Umstead Park-Chapel Hill

What it is:  We love to find a new park!  We happened to be over in Chapel Hill checking out some of our other favorite haunts when we needed a little playground time.  So, we headed over to Umstead Park.  Umstead Park is located just off Martin Luther King Blvd. in Chapel Hill.  It has a great play structure that my two year old absolutely loved.  It was one huge structure with lots of room to run up top and lots of ways to climb on and off.  The ground was sand which my son always loves to play in, and there were swings located at one side of the playground. 

The park also had a trail that led to a bridge over a small stream.  I don't know about you, but my kids absolutely love bridges.  We had a great time throwing sticks off of the edge and watching them in the water below.  The park also had a small basketball court, picnic shelter, restrooms, and a baseball field located across the street.


What we liked:  The play structure was interesting and unique and my son had fun exploring it, buy he also loved the bridge and corresponding stream below it.  The sand ground cover on the playground is always fun to play in.

What we would change:  The playground is a bit far for us Durham-ites, but it is a fun stop if you're heading over to Chapel Hill to check out places like Flyleaf Books or Fosters Market both of which are very nearby to this park.  In addition, the bridges railings were a bit lacking.  I had to keep a careful eye on my son to keep him from toppling into the stream.

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=1583

Address: 399 Umstead Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Photos: 

 (The bridge)

 (the picnic shelter)

(the large play structure)