San Marcos Parks
I've lived in this town for over a year and I realized that I still hadn't visited all of the parks and playgrounds here. I went over to the parks and rec site and downloaded their parks guide. The link is here.
Then I uploaded all the addresses of the parks that had playgrounds into mapquest and made a map for myself.
And then I hopped in the car with Sam and my camera and went playground exploring.
I visited eight out of the nine parks with playgrounds. The only one I missed was the one I knew best, the Children's Park.
Here is a list of the park's with playgrounds that I visted today, with photos and addresses and my personal reviews.
City Park 170 Bobcat Drive
This park is also known as the Purple Dinosaur Park. It is appropriate for small children. The structure is not too big. They have some benches near the playground and lots of running space and a sidewalk that surrounds the playground for kids to ride their bikes. It's near the river and a large playing field. It is pretty crowded though and you often have several homeless people as an audience. The parking lot is tucked behind the University, but if you follow the signs for the Lion's Club tube rental, you can find it. This is probably my favorite park right now.
HEB Park 801 Patton Street
This park is tucked into a tiny neighborhood behind Casa Maria and I35. It is currently MISSING the playground. There was an empty space where it should have been. It's a nice space with some picnic tables a creek nearby, but there is no playground so I moved on. I wouldn't recommend it.
Hills of Hays Park 1209 Crystal River Parkway
I love this park. It's tucked away on my side of town between a subdivision called Hills of Hays and the DeZavala Elementary school. The park has a great playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. The playground looks fun for big and little kids. It's tidy and has some nice space around it. This may be my second favorite. I highly recommend it and if you go there, call me 'cause it's right by my house.
Jaycees Park 2108 Lancaster Street
This park is right across the street from my friend Stacey's house. We celebrated Halloween there. It's a nice playground sitting in a residential neighborhood on four open acres. The structure itself is a bit big for toddlers, but would be more fun with an older crowd. I would recommend this one for bigger kids.
Swift Memorial Park 200 Monterrey Street
This park is also on my side of the highway, so I was excited to see it, but when I got there I was really disappointed. It's teeny tiny and the playground is practically nothing. I wouldn't recommend it.
Veterans Park 320 Mariposa
This park was okay. The playstructure was decent and they had a pavilion next door. It has a creek running by it and it looked like fun. It's worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood, but it doesn't rank in the top.
Victory Gardens Park 300 Roosevelt Street
This one was alright. It was in the middle of two streets though, so it didn't feel very protected. It's also behind Casa Maria really near the HEB Park. I probably wouldn't visit it again.
Dunbar Park 801 MLK Drive
This park sits on 7 acres and is hidden just a few blocks off the square. The playground is really great. The park also has a recreation hall and lots of parking and a dirt bike track. I'm going to have to take Davis to do that sometime. This is the park where the montessori school goes for field trips so I was especially excited to see it. There are some swear words written on the play structure, but other than it's find. I like this park, but think it is better suited for bigger kids than mine. I would recommend it.
And then there's Children's Park. 205 North CM Allen Parkway
This is the best playscape in San Marcos, hands down. It's huge, it's fun. It has a bazillion different playing options. It's near the train tracks so your kids also get to watch trains go by. There are bathrooms and water fountains and picnic tables and sidewalks and sandboxes. It's also extremely crowded. And if you have two or more children under the age of five, it is hell. They go in opposite directions and the walls of this massive playscape are boards so you can't keep an eye on your children while inside of them. I lose my children regularly at this park. They also occasionally run into the parking lot. I cannot wait to take my kids to this playground when they get older. In the meantime you'll find me at City Park or Hills of Hays.
And there you go. That is my review of all the parks-with-playgrounds in San Marcos. I hope you enjoyed it.
Then I uploaded all the addresses of the parks that had playgrounds into mapquest and made a map for myself.
And then I hopped in the car with Sam and my camera and went playground exploring.
I visited eight out of the nine parks with playgrounds. The only one I missed was the one I knew best, the Children's Park.
Here is a list of the park's with playgrounds that I visted today, with photos and addresses and my personal reviews.
City Park 170 Bobcat Drive
This park is also known as the Purple Dinosaur Park. It is appropriate for small children. The structure is not too big. They have some benches near the playground and lots of running space and a sidewalk that surrounds the playground for kids to ride their bikes. It's near the river and a large playing field. It is pretty crowded though and you often have several homeless people as an audience. The parking lot is tucked behind the University, but if you follow the signs for the Lion's Club tube rental, you can find it. This is probably my favorite park right now.
HEB Park 801 Patton Street
This park is tucked into a tiny neighborhood behind Casa Maria and I35. It is currently MISSING the playground. There was an empty space where it should have been. It's a nice space with some picnic tables a creek nearby, but there is no playground so I moved on. I wouldn't recommend it.
Hills of Hays Park 1209 Crystal River Parkway
I love this park. It's tucked away on my side of town between a subdivision called Hills of Hays and the DeZavala Elementary school. The park has a great playground, picnic tables and a basketball court. The playground looks fun for big and little kids. It's tidy and has some nice space around it. This may be my second favorite. I highly recommend it and if you go there, call me 'cause it's right by my house.
Jaycees Park 2108 Lancaster Street
This park is right across the street from my friend Stacey's house. We celebrated Halloween there. It's a nice playground sitting in a residential neighborhood on four open acres. The structure itself is a bit big for toddlers, but would be more fun with an older crowd. I would recommend this one for bigger kids.
Swift Memorial Park 200 Monterrey Street
This park is also on my side of the highway, so I was excited to see it, but when I got there I was really disappointed. It's teeny tiny and the playground is practically nothing. I wouldn't recommend it.
Veterans Park 320 Mariposa
This park was okay. The playstructure was decent and they had a pavilion next door. It has a creek running by it and it looked like fun. It's worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood, but it doesn't rank in the top.
Victory Gardens Park 300 Roosevelt Street
This one was alright. It was in the middle of two streets though, so it didn't feel very protected. It's also behind Casa Maria really near the HEB Park. I probably wouldn't visit it again.
Dunbar Park 801 MLK Drive
This park sits on 7 acres and is hidden just a few blocks off the square. The playground is really great. The park also has a recreation hall and lots of parking and a dirt bike track. I'm going to have to take Davis to do that sometime. This is the park where the montessori school goes for field trips so I was especially excited to see it. There are some swear words written on the play structure, but other than it's find. I like this park, but think it is better suited for bigger kids than mine. I would recommend it.
And then there's Children's Park. 205 North CM Allen Parkway
This is the best playscape in San Marcos, hands down. It's huge, it's fun. It has a bazillion different playing options. It's near the train tracks so your kids also get to watch trains go by. There are bathrooms and water fountains and picnic tables and sidewalks and sandboxes. It's also extremely crowded. And if you have two or more children under the age of five, it is hell. They go in opposite directions and the walls of this massive playscape are boards so you can't keep an eye on your children while inside of them. I lose my children regularly at this park. They also occasionally run into the parking lot. I cannot wait to take my kids to this playground when they get older. In the meantime you'll find me at City Park or Hills of Hays.
And there you go. That is my review of all the parks-with-playgrounds in San Marcos. I hope you enjoyed it.
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