River Run Playground
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
River Run Playground is a well-designed outdoor play space, particularly strong for summer visits, offering engaging water play features where kids can float toys, a large sandbox with imaginative water channels, and a range of traditional playground equipment like swings, slides, and a jungle gym. It's noted for keeping children entertained for extended periods, up to three hours without boredom.
Key Highlights
- ✓Kids spent three hours here and managed to not get bored.
- ✓Imaginative sand area with sculptures and channels designed for water play, creating mini waterfalls and rivers.
- ✓Simple sprinkler system with a carved path leading to a little stream and a shallow pool.
- ✓Kids can put their toys on the water river to make boats, enhancing imaginative play.
- ✓Features a variety of traditional play equipment including lots of swings, seesaws, slides, and a regular jungle gym.
Standout Features
- ⭐Spacious and nice/clean bathrooms, which are easily accessible.
- ⭐Dedicated water play area with a river, stream, and shallow pool.
- ⭐Large sandbox area with unique, imaginative sculptures and water channels.
- ⭐Lots of swings and seesaws.
- ⭐Dedicated slides area and a regular jungle gym.
- ⭐Open playground area for free play.
- ⭐One reviewer mentioned 'a lot of shades to keep me cool and comfy during the summer'.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Bring small toys for kids to float as boats in the water river.
- →Easy to get to by bike for convenient access.
- →Consider visiting on weekdays if you prefer a potentially less busy experience compared to Riverside Drive on weekends.
Things to Consider
- ⚠One reviewer noted 'not great shade' despite another mentioning 'lots of shades', suggesting varying experiences with sun exposure.
- ⚠Concern raised about the planting of invasive non-native Italian arum.
Price & Value
Not mentioned, implying it is likely a free public park.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Easy to get to by bike. No other specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., for wheelchairs) are mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not mentioned.
🚗Parking Info
- •Easy to get to by bike. No information on car parking is provided.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No explicit details on crowd levels, but one reviewer preferred Riverside Drive on weekends, potentially hinting at higher weekend attendance.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Not mentioned.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Weekends, if you prefer other locations like Riverside Drive (implies it might be busier or less preferable for some reason on weekends, though not explicitly stated as overcrowded).
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Follow the rules posted at park and playground entrances.
- • Bicycles, skates, skateboards, and scooters are prohibited.
- • If you experience an issue with a playground or if you see someone violating a Parks rule, visit the Contact Parks page to report the issue.
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 8 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Erik Webb
a year agoThis is one of our favorite parks so far along the river side. There are bathrooms, lots of swings, lots of open playground area, as well as a large sandbox, and seesaws. The kids spent three hours here and managed to not get bored.
Alexandra Zimmermann
a year agoAn old but we’ll designed summer playground on the edge the of the upper west side. A park in the park. Great summer park as there is a simple sprinkler that has a path carved out to make a little stream and shallow pool at the end. I’m pictured sitting by the sand portion and here the sculptures that create the pit as imaginative and full of details that tie in the water aspect of the park like channels to dump the water to make a water fall and rivers. Has swings and a regular Jungle gym. Also bathrooms.
Ira Gershenhorn
2 years agoWas just there for Mulchfest 2023. Nice bathrooms. Easy to get to by bike. On a weekend I prefer Riverside Drive. Too bad they are planting invasive non-native Italian arum.
G Frye
3 years agoThe River Run playground is very nice. It located near 83rd street. It has a spacious bathroom. It has a sandbox area, a swings area, a slides area, and the water play area with a river. The kids put their toys on the water river to make boats. So cute! There are a lot of shades to keep me cool and comfy during the summer.
Randy Weinstein
4 months agoGreat playground with nice water feature in the summer but not great shade