I'm always intrigued by the parks that seem to get the most reviews. While some Indy Parks…read morelocations seem to get ignored, we occasionally get a park like Juan Solomon Park on the northwest side of Indy with 10 reviews. The park was acquired in 1971. It's a 41-acre park. I love learning how parks get their names - and Juan Solomon is named after Juan Solomon (I bet you figured that out, eh). Solomon was very active in Indy's African-American community and served as director of the Community Service Council, Indianapolis Urban League, and was on the board of the Indianapolis Department of Parks and recreation. He worked for Eli Lilly for 32 years and led the Mayor's Task Force on Employment. The park is one of Indy's parks that really has some cool features including a covered sheltered, soccer fields, renovated playground equipment, tennis courts, and wooded trails great for nature walks. There's a .8 mile loop. Crooked Creek runs through the center of the park. This is a park with public restrooms and there's an indoor facility with space for rent and a very cool sod roof. Interestingly, there's also a water treatment facility here. Parking is abundant here. While Solomon Park was developed in 1971, it actually didn't become Solomon Park until 1973. Solomon also lived in this neighborhood (across from the park). As I noted, you can book community room rentals. I know on weekends it's $80 an hour with a three-hour minimum (paid upfront). There are flushing restrooms connected to the building (though they are also open to the public). Capacity is 75 people (no kitchen on site). You can rent the shelter for $85/day with a capacity of 40-50. I used to live in this area. I don't get to Juan Solomon as much as I used to, however, I still stop in when I'm on this side of town or if I arrive on this side of town early for a meeting. While part of me thinks this should be a destination park, it even offers pretty darn good accessibility with the playground, I still think it's not quite a 5-star park as it's not always kept up really well and I'll be honest and say I think the community room rental is a bit steep for a public park. That said, there's much to love here and this park serves the Crooked Creek area quite well. It's not a destination park, however, it's definitely a popular park for this area.

I've had this spot bookmarked after driving by nearly a dozen times. We finally had the time to…read morestop by and check it out with our son this last weekend. The thing that caught my eye the most was the beautiful building with a living roof and the trails surround the park. They have a large playscape on a padded floor, tennis courts and a soccer field. It felt like everything could use a little TLC and they are struggling to keep up with trash overflow that seemed to litter the parking lot, etc. (most likely to blame from the visitors not picking up after themselves) Overall, great bones but could use a little loving.

I haven't visited Holliday Park in several years, but I was glad I did this week. There is so much…read moreto see and do at the Park. The history of the park is interesting. I was glad to find plaques describing the Holliday family. John Holliday was a journalist who founded the Indianapolis News. The property of the Park was the country home for his family. Holliday donated the property to the City of Indianapolis to serve as a Park. The "Ruins" on the property were formally the entrance facade to the St Paul Building in New York City. Indy Artist, Elmer Taflinger, won the facade when the building was demolished in the 1950's. Taflinger designed the exquisite monument that now stands as a focal point in Holliday Park. The monument includes a water feature that kid's (and I) were playing during my visit. The surrounding garden and fountain are beautiful and provide a magnificent backdrop for photos. The Nature Center in the Park is currently housing summer programs for kids. There are two classrooms and an auditorium. A bird watching room and library are relaxing spaces to enjoy. A nature area on the other side of the building offers interactive activities for children. Trail 3 starts from the Nature Center and meanders through a lovely rock garden filled with perennials in bloom and trees. The trail is a perfect spot to watch birds. The playground is sprawling with multiple climbing features and slides. Shaded benches and lots of mature trees provide shade. The matting is cushy under the equipment to keep the kids safe. I saw a nearby pavilion with restrooms. I saw several parking lots. Signs mark where to find different venues. Bring sunscreen, water and wear bug repellent. Don't leave valuables in your cars according to signs.

Holliday Park is a mix of nature and joy--once you go, you'll want to stay all day…read more From climbing towers and hillside play to hammocks under the trees, this park truly has something for everyone. Mix of natural play materials: turf, padded ground, rock & mulch Slides built into the jungle gym AND into the hills Lots of swings Open-ended building materials + natural loose parts play Bathrooms fairly close by Lots of trails + open space for exploring Small rock garden + historic ruins Fountain area where kids can splash and get wet Nature center on-site Hammocks + shaded areas for relaxing Plenty of seating for parents + cute little tables for kids This is one of those parks where kids can explore, climb, create, and slow down all in the same visit

