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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Don't miss this Raleigh treasure!! Such a beautiful park. It's worth it's weight in gold. Lots of room to spread out and plenty of little nooks to hide away and read a book or have a picnic! read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This is the first place I've taken my 18 month old baby to have fun for himself; and his father & I love that he loves it! The train ride is sweet, and there's never a long wait. The carousel is indoors, it is beautiful and he loves it. The scenery is nice; so far I've seen a Quién señera photo shoot and a marriage taking place! The park is fun and simple, several sectioned off parts, each one for different age groups; cool features like a mister for hot days and bells to ring for the little ones. There's hot food, cold drinks, desserts. So far the paddle and kiddie boats were closed, not sure why. Tickets are cheap and rides are 1 ticket per person (1yo+) read more

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My goddaughter and I stopped by this park during the 4th of July holiday and it was packed with people barbecuing and enjoying the beautiful weather. The park was huge and I was pissed that I didn't know anyone to go and get a piece of BBQ chicken or hamburger, LOL. They have these huge areas with BBQ grills and tents to cover you from the sun. We saw a cute railroad train that looked like it went around the park that we meant to get on but we were making several stops after this park visit. We did take a ride on the pedal boat for $5 for 1 hour I believe. The pedal boat was hilarious because it took dang near half the time to figure out how to maneuver the direction of the boat. However, the pond was cool and serene even with lots of other people around. We stopped in and saw the large carousel pavilion and there was a long line for the kiddies to get on. The park was clean and definitely a cool spot to come and chill with family and friends. read more

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This is the worst park ever! It would be great but how dare you not have bathrooms near each pavilion area. It's super inconvenient to have to walk by the carousel. There are a ton of amenities in the park so that's a plus. Please look into building a bathroom. read more

Pullen Park is okay. It's usually difficult to find parking when I come here after church. It is indeed inexpensive, I just do not see it as fun or entertaining. The train ride is somewhat scenic. Restrooms are not very plentiful. read more

We always enjoy Pullen Park it's one of those places that you bring ALL of your family when they are visiting. The parking is always really good. You might not get a space in the front of the actual park but it is parking all around the park + across the street. There is a full food bar that has things like pizza + hot dogs. They even have loco pops. I have had their pizza + hot dogs and their loco pops and everything was good. They have a carousel, water boats (for toddlers), paddle boating (I think that's what it is called), and the best thing is the train. The tickets are $1 dollar each which I think is an amazing value. The bathroom are always clean and I am always surprised by that because of all of the foot traffic. Kids love this place and I always bring friends here. Ps, it does get busy. read more

One of the best parks in town! Every kid loves it and parents love it too. So much space! And tons of attractions. Love the train. Love the boat rides and love that the kids have so much fun. Going again today to ride roller skates read more

They've niced this place up since I was a kid, and what used to be kind of dumpy and abandoned has now been transformed into an incredible space, while still maintaining a lot of the timeless attractions. I grew up riding the horses, tigers, and rabbits on the carousel, back when it wasn't air conditioned and the floor was dirt. I also remember loving riding on the train and the small boats. Now, the carousel is enclosed and air-conditioned, and all the animals have a fresh coat of paint. The train and boats still work like a charm. And to ride on any of them only costs $1 for each person. That's incredible. And there are new age-appropriate play sets spaced throughout the park. Back in the day, I think all there was were swings and a see-saw. Needless to say, Pullen Park has done a great job renovating itself, but it hasn't lost its charm in the upgrade - I still get waves of nostalgia taking my daughter there to play. I'm very happy they decided to preserve the park, and that they did an excellent job of it. read more

Ok - first, the park. We loved the park! Beautiful and clean with plenty to do to take up an afternoon. Carousel, paddle boats, playscape, just walk to see the greenery, picnic - for sure, if you're visiting the Raleigh area with kids, definitely stop in. So someone mentioned that parking was plentiful. I did not see that the day we visited. There is a sizeable parking lot, yes. The day we were there, park staff had BLOCKED IT OFF. Wth? I saw no construction or special events. We saw they opened it later on, but I don't know why the barrier was up in the first place. We parked near the university and it was an easy walk to the park. So if you're not familiar with that part of town, know your streets beforehand. Now go visit! read more

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A true gem, pictures don't do it justice. There are several playgrounds for different age groups, sandboxes, a train to ride, a carousel, paddle boats and beautiful trails and ground to walk. They also have a snack shop so you can get an ice cream and walk around, and lots of space for picnics. A great family adventure! read more

Lovely little spot to take the kiddos. If you want to ride the train, don't wait until late...it does sell out.

