Westwood Park for me over the years has been the backup park for Riverside because of how much…read moresmaller it is, the lack of connectivity to surrounding businesses and recreation, and the smaller amount of recreation opportunities, but over the last month it's become my absolute go-to! As far as the basics go, plenty of parking that connects right to the park, restrooms are not at all well labeled but they're in the building next to the concession stand at the baseball field and they're always decently clean and stocked, and there are serval small picnic tables as well as a picnic shelter. The shelter can be rented out for events though I haven't seen anyone rent the space in a while. The park can also be a little off-putting sometimes because there are always some people who will go there and stay in their cars to eat or meet up with someone or whatever, but no one has ever bothered me no matter when I go so it's as safe as anywhere else in the area in my opinion. Westwood has two small baseball fields, a couple of very small playground setups, and one good grassy field area to play in, but that's about all they're specifically offering for kids. If you're like me, and the number of people flocking to Riverside to play in the river, ride bikes, and generally meander the trail during the warm weather is throwing you off you're routine I 100% recommend changing it up. Seriously, if you just want to run or walk without fighting a crowd of people this is the second-best option in Mt. Airy. It even has the added benefit of a lot of the trail going straight through a wooded area and you get to enjoy the tall pine trees and fresh air which is unbeatable. The park is very pet and family-friendly from what I've seen, but anytime I've come across someone walking their dog or playing with their kids, it's always really easy to make corrections on the trail and keep my pace, so even busy days are manageable. The park also has 1.5 miles of walking trail, with some of it being gravel, so running can be tricky in some parts, but otherwise, it's great for beginners and people who want an easy and accessible loop trail to get their steps in. The upper trail system also has little workout stations all through the trails. They're older and it's stuff like a push-up station, pull-up bar, leg dip area, and sit-up bench, but honestly, they stay clean and they work for what they are. I've seen people utilize them in a lot of different ways like using the sit-up bench to practice bench jumping, so there's lots of room for creativity at these stations. Anyone looking to bring their gym routine outside a little more should absolutely consider Westwood trails as an option. I've personally also really enjoyed the challenge of running the big hill that leads down to the fishing pond and the circle track that goes around it. There's just enough elevation change to keep the track interesting, as well as a cute wooden bridge you get to cross! Watch out though because there are a handful of Geese that stay around the pond and they'll give you a reason to run if you get too close to them. The pond has a small dock, and I haven't personally fished it, but I see people over there pretty frequently so fishing must be at least decent. Most people like the fishing pond because it has parking just a few feet from the dock and it's generally accessible. Another popular section of the park is the 9 hole disc golf course where I see someone practicing or a group of people playing the course at least once a week. The most unused and interesting part of the park in my opinion is the at least 5 mile stretch of mountain biking trail. I jumped on the trail off of the walking trail around the pond not knowing it was for mountain biking, and a guy came through and told me more about it. It's apparently a fully wooded and exciting trail and is fantastic for beginners. When it comes to Westwood, what I love most is that it's peaceful, people are usually really respectful, no matter you're fitness level there's something there for you, and it's super open-minded when it comes to recreation. I bring my yoga mat at least once a week, I love to bring my binoculars to bird watch, and I've seen everything from a hacky sack circle to someone practicing a killer rhythmic gymnastics routine. It doesn't have a skate park, basketball or tennis court, soccer field, kayaking, or a huge playground, but that's kind of the point. So ultimately, if you want a less crowded place to get your steps in, somewhere to start or change up your fitness routine, enjoy nature, or just have a cool space for your weird outdoor rec/hobby then consider switching up to this park and showing it some love!

Quiet, peaceful and totally beautiful. This park is a great park to come walk (Walking trail 1.5…read moremiles total) and to unwind. The trail is pea gravel so if that bothers you then I would pass on by... There isn't much of a playground here anymore for children so if that is what you're coming for I would check out Riverside Park on Riverside Dr.

It has been a minute since I had the opportunity to go to Homeplace to swim…read more We don't camp, so we only took advantage of the swimming pool area. We took three adults and three children. Everyone was $10 each except for the 3 year old, she was only $5 to get in. The pool opened and 10 and I think they close at 5 or 6. We also added in an umbrella. The umbrellas are $10 to rent for the day and a lifeguard will come over and set it up. It was worth every last cent. They also have season passes if you plan on coming quite a bit. That would be worth your money. We stayed most of the day and it was fun, but it's a lot of people. We thought for a Monday morning it would be a smaller number, but there was a childcare center there and they had several teachers/staff, but the kids were all over the place and it was a lot for them to watch. I had to stay on high alert because their kids kept splashing my kid and myself, and one kid even walked over and stomped my kids float on the ground just being a menace. Not one adult said anything to them at all. So that was frustrating because I can't police and parent other people's kids. Only my own. As the day went on the childcare center finally left, but more teens and adults were showing up to swim. We left around 3 and felt we had swam our monies worth. There are diving boards and a rope swing. The slide is currently down so that it can be replaced with a newer and safer slide. They do also have a snack bar. The hotdogs are red, my favorite! And the fries are so good! You can bring a wagon, bags, a small cooler with snacks and drinks, pretty much anything you're willing to lug in. There's a hill to walk down to the pool and it can be a beast to go back up hauling junk. So be mindful what you drag in. You're also allowed to bring floats. They have an air thing to pump them up to save your breath. The pool is a zero entry pool that you can walk into. There's a roped off part of like 1 1/2 ft. which was perfect for my toddler. Then it goes to 2 1/2 and then up to like 5ish feet. It's excellently laid out. It's a fun place and cheap entertainment for the day.

My son his girlfriend and a friend. Went to the pool at Home Place yesterday for his 18th birthday…read more I receive a fixed income due to a stroke. He works part time at Domino's. So we definitely don't have a lot of money. They hadn't even been there an hour. They hadn't even gotten in the pool when it started raining. I have gone to Home Place since I was a little kid. I'm now 52. I'm the past I would have received a rain check if that happened. He paid $30 for 3 people and didn't even get in the water. He wasn't offended a rain check. That's really crappy. I'm assuming there's new management because I've heard there are other changes as well. Needless to say I wasn't very happy when he got home and I had he was shit out $30. Especially on his birthday.

I love it there, the staff is very friendly. They recently updated workout equipment, and I hear…read morethey are adding more classes. So with that being said Armfield is the place to be!!

one of the pools is always closed!!! get your act together!! Notifications about closures are not…read morealways available. I get dressed and drive eight miles (one way) only to find out the pool is closed.