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    Southwestway Park

    4.4 (34 reviews)

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    Brittany S.

    Earth Day calls for a park review! Spent a lovely evening here hiking the trail and picking up trash with friends. This was my first time visiting Southwestway Park so I was surprised to find all that's available here- mountain biking trails, large children's playscape, beautiful hiking scenery along the river, a golf course, soccer fields and more. The highlight for me was the hiking trails weaving through meadows and along the river. It was much larger than I expected and we were able to easily get in a two mile loop during our visit. Parking is available throughout the property for different visitor needs. Overall, a lovely adventure and worth the 25 minute drive from downtown Indy.

    Lisa M.

    Southwestway Park is a wonderful city park tucked away on the Southwest side of Indianapolis. I have been coming to this park for many years to enjoy hiking close to home. There are miles of Hiking and Biking trails along the White River. There are a variety of trails from easy to hard. This is a great place to hike any time of the year. They also offer a playground and several ballfields. The downside to this park is they only offer a porta potty when there is not a ball game going on.

    Brady R.

    I came here after a large amount of snow had fallen, leaving a fresh blanket of newly-pressed snow. Thank goodness that people had already packed down parts of the trails because I would have been totally lost. There are two main parts to the park: you have the sports-focused area of the front of the park with a baseball field and more. The other part, where I spent my time, was the hiking and biking trails. I went on a longer 3-4ish mile trail that combined quite a few of the trails together and ended on top of the hill with a minimal lookout. Things to note about the trails: - marking is not the best. I used the AllTrails app and was fine as it led me in the right direction. - that being said, it's not like you can get majorly lost with the landmarks of the hill and the White River. - there are some major roads nearby that you can hear which disrupted some of the sounds of nature as I was hiking closer to those and near the northern part of the park. - it's FREE! - it's the 3rd largest park in Indy. I didn't see any bikers out while I was out and about luckily but it's used for biking and hiking so be alert.

    This is the playground.
    Nani R.

    Ahhhhhhh I love this park!!! I am so grateful my sister came to visit from out of state. She always finds the coolest places to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature. This park is a mere few minutes drive from our new neighborhood. I love how I can pack the kids into the car and take everyone to this park to enjoy some fresh air and exploring. If you enjoy trail and mountain biking this is a great spot as there are so many various paths that lead into different areas of the forest. The animal is amazing. If you are an eco-friendly type this is a great spot for you as well. You can bring your recycling here to be recycled instead of just piling up more in landfills.

    Northern end of the park, looking towards Southport Road bridge
    Dave H.

    Have you met my dog? The water dog, if you will. If there's a park along water we will get there eventually. And so this summer we visited Southwestway Park and had a great time. Of course the highlight for us is the access to the White River. The red trail goes from the bluff of the rest of the park down to the river. The northern part close to the Southport bridge has the best access to the water itself. In general the park is pretty secluded which is great for exploring so close to the city. But be on the watch for... horses! Yes several trails are horse friendly because why not. This is also one of only a few parks in the area that has mountain bike trails. Frankly it's kind of a weird setup in that some of the trails are for bikes and humans walking. Beware the trail directly off the south of the parking lot is one way coming towards the parking lot -- for bikes. At least that's what the signage appears to indicate but the biker we almost literally ran into thought it was one way for people too. You be the judge, but be warned those bikes move pretty fast!

    Ken N.

