Visiting Anchorage Parks

park day July 12, 2011

2011-07-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

I have all kinds of mistakes for this week's park day! The Sunday Morning News says we're meeting at Scenic Park, but we're actually meeting at Takishla Park. I have no pictures because I seem to have deleted them from the camera without saving them to my computer first. So I'll make a normal "new park" kind of post later and just give directions right now:
Northern Lights head west (away from Muldoon)
Right on Lake Otis
Right on 20th Ave (the stop light)
The park is at the end of the dead end.

This park DOES have a port-a-potty. It also has a baseball field, so bring baseball equipment if you want to play baseball.

park day, 7-5-2011

2011-06-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

We're on a roll -- two weeks in a row with no rain. The next park day is at Scenic Park Elementary School playground. Since this is a school playground, there's no restroom. I'll definitely have to revise the park schedule for next year to go to parks with restrooms!

Directions:

Northern Lights toward the mountains
Right on Patterson
Scenic Park is on the left side of the road a few blocks down Patterson.

Park Day 6-28-11

2011-06-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

I think I made a mistake in the Sunday Morning News this week. I put in there "Nunaka Valley Park, North" but it might be the South one. OOPS!!!! CLICK HERE for directions. It's supposed to rain, so my mistake might not matter. But we'll bring towels again just in case it doesn't rain but the equipment has little puddles on it.

Park Day 6-21-11

2011-06-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

We've been rained out two weeks in a row. I'm really hoping we finally get to enjoy a day at the park this Tuesday! We're going to David Green Park. CLICK HERE for directions, picture, and description.

Park Day, June 14, 2011

2011-06-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday, we're going to Sitka Park. CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS. We will have to cancel Park Day if it's raining. I'm bringing bubbles for the children who enjoy bubbles. Feel free to bring some, too :-)

Mt. View Lions' Park

2011-06-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our first Park Day of 2011 will be this Tuesday, June 7 from 10 a.m. - noon at Mt. View Lions' Park. If it's raining, we'll have to cancel Park Day this week and hope for better weather next week.

Directions:

Boniface headed north
Left on Mt. View Dr.
Right on N Pine. Parking lot is at the back of the park.

Features:

Small children's section
Swings for all ages
Slides for all ages
Climbing equipment
Covered picnic areas
Picnic tables
Park benches
Tennis court
Restrooms

Negatives:

Spread out, might be difficult to watch more than one child at a time.
Sand in some places.
Some of the equipment is the old-fashioned, less than safe kind -- very fun, but there is the possibility of injury.

Park Days, 2011

2011-05-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

School's out, so it's almost time for Park Day! We'll be going to a different park each Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon. Let's hope we don't get rained out this year! My kids and I scouted out a couple new parks to go to this year, and we're also going to some old favorites. The first Park Day will be June 7, and the last one will be August 2.

twice in a row!

2010-08-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

We got rained out AGAIN! It was sunny before park day, and it's sunny now that park time is past. But it was raining when we were supposed to play at the park :-( So we'll try Scenic Park Elementary Playground again next week. I'm pretty sure that next Tuesday will be our last scheduled park day of this summer.

rained out :-(

2010-07-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

We were not able to have Park Day today because of the rain, so we'll go to Scenic Park Elementary Playground next Tuesday (8-3-2010). All the information is HERE.

Scenic Park Elementary Playground (park day 7-27-10)

2010-07-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Scenic Park Elementary Playground

Location: behind Scenic Park Elementary School on Patterson between Northern Lights and Tudor

(I'll make this a better post after we play there and get some pictures. I'm pretty sure, though, that there's no restroom available. We'll be there from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Tuesday, unless one of my kids needs to run home and use the restroom.)

Lyn Ary Park (7-20-10 park day)

2010-07-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Lyn Ary Park

Directions:

Northern Lights going west
right on Turnagain Pkwy (NOT Turnagain St.)
left on Illiamna Ave.
park on street

Features:

two play structures with slides
tire swing
rock wall
baby swings
open field
picnic tables
beautiful view

Negatives:

little bit of a walk to the porta-potty
no parking lot
no regular swings

Nunaka Valley Park South (7-6-10 park day)

2010-07-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

This week's park day will be at Nunaka Valley Park South from 10 a.m. - noon. Click HERE for directions and details. This park does not have a restroom, but it is right down the road from Cheney Lake which does have a porta-potty.

