Barwell Road Park

I think one of the best amenities Raleigh and Wake Forest homeowners have available to them is our vast opportunities for outside activities. We have seemingly endless trails and great parks. One of the reasons my family moved to this area are all the playgrounds and parks we can take our children to! North Raleigh and surrounding areas boasts quite a selection. 

However, over time, the kids needed something different. They needed a park they could enjoy for a couple hours, but also experience something new. With COVID, we have pretty much worn out the parks and trails close to our home, something I know all parents can relate to these days. We think we have found that new park to enrich your and your kids' outdoor activities: Barwell Road Park!

Barwell Road Park is one of the largest recreational parks in our area, and it is open from dusk until dawn. I learned about it on the news and one day decided to check it out. It was a bit of a drive for us, but we learned it was well worth the trip. 

One of our favorite features is the playground and Panther Play 60 challenge course, which opened earlier this year. It was so much fun! It is a traditional challenge course with different features and apparatuses on a synthetic turf surface. There is also a 40-yard dash with a timer, allowing kids to run against their own times, or challenge a friend and run together. 

There are additional play structures for the younger ones too, built for kids 2-5 years old and 5-12 years old, respectively, all with rubberized surfaces. Structures for the 5-12 year olds are huge. There are two playsets with slides and plenty of areas to explore. Our kids can't wait to go back!

In our opinion, the Panther Play is what really sets Barwell Road apart from other parks. It is all decked out in Panther blue and great football logos. The challenge area has eleven stations, including ninja steps, a traverse wall, half rounds, a few U-turn ramps, sway steps, agility trainers, floating boards, a travel wall, a corridor, and a vault wall. 

NFL Play 60 is the league's national youth health and wellness campaign. It encourages kids to get out and be active for at least 60 minutes daily. At Barwell Road Park, my kids had no problem filling 60 minutes with uninterrupted play and activity. All I have to say is they were worn out and slept well that night. That right there shows this park's true value. :)

Take a trip to Barwell Road Park, or, if you're already in that part of Raleigh, check out this nearby amenity. Your kids will love it, guaranteed!