    Although a lot of people use the park for the baseball and soccer fields, the park is located next to a horse ranch that allows horse riders to use the park just like the hikers and bikers do. There are some different trails for the bikes and horses, but they do overlap in the easiest trails, so everyone just has to share those spaces. As far as hiking goes, the blue trails are supposed to be the easiest. However, there are a few stretches that the markers indicate blue that have some pretty sharp changes in elevation, so my advice on first visits is to take it slow and steady until you get familiar with the park. I read that the elevation changes roughly 80 feet on the trails so the green trails are rated as moderate. I personally like that I can get a good workout without having to head to one of the southern state parks. My only negative is that there are still quite a few intersections of trails that don't have markers, so you have to assume you proceed straight ahead. On my first visit, I couldn't find a marker for the green trails and got sidetracked to a blue trail which went an extra mile before returning to the starting place. I didn't mind the workout, but it would have been beneficial to help me plan my visit. If the parks department would simplify their maps with basic loops and place color coded markers for each loop at the intersections, I think this would make navigation easier. As it is now, the map at the kiosk shows all the possible paths and it is simply confusing. (Particularly the challenging section coded the same color as the easy made me question their system!) Now that I've been there, I have a better sense of the park and look forward to returning when the foliage is back. Review #713

    Claire H.

    I can't believe I am saying this but I may have a new favorite Indy Park. I've been meaning to check out Southwest Way for many moons now and I am not sure why it took me so long to get down there. We were initially confused about where to go then I realized we were pulling into the soccer fields. Just note the actual park and trails are across the street. There really is no main entrance as it is all unassuming with a small parking lot. There are a few different trail heads that you can access from the parking lot. Truth be told, I can't tell you which one we ventured out on, we just made sure it was marked for hiking. Keep your eye out because you will share the trail with bikers. All the bikers were encountered were super sweet and mindful that we're bopping around taking in nature as they're flying by. The entire time we were hiking was just amazed we were still in Indianapolis. Woods for dayssss. There were some parts of the trails that were near the water too which was a fun surprise! I love getting lost in the woods and we did just that. That's my kind of park magic.

    Bike trails
    Ericka D.

    Feeling the need to unwind and escape the world around you? Longing for those days where you could take your mountain bike outside and hit the trails? Or are you an avid horseback rider and are just wishing for that wooded trail path to take your good old Mr. Ed on? South WestWay Park has all of those and more. Nestled on white River the trails go up and down a steep hill, giving the feeling you're in a state park, sort of like Eagle Creek. The trails are marked for hikers, horseback riders, bikes, and some off-road vehicles. If you go far into the woods, straight around, you will reach White River where you can get a tacklebox out and do some fishing or take a canoe or kayak out. The trails are the best part of this park. I actually saw a deer right in front of me! Unfortunately, the trails are marked great and where they go and there are no bathrooms nearby. Across the way there is a soccer field and a baseball diamond and there might be bathrooms there, but I don't know if they're open all the time.

    Soccer field! What a great place to play soccer! There is plenty of room to play and park. Is is very clean and plenty of parking play.
    Sherry F.

    What a great place to play and have fun playing soccer. The park is clean and even has bathrooms.(port a potty's) plenary of parking spots and every body is always friendly at the park.

    Stumbled upon gorgeous bluebells.

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    10 months ago

    It was a great place to watch the solar eclipse. Good facilities and nice grounds. A hidden gem on the Southwest Side.

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    Trail was cool to hike even though there were mostly bike riders. I just wish it was a little longer.

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    7 years ago

    Love this park! Most of the trails are meant for bikes and it's hard to walk with them on the small trails.

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    Review Highlights - Southwestway Park

    The highlight for me was the hiking trails weaving through meadows and along the river.

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    Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens - Dragon for the castles  and dragon theme this year.

    Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

    4.6(150 reviews)
    7.6 mi

    This is a great spot for locals and visitors alike! We stopped by from out of town thinking it…read morewould be a good winter activity for our little one while it's too cold to walk much outside. The conservatory exceeded our expectations! Admissions is affordable at $5 per person, but it was free the day we visited because of a reptile show! We got to see tortoises, skinks, salamanders, tarantulas, snakes, and more! Inside the conservatory, there are fish and a couple other critters permanently on display. The signage around the gardens is informative and interesting- and the plants are simply beautiful! So well cared for and healthy. I could have walked around the loop 5 times and noticed new things each time. There are several places to sit and relax throughout the gardens (we fed our baby on one of the benches). There is a restroom and coat racks- which you'll need because the gardens are quite warm! What a great find for the afternoon! Bonus that it's located right in a park, by a library, several cute places to stop and eat, and public art. The only downside I can think of is that there wasn't a ton of parking- probably more accessible when there isn't a special event going on!

