Let's get this part out of the way - The park itself? Amazing. It is modern, has plenty of options,…read moreis well maintained, and has some great nature paths outside of the playground area. In an area that features many great playgrounds and parks to take your family to, Innovation Hills has always stood out. There is a lack of options for younger children though (no infant swings?). The three stars? One of the new features of this park is the addition of Park Mobile being introduced for the main parking lot. Signs everywhere reminding you that you better have paid your $1.50 an hour! There is of course a free dirt lot across the busy road for your convenience. Or a parking 'annual pass' you can purchase from the Rochester Hills website. Our society struggles with the concept of 'the third place'. Parks and playgrounds are a haven for families and a community builder outside of work and home. What in the world is the motivation behind suddenly charging for parking? 1 - The City of Rochester Hills wants to prioritize park access for its citizens? Charging for parking doesn't keep out non-residents and in fact just causes Rochester Hills citizens to pay more for something they are already paying for. 2 - The park is often extremely crowded so charging for parking may reduce visitor count? If this was the motivation I am confident this strategy is not working. 3 - We want to encourage more families to park in the dirt lot across the street and attempt to cross a highway? I have more faith in humanity than that. Oh, I think I got it! To quote Tim Robinson's sketch 'The Driving Crooner' - "I gotta figure out how to make money on this thing..it's simply TOO GOOD!"

After a long school day, we took the kids to Innovation Hills Park, and they had a blast! The park…read morewasn't too busy, and the kids explored everything, from the playground to the jungle gym. I loved the artificial turf--it keeps the area looking nice year-round. This park has everything--playgrounds, walking trails, a serene area with ducks, and even bathrooms. I'd recommend it to any family looking for a fun day out. Definitely a great spot for outdoor fun!

I absolutely love Dodge Park for the facility and for the events they hold. In the summer they…read morehave free concerts in the park on Thursdays at 7:00 and they have really good bands. Also on Thursdays while the concerts are going on, They have food trucks and a farmers market in their pavilion area so there's plenty to eat, drink and buy. They usually have police directing traffic and they have plenty of parking in their lot and in nearby lots. There is also a nice splash pad area that is very popular and wonderful trails for walking and biking. There are plenty of restrooms in the immediate area too.

We love this park! Not only do they have an amazing splash pad and farmers market on Thursdays…read more They have so many cool events and concerts in the summer. We love the trails and pond to feed the ducks. It's our go to place for the summer and we never miss a farmer's market! Check it out!

Raintree Park is one of the greater parks in Troy. It is a half wooded and half open space with a…read morepaved walking loop throughout. I especially loved that the park has partnered with the Troy Public Library to make the loop a Storybook Trail, which changes books monthly! Visitors can enjoy a 9-hole disc golf course, ball diamond, play structures, swings, sand volleyball, and a picnic shelter. The swings include traditional swings, baby bucket swings, as well as one ADA swing. There is plenty of parking and the restrooms seem to be open seasonly.

Nice park for gathering; baseball diamond, disc golf course, walking path, playground and a…read morepavilion. Restrooms seemed nice and there was an employee emptying the trash cans.

This has been such a fun spot to meet friends and have playdates in the past. I love how there is…read moreso much for the kids to do in such a small space. I also love how walkable it is, very close to not only parking, but stores and good restaurants. This is a place where we will do lunch then play in the park, especially with friends. This is a spot we have taken people who are not from the area when we want to share a great park idea with them.

Great park. Just hard to get around to the other side with littles running through the tunnelread more

Stopped here a few months ago to eat some carry out from an Indian restaurant that is only doing…read morecarry out. It's not a bad walkout park, especially after a heavy Indian meal with rice and naan bread too. Too chilly to eat outside now, but will be back as it gets warmer.

Huge park, plenty for the kids to do. Also, amazing nature trail! Check it out if your are in the…read morearea!

I like this park. It has basketball courts and tennis court. It has a huge field for running…read morearound. Also, there are bbq tables and nice big playground. There are trees by the playground you can hide under from the sun.