Oceanview Park (6-29-10 park day)

2010-06-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

OCEANVIEW PARK:

Directions:

New Seward Hwy. to Huffman.
Turn right off exit.
Turn left on Old Seward (BE CAREFUL IN THAT ROUNDABOUT!!!)
Right on Oceanview Dr. (at Christ our Savior Lutheran Church)
Left on Jarvi Dr.

Features:

swings
tennis courts
play structures with slides
covered picnic area
porta-potty

Negatives:

no parking area (park on street)
might have a mosquito problem since the park is right up against the woods
no open field
doesn't get much sun because of trees

Fish Creek Park (6-22-10 park day)

2010-06-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

This week's park day is at Fish Creek Park. I'm so sorry that I forgot that there's no restroom of any kind there. I was just thinking of the giant climbing/sliding structure and forgot about anything else :-( Click HERE for directions.

David Green Park (6-15-10 park day)

2010-06-13T00:10:00.001-07:00

This week, we're playing at David Green Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location: on 36th Ave. between Lake Otis and New Seward Hwy.

Features:

big play structure with slides
large grass play area
port-a-potty
park benches
covered picnic area
rock under play structure

Negatives:

small parking lot
very close to road
no swings

Elderberry Park (6-8-10 park day)

2010-06-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great time playing at Sitka St. Park for our first Park Day of 2010! Along with my family, two other families came to play.

This Tuesday, we'll be going to Elderberry Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click HERE for directions. We hope to enjoy another great playtime this week!

Sitka St. Park (6-1-10 park day)

2010-05-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Our first scheduled park day is Tuesday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sitka St. Park. Click HERE for directions and click HERE for a little extra info.

Jewel Lake Park (29)

2010-05-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

Jewel Lake Park (29)

Directions:

International Airport Rd. headed toward the airport.
Left on Jewel Lake Rd.
Right on 88th Ave.
88th runs into the park's parking lot.

Features:

two baby swings and two regular swings
play structure with slide
two toddler playtoys
covered picnic area
large open field area
park benches
beautiful view
port-a-potty

Negatives:

lots of mosquitoes, at least in May

FIRST PARK DAY OF 2010

2010-05-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

I'm VERY excited to start going to the parks again! So are my kids, especially since they usually get to bring along a friend instead of having to play with just each other :-)

The first official park day will be Tuesday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sitka St. Park. Click HERE to get directions and to see what kind of park it is. If my directions are not clear, feel free to call or text me at 980-7205. If I don't answer, leave a message and I'll call you back asap.

This is a public park, so you're free to come when you feel like it and leave when you feel like it. There won't be any organized activities, but you can bring any kind of outside toys or games; it's just a time for kids to play outside and moms to sit and chat (we hope). There are benches, but you might want to bring camp chairs so that you can sit where you want to and be a little more comfortable.

summer 2010

2010-04-22T19:23:00.001-07:00

Summer 2010 is almost here, so Park Days will be starting up SOON! My idea right now is to invite anyone and everyone with small children to join my kids and me on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at whatever park I post on here Sunday night (hopefully with directions to each park). Due to my youngest son's summer schooling plans still being up in the air, though, the day or time might have to change a little bit. I will update this blog with details each Sunday night. Feel free to let me know of any parks that you know are "good ones"! I'm really looking forward to all the fun memories we'll be making with our kids this summer!

Elderberry Park (23)

2009-08-04T15:50:00.001-07:00

8-4-09: Elderberry Park (23)

Directions:

Glenn Highway south (toward downtown)
becomes 5th Ave.
Stay on 5th Ave. until it ends.
Park and small parking lot are on right side of street right before 5th Ave. curves to the left.

Features:

two baby swings and two regular swings
one small slide
play structure with large slide
play structure with sand
park benches
picnic tables
bike/walking trail
train tracks
port-a-potty

Negatives:

sand
sometimes pretty busy

Valley of the Moon Park (92)

2009-07-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

7-15-09: Valley of the Moon Park (92)

Directions:

Debarr headed west (Debarr becomes 15th Ave.)
Turn left on E St.
E St. curves onto 17th Ave.
Park is on the left-hand side of 17th Ave.