    There is something about plants and nature that brighten up my mood. I came here on a gloomy rainy…read moreday, and it was the perfect decision to lift up my spirits. It's close to the highway so easy access and near my house - double plus. The admission to get in was $4 per person, and they take card - another plus for being inexpensive. They have plants for sale and host events/activities, the lady working was friendly and explained all of that. They have brochures in the front as well. Inside is so astonishing, there is so much to see. It's so beautiful, I adore and admire all of it. I love how things are labeled and have informational tidbits about the plants. They have ponds with live fish and waterfalls around. They have a restroom and it had a window so of course there is a plant inside, I love it. I'll have to take note next time I go here that it was very warm inside, I felt very hot so dress accordingly. There is parking available. Check hours before coming, holidays vary.

    Photos
    Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
    Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
    Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens

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    Holliday Park - Bird at the ruins

    Holliday Park

    4.7(149 reviews)
    15.6 mi

    This place was cute and a nice stop on our vacation. We showed up just after a couple had gotten…read moreengaged which was cute. Let them sit and take pictures while we waited to go explore, luckily my son was patient :P we were going to dinner after this so we didn't stay to long.

    It's been a decade since my last review of Holliday Park, so it's time for an update. I've been…read morevisiting this park since I moved to Indiana more than 10 years ago, and it had stayed reliably the same, until recently. Now, there's a brand-new playground! The playground at Holliday Park has been completely redesigned as of November 2025. The new playground is nature-inspired, with lots of wooden elements. My favorite part of the playground is the loose parts area, where kids can make teepees and build forts with the collection of natural elements that are there: sticks, tree limbs, stumps, rope, wooden crates, straw and other things that allow kids to use their imagination to create. The playground is designed for all ages, but to me, it skews slightly in favor of younger kids. Which is nice for parents of younger children, because most playgrounds seems to be built for older kids. But there are some elements for older kids here, like the huge rope climbing structure. A niggling thing: There is zero shade on the playground now. None. Which isn't a big deal on overcast or cool days, but once summer comes around, this playground is going to be insufferable. They got rid of some of the trees that used to be where the new playground is, which is a shame. One cool thing, though, that I've never seen in any other playground: hammocks! There's an area near the trees with a bunch of hammocks that kids can lie in and just relax under the trees. The rest of Holliday Park is the same. There's still a splash pad by The Ruins during the summer. There's still a nice nature center. There are still lots of trails to explore. This is one of the best parks in Indianapolis, in my opinion.

    Photos
    Holliday Park - It's hard to beat their nature center.

    It's hard to beat their nature center.

    Holliday Park - Squirrels on trail 2 along the river

    Squirrels on trail 2 along the river

    Holliday Park - Statue at Holliday Park

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    Statue at Holliday Park

    Indianapolis Canal Walk

    Indianapolis Canal Walk

    4.5(206 reviews)
    9.0 miMile Square

    Goodness, have I walked the canal about 50 times now?!…read more It's such a unique experience for Indy to have some water space in the middle of the city. This 3 mile loop will take you from 11th Street down to White River State Park to access the green space and extra trails down there. The canal water itself is not super cute, where there can be litter, and the water is rather opaque. They do drain the canal every so often to keep it from getting too uncute. The sidewalks are kept nicer, though a few spots in front of apartment buildings could use some TLC. There are also a few spots where the sidewalk is not level, so take caution if that is an issue. It's mostly stair access to the canal, but I *think* I've seen an elevator around the Ohio street basin. The canal has a few businesses along it for your merriment. Notably, there is Fresco on the Canal (I have a separate review for this) which is open March-October. Eiteljorg museum cafe is open daily around the lunch hours (11-3) and can be accessed through their patio gate. Entertainment wise, there is more going on. I've done the swan boat rentals, where you can pedal around on the canal. This is quite a workout! Rental of swan boats and kayaks is near the Ohio Street basin. There is also the gondolas, where your gondolier can sing, and they've always sounded marvelous. There's also a few stations for the Pacers Bikeshare around the canal, which is free for Marion County residents. Any time the weather is right, you can find me getting my steps in!