This was super cute!!! We went on the weekend and unfortunately missed out on the train due to technical issues, but waited in the long line for the carousel, and it was worth it! We played on the park, the old train model, the carousel, and then got some popsicles! Only complaint would be the food line was really long and took forever for no reason. read more

100th Review WooHoo! It had to be a special one, no doubt. Well earned PP, well.....earned! Now that's out of the way.......... Pullen Parrrrrrk! This park is huge and there is something for everyone. It's clean and the grounds are well maintained. The train ride is cute and fun, you get to experience pretty views of the park. They have playgrounds for big and little kids, a sandbox, and some water play (no splash pad). They have a large green area for picnics, and another smaller one by the playgrounds so you can observe the kids in peace if you can't snag a bench. They also have covered areas you can reserve for birthday parties etc throughout the park. There is a small cafe for snacks and a park office with additional information. The paddle boats are a cool thing to do if you don't mind the look of the water and numerous geese, it's also a great leg work out, wooooo I wasn't ready mkay?! Parking is usually a nightmare unless you get there early but it's expected because everyone loves this park, rightfully so! This is a great place to spend your time outdoors with or without the kids. I can't wait for Holiday Express! This place is a gem. read more

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What a fantastic place for a day out! I stopped here for a break while road-tripping with a 6 and 3 year old, and it was the perfect stop (well, apart from the fact that the kids really didn't want to leave and go back to the car afterwards!) There's a big playground, and the park wasn't too crowded on a beautiful (if slightly chilly) Saturday afternoon in March. However, parking was super tough: the lot right next to the park is very small, with cars circling looking to nab spots. We got lucky, but you'll likely need to follow signs (or the map on their website) for alternate parking, and then walk 5 minutes or so to get to the park. There are lots of flowers and green spaces, and multiple clean bathrooms around the park. (Disappointingly, though, there appear to be no "family" or gender neutral restrooms at all.) The little train that goes around the park wasn't running when we visited, but the carousel was. Tickets are just $1.50 each (kids and adults each need a ticket), and it's a fun ride on a beautiful old carousel with a wide range of interesting animals. (The little guys loved riding on a carousel housecat!) Pullen Park has a cafe, which we didn't try, but it looks like it can accommodate special dietary requests, and is vegetarian friendly. read more

A great park to bring the kids. Many activities to do for 1.50 a ticket. The carousel and the kiddie boats were the only one open when we went. However, the sign did say that the train and everything else will open March 29, 2021. Definitely recommend people bringing their kiddos here for a day of cheap fun. read more

We just came to see the Andy & Opie statue, but what a beautiful park! I was really impressed and it made me sad that our son was with Grandma on this trip because he would have loved it. There is a train that seems to go quite a ways around the park, paddle boats, a carousel and a play park for kids, too. There were beautiful flowers everywhere. We walked around a bit and headed off again on our journey, but if we were locals, we'd be regulars. read more

Pullen Park - I love Little Opie! - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We come here once a year and we love it. I love the ease of parking and the cheap cost Kids have a blast For $15, we are able to do carousel, boat pedal, and train ride for the whole family Beautiful clean park, great customer service and it's never busy or crowded Must do for kids in Raleigh read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Such an amazing place for family fun, and a place for your kids to run and burn energy. From the train ride, to the paddle boats, and the aquatic center,soaking up natural vitamin D couldn't be better and the best part attractions are at a very low cost. So grab the family and a picnic lunch and enjoy a day at the park... read more