Northern Lights headed west.
Right on Arctic.
Arctic curves to become 17th Ave.
Park is on right-hand side of 17th Ave.

Features:

several play structures with slides
two baby swings and two regular swings (maybe more, I forgot to count)
bike trails
creek
covered picnic area
several picnic tables outside of covered area
several park benches
nice scenery
two port-a-potties

Negatives:

rocks and sand
usually quite busy

Fish Creek Park (161)

2009-07-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

7-14-09: Kiwani's Fish Creek Park (161)

Directions:

Northern Lights headed west
Turn left on Minnesota.
Turn right on Spenard.
Turn right on Turnagain Blvd. E.
Park is on right hand side of street.

Features:

one baby swing and one regular swing
large play structure with several slides
covered picnic area
ok parking lot
pretty big grassy area

Negatives:

not sure if it's a good area of town or not
no restroom
rocks and sand

Lloyd Steele Park (140)

2009-06-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

6-9-09: Lloyd Steele Park (140)

Directions:

Northern Lights, headed west
Left on Aero Ave.
Left on 30th Ave.
Left on Telequana Dr.
Follow curve of street (Carleton Ave. -- Leighton St.)
Park is on left side of street.

Features:

pretty large play structure with slides
covered picnic area
picnic tables outside covered area
pebbles under/around play structure
porta-potty
grassy areas and woods for ball and/or "exploring"

Negatives:

no swings
lots of mosquitoes (at least on the day we were there)

Little Dipper Park (145)

2009-06-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

6-1-09 Little Dipper Park (145)

Directions

Northern Lights headed east
left on Muldoon
left on 32nd (the street to get to Totem Theater)
right on Cherry
left on Little Dipper
The park is on the left side.

Features

open grassy field
picnic table
play structure with several slides
two regular swings

Negatives

NO RESTROOM
sand under swings and play structure

Sitka Street Park (311)

2009-05-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

5-26-09: Sitka Street Park (311)

Directions

Debarr, headed west
Left on Sitka St. (first left after Lake Otis)
Follow road around to park entrance.

Features

two baby swings and four regular swings
play structure with slide
wood chips under baby swings and play structure
picnic tables and park benches
pavilion with picnic tables
big grassy hill
walking/biking trail
big open grassy field
outhouse

Negatives

sand under regular swings

Campbell Creek Park (413)

2009-05-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

05-22-09: Campbell Creek Park (413)

Directions

Northern Lights, headed west
Left on Lake Otis
First left after light at Tudor.

Features

play structure with two slides
outhouse
walking/biking trails
scenic bridges
slow-moving section of the creek perfect for wading

Negatives

rock around play structure
no means of preventing small children from going into the creek
no swings

Wickersham Park (185)

2009-05-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

05-22-09: Wickersham Park (185)

Directions

Northern Lights, headed west
Left on Lake Otis
Right on Campbell Pl (3^rd right after light at Tudor)
Right on Dimond Dr (2^nd right)
Park entrance is in between two houses – pass it, turn around, park at guardrail over creek.

Features

swingset with four regular and two baby swings
wood chips under swings
play structure with two small slides
right on Campbell Creek
picnic tables and one park bench

Fe
Negatives

NO RESTROOM
sand around play structure
no means of preventing small children to go into fast-moving creek

Nunaka Valley Park (75)

2009-05-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

05-21-09: Nunaka Valley Park (75)

Directions

Northern Lights, headed west
Right on Beaver
Left on Mink (just before white church – Greater Friendly Temple).

Features

swingset with two regular and two baby swings
woodchips
big yard
park benches and picnic table
play structure with small slide

Negatives

NO RESTROOM
very little shade

What am I doing?

2009-05-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

This blog is a critique of all the parks that my kids and I visit in Anchorage, Alaska. I'm making this blog most of all so that we know which parks we liked and which ones we didn't. Maybe other Alaskans will read these posts and have an easier time picking a park :-) There will be a number in parentheses after the name of each park. This number corresponds to the Anchorage Trails & Parks Map (sold at REI for $5).