Alton Splash Pad

If you’re local and haven’t taken the kids here on a hot July afternoon, you’re missing out. The splash pad itself is well-kept — genuinely clean, which isn’t something you can say about every water feature in the area — and the whole thing is fenced in, so parents of toddlers can actually breathe for a minute. Shaded seating makes a real difference when you’re waiting out a two-year-old who refuses to leave. There’s a pond nearby and the riverfront views give it a setting that feels like more than just a city splash pad. Families throw birthday parties here regularly, and honestly, it’s easy to see why.