Pullen Park - Fun in the sun - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Such a sweet old-timey park located near NC State in Raleigh. This park reminded me of parks in Europe with benches under trees, walk ways over canal, play ground, carousel and train rides. I took my two year old son around 11:30 on Monday and it was not overly crowded but there were other parents out and about with their little ones. We got lunch at the cafe that was pretty good! They also serve loco pops which I believe is a local brand. I would love to come back here with some friends for a playdate. I noticed that Morgan Food Hall is near by as well so it could be fun to get lunch there after the park. read more

Great park. Tons of things to do and the prices are reasonable. We will be going back

This park recently underwent a SERIOUS facelift and now it is absolutely GORGEOUS! like a park in New York which is nicer then some people give ithem credit for.....The Childrens are it gated off and all new equipment was put in for them to play one and even adult sized swings (I love to swing). The Paddle boats are super cute and the ducks like always to cute and not afraid of people so you can actually feed them...the locopops stand is a big hit and I love and new grills areas all over the park. Overall this is now a place worth going to instead of a creepy place to get herpes or step on a dirty herion needle. read more

Be prepared to wait in line, on opening day! We all had fun, everything was a great experience except waiting in line for about a hour to ride the train only to get to the front of the line and find out that the Train is not working at the moment and it MIGHT BE ready later. So we play around in the area where the Train Station is, hoping it will run again soon. The gate finally opens at the entrance to the Train at the Train comes around but the Gate closes because the Train is not ready yet. They Train folk say, wait. So we wait for another 35 minuets only to have whispered to from behind the Gate that the Train is not going to run anymore today. My son was needless to say less than happy, not only does he love Trains but he's been waiting since the park closed to ride the Train. (Our Family was here on closing night.) The food at "Pullen Place", Uh...Okay...Not what I expected. I mean I expected it to taste good and hardly any of it did. Watered down "Fresh Squeezed Lemon-aid" that needed sugar and lemons. The Hot Dog would have been okay if it was not for the hard bun, chilly chili and iced cold claw. The Snikerdoodle was a horrible try of a tart sugar cookie. The Asian pulled pork sandwich, I had to through in the trash because it was cold, tasteless and no Asian flavor at all and it was rubbery in texture. I do not know if I will be eating here anytime soon. We will come back on Sunday to hopefully ride the Train and try most of the events again. read more

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Bottom Line: As far as city parks go, this is the best I've ever seen! It's a must, kids or no kids! 4.6 out of 5, avoid the bathrooms though. I'm not yet sure what it's like here but most city parks are a joke, at least where I come from. It's just awe inspiring for me to see such an extravagant city park, so keep that in mind during the rest of this. I came here with my mother and my 6 year old sister (or is she 7 now? Hmmm. :S) and everyone generally enjoyed themselves. As we walked in, the first thing we noticed was the train. It blocked the entrance when it went by and pretty fast for one of those little train rides. As it moved aside, we got a pretty staggering view of most of the park. The place is like 2X bigger than we had thought and pretty gorgeous as well! We stood in line for tickets and before long we had 12. My sister led the way straight to the beautiful indoor carousel. She got on while my mother turned to me and said, "It's cleaner than an operating room around here. " I didn't really notice it before, but she's absolutely right; the place is in ship shape! There are people everywhere, but not the evidence of a large crowd: litter. The park clean up staff must be like professional ninjas or something because I didn't see them once. Haha The carousel was quite neat! It hauled butt, like 8 or 9 RPMs (the average carousel is like 5)! The animals on it were the embodiment of what America considers exotic: tigers, lions, giraffes, and even ostriches. There were some boring old horses too, but their tails were made of actual hair so I liked them. I'm such a child. ^_^ The train was entertaining. Fast, but it didn't have much else going for it. The kiddie boats were pretty lame, but I think it might be fun if you're under 4. I didn't get to ride the paddle boats because they are closed until March. Might have something to do with seasons. :p If you've got kids, take them to the park. It's decently B. A. and there's no shortage of kids or things to climb on! Plus there was a rouge guinea pig roaming around that the kids were playing with... I wasn't sure if someone had brought it or what, but it was cool! If you're a bit too old for such things, there's still plenty to do. Walk, jog, or just sit on a bench along the path enjoy the day. Bring a football (both kinds) and a few friends and toss/kick it around. There were some tennis courts and an outdoor eating villa for events. Hell I thought I saw some college kids tightrope walking between trees. As long as you're not causing a problem, the park staff are pretty chill about it. This is getting pretty long, but one last thing. Public bathrooms. It seems unimportant until you have no choice but to spend some time in one. The bathrooms (at least on the men's side) didn't smell, but they weren't the cleanest either. I'm NOT blaming the park staff here because I know what's it's like to clean a public bathroom, people can be pretty gross sometimes. It's not fun by any stretch of the imagination. Avoid it if you can, but if you gotta go... ya gotta go. Additional Information: Pullen Park is a great place for anyone. Kids , teens, and adults can all find something for them! Obviously, it's more kid oriented, but there's a couple big open fields and a lot of walking/running path. There's even a tennis court and a outdoor villa. There's two big playgrounds (one for 2-5 and the other for 6-12) and tons of rides super condensed into one corner of the park. There are 4 rides: the famous carousel, the train, the kiddie boats, and the paddle boats (closed until spring and summer I imagine). All the rides accept a universal ticket format and tickets can be purchased at the first building when you walk in for $1 each. 1 ticket = 1 ride per 1 person. It's actually not a bad deal, every ride (aside from the kiddie boats) kick ass and would cost twice or three times that anywhere else. The park also has a bit of American history around it too. This park was built back when there was segregation, so to keep up with "separate but equal" they built two more or less identical parks around the carousels. They are now 2 of only 200 similar carousels in the US. Neat, huh? :) read more

