No doubt the best park in the Raleigh area with lots of things to do for the rug rats. Carousel, boats, 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! read more

Pullen Park - Pulled Park, Raleigh, NC - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Every year around Christmas season, Pullen Park sets up the park in Winter Wonderland mode. This year 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. read more

This is such a cute park. Very clean and tons for the kids to do. There is a playground with climbing equipment, slides, see saw, sand and digging and swings. Then there are activities that cost $2 a ticket. There is a train ride, boat ride and carousel. We didn't try the boat ride because it was closed. The staff at the carousel could have been friendlier, seemed like they didn't want to be there. Wish we lived in the area to utilize this park more. read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Went here on a whim looking for places to bring our dog. Was a great place to visit. Dogs are able to visit - they're just not able to go inside any facility structures respectively. What a neat place. You have to buy activities on a per-ticket basis. At first, it felt a bit weird, but honestly, it's all good. More importantly, the activities were simple and atmosphere so rewarding to be a part of. Our daughter at first was super bored b/c everything looked so 'blah'. However, leaning in to the environment, she had a BLAST. If you're looking for a place to have a simple, fun, time, this is it. Good activities and just overall a win. Food Taste: n/a Overall Service: 5 Value of facility to cost: 5 Facility: 5 Ambiance: This is such an intimate location. It takes you back to a time where things were simpler and is all about having a good time in-person away from phones. Repeat customer: yes Dog Friendly: yes - outside only - no internal structures. read more

Beautiful park in Raleigh. Great for families and all ages. I will say we came on a nice Saturday and it was really busy with kids and families. There's peddle boats in the lake for $7 and fits 4 people. Also a train ride $2 a person. And a carousel. (Parking might have been paid for as well, we ubered in) Had a good time, something different and unique but got crowded. Good for the 1-2 hours we spent there. read more

This park was recommended from a friend while we were visiting Raleigh and it was perfect for our very active kid! You can purchase tickets for the train, carousel and water boats. Unfortunately, the website says unlimited but it's not. So you have to buy $2 for each ticket. There is also a playground and sandpit. Plenty of benches to sit and rest. There are a few places to eat as well but we had snacks. Parking fills up quick so come early. Beautiful and well maintained park. Highly recommend. read more

We had such a blast with our kids here. Our toddler is three and everything was appropriate for his age, although older kids will have a blast too. If you just want a beautiful walk around the lake, there is a great area for that and not too crowded. If you have kids there are playgrounds for different ages. For example, the excavator/diggers sand area for littles, and an older playground for bigger kids. We also went on all the rides: a train, carousel, and boats. The train was my favorite and I'm a grown adult. It was so fun! We took my three year old and our baby. There's a little area they allow you to place your stroller so you can take babies. The boats- there's the boats at the lake for couples/ families but also a mini boat ride for toddlers to ride by themselves. My three year old loved it. You can fit two little siblings side by side on those. There's a food area with tables for a place to sit and eat. Although a picnic out in the pretty field is a great option too. The carousel was a second favorite. If you stop to read the sign you'll find it's historic and been there since the 1900s. It was perfect for any age. Babies are allowed. They have a place for strollers. It was such a fun family time. A favorite spot for us. read more

We visited Pullen Park for their holiday express and I was just reminded about how great of a time we had. So this review is coming right before we get to go again this year!! It was our first year getting tickets to their holiday express, and I'd say it's probably more fulfilling for kids but we had a great time haha. We loved riding the train and looking at all the lights, going on the carousel. They had concessions, a DJ, a fire pit station with multiple fire pits to make smores with the fire department. Everything was just Christmas magic! We hope to get tickets again this year, they sell out SUPER fast. read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I visited for the first time on 9/17/22. It was a bright, sunny, humid day. I usually don't like being outside because the bugs tear me up, but I didn't didn't bother me much here. The scenery was beautiful. There were plenty of places within the park with different parties/events going on. It was festive and fun. It was full of happy people and the scents of yummy food grilling nearby. There were paths and hills everywhere, so if you're looking to get a good workout in, this is the place for you. There were cute paddle boats to rent and float around the lake. I didn't get to get on one this go 'round, but I will definitely do it next visit. I truly enjoyed myself. It's a great place for the kids to play, and there's a carousel. I had a good time. Next time, I'm taking my son. :) read more