This park is more than meets the eye. The front part, where you first enter, isn't much to see. I…read moremean, it's beautiful -- there's lots of grass and open fields, a lovely amphitheater, lots of flowers and benches under shady trees -- but kids don't care about that. Kids want playgrounds, and fortunately, University Park indeed has a playground. And the playground is pretty awesome. You need to drive a little through the park to get to it, but once you do, you'll see giant play structures with lots of slides, bridges, fireman poles, monkey bars, swings, rock walls and lots more. The playground area has wood chips on the ground for a soft landing. There's an indoor restroom right next to the playground too, and a water fountain. Just beyond the playground, you'll see signs pointing out different hiking paths. We walked into the woods and came across all kinds of beautiful nature, as well as bridges. This is a great place to take an easy walk or hike with kids. For the doggies, there's a little dog park here (Four Paws Dog Park), with some agility equipment and lots of room to run. The whole dog park is securely fenced and gated. University Park is another great park in Greenwood!

It's very nice I also like the monkey bars below the park it's really cool nice place to take your…read morekids and theirs another park across from it for smaller kids

Washington Park is new and improved! The city of Indianapolis is on a roll right now, investing…read morefunds into improving the parks around the city, and Washington Park has been one of the targets for a much-needed glow-up. As of August 2025, there is an all-new playground in the center of the park, a splash pad, new picnic shelters, a huge parking lot and a comfort station. This is in addition to the other features that currently exist on the 120 acres of the park: a family recreation center, an outdoor basketball complex, walking trails, an 18-hole disk golf course, a mountain bike course and another smaller, older playground. The new playground at Washington Park is super fun for kids of all ages. There's an area made for kids ages 5-12, with a big play structure that has multiple slides, ropes courses and lots of things to climb. There's also a play area for toddlers, with a mini slide and a pint-sized play structure. There are also musical instruments, a teeter-totter, swings (including accessible swings) and cement creatures like turtles and salamanders you can climb on top of and ride, if you want to! The splash pad at Washington Park is one of only two splash pads in the near east side of Indianapolis, so it is a much-needed feature in this part of Indy. (The only other splash pad is at Wes Montgomery Park.) It has multiple water features and a fun water slide. One of the best things about it is that there is actual shade around the splash pad! Shade is a scarce resource at playgrounds, oftentimes. I've only visited the new playground and splash pad, but I'm impressed with the updates that have been made to Washington Park! I hope to come back and explore more of the park sometime soon.

I had never heard of this park until my family member started working here. The playground has been…read morecompletely redone. It's very nice with areas for big and little kids. My toddler had a lot of fun looking at the large animal structures they had. We walked some of the trails- they aren't super well kept so that's disappointing. I was surprised to see the mountain bike area and disc golf course.

We love this park! It has lots of different types of climbing sets and slides. It is located under…read moreseveral shade trees. Beautiful landscape and perfect photo opportunities. Located near the water park and several ball fields. There is a walking trail and a large common area that would be great for frisbee.You will not find it difficult to find a parking spot because there are plenty scattered throughout the park. Directly by the play sets there are several picnic tables.

With the recent illness of a family member, I've been spending more time in the Hendricks County…read moreand Putnam County area. On a recent visit, I found myself needing some down time and fresh air. I stopped by Ellis Park, a key park in Danville, Indiana and a park where I used to spend quite a bit of time in my young adult years. Ellis Park is directly off U.S. 36 right as you're getting into the main strip of Danville. It's a 49-acre park with a history tracing back to 1913. At that time, the 49 acres were set aside to protect the wells that provided Danville's water. In 1971, the park was renamed for longtime park superintendent Harve Ellis. Ellis Park is along the White Lick Creek. It's perhaps most known for its historical swinging bridge, however, it has quite a few amenities - shelters, playgrounds, sports fields, restrooms, Gill Family Aquatic Center, an amphitheater, and a "train station" that also can host meetings/events. Ellis Park is a rather nice weaving together of history with quite a few contemporary upgrades. It's incredibly wooded and it's super easy to take some time and just chill out here. The park is also adjacent to the nearby Blanton House Conference and Retreat Center. I definitely love Ellis Park, though every time I visit I can't help but feel like I wish it could be spruced up even more. It's really a centerpiece for Danville and it's definitely well utilized. I've always seen quite a few people here whenever I visit, however, it definitely does still have a bit of an aged feeling. That said, it's my favorite park in Danville and it has been a nice place to decompress during my family's recent challenges.

Thompson Park is such a beautiful, modern playground! I love that there's no mulch--the playground…read morehas a soft, rubber-like surface that's comfortable to walk on, and everything was very clean and well maintained. There are so many different activities and play features for kids to choose from. I was especially impressed by the sensory-friendly and inclusive features throughout the park. They have a communication board as well as a large basket/nest swing that provides more space and support than a traditional playground swing. I really appreciate parks that think about children with different sensory, communication, and mobility needs while still creating a space that's fun for everyone. Thompson Park definitely did that. Such a great park for families, and we'll definitely be back!