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This park is pretty amazing for being free access. The rides were super cheap. And the park was incredibly clean. Tip : There's more than one place that sells tickets. So avoid the long lines and ask around. Confessions are cheap. The root beer float was great!!! read more

Pullen Park - They have play areas specifically age designated. Which is great for the littles. - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Visited this wonderful park for a concert band show. They have tons of playground equipment full of children scampering about. A lovely area for concessions stands, a carousel, a train for young children and more. Parking is limited so be prepared to walk. This appears to be a Raleigh City Jewel. read more

What can I say that hasn't been said before? This park is perfect. My daughter and I love it here. It's clean, affordable and most importantly lots of activities for the kiddos. There's a sand play area, multiple playgrounds swings, carousel, paddle boats, train, climbing dome thingy, concession stands with locally made Popsicles. It's just the best place to spend time with your kids. And there's no entry fee. The train, carousel and paddle boats do cost money though, but will only set you back a buck or so. Buy your tickets in bulk because they don't expire. read more

Nice place. Very family oriented and beware, parking if you have a lot to bring in is not fun. read more

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

There isn't anything that I need to add here that hasn't already been said, but I would like to see more connectivity to Dorothea Dix Park and eventually to DTR. It really is a fun place and my kids love it. read more

Why have I never been here before? This is an awesome kids park. It reminds me of Central Park in all the right ways. Parking was ample and parking attendant helped with directions. Restroom were clean and plentiful. Great place for a family outing. read more

Pullen Park - My husband and son standing with Andy Griffith statue. Too cute. Love this park's setup and flow. - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

A great visually appealing park right on the edge of downtown Raleigh and right adjacent to the NC State campus. Beautifully landscaped with lots of things to see an do. Paddle boats, lake views, great lunching spots. Also has a small train that runs around the perimeter of the park. A must see gem in the Raleigh area! read more

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Such a great place for the toddler to run around! the park is open till 10 PM (10 PM!!!) on weeknights with enough floodlights at night, whereas all other nearby parks close at sunset. The kids play areas are very nice---divided by age group, the slides and other stuff are not the most amazing you saw, but they are more than adequate to keep kids happy, plus they have the grassy areas nearby, which many Cary playground-parks sorely lack. Its very clean, got a couple of super cheap but fun rides (1$ each, train and carousel and kiddie boat), many people go for the rides only, but this is a great park even for simply walking around------nice shaded walking trails, couple of bridges over the lake, a few stairs taking interesting turns, a multilevel garden area near the back of the park----you name it! We live 5 minutes away so we treat it like a neighborhood park, but we gladly bring our out-of-town guests here! Lots of activity year round, concerts every other weekend on Summer, drum circle every Wednesday during Summer and Fall, and concerts and Santa during Christmas! read more

