Tower Park

My kids always have fun here. Plenty of shade when it’s hot. Lots of parties but I’ve never seen it get out of hand. Live music sometimes too (like right as I’m typing this).

Our family really enjoys Tower Park. It is fairly large, and has a lot going on — baseball diamonds, 2 picnic shelters, a large field, walking path, rain garden, and a playground. Plus, the historic Waldo water tower is located on the northern edge. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a well-​known symbol for the neighborhood.
We mainly utilize the playground. The kids love it! There are two primary structures, one being for small toddlers, and the other for bigger kids. I’m not thrilled with the fact that there is a large sand pit (man, kids love sand, but I do not unless it is on a beach.) Within the sand is a metal car that children can climb on. The baby swings are also there. There is a separate area for regular swings. In addition to the variety of equipment, there is seating available (bench, picnic table) and parking close by. There are also some trees that shade parts of the playground.
On the weekends, especially in the nicer months, the picnic shelters are usually occupied. The playground also tends to get really crowded, and not as many parents are hanging out like on the weekdays. The majority of folks we have played with at the playground have been really mellow, open to talking/​playing, and quite nice. This is not always the case at playgrounds, so it is a nice change of pace from snobbery. We’ve had a couple slightly negative experiences, but nothing that would keep us from going back.