Have you ever been to Woodland Park in Columbia, SC? With the warmer weather rolling in, Woodland Park is a great place to get some fresh air, enjoy the sunshine, and let your kiddos burn off some energy. Woodland Park features a huge playground, large open green spaces, a walking trail, pickleball and tennis courts, and is even dog-friendly. My family and I recently took a trip here, and I think we found a new staple to add into our playground rotation – it’s THAT good!
Enjoy Nature at Woodland Park
Just off of Garners Ferry Road, tucked away in the Old Woodlands subdivision, you will find a FANTASTIC park for you and your family to enjoy! Even though we’d consider it a quiet area, you can almost always find a decent amount of kiddos for your children to play with here. Woodland Park is surrounded by trees, making it feel a little less like the hustle and bustle of city-life and a bit more relaxing as you enjoy nature all around.
Reasons to Love Woodland Park
There are so many things to love about Woodland Park, but my family’s absolute favorite thing about going here is the variety of playground equipment. For my 1-year-old, there were small slides, bucket swings, a rocking car, and even some climbing features that she could enjoy.
There were tons of things for my older son to enjoy as well – big slides, a variety of monkey bars, traditional swings, balancing equipment, and a large climbing structure. There is truly something for ALL ages at Woodland Park!
Open Ended Green Spaces
Along with the playground itself, my kids enjoyed playing hide-and-seek in the open green spaces. One part of the green space is filled with trees while the other is more open. Both of these areas would be perfect for sprawling out on a blanket and having a nice picnic! You could also toss a football, blow bubbles, catch a frisbee, or even fly a kite on a breezy day.
Walking Loop
Under the shade of the trees you will also find a walking trail that makes a large loop. My family and I took a quick stroll along the path and couldn’t help but notice all of the neat signs of nature. Several of the tree trunks were hollowed out which my son loved to carefully peak inside. We even saw and heard an owl flying around and “hoot-ing” up in the trees!
Pickleball and Tennis Courts
Have you given pickleball a try yet? With its new popularity, you might be searching for a nice place to play! At Woodland Park you will find 2 pickleball courts and 5 tennis courts. The courts are all open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A Few More Reasons to Go to Woodland Park
I know we’ve already given you so many great reasons to give Woodland Park a try, but if you’re still not sold, here are a few more:
- Several benches
- Picnic tables
- Dog-friendly
- Shade
- Free little library
- Large paved parking lot
More Things to do Near Woodland Park
Woodland Park is centrally located to several popular Columbia spots! In just under 15-minutes you can be in Five Points where you can find restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping. Maybe even make your way to the University of South Carolina and stroll through the beautiful, well-known “horseshoe.”
You could also continue your day of fun with a quick drive to EdVenture Children’s Museum. The West Columbia Riverwalk, SC State House, and The Vista are all close by, too.
Woodland Park
6500 Olde Knight Parkway, Columbia
What is your family’s favorite thing about Woodland Park?
Need more fun places to play?
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