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

Looking for some fun for the family? Well, we had a lovely time with the family exploring around. There a number of things to do; however, it is up to you what your level of activity is. Mine was curling up and sitting on the grass to read a book while the kids played sports. We explored some and enjoyed the trails. Seeing all the history that has been maintained here was impressive. The carousel from 1921 was a true sight of awe. Take a drive and walk around, you won't regret it. read more

Kind of randomly stumbled on this place while I was in town, and what a find! Great fun for all ages! They have a 1911 carousel that is on the historical register and only $1.50 to ride! There is a cute train you can take all around the perimeter of the park (yes, adults too!), they have decently priced concessions and every staff member I came into contact with was very friendly and helpful! It was a bit tricky to find a bathroom that was open, but they were clean and stocked. We also walked across the bridges over the water and then did the paddle boats. Lovely day out, and fortunatelly for us perfect weather to enjoy all the perks of this little park! read more

Good sized park. It's got a pond and plenty of areas to walk around. The Childrens playground is nice with a rope climbing structure. The snack bar was open but I didn't get anything. There's an old caboose the kids can climb on and a small train that goes around the park read more

My son and I love this place! It's a clean and safe environment for kids to play in. It can get a little crowded on the weekends, but that's understandable because who wouldn't want to come here?! If you can make it here on a weekday afternoon, there are hardly any people around and it can be very relaxing. Makes for a great impromptu date spot. The rides/attractions (paddle boats, carousel, train and aquatic center) add a wow factor that attracts kids and adults alike. The best park in Raleigh as far as I'm concerned! read more

Pullen Park - Pullen Park train rides are the best after a stressful day at work. - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We love bringing our toddler to Pullen Park because there's so much to do. Several areas where you can find swings as well as sand play areas. There is a merry-go-round that is popular as well as a train and little boat ride. Plenty of walk ways leading to and around the pond where you could rent a paddle boat. Often times there'll be ducks and geese swimming in the pond, although posted signs state we shouldn't feed them. Additionally, there are several shelters that can be rented for birthday parties and other events. Overall, a fun place to come and enjoy a couple of hours! read more

We visited NC for a really short time, and since it was so nice, we decided to spend the day outside, instead of inside at the children's museum. I was skeptical about whether a park could keep the kids busy all day, but boy - was I wrong!! Between the 2 playgrounds (both new and very nice), the boats and the train, we were all exhausted!! This park is gorgeous and I wish we had similar train and boat rides here (we do have Swan Boats, but these are better for the little ones, I think)... We found a table with a nice view to eat lunch and treated ourselves to food from the cafe. I love that it's all fresh and local! My friend and I split the autumn salad (fresh, local greens with dried cranberries and cheese) and the special panini (butternut squash with what we think was fried kale); my husband got the chicken BLT (I think) and both kids got hot dogs - one with popcorn and one with carrots. The salad and sandwiches were great; the hot dogs were standard (the older kid didn't like hers, but I thought they were fine). All-in-all, a fantastic way to spend a nice day outside! I can see why this is our friends' daughter's "favorite park EVER!!" read more

It's the time of year to be outdoor! I love Pullen Park. This is my childhood park where I can play all day I want. There has been major updates around this park and it is a family friendly place if you want to spend quality time with your fam. There's some attractions around the park such as riding on the train, the kids' boat, paddling around the lake, and getting on the carousel. Most of the time, I would run a couple laps around the pond and get some locopops at the cafe area. There are a lot of options if you want a small snack in the area and the attractions are only a dollar for each of the attractions. read more

Pullen Park - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Gorgeous Park. Worth visiting. We visited in the morning but it looks like they have a lot of Christmas lights and it will be beautiful at night. read more

Pullen Park - I love carousels. - Playgrounds Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina