Five Annapolis Playgrounds for the School Year
With school back in session, a lot of our favorite playgrounds from the summer are now in use. I thought it would be a great time to revisit some of our favorite playgrounds around Annapolis that are not attached to schools, so you can visit them during the week whenever you are free!
In no particular order:
Quiet Waters Park
Quiet Waters Park is a sprawling nature center in the heart of Annapolis. Spread over 340 acres, there are countless trails, dog parks and dog beaches, scenic overlooks and picnic areas. There is also a fantastic playground with multiple climbing structures, swings, and some shade. Gemma is learning to ride her scooter and balance bike so we bring those to the park with us to take advantage of the many paved trails around the playground. Entry to the park is $6 for non-military members or if you are a resident in the county, you can get an annual pass for $30. This park also has the famous fairy garden tour in the Spring as well as an ice rink in the winter. Bring some water and snack - you will be there for hours!
600 Quiet Waters Park Rd, Annapolis, MD 21403
Peninsula Park (aka PAL Park)
Peninsula Park is one of those parks you have driven by a hundred times before realizing that it’s a great place to stop with your kids. This park has TONS of baseball and soccer fields and tennis/pickelball courts, making it a very busy park on the weekends, but a great place to let your kids run off their energy on a weekday morning. There is also a straight paved path that goes from one end of the park to the other, making it ideal for beginner bike and scooter riders. There are 2 parking lots - one on Bay Ridge Rd and one on Arundel on the Bay Rd. Park in the Arundel on the Bay Rd parking lot to be closer to the playground. This park is free, has swings, and is close to lots of easy food options - it’s a great spot to spend a morning without having to do any planning!
1025 Bay Ridge Rd, Annapolis, MD 21403
Pip Moyer Recreation Center
Pip Moyer Recreation Center playground wins the award for most unique playground in town - I truly have not seen another playground like this one and my kids LOVE it. It is super futuristic with hexagonal cubes and climbing structures that will give you spaceship vibes. There is some kind of heavy duty rubber material used throughout that encourages my kids to try lots of risky play while still feeling supported. This playground is free, has tons of parking, and makes my kids feel like astronauts - we love it!
273 Hilltop Lane, Annapolis, MD 21403
Sandy Point State Park
Sandy Point State Park has all of the views. If you want to feel some extra gratitude for the beautiful town we live in, just spend the morning at Sandy Point. My girls love playing on the playground that has some cool rope elements for balancing and a treehouse section where they love to play pretend. I love to sit and look at the Bay. This playground doesn’t have any swings but it is steps from the beach so bring your sand toys or a bathing suit if the weather is warm (just watch out for jellies). It costs $4 to enter Sandy Point State Park for non-military members so bring a picnic and some sunscreen and enjoy a few hours there.
1100 E College Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21409
Kinder Farm Park
Kinder Farm Park is a huge park and farm just north of Annapolis in Millersville. The best part about Kinder Farm is that you get to enjoy a massive, 3-tiered playground, and then walk through the farm and see lots of adorable animals like pigs, goats, sheep, cows and chickens. The playground can get crowded so I actually don’t have any pictures of it without tons of other kids in the photos so you’ll have to trust me that it’s a fantastic playground for all ages. There are large challenging climbing structures for older kids and small wide slides and swings for the younger crew. It costs $6 to enter Kinder Farm for non-military members, however if you get the annual pass for the county that I mentioned in the Quiet Waters section, you get access to both Kinder Farm and Quiet Waters. Pack a lunch and enjoy eating at one of the many picnic tables or wide grassy areas after enjoying a fun-filled morning of playground fun and adorable animals!
1001 Kinder Farm Park Rd, Millersville, MD 21108
