Halyburton Park

If you want your kids to actually get tired out at a playground, this is a solid pick. The swings keep the little ones busy while you grab a bench in the shade — and there’s real shade here, not that token one-tree situation you find at half the parks in Wilmington. After playground time, the walking path winds close enough to the forest and pond that it genuinely feels like you’ve left the city, even though you haven’t gone anywhere. Clean restrooms, picnic tables, good parking — it checks every practical box. Families with kids from toddlers up through age 12 tend to make a whole afternoon of it, which tells you something.