We like to emphasize education and service in many of our articles. Take a peek through our recent posts and you’ll find a plethora of worldschooling accounts and recommendations for giving back. It is easy to forget to have fun, even when working for yourself. This week, I want to remind you to play more as we explore some of the best San Antonio playgrounds.
Where are the best San Antonio playgrounds?
Recently, the kids and I have enjoyed numerous San Antonio playgrounds while waiting for Amanda to finish school. In the fall of 2021, we started a video series called “Lessons with Novel Excursion” on Instagram. In these 20-minute videos, we explore an educational topic in a short worldschooling lesson from various places in San Antonio. You can find many of these videos on our YouTube channel.
Once Adrian started motoring along, Sarah and I have found it more difficult to host these lessons. The video is everywhere and half the time we are chasing the little monster around. Taking a lesson from one of our big family trips, I decided to be flexible and let the lessons slide a bit. Now, we are on a mission to find the best playgrounds around.
Read on to see some of our favorites.
Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair
Whether you’re a local or just passing through, you can’t beat the location of this modern park and playground. Located on South Alamo Street in Downtown San Antonio, Yanaguana Garden is a short walk from the Tower of Americas, the Alamo, and just a hop, skip, and a jump from La Villita (San Anton’s first village).
The playground consists of innovative climbing structures, swings, and colorful artworks. You will even find a giant chessboard, ping pong tables, and a sprawling sandbox play area. In the summer months, a splash pad compliments the eye-catching recreational hub.
Public restrooms are nearby, and the playground is surrounded by picnic tables, benches, and ample options for shade, both natural and manmade. Make sure you grab an artisanal ice pop from Paleteria San Antonio and a stone-baked pizza at Dough!
Fun Fact: The word Yanaguana is derived from the original name of the area given by the Payaya Native Americans, who lived here before Spanish settlement.
MacArthur Park
Situated on Northeast Interstate 410 just 5 minutes away from the San Antonio International Airport, is a secluded haven of fun and relaxation. MacArthur Park is awkward to get to with only one access on the I-410 Access Road which typically means it isn’t very crowded.
You’ll find a perfect mix of natural and artificial surfaces, all which are relatively soft reducing safety hazards. There are tons of options in play places here which are great for the big kids and the toddlers. From swings to imaginative climbing structures, this playground offers fun for hours. Unlike Yanaguana Garden, there is ample parking and a plethora of slides.
Public restrooms are readily accessible, park grills are available on first-come-first-serve basis, and multiple pavilions can be rented. Don’t forget your tennis rackets!
Raymond Russell Park
This one is a little off the beaten path, but if you’re in the UTSA-area or heading West on IH-10, this is the perfect place for you. Raymond Russell Park is a large natural space with tons of space to run (great for dogs). There are a couple of large pavilions available for rent and public restrooms.
This playground includes a nice mix of plastic and metal slides. The metal ones are great for the daredevils who are looking for speed, while the plastic ones will come in handy during the hot Texas summers. There are quite a few swing options for all ages, and even a basketball court.
Raymond Russell Park has four different playgrounds, all within eyeshot, which are great for the multi-kid/multi-age families. On the far side of the creek, you’ll find a wonderful walking path that is lined with interpretive educational signs.
Walker Ranch Park
In San Antonio’s northside off of Wurzbach Parkway, Walker Ranch Historic Landmark Park is part of a larger archaeological site. It is near the confluence of Panther Springs Creek and Salado Creek where Native Americans gathered for thousands of years.
The park includes a 1.63-mile asphalt trail through a beautiful natural area. At the beginning of the trail, you’ll find an array of interpretive signs detailing the significance of the site.
The playground itself is modest in size, and includes imaginative playscapes with bridges, slides, and climbing apparatuses. The two playsets offer age-appropriate fun for kids of different ages. Swings and interactive activities fill out the assortment, all of which is set on a comfy artificial surface.
Phil Hardberger Park
One of the best places to experience nature in San Antonio is the 330-acre sustainable natural urban park between Blanco Road and Northwest Military Highway. Coined as “San Antonio’s Urban Oasis,” Phil Hardberger Park is a worldschooler’s paradise.
You’ll find miles of nature trails, a vibrant nature center, outdoor classrooms, dog parks, and the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge. The Land Bridge spans a six-lane parkway, providing safe passage for humans and wildlife between Hardberger East and Hardberger West.
Easily making the list of best San Antonio playgrounds, Phil Hardberger Park has two offerings. Take your pick between Blue Playground or Blanco Road Playground. You can’t go wrong with either, as they both incorporate safe artificial surfaces within a natural setting, and consist of climbing structures, swings, and innovative spinning contraptions.
Pro Tip: Blue Playground is smaller and easier to manage the rambunctious little ones, while Blanco Road Playground is spread out and lets them burn off that energy.
San Pedro Springs Park
Are you looking for a place to play that is deeply rooted in the city’s culture? San Pedro Springs Park is the second oldest park in the United States, reserved for public use by the Spanish government in the 18th century. It is the location of San Pedro Springs, where historians agree the first Spanish explorers landed in the late 17th century.
The headwaters of the San Antonio River are now surrounded by an archaeological site, a spring-fed swimming pool, tennis courts, and a small playscape with several slides. The playground isn’t anything fancy, but it is well-kept and great for all ages.
What sets this location apart are the walkways along the historic acequias, wide-open fields that are great for frisbee, tag, and picnics, and the San Pedro Playhouse. Street parking is free along the park’s perimeter, and public restrooms are available.
Old Pearsall Park
Last, but certainly not least is a 505-acre dynamic open space on the southside of town. Old Pearsall Park includes an absolutely stunning playground highlighted by a three-story imaginative playscape with enclosed tube slides.
There are a couple smaller playscapes on either side of the majestic centerpiece which are suitable for the younger kids. It also includes climbing structures and swings. The play space is surrounded by benches and overhangs where you can find some shade, but most of the area is wide open.
Fun Fact: Both the playground and the skate park are the largest offered in San Antonio!
During the summer months, part of the playground is transformed into massive splash pad…two to be exact. Don’t forget your swimsuits! Old Pearsall Park also includes a skate park, two basketball courts twenty picnic tables, and a fitness challenge zone.
Don