My cousin and I camebl here this morniing with a couole of kids she was baysitting and it was fun…read more Actually the kids had a better time than we did becaise we were hanging-out on the outdoor playground and it was quite brisk. I think mid 20's which was ok for a littke while. After about an hour into it my ears and fongers were starting to feel numb. The indoor recreation center had not opened yet and I think that would have been better fun for everyone. They do a great job in terms of the maintenace andnthere was also no trash around like what younwoukd see at some other parks in the city. Plus this park and rec center was ckose to where we were at. I wouldn't mind coming back here sometime to check out the actual recreation center.

This playground was ideal for my 4-year-old child. It offered a variety of climbing structures that…read morewere suitable for her age and also engaging. Next to it, there is a bigger playground designed for older children, providing a great mix of options for all ages.

I absolutely love Yards Park, especially during the summertime when I'm able to go on runs there…read more For example, today I only planned to run a mile, but because the scenery and atmosphere are so nice, I ended up running longer. It's such a pretty area to walk, run, or just hang out by the water. It's also home to some of my favorite spots, including Osteria Morini and Barry's, which makes the area even better. Overall, it's one of my favorite places in DC and such a perfect spot to spend time when the weather is nice.

The YARD is where it's at! We so loved our visit here & felt the area was super safe! We rode our…read morebikes around morning, noon, & night with no problems! Super walkable & family friendly area with something for the whole family.

Fort Lincoln Park is a fascinating place! It's on the Maryland-DC border in NE DC near the city's…read moreonly Costco. It's a large park with plenty of street parking nearby. They have benches, courts, and play areas throughout the park. They also have these large wooden huts connected by a network of wooden bridges. It's old, but such a unique park in DC. It's one of my favorites!

This is my absolute most favorite park for children in Washington DC…read more Ft. Lincoln Park (not to be confused with Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill) takes me back in time to my own childhood, before all the overprotection and padding of our current generation of kids. Here my boys (6 and 3) can challenge themselves and play with some "risk". The brick pyramid fort and the scrambling hill with concrete slides (oh how '70's) are the bomb. When we arrive, parking along Ft. Lincoln Drive or in the tennis court parking lot, we simply let them loose and don't bother them again for the next hour or so. We can leisurely walk under the beautiful Honey Locust trees and enjoy the amazing sunsets. There are benches on the grass and under the 5 open air structures, all with amazing trees. Bear in mind that the park was built in 1969 and clearly shows some wear. The trees have pushed up the bricks in many places, and the city has only maintained the landscaping at a minimum, but nevertheless this park has excellent character. If you are a overly protective helicopter parent (I know, you tell yourself you're not), then you will not like this place. Here kids can get scraped knees, fall down off brick structures, and rip up good clothes on the old concrete slides. BUT... if you are a parent that believes in challenging your children, and you have confidence in their ability to learn from navigating "risks" then this is a terrific place to bring the kids. ============== I'm including a link to this audio article with the idea that this park is a gem of times gone past. http://www.npr.org/2014/03/20/291922339/kids-these-days-growing-up-too-fast-or-never-at-all ============== Lastly, I want to make a prediction. To tell you the truth, Ft. Lincoln Park is nearly always quiet and deserted. I am forever wondering where are all the 5 million people in the DC metro area? I somewhat avoided writing this review for fear that I would open the floodgates, only to turn around and find the park filled with people clamoring to the city about the "dangers" of loose bricks and lack of rubber padding under all the stone and concrete play-spaces. THEN, after DC Government receives all these complaints about the park from the legions of overprotective parents, they will be forced to come in and destroy this historic space in favor of plastic slides and "protected" play areas. Let alone the loss of the beautiful old brick walkways to new "pavers' etc. I really do understand that if many people start frequenting the park, that improvements will need to be made. The question is, should the park be "restored" or "updated"? SO - I make you this appeal. Once you visit the park, ask yourself questions about what is best here. When we bring Ft. Lincoln Park into the 21st Century, should we "modernize" it to our current sensibilities, or "restore" it so we might learn something from this late 20th century experiment. SAVE FORT LINCOLN PARK! http://tclf.org/landscapes/fort-lincoln-park ---

Garfield Park is dilapidated and ruinous. Most playground equipment is broken or damaged, and it is…read moreoverdue for an overhaul. Kids may still have fun, but this is a subpar destination due to its lack of maintenance and all the noise from the expressway looming over it and directly adjacent. The adaptive swing has cracked plastic and doesn't lock, a merry-go-round thing barely moves, the slides are incredibly slow, etc. Tip: Eastern Market Metro Park near 8th and Penn SE is a better bet if you care about playgrounds. This place is OK for a picnic under the mature trees, if you don't mind the din of highway traffic. It also has an embankment on the western edge that is suitable for wintertime sledding. On the plus side, when my four-year-old and I were there this month, she spotted a rat trapped in the bottom of the metal trash can by the playground. So, although we would never feed pests, we showed mercy on the distressed beast. We got a good amount of memorable and free enjoyment by rescuing it from dehydration and heat exhaustion using an empty chip bag to lift it to freedom, then watching it scurry into concrete blocks under the highway. Ah, the simple joys, haha

Cool park and place to have fun. Garfield Park is located pretty close to Capitol Hill. It has some…read moreinteresting things different from many other parks. Be sure to check out the playgrounds even if you don't have any kids. They have one for adults too. Getting here from Capitol Hill doesn't take long. It still seems like it's quite a ways away though. This also is close to the Navy Yard. One bad thing is that it can be noisy because of the traffic on the freeway. There's a concrete wall separating the park from Interstate 395, which is where the noise comes from especially when it's rush hour, so if you want a quiet and relaxing visit avoid coming here at those times. Other than that it's one of the best parks around. The playground is cool for kids. If you're an adult you also have your own place to play next to it. They have adult sized playground equipment so you don't have to worry about being too heavy to play on these. It overall is one of the best parks in DC. Other than the freeway noise there's a lot of other things to like about it. This is a nice way of getting from Capitol Hill to the Navy Yard.

I've lived in the city for over 20 years and I literally had no idea this recreation center even…read moreexisted. Someone told me about it so I came here to check it out this morning. It seems like the indoor pool is an Olympic sized pool and when aI got here they were doing some type of class there. There is also an indoor basketball court that I'm sure gets used a lot during the weekend. There was nobody in there this Thursday morning. The gym was disappointing however because there wasn't much to it at all. What I did like was the outdoor circular path which is about 2.5 times the length of an actual track. I would for sure make use of it if I lived a little closer. The baseball field also looked like it was in good condition. I was told that I need to sign up on their website in order to use the recreation center.

Turkey Thicket is a great place to exercise. There are programs for kids and adults. They have…read moreparking. The pool has classes and lap swimming. DC residents can use the facility for free.

Ridge Road Recreation Center proves that the best playgrounds are East of the River. Located just…read moreoff of Fort Dupont Park in Benning Ridge, the recreation is more like a campus with a recreation center, pool, courts, a field and an epic playground. There's parking along the street. The playground itself is less busy compared to other playgrounds and kept well. There's one high-tech activity for kids and plenty of slides, climbing structures and rest areas for parents. Restrooms are nearby.

It's one of those hidden gems!…read more Great place to walk / hang out Great place to walk around, play basketball, chalk art the sidewalks, have a picnic. Located below the I-495 -Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the park is right at the southernmost point and great water views of Virginia and sites within Maryland like the National Harbor across the Potomac River. There is a walking trail along the river with informational signs and displays that describe the really cool, informative information markers of sights and the past history of the area along the trail. A 10-minute walk on the trail will bring you to other parks (Ford's Landing, Shipyard, and Roberdeaux) and eventually to Old Town Alexandria with its many shops and restaurants --situated along the water. Another added plus is that the park offers a place for fishing, playgrounds, basketball courts, and multi-use fields. I came here with some friends for the first time and had a relaxing time just being outdoors and enjoying this great space in nature. We grabbed a picnic table....while having lunch and taking in the weather. Between the space and multi-use areas, it is the perfect spot to for walks along the river, running, exercising or simply....raking time to put things on pause and enjoy the outdoors. ELITE TIP: It is a good place to park if you are planning to visit Old Town Alexandria and want an easy place to park.....without having to deal with the limited street parking, risk of parking meter tickets or the high price garage parking. and enjoy a walk along the river.

Beautiful park in Alexandria with water views. We walked about a mile, just past the restaurants…read moreBarca and some on the water. Then circled back for about a little over 2 miles. It's best to go early. Plenty of benches and covered areas for comfort while in the sun. Great place to walk with your dog or go on a date. There were also other places you could park further down the walk if you don't want to start at the end near the bridge. Lovely walk that I would enjoy doing again.

Fort Dupont Park is one of the most underrated parks in Washington, DC. You have the National Mall,…read moreMeridian Hill Park, Lincoln Park...all amazing parks, but if you want a true escape from people, go to Fort Dupont Park just across the Anacostia River just off of Pennsylvania Avenue. It's a fairly large park full of trails, picnic tables, an indoor ice skating rink, an outdoor amphitheater, and Civil War ruins (truly!). There are pockets to park in and enjoy nature. Ypu'll escape the sounds of the city and won't see many others if you do during the day on a week day. Grab your lunch and enjoy the many picnic tables scattered throughout!

It maybe unfair to make the comparison to Rock Creek but Fort Dupont is a large greenspace in SE…read moreD.C. A playground for the little ones, lots of tables and grills and parking space to either go the trail route or relax in the grass. There's also a garden. I am not sure who runs it but it's there. The weekends can get pretty packed but not nearly as many people as Rock Creek. In spite of that, still a very quiet space. Also, the rodeways can be rough at times due to uneven asphalt and potholes. Also watch out for deer in the mornings and evenings/nights.