Sometimes you hit upon a park that’s worth driving to. It could be the setting that makes it worthwhile, other times it’s the playground itself. In our Westchester Parks series, we’ll tell you about the parks and playgrounds that are definitely worth a trip.
A friend of mine told me I just had to go to Bruce Park, located across from the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT. So we’re going to cheat a little bit here and head just over the border into Connecticut. My 2-year-old and I visited Bruce Park last week, and it’s incredible. Here’s what you need to know.
Overview
There are multiple play zones. A large series of ladders and platforms and bridges make up a playground for older children up to age 12. Kids can wander in and out of faux, oversized tree trunks, balance on a rope strung between the faux trees, and spin on these really cool sit and spin-like seats near the big-kid swings. A slide built into a hillside makes a simple slide feel more adventurous.
Toddlers and preschoolers have an enormous separate gated playground that features a large ship for climbing and a preschool-appropriate buccaneer rocking ride. A kid-size xylophone gives children a chance to make music in between turns on the numerous kiddie swings.
New walkers will love to twist the row of knobs at eye-level in a walking toddler zone. Plus, so much of the park is built on super soft asphalt, so you need not worry about falls.
Pros
There’s a large circular sandbox filled with lots of buckets, shovels, trucks and diggers. Near the sandbox, smaller faux tree trunks encourage wee ones to step inside and explore. Kids can also sit inside a human size bird’s nest. This was one of my toddler son’s favorite spots — he dragged a few trucks in with him.
Cons
It’s very close to the highway, so you’ll hear I-95 traffic whizzing by as you play. Also, I’ve heard the parking lot can get busy on weekends, so you may need to settle for street parking.
Services
There are bathrooms at the park, as well as plenty of benches for snack time. On the day we went, an ice cream man parked at the entrance from 10am to noon.
If you visit the park and want to grab a nearby bite, head to Meli Melo, a creperie with plenty of sweet and savory options to please the pickiest of eaters. Plus, mom and dad may want to treat themselves to a banana and Nutella crepe too, my personal fave.
Bruce Park, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT; FREE