    Nice river walk nearby center city area. It's refreshing looking at the water flowing through…read more We saw some fishes so definitely clean water for the city. Love the greens, bridges, arts around it. It would better with warmer weather for sure. I couldn't walk far because of the cold. But overall I love the scenery.

    Photos
    Indianapolis Canal Walk
    Indianapolis Canal Walk
    Indianapolis Canal Walk - Look for this tall colorful mosaic to start your canal adventure!

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    Look for this tall colorful mosaic to start your canal adventure!

    White River State Park

    White River State Park

    4.7(109 reviews)
    8.7 mi

    White River State Park is one of the most popular parks in the city, and for good reason! The…read morenickname for it is Indy's backyard. With riverfront and canal-front trails, a pedestrian bridge to the zoo, proximity to the city, and the amphitheater, so much goes on down here. Over the years, my favorite special events have been the food truck festival and the solar eclipse festival. The area is kept to be pedestrian friendly, with parking being underground to the park and wide walking and biking lanes. During warmer weather, I often see a hotdog vendor for a nice and easy lunch. There's lots of sculptures around the park too, which helps to keep things scenic. There's also a huge lawn space for running around.

    This park is such a gem! As I write this review while listening to "Here Comes The Sun" by The…read moreBeatles, I feel like I'm right back walking through the beautiful pathways and taking in skyline views. From the canal and trails to the open green spaces, there's something here for everyone to enjoy. Plenty of smaller festivals and walks/runs are held at this park, and it truly seems like the perfect spot for them. My favorite festival that happens here is the Taste of Indy, which takes place in the summer and the MS Walk is always a well organized event here. I also really enjoy walking the paths behind the zoo, especially in the spring when the cherry blossom trees are in bloom. Absolutely gorgeous! Ps - As beautiful as it is, be sure to stay alert while on the pathways!

    Photos
    White River State Park - Finish by Terrence Karpowicz.

    Finish by Terrence Karpowicz.

    White River State Park
    White River State Park

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    Colts Canal Playspace - Outside

    Colts Canal Playspace

    4.3(24 reviews)
    9.5 mi

    If you're looking for a great park to take the kids, get a walk or run in, or even hop on a bike,…read morethis spot is perfect! The playground equipment is super nice--you can definitely tell they put some money and effort into making it great. It's right next to the canal, so once the kids are done playing, you can head out for a walk or rent a bike and ride along the water. There's even a dog park area, which is a huge plus if you want to bring your pup along. They have poop bag stations stocked and ready, so no worries if you forget yours. The whole place was really clean too--I didn't see any trash around, which shows people actually care about keeping it nice. The only downside is that there aren't any restrooms by the park. So definitely make sure you (and especially the kids) empty your bladders before you get there, otherwise you'll end up leaving to find a bathroom nearby. Parking is mostly street parking, and yes, you'll need to feed the meter. But if you go on a Sunday or a holiday (like I did), you're in luck--free parking! And honestly, who doesn't love free parking downtown?

    This place is really dang cool. Tons of things for the kids to climb around on and explore. The…read moresurface was pretty spongy so if one did fall it would most likely not be too bad. I took my family here to get them amped up before heading down the road to goto the awesome Childrens Museum. This is a must visit park if your kids love climbing on EVERYTHING!

    Photos
    Colts Canal Playspace
    Colts Canal Playspace - The motor bike rental by the canal

    The motor bike rental by the canal

    Colts Canal Playspace - Posing in front of the playground

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    Posing in front of the playground

    Southwestway Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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