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Visited for the first time this while living in NC. Even in December it's beautiful! The staff is observant and aware. They suggested the back of the train for my child with autism and sensitivity. It's a very cost effective family outing! I'd say, go! Enjoy the fresh air and have fun! read more

Pullen Park - Pullen Park Train - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Pullen Park rules! This is like the most amazing public park that I've ever been to. It's like an amusement park for kids. There are train rides, a carousel, boat rides for young kids, and pedal boats on the lake. I think everything is like $2 per person. I've only gone on the train and the carousel so far. Buy your tickets online on RecLink.com. Sometimes they have cashier's irl for paper tickets but they don't always so I've always just bought my tickets online. The website is slow so be prepared for that buying in advance or before the rides all start up (10am). https://web1.myvscloud.com/wbwsc/ncraleighwt.wsc/search.html?display=detail&keyword=pullen&module=PST ^ that's where you buy tickets for rides online There are lots of trees and shady areas and picnic tables all over. The restrooms are usually super clean. They also have events sometimes like I've heard of one with lights everywhere I think February through April (I'm assuming it was for lunar new year). One time when we went they had letters of the alphabet all throughout the park and signs or pictures of things the letter started with (e.g. q for queen and a basket of burger king crowns for the kids to wear or M for mechanical monster with corn hole set up next to it). There are lots of geese and turtles etc and cute photo ops like on a bridge that over the lake and these giant swans sculptures? on water. There are play areas for ages 2-5 and 6-12? Lots of variety. There are multiple sandboxes and a bunch of seesaws/teeter totters. Oh and there's Pullen Park cafe with simple meals like hummus and pita or a hot dog and other snacks etc for when you go into overtime with playing or forget to pack a snack. Why go anywhere else with the kiddos when this place exists. read more

Fun well organized and clean park. My grandson loved the train and carousel. There are nice walking paths and lots of play equipment. They have snack shops, clean restrooms. Overall very nice facilities read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Pullen Park is a wonderful park to visit in Raleigh. It also has so much history. I was fortunate to be able to attend one of the history tours of the park. I learned so much of the history of the park. My tour guide was Patrick and he was very informative. Masks are recommended to be worn but not required unless on the train or carousel. There are reminders to stay 6 feet apart as well and most followed that but some did not. Pullen Park has existed since 1887. I had no idea that there used to be zoo on the property. The zoo had squirrels; rabbits; raccoons; guinea pigs; monkeys; alligators; a lion; bears and a buffalo. Visitors were not nice to the animals, poking them with sticks and giving them candy. Matches were given to the monkeys and they almost set their enclosures on fire. The zoo closed in 1938. Raleigh's first public swimming pool was also here. They transformed a cow pasture. The pool was made of wood and near the lake so that is where the water came from. The pool was not chlorinated in 1921. Only white men could bathe here at first. Then it was opened to women twice a week for just three hours but they needed a male companion. The pool was not racially integrated until 1963. Although before that date, some black males went swimming with white males and all the pools in the city were closed. So some fighting for Civil Rights occurred in Pullen Park. Lake Howell, a man made lake was created in 1935 for boating. One year the lake froze and was used for ice skating. The area now has nicer landscaping, the gazebo and pedestrian bridges. The Half Moon tree was highlighted on my tour. 500 seeds went to the moon in 1971 on Apollo14. Each of those seeds had a twin that is called a half moon seed. Pullen Park received one of those seeds. The Sycamore seed was planted near Lake Howell. A miniature train used to be on the property as well and tickets were only 5 cents. The miniature train went around a small distance unlike the current train ride that goes around the park. The current carousel was brought to the park in 1921 and was handmade. There are 23 of these handmade carousels left in the country. A Wurlitzer, a military band organ, plays the music inside the carousel building. It has Plexiglas around it so it isn't so loud. The Southern Railroad caboose was donated in 1975. There is a tribute to Andy Griffith and Opie. The fishing rods were stolen so just the bases remain. Today the park has an aquatic center; tennis courts; baseball fields; picnic shelters; an arts center and a theatre. Food is sold at the cafe and there are restrooms available. Pullen Park is understaffed at the moment so the attractions are not open on the same days. The carousel and the train run on different days of the week. I highly recommend visiting this wonderful park!!! read more

