Martin Ray Reilly Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Martin Ray Reilly Park is a highly-rated, free outdoor playground offering a wide array of activities for various ages, making it an excellent choice for family outings. Key attractions include shaded play areas, separate playgrounds for big and little kids, a splash pad (with caution for extreme heat), basketball courts with evening lights, and large open fields. Parents appreciate the strong family atmosphere, active community supervision, and enhanced safety with police patrols after sunset. It's particularly well-suited for picnics and extended play sessions, thanks to its clean facilities and available grills.
Key Highlights
- ✓Dedicated playgrounds for both 'big kids' and 'little kids' cater to a wide age range.
- ✓Features big slides and extensive open field space for running and active play.
- ✓Includes a splash pad, providing water fun (though activation can be delayed and surfaces can get dangerously hot).
- ✓Offers shaded areas, crucial for comfort during sunny days.
- ✓Two shelters equipped with grills are available for picnics and family gatherings.
- ✓Basketball court with lights extends playtime into the evening hours.
- ✓Strong family atmosphere where parents actively supervise children.
- ✓Police patrol after sunset contributes to a sense of safety.
- ✓Reported as very clean.
Standout Features
- ⭐**Shaded Areas:** Provide relief from the sun.
- ⭐**Diverse Play Zones:** Separate playgrounds for different age groups, plus big slides.
- ⭐**Water Play:** Splash pad for cooling off (check temperature of surfaces first).
- ⭐**Picnic & BBQ Facilities:** Two shelters with grills encourage longer stays and group events.
- ⭐**Evening Activities:** Lit basketball court allows for nighttime play.
- ⭐**Clean Environment:** Consistently praised for its cleanliness.
- ⭐**Community Feel:** Strong sense of community with active parent engagement.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Crucial Heat Warning:** On extremely hot days (100+°F), **avoid the splash pad area entirely or rigorously test all cement surfaces for burning temperatures** before allowing children to play, especially with hands and when sitting.
- →**Plan Restroom Breaks:** Consider visiting earlier in the day for more reliable restroom access, or be prepared for potential closures in the afternoon.
- →**Splash Pad Patience:** If the splash pad isn't on immediately after arrival, wait a bit; it often activates later.
- →**Pack a Picnic:** Take advantage of the shelters and grills for outdoor dining.
- →**Consider Evening Visits:** The lit basketball court and police patrol make it a safe option for after-dark activities.
- →**Look for Vendors:** Intermittent taco vendors might be present for snack purchases.
Things to Consider
- ⚠**Extreme Heat Hazard:** Cement surfaces in the splash pad area can become dangerously hot (over 106 degrees Fahrenheit), causing burns to hands and buttocks. This is a critical safety issue on hot days.
- ⚠**Inconsistent Restroom Availability:** Restrooms may be closed, particularly in the late afternoon (e.g., closed at 3:30 pm, but open at 11 am).
- ⚠**Splash Pad Activation Delay:** The splash pad may not be immediately operational at opening times (e.g., after 9 am) but typically comes on later.
- ⚠The park is situated next to a big street, though the main playground is centrally located within the park to mitigate this.
Price & Value
The park offers exceptional value as it is entirely free to enter and use all its amenities, including playgrounds, splash pad, basketball courts, open fields, and picnic shelters with grills. There are no mentioned admission fees or hidden costs, making it a highly accessible and cost-effective family entertainment option. Intermittent food vendors are an optional additional expense.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., for wheelchairs or sensory needs) are explicitly mentioned in the reviews. The presence of a 'sidewalk trim' around the park suggests some paved paths.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •**Outside Food Encouraged:** The presence of two shelters with grills strongly implies and encourages bringing your own food for picnics and barbecues.
- •**Intermittent Vendors:** Taco vendors are sometimes present, offering additional food options for purchase on-site.
🚗Parking Info
- •**Ample Parking:** Plenty of parking is available, even during potentially busy times like Saturday mornings.
👥Crowd Levels
- •**Generally Not Busy:** The park was reported as 'not too busy' on a Saturday morning, and also not busy at 11 am and 3:30 pm on different days. This suggests it rarely gets overwhelmingly crowded, offering a relaxed environment.
🛡️Safety Features
- •**Police Patrol:** Police actively patrol the park once the sun sets, contributing to a heightened sense of safety during evening hours.
- •**Community Supervision:** The park fosters a 'family atmosphere' where 'everyone was watching their children,' indicating strong informal supervision.
- •**Playground Placement:** The main playground area is situated in the middle of the park, providing a buffer from the adjacent big street.
⏰When to Avoid
- • **Extremely hot days (100+ degrees Fahrenheit)** if planning to use the splash pad area, due to severe burn risk from hot cement.
- • Late afternoon visits (after 3 pm) if consistent restroom access is a high priority.
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Recent Reviews
MAI HER
2 months agoNice big slides, great filed space, nice sidewalk trim around the park, basketball court with lights at night. My kids enjoy this park, i enjoy it too. Very good atmosphere and convenient. Nice when they do have taco vendors there sometimes. Police patrol once the sun sets which makes it feel safe. Only thing is, it is next to a big street but the playground is in the middle so not that big of an issue.
Google User
a year agoWe saw this park and thought it would be cool to bring the kids here since it was shaded and nearby. It wasn’t too busy on a Saturday morning with plenty of parking. There is a playground for big kids and little kids, that’s great! There’s also a big land to run around along with a basketball court and splash pad. Splash pad wasn’t on even though it was after 9am but it eventually came on. I don’t know if it’s controlled automatically or if there’s a lever you push to make it work. There are also two shelters with grills that you can use. It was very clean and no complaints at all. I would definitely return.
EK (AllSweetness)
5 months agoNice area, friendly kids but only one thing that bothers me. It was over 106 degrees and in the splash area, that cement area that I sat at burned my buttocks from the front to the back. My kids burned their hands. No amount of water was able to cool down that seat area. We just got up and left. Didn't go back! I called and made a complaint but nothing was done because no one complained about it before. Just be careful in that area🙂
Baowy Moua
2 years agoA very fun place to go wit the kids. My kids definitely loved it. The only problem is that the restroom was closed. We went there at 3:30 pm. The day before we went at 11am and the restrooms were open. It wasn't too busy too.
Renee Crisp
a month agoFamily atmosphere everyone was watching their children .A happy family environment.🙃🙂all in all I would recommend this park and I will be returning.💯👍🏼🙃🙂Tyvm renee