Let’s Play! Our Favorite Parks and Playgrounds in Tampa Bay
There are so many amazing places to play in Tampa Bay! We asked busy mom of 3, Heather Overton DeManche, to share her favorite community parks and playgrounds in Tampa Bay to encourage you to get outside with your kiddos!
So, pack those drinks and snacks and get ready to have the BEST DAY EVER!
Ballast Point Park
5300 Interbay Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611
Located on Tampa Bay, Ballast Point Park offers a two-story playground and a smaller play area with a roller slide for toddlers. The park also features a splash pad area, a famed fishing pier, on-site seafood restaurant and lastly, magnificent views of the bay!
Glencliff Park
12292 Glencliff Cir, Westchase, FL 33626
Featuring a gated and more contemporary style play area, this recently renovated park in the Westchase area offers a rope structure, rotating climbers and swings under a aerodynamic sunshade. The park also features a basketball court, soccer fields and a nature preserve featuring a trail.
American Legion Park
106 E Sligh Ave, Tampa, FL 33604
Located in the heart of Seminole Heights, American Legion Park has been a favorite of locals for many decades and offers visitors a fully shaded experience from the abundance of mature trees. The park offers two play structures and swings, but the main draw is the nearly life sized, old fashioned fire truck.
RE Olds Park
107 Shore Dr W, Oldsmar, FL
This waterfront park on North Tampa Bay is a short drive from Westchase and offers visitors a shaded experience due to the large number of mature trees. With a pirate themed play structure, a dock and an amphitheater, the park boasts plenty of room for kids to play.
Highlander Park (Kiwanis Sprayground)
1940 Ed Eckert Dr, Dunedin, FL 34698
This park is worth taking a day trip to experience as it features one of the best splash pads in the region. The enclosed splash pad is adjacent to a fully shaded pocket playground featuring soft turf flooring. The nearby Highlander Pool is a fee based pool ($3/per person) and is open seasonally from May through September and features both a large main pool and children’s training pool.
Anderson Playground
821 S Rome Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
Nestled in the heart of Soho and surrounded by large trees, Anderson Playground offers fun and shade for visitors. Featuring two playground areas, swing sets, a multi-purpose court, garden and splash pad area, this urban park offers something for everyone.
Davis Islands Park
155 Columbia Dr, Tampa, FL 33606
Completely covered by large oak trees, Davis Islands Park offers two sets of play areas for younger and older visitors. The park is also adjacent to the Bayshore little league fields and a short walk to the Davis Islands Marina, which houses the Tampa Fire Rescue Boat and the Tampa Police boats.
Al Lopez Park
4810 N Himes Ave, Tampa, FL 33614
Within walking distance of Raymond James Stadium, Al Lopez Park is a terrific outing option right in the heart of west Tampa. The park offers three playgrounds to visitors, along with a nature trail and pond which permits fishing too!
Northdale Park and Recreation Center
15550 Spring Pine Dr, Tampa, FL 33624
Located in the greater Northdale area, this neighborhood park features a playground, basketball courts and a large field for kids to burn off their energy. It also has a shaded swing area which features a popular sibling swing.
Josiah Cephas Weaver Park
1258 Bayshore Blvd, Dunedin, FL 34698
A great playground for younger children, Josiah Cephas Weaver Park located in Dunedin has a whimsical woodsy themed playground with a soft turf flooring replicating grass. The parks location is also only a short walk to a small gulf pier.
Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach
1 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Play at one of the top beaches in the world and then head to the covered playground for even more active fun! There are two covered play pavilions right by the pier which is a great way to seek shelter from the sun.
Julian B Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa
1001 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33606
Related: 10 Things We Love About Julian B Lane Riverfront Park
The recently revamped park is one of our favorite new additions to the Tampa Bay area. It is expansive, covering 25 acres along the Hillsborough River. The splash pad and covered playground are kid-friendly favorites, but there are so many more things to do! The park also features tennis and pickle ball courts, basketball courts, kayaking, a football field and more!
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
1101 Country Club Way South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
The popular preserve recently added a natural playground featuring playground equipment your kids love like a slide and climbing structures all made out of African wood. This is a great place to visit to allow your kids a chance to connect with nature while playing in the park!
Heather is a fourth generation Tampanian and a graduate of the University of Tampa. She worked in news for ten years, from WFLA In Tampa to C-SPAN in Washington, DC. She left the fast paced news environment for an even crazier beast, taking on the roll of domestic engineer after having her second child. She now spends her days and nights planning fun and educational outings in and around the Tampa Bay area to keep her three boys busy and out of trouble.