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The park is amazing as always, but it's a shame they changed the menu at the café. There used to be such great healthy options and now there are burgers and just a couple other sandwiches. The burgers that they advertise are horrible unfortunately. They taste like they were frozen patties that were microwaved. There's no firmness to them. They're mushy. Just weird. I used to love coming here to eat and now I usually look at the menu and walk away. Today I came with my granddaughters and they didn't like the burgers either. Thankfully, the grilled cheese is just as good as it always was. Still giving the park a 5, but the café is a definite 2. read more

Pullen Park - Yucky burgers that went in the trash... not the fault of workers. - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We were invited to a birthday party at Pullen Park and were so impressed with the beauty of the park. We parked in the upper area near the shelters because parking can get pretty full. The shelters were perfect for hosting a party and you supply your own drinks, food, balloons, etc after reserving your shelter. The hostess made it super easy and had tickets we could use on the train, carousel, and paddle boats. Otherwise you can purchase tickets at the kiosks in the park. The trail is stroller-friendly or you can take the stairs to the park and lower area. The park is fenced in and has swings, slides and plenty of other play areas for children. We took the train ride and that was scenic around the lake and park area. I loved the banana trees and foliage and am glad we got to experience it on a sunny day with gorgeous weather. Highly recommend for families or just those looking to walk and enjoy the scenery. read more

This park is beautiful! It is clean, lush, and has a lot to offer for everyone, especially families with children. We were visiting the area and were staying close by. Upon looking up things to do in the area, this came up. We visited on a nice day and were able to take the mini train ride around the park. We also enjoyed a ride on the indoor carousel. The tickets were easy to buy online in my opinion but there seems to be a lot of people who had trouble with the technology. You can order them online and print them out as well, which is nice. Each ride is $1.50/person. After the rides we just strolled around the park and took in some sun. It's a great place and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Parking is free and the lot was quite full but it was a summer Friday and there seemed to be a lot of large groups there. read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This is one of the most handicap accessible parks I've been too, even there train is accessible! read more

Pullen Park - Their train ride is accessible and accompanied my service dog - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

it was ok. the only down side is they won't let you drive the train and my boat sand to the bottom of the pond. the only good thing is they won't let food read more

It is so much bigger than you think it'll be! My family and I were looking for a cool, outdoor scene to walk around and maybe play some cards in. I found Pullen Park on Yelp and it looked pretty nice but had no idea it would be as "official" as it was. We pulled into the large parking lot and thought there may be a big event going on with all the cars there. As we were walking in we saw the tickets and information desk in front of us, snack stands to the right and a big blue overhead sign announcing we were entering the park. Very theme park like! We walked around exploring the grounds for an hour or two. There were tons of fish in the ponds, beautiful birds flying over and cute little snapping turtles everywhere. It was a Friday afternoon in early Fall, the leaves were not really changing yet and it was hot as an Arizona desert, but beautiful nonetheless. The peddle-boats were not open on Friday afternoon so instead we took the train around the park. It was very short but all the young kids loved it. There were also mini tug boats that went around in circles for ages, probably, 5 and below. The park had lots of beautiful scenery, pretty clean restrooms, a handful of playground areas with sand pits and jungle gyms, an old indoor carousel, and much more. It was a great place to walk around and kill some time. I highly recommend it for families looking for a free spot, outdoors to come enjoy with other play pals. It's a beautiful spot for photo ops and even a cute, free date/picnic spot. We had a nice time and would recommend. read more

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Rewind to JoJo at Unleashed in City Market who implored me to check out Pullen Park when I inquired what the must see venues are in Raleigh. I thank her a million times over. This park is epic! It's beautiful, plentiful and has every feature one could want in a park and then some. If I were planning an outdoor and / or destination wedding, I would absolutely consider this location. There's so much to do at this park. I don't even know where to start! I'll start with the train ride and the railroad that takes visitors throughout the park. The park entrance is free and the train ride costs $1.50 per person. Tickets can be purchased through a QR code and don't require any interaction. One simply purchases ticket(s) on their mobile device and shows the conductor. Talk about a great way to see all Pullen Park has to offer! This park is definitely a beautiful place to walk or run. There's a lake with paddle boats at the dock, but all with the exception of the train ride is closed compliments of Covid. The park features a 110 year old carousel (also closed) that has the most majestic animals. There are a multitude of play areas for children and I took notice of a few separate rides (currently closed). There are areas for eating and food and beverage are available for sale. Additionally, there is a humble gift shop with a small yet wonderful variety of merchandise for sale. The prices are extremely fair and the cashier who was working on the day of my visit was lovely. She had a great personality and was extremely knowledgeable about the park. I visited with a time constraint, but I look forward to returning on another visit without a curfew and wearing my running shoes. read more

