Volunteer Park

Kids between 2 and 10 honestly get the full run of this place — there’s enough here to keep a toddler busy in the sandbox while older kids race each other up the climbing structure or argue over the merry go round. The fenced play area makes a real difference if you’ve got a runner, and the shade trees mean you’re not baking on a bench while you watch. Bring lunch, because the picnic tables fill up on weekends and there’s a soccer field and basketball court once the big kids need to burn off more energy. The walking path and bike track make it worth the trip even if you’re not there for the playground. Oh, and trains pass by — which sounds like a small thing until you see every kid under five completely lose their minds about it.