Have hosted my daughter's Sweet 16 at Brinston Park. Great location & park activities! We…read morearranged a food Truck (GoCheez) - and it was perfect for our guests. The picnic benches under the pavilion were convenient to walk to the food. The park attendant was super helpful. Everything was great. Have held impromptu other events here too

We decided to come visit the Nature Center. It was actually closed when we arrived because a few…read moremonths out of the year it opens 12pm. I suggest calling the day before to check the hours before coming. We tried to walk the trail while waiting and it was closed due to flooding in the clinton river. We saw that the beginning of the trail had a massive puddle and the grass was flooded too. We would love to come back to check that out. We went inside at 12pm. One staff member was very nice and opened the door. We saw some turtles on the pathway. We went inside and saw a giant tank. There was fish, turtles, snakes, and more. There was a little play area as well with a race track, books, bones, and toys. My kids had a lot of fun running around and looking at the different tanks. They had a cute little seed station too which I thought was awesome. They had some interactive areas, one where it tells you to count the rings of wood and another to guess the wood type and smell of the item. I think this is perfect for young toddlers. I do believe older kids would love it as well. We will definitely be back with the kids and check out the trail.

SHNC is one of my favorite nature centers! The animals habitats are always so cute and the animals…read moreso active. Right now the habitats are Easter themed. They have so many interactive activities spread around the building and host fun birthday parties. I always feel bad when we are there during a birthday party - I wish they held the keeper talk in the private party room. They have a great walking path that runs along the river. A playscape is a short walk away from the center. Overall, amazing green space for walking, biking, dog walking, and birding!

Great place for kids to play and perfect nature trail for a September walk . Myself and my three…read moreboys really enjoyed the park . It was clean well kept and many people enjoyed the day with us

This park is huge and the play ground is really nice. Definitely recommend. We like to travel…read morearound and visit as many parks as we can. This one is definitely on top of the list. They also have a concession stand! Plan on returning again soon!!

The park has a lot to offer. There are two great play structures for kids of all ages. There are…read morealso sports offerings such as basketball, sand volleyball, tennis and horse shoes. There are plenty of picnic tables and grills. The bathroom is far from luxurious, I would stay away unless you really need it. Utica does a good job maintaining the park and keeping it clean and safe. Occasionally you will see police presence driving through or hanging out to keep everyone safe. They installed the blue light poles a few years back. Overall it is a great place to go for a run or walk or let the kids burn energy.

2019-09-18. Grant Park. Utica, MI…read more Nestled amid a residential area in Utica is Grant Park. While not the newest or fanciest of parks, its compact and bountiful. Just east of Van Dyke, Grant Park's footprint is bounded by Nancy Ave to the north, Hanh Ave to the south, Deshon St. to the west, and Grant Park to the east. There are two small parking lots, one off Nancy, and one off Hanh. Every time I bring my kids here there are plenty of people enjoying the public space, yet I never have a problem finding a parking spot. This tells me that many are locals, which is great to see that the city's money is well used. The park is not huge, but they make excellent use of their real estate. Amenities include 2 full size basketball courts, 3 tennis courts, two beach volleyball courts, and two playgrounds; one for the big kids, and one for the kiddies. There are also two large pavilions, one by each parking lot, and the green scape is dotted with mature trees, providing green canopies for those who prefer the shade. A walking path winds through the park, and there are a couple of swing benches by the larger playground. There is even a book house where you're welcome to take a book or leave one. The centerpiece of the playground is the large tubular slide. A rare three storey tube slide, which is the primary reason why we come; that and the rare playground roundabout. There is also a Wendy's within walking distance on Van Dyke for those hot days or when you're craving a frosty. All in all, don't let this mature park fool you. It packs plenty for all ages in a small footprint and would serve any community well. Whether you're looking to get active; improve your skills at Basketball, Volleyball, or Tennis; or simply looking for a relaxing day at the park, Grant Pack can accommodate. I'm definitely a fan, 4 stars. If you would like to experience more, come dine-with-me.yelp.com I'd love to have your company... See you on the swings!

Great park and love that it is so close to home! A reminder…read moreto dog owners, always leash your pets.

Firefighter's Park is a great place to enjoy a leisurely walk. The weather was perfect when we were…read morehere so that only added to our enjoyable afternoon. There were other people throughout the park, but I never felt it was congested or too crowded. This is one of my top parks in the area to enjoy a relaxing day.