, the fountain uses reclaimed water and there is an advisory that the water should not be swallowed! This sign is not prominently displayed. I have a toddler who like many other toddlers, loves to run, splash and occasionally swallow water (especially when it's shooting out from the ground and out of the gorillas). Sounds cool, but in reality it's a bit disgusting. My husband and I were utterly disgusted that we did not see this sign until we were leaving and happen to look over out of curiosity! On the AM webpage description of the Gorillas in the most fountain it clearly states: "It's a fountain and a playground, built specifically with children in mind."..... if it is made with children in mind, why is it that we're potentially exposing the child to reclaimed water that should not be swallowed? Now to the defense of AM, they do not advertise this as a splashpad, so shame on us parents for treating it as such. It's a "Fountain". It's definitely nice to look at it! Play at your own risk.