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.

What a hidden gem! The drive back into the parking lot felt neverending, but once we got there it…read moreseemed very inviting! We made 2 full trail laps and experienced the extra educational tools with the 5 kids tagging along. They have little buttons with speakers and wooden signs telling you about the trees and nature nearby. We went to the pond and saw several turtles and fish. All of the pavilions that we observed were roped off, not sure why, but didnt bother us. The trails are well traveled and in good condition. This park is only open certain hours so make sure you check before you make a trip there.

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.

Forest Ridge Park offers a little something for everyone. Nice sized playground area, picnic…read morepavilions, short hiking trails to Falls Lake, an intro mountain biking 3 mi loop, a welcome center, disc golf, fishing, kayak or paddle boarding if you bring your own. There is no swimming, wading, or beach area. Plenty of parking available.

This is a very nice park in North Raleigh which offers a playground and many walking, hiking and…read morebiking trails that loop around parts of Falls Lake. There is ample parking and there are bathroom facilities on site. You can see lots of birds and other wildlife on the trails. Just keep in mind that during hunting season, there will be hunters in the area and people who are hiking are advised to wear either abs orange vest or sweatshirt.

I feel so lucky to live close to the dam. I am an hobbyist photographer and the wildlife here is…read moreamazing. I have watched a Osprey dive in and catch a fish. I have seen numerous Blue Heron and have gotten pictures of them catching fish. Eastern Blue Birds, vultures, and too many other birds to count. The Neuse River Greenway Trail starts here and you can walk up and down the trail from here. There is ample parking and you will see numerous people there ready to jog, hike or bike from the parking lot. You can park at the dam during the hours it is open and hike across the dam. The place is clean and there are bathrooms and a visitors center where members of the Army Corp of Engineers will happily answer any questions that you may have. Great place and it is all free.

Enjoyed finding and driving over Falls Lake Dam. It's a nice little area, with parking, a…read moreplayground, a fishing area, and even a family cemetery. I found a geocache there, to boot!

We love this park. It's took away off to itself and there's so much open space for events, family,…read moreactivities, and more. Bring your bike out here because there's a gorgeous access trail to the neuse River Trail. There is great parking, super clean bathrooms. This is just an overall great experience. There's picnic tables for groups and more. Definitely a spot to check out.

The area here is quite pretty; the aptly named space next to a river makes a rough horseshoe shape…read moreand showcases a variety of topography and plant life. Paths connect to the Neuse River trail across the river, though you'll have to walk for a bit and cross an impressive-looking bridge to get there. The amount of parking and the hours it was open seem to be somewhat inadequate for the demand on this space, but it's large enough that people can spread out well. There is a restroom area near the parking lot, albeit without running water in the sinks. I could imagine the trails and parking being developed a bit better, but the space is certainly well worth having as a park and well worth visiting.

I came to the Walnut Creek Center for a family reunion. I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed my time…read morehere. Upon entering the facility they have an educational center and an area where you can hold events. The event room is of nice side to hold a good amount of table and chairs. There is a kitchen available should you need to cook. The educational center was staffed on this date, and there was lots of information about creepy crawlers, animals and the like. The staff were knowledgeable and helpful. It was great resource for the kids that were there. Also, because it is a wetland, there were trails that you could walk behind the center. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go as far as I would have liked due to time constraints, but from what I saw it was pretty cool. I think this is an awesome resource for events and for educational purposes for the kiddos.

I didn't expect this in a spot not too far from downtown Raleigh…read more The Walnut Creek Wetland Center is both an education center and a nice getaway for a mini-commune with nature, for joining a program or two, or just to explore on your own. It's about sixty acres of wetlands. The building, set above the flood plain, mostly built with recycled materials, has a cistern collecting rain, large windows facing the back deck to bring in natural light and blend the building into the scenery. There are recycle bins in the back and a couple of EV charging stations in the parking lot. The center is across the street from the Little Rock Trail and near the Walnut Creek greenway. The center has rocking chairs on the back deck, good for relaxing and watching (or listening to) the activity. If you stay long enough, the birds, squirrels, ducks, will come by and so, too, will other animals part of this wetland system. Frogs, snakes, deer, beavers, and turtles have all been in the area according to the literature and center staff. There are bird feeders just off the side deck and near the cistern, with non-stop activity from several different species. There are large rooms available to rent for birthday parties or to host some of the programs the Center offers on the wetlands and the ecosystem, just for kids. The main lobby has general information and a "touch" table. Mr. It, a turtle, takes it all in, although his only view of the world is probably the ceiling and then people peering over the edge of his container and reaching in to touch him. He seems pretty mellow about it all.

The Lowdown: This park is one of the most beautiful and…read morepeaceful places around, with shady trails, clear creeks, and plenty of wildlife. It's perfect for relaxing, exploring, or taking photos. This park is absolutely beautiful. The trails are shaded and comfortable to walk on, even in the peak heat of summer. Along the way, you'll find peaceful creeks with small waterfalls that are perfect for cooling your feet on a warm day. The scenery is so stunning that I chose this location for my son's senior pictures a couple of years ago. Every visit brings something new to see--deer, owls, and a variety of birds. It's a relaxing, scenic place that's perfect for anyone who enjoys being outdoors.

Stopped by here on a recent day off and decided to go off the paved track down to the creek where…read morethere's soft trails. We got to see waterfalls and get up close and personal with nature. It was a beautiful day and park. Definitely recommend coming here for a walk on the next nice day!

Historic Oak View County Park currently is on 27 acres. The pecan grove is 11 acres of that. When…read moreOak View was a working cotton farm it was over 900 acres. I took a guided tour of Historic Oak View County Park and learned some of its history. Wake County purchased the land for an office park before learning on the land's history. The property was saved from demolition and has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. They are still learning more about it from research. Fourteen slaves were owned on the farm before the Civil War. Afterwards, some purchased land on Oak View and became sharecroppers or tenant farmers. The Farm Center History Center is where you can get information before you start exploring the park and it is a small museum. The goats are either found in the livestock barn or at the goat pen near the Tenant House. A cotton gin house can be toured and you can read about the cotton process. A cotton field is outside the building. They also have bee hives to pollinate the plants. A Plank Kitchen built in 1825 is the oldest building remaining on the property. It has a garden near it. The Main Farm House is open to tour, both the original house and the additions. Then there is the Tenant House replica that was brought to the park from Wendell as it had the same features of the buildings that had been torn down. I like that the park had walkways and ramps. The pecan grove is huge and each November the public can take some pecans home. While I was there, some people were fishing and others were having picnics. The goats can be fed carrots and apple slices.

This is a great park to explore with a little one. The space is huge and it's pretty easy to stay…read moresocially distant. They recently did a story book walk through the parks department that was neat. If you get lucky you may catch the goats out, but we haven't been so lucky yet. I've ready that you are allowed to feed them some carrots if the employees okay it. They do have a chicken coop as well which my son loved. He spent quite a bit of time just staring at the chicken walking around. If you follow the path to the left of the entrance it heads to a pond and if you follow it to the right there is a small cotton field and an old cotton wagon in the back of the old gin silo. It's a great spot for family photos, every time we have been we have seen people walking around with their photographer. The pecan trees and historic houses make for great photos. Right now due to COVID the bathrooms are closed. There is plenty of parking here. I know they offer so much more than what is currently available during COVID. Definitely a park to keep on the radar!