Founders Park

One of the better neighborhood parks in Carmel for families with younger kids — the sandbox here is genuinely big, not the token patch you get at half the parks in town. There’s a solid climbing structure with tunnels, plus swings and slides that keep toddlers and school-age kids both busy at the same time. Shade trees and covered seating mean you’re not roasting while you watch, which honestly makes or breaks a park visit in the summer. The soccer field and open grass give older kids room to run, and the walking path is smooth enough for strollers. Everything stays pretty clean and well-kept, which you notice fast when you’ve been to parks that aren’t.