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These are cool little vibe for the kids, we had a great time and it definitely kept our 4yr old busy

What an awesome surprise. My daughter said we could stop by a park and how fun was it to pull up to this place. We heard the old timey music playing, the grounds were clean, and beautiful sculptures and playground equipment awaited us. They have various little play areas based on children's ages. We rode the train for 1.50 and the carousel. You can purchase tickets on your phone and they have ride tickets and game tickets which are not universal so I would make a suggestion to make it so you can use the interchangeably. This place is a local treasure. read more

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Such a fun park for kids of all ages. From the carousel rides, to the playgrounds and the beautiful walks. It is also a perfect spot for photos and just to escape the city sounds for a little. For more recommendations follow @raleighunlocked on Instagram. read more

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Very fun and cute park. It is one of the oldest amusuments parks in the U.S. It's 66 acres and it has a carousel, train, pedal boats, kiddie boats, playground, fields, courts, aquatic center and more. Admission to the park is free. However, tickets for amusement rides are $1.50 per person. It has activities for people of all ages. You can access Rocky Branch trail from the park, as well. Not really much to say besides it's beautiful and it has something for everyone. 5 stars. read more

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I can't believe I've been living in Raleigh for three years and last month was my first trip to Pullen Park. I took my ten month old son and we had a great time. The line to get tickets was long, would make sense to have a kiosk or more ticket booths open. But the line for lunch was even longer, only two employees on a busy Summer Saturday. Just plan ahead for that since once you get tickets the lines were super reasonable. Each ticket is $1.50, no matter which attraction you want to visit it is all the same price. My son is too young for the paddle boats, but once he is older those look super fun. We went with the carousel and train, he loved both. It ended up getting really hot, otherwise we would have spent some time at the awesome playground as well. Parking was pretty crazy on a Sunday since the parking lot was shared with a church service. They had parking attendants at the entrance though who directed you to overflow parking. This made it easy and it was just a bit of an extra walk. read more

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I give this place a low review and I hope that other families with special needs children can read this before going to this park , I have a child with Autism and as most children in the spectrum , Love water so we rode the train which is also a favorite for her , then we pass by the boats RIGHT next to the train so I paid no ATTENTION to the height EXCEPTION meaning if they are over that height THEY CAN NOT RIDE THE BOATS !!!! So I asked the man working at this station if my daughter could ride the boat she kept going to them wanting to get on they are of course centered with WATER she is under 40 Ibs but she was a lil taller than the height allowed so the man at this station said I'm sorry I can't let her get on the policies of my job don't allow it !!!! I asked please she is autistic can she get on ,, he said NO she had a meltdown starting screaming so I manage to pull her away and try to get her on the carousel by then she wasn't calm so I Had an audience of people Staring at me because an employee didn't allow her to ride the boat . I understand DOING YOUR JOB but I have other places where they are graceful and give me 5 -10 minutes to accommodate my daughter and I am always grateful for those who show compassion for those of us who carry extra weight of trying to be normal when our situations are not easy at all . So hopefully more families read this before having a awful experience like I did . read more

Awesome park to visit, especially with kids! There's a ton to do! We bought tickets and rode the carousel and train, walked around the pond, and went on the bucket swings & seesaw. There are lots of different playground areas for all ages! Our 14 month old had plenty to do! We went on a very warm day in December, and while there were lots of kids on the play equipment it wasn't overly crowded that we couldn't get on things. I'm sure it can be very hectic during certain times though! read more

Pullen Park - Carousel - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I love coming to Pullen Park in Raleigh. It's a very peaceful and relaxing. It's a beautiful place to take pictures with the plant life, flowers and vegetation every that is immaculately groomed. I love the paddle boats as well. It's a nice spot for a stroll and spending quality time with your significant other and family. The cafe was closed by the time we got there but I did get to ride the carousel thing so that was fun #eatingwithchefseanandre It's Gon Be Dope! #follow #share #bookme #repost #subscribe #tag #like #support #blackownedbusiness #hustle #smallbusiness #contact #foodie #testimonial #eatrdu #eatdc #black #privatechef #cheflife #entrepreneur #letsgo #eat #raleigh #support #letseat #itsgonbedope #thankyou read more