This park recently went through a remodel, and it has been a hit ever since! The playground…read morereceived a complete renovation and now features one of the tallest attractions at an Indy park. There are slides, swings, climbing areas, and plenty of fun options for kids of different ages. Right next to the playground is a shelter area that we rented for my son's graduation party. The rental was around $150 for the day, and we booked it easily through the Indy Parks website. One thing to note is that some people may not realize the shelter is reserved, so we had a few people try to use it during our event. We printed out our reservation confirmation to have proof that it was paid for and reserved. The shelter has four large picnic tables and a grill, which worked well for our gathering. The biggest downside is that there is no electricity and no restroom nearby, which was disappointing considering the rental price. Having those amenities would make the space much more convenient for larger events. The park also has a remodeled basketball court and a trail area for walking or enjoying the outdoors. There is a smaller parking lot, and during busy times some visitors park along the grass. This was a decent venue for my son's grad party. I just wish the shelter included electricity and closer restroom access for the price.

A beautiful park located just off Main Street in Greenwood. Great walking trails, although not too…read morelong and some paths are hilly, but woodsy with a creek flowing next to them. Great playground, baseball fields, and newly renovated tennis and basketball courts.

Beautiful park with walking trails, playground, and sports fields. Walkers and bikers. Beware,…read morethere are steep grades, though they are marked.

I'm honestly amazed I've never reviewed Arsenal Park. I live just east of SoBro, South Broad Ripple…read morefor the uninitiated, and drive by and/or visit Arsenal Park on a pretty regular basis. It's a 13-acre park smack dab in the middle of the SoBro area. This is a definite residential park with parking that's pretty interesting - it's essentially around the perimeter of the park. This is a very wooded park. It's actually a pretty heavily utilized park and there's very few times that I drive by here that I don't actually see people at the park. This park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 (Fun fact: Original price was $19,915). It resulted from a desire for a park in the area east of what's known as Meridian Kessler. Early development came from such projects as the New Deal jobs programs and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Arsenal Park offers a variety of activities including basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground, a shelter and a comfort station. Arsenal Park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 following community interest in establishing a park in the area east of the Meridian Kessler neighborhood. Much of the early development of the 11-acre park was done through New Deal jobs programs like the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. This park offers basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a community garden, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground equipment, a shelter, and a comfort station. This seems to be a park that's always under some sort of development. There's a current master plan for the park and it's a beautiful setting that I don't feel like has ever lived up to its potential. Another fun fact: It's called Arsenal Park because it used to be on Arsenal Avenue (which became Indianola). At one point, it was also called Haverford Park. If you pay attention to this area, there's a Haverford baseball complex down the street. I tend to agree with most of the reviews here. I love this park. It's also great for those who geocache - there's more than one geocache in this park. It's not the most wheelchair friendly park and there's really not a walking path here. However, the playground is fairly accessible. Overall, this is a solid 4-star park that could easily be developed into a 5-star park with some love, attention, and vision. I typically do feel safe in this park, though the bike area can get a bit congested. It's surrounded by houses and pretty open concept.

This is a neat park. It is a bit older, dating back to 1928, but still has a lot of life left. It…read morewas originally named Haverford Park, after Haverford Avenue which borders it on its West side. The park is home to a garden. I believe it is one of those community gardens that are popping up all over the area. It has a table and chairs to sit and looks nice. The park seems well maintained and has adequate parking available. It spans 13 acres and spans a bit of everything. They have a skate park that has seen better days. It sits on what use to be old tennis courts. It looks like it was put together using items that were found laying around. It has rails, ramps, stairs and other pieces that I do not know the name of. It may be makeshift, but it works. There were people shredding (is that still the word) when I was there. The park also have a restroom facility and a couple of shelters with picnic tables under it and grills outside of them. There is also a very nice water park there. It seems relatively new. There are benches over there that are shaded by canopies where parents can sit and watch their littles play. The park also has a lot of green space that could be used for activities such as football, soccer, flying a kite, or having a picnic. The park's full basketball court has seen better days. It will do for those wanting to just throw up a few shots. The court could use a fresh coat of paint though. Of course the park has a playground. It is on a bed of wood chips and consists of a few pieces of older traditional equipment. It is not a very big area. Some of the equipment includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, an accessible medium sized jungle gym with slides, and a spinning net climber. The splash pad makes this park a destination park for some. It is a nice traditional park that has a lot to offer.