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This is one of THE best parks in Raleigh hands down. Since my move to the Triangle in 2017, I have spent countless hours here over the years. The grounds are kept so clean but I wish that they kept the water in the pond as clean, there's often a lot of trash/debris floating by. I'm not swimming in it, I just feel bad for the ducks. Their parking lot is very large and I've never had problems finding parking. Even if you do, they have another smaller lot in the back past the aquatic center. I have visited Pullen Park for a few picnics in the recent pandemic days and while there are a lot of people that still come to the park to get some fresh air, it's pretty easy to keep at least a 6-foot distance between you and others unless you're walking on specific paths but I just try to avoid those and stay in the open areas. On my last visit, I even saw a woman who works for the park walk around disinfecting surfaces which I thought was great! Pullen Park typically has a few fun attractions especially for little kids. I say typically because I think they're all currently closed (coronavirus). The carousel is beautiful and one of the oldest of its kind still in operation. If I remember correctly, I believe it was built around the year 1900, it was restored in the 70s and is on the national register of historic places. It's such a good spot to take a picture when it's in operation because the lights make it look so magical. The playground is pretty big too, and even has a play area for the younger aged children. Pullen Park also has a community and aquatic center, a cafe, tennis courts, and fields. One of my favorite features is the penny press next to the cafe (lol) only because I collect them. They have several rentable gazebos and shelters varying in size, however, again, I'm unsure if they're rentable currently. There's so much to do for people of all ages. I'm one of the people you'll see walking around trying to catch all the Pokémon in Pokémon Go (a ton of people come here to play and you'll know who they are because they're constantly staring at their phone). I always look forward to spending time here and it's a great place to go if you're looking for a way to safely get out of the house and feel the sun on your skin. 10/10! read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Went to Pullen Park for the LuminoCity Festival twice. Both during the day, which was free, and twice at night. It was absolutely amazing. Had something for everyone. Loved all the lit up animals, especially the pandas and cheetah. Also had moving dinosaurs with sound. Was from February to April. Highly recommend! read more

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Clean , fun for the children, nice in the summer , picnic areas ,train rides restroom

Inexpensive. Family. Fun. A colorful carousel with cats, giraffes, pigs, and ostriches?! Watch kids select their ride and get your camera ready for smiles! Paddle boats. Oh yeah! And of course, the Pullen Park Train, CHOO CHOO!! Settle in on the covered train and feel the wind in your hair as it chug-chug-chugs around the duck pond, along the playground, and through a tunnel. If there's a wait, it's usually only a short one and if you have little ones, they can ride the kiddie boats just a few steps away while waiting for the next train. Overall, Pullen is a beautiful park with plenty of green spaces and play places. No admission fee, and the rides are only $1. Lots of bang for your buck. Rock on Pullen Park! read more

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The first public park in North Carolina 5th oldest operating amusement park in the US and 16th oldest in the world. Good Place for Families to spend some time and relax . Kids love it for sure coz there is good play area and carousel. Tickets are $1.50 per person. Children under one year ride for free with paying adult. The pedal cruisers require four tickets for a half hour boat rental and up to 4 people can fit in a boat. Pros: --------- Good Place for Kids and Families Free Parking Inexpensive tickets for carousel Pedal boats Good for photoshoots Small trail for walk Ice cream place and food available. Cons: -------- None to me. read more

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Pullen park is a great place to bring a toddler. The rides are well priced and the perfect length for little attention spans. They had nice refreshments as frozen lemonades. read more

What a cool park. Nice place for a family outing or reunion. They have paddle boats, a train, carousel, playground food. Very nice.

My visiting brother and his girlfriend suggested we go here because it's historic. I said, I dunno, I think it's just for kids. And it is for kids, but so are we all at heart! And it's a real fun outing even for adults! (you know, for like 2 hours) There's only one ride that's not for adults and it is the tiny boat ride near the train, and it's obviously for somebody about 5 years old. It's free to just wander around in what is a nice park, even in November when we were there. The rides take cheap paper tickets you buy at a booth. The carousel, the train, and the lake boats are fun for all ages! I'd say we had a fun time on all three! Well, if you have long legs, the lake paddle boats are kind of a chore, but we got it done. read more

Had no idea this place existed but man was it fun for our family. Kids absolutely loved the train ride and the carousel. Lots of space, beautiful nature all around, plenty of playground activities, and the nearby food trucks or cafe is excellent if you came hungry. Definitely recommend. read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We came here on a Friday afternoon. It was not too crowded (not sure if it gets crowded and how crowded it gets). I was suprised (by looking online) how inexpensive it is $1.50 per ticket with most rides requiring only one ticket (paddle boats require 4) for a child. Our child being short required an adult companion for the carousel and train. So the rides: Carousel, train, kiddie boats and paddle boats. We all rode the carousel becuase I am a child at heart. I was suprised? Disappointed that they do not have the straps to keep your child secure if they are small (my toddler is 3). Every other carousel I have ridden (granted that is limited to where I live) have these allowing all to enjoy. My husband gallantly agreed to stand and ride with her. Also this carousel is indoors and despite there being doors to open around the building they were not open. It also did not appear that the building had air conditioning so it was very hot in there. The carousel is a pretty short ride. While my toddler had fun it was not something she was excited about to do more than once. Kiddie boats-these are boats that are secured/tethered on a spoke in a pool of water and there is a motor that makes them go in a circle. This ride is under a roof so it had shadows cast that you could lean under to catch relief from the sun. train-all 3 of us rode this and it was a nice short ride through the park. My toddler wanted to keep her limbs outside the ride so I am glad it was short. paddle boats-we all wanted to take one out but they were not available until 3:45 or 4pm that day. Not sure if that is the case daily or just on that day but sad that we did not get to have that experience. Around the "amusements" there are swings (even a tire swing! but due to being in the sun was too hot for any of the kids to use) a play ground for kids 5-12, a playground for kids 3-5 and a water/sand area for kids to play in. Overall this was a good place to kill an hour to hour and a half and I am glad I went but it is not something that will keep you busy for a long time. read more

Normally if you put me around a bunch of squealing little rug-rats (see my Golden Corral review), I'm the first one out the door but I gotta say that Pullen Park is oh so cool. After an extended closure, my first thoughts when seeing the renovated Pullen Park was, wow! They spent a lot of time and money on the upgrades and it shows. Step past the railroad crossing guard and you'll be faced with a cluster of freshly painted buildings housing Pullen Place cafe, the ticket booth and bathrooms. Off to the right is a huge playground filled with the earlier described, squealing kids. (And yes, I gave them a wide detour). The carousel pavilion looks great with all the horses in pristine shape, I'd go bonkers on this as a little kid. Further in you've got nice walking paths around a man-made lake and a little island at the center where you can picnic or sun. And while it may be impressive in February, can't wait to see Pullen Park in April and May when everything starts blooming. And of course, the choo-choo train for a $1/ride. Classic, old-school and perfect, it chugs around the park at nice little clip. I half-expected to see Steve Martin running down the tracks, chasing after a little kid in a "Bullshit" t-shirt. So what can I say but looks like Pullen Park has put my tax dollars to good use. There isn't much right now that makes me want to have kids but Pullen Park might be one of those things. Or maybe I could just bring a dog along... read more

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This place makes me wish my kids were little again. It was definitely created for families with young children in mind but I can tell you, as a mother with one tween and a teenager that it is still worth taking your older kids here too. I took my kids here during a mild North Carolina summer morning. We arrived about 15 minutes after they opened and it was already full of families wanting to take advantage of the beautiful weather. The lines for the rides were a bit long. However at the cost of $1.50 per ticket, you can't complain. There are 4 rides - the carousel, train, kiddie boats, and pedal boats. I purchased 4 tickets for the pedal boats bc that is really the only thing that interested them. It was for 30 minutes. They loved it - my normally grumpy son had a big smile on his face when they got off. We walked around a little bf we returned to the car. It was so nice to see such a well designed space filled with a lot of kids enjoying themselves! My daughter even commented that she would have loved going there when if she was still little. It was a short visit for our family but it was worth it. It is also very close to other things downtown like the farmers market, Logan's nursery, and other places my family and I like to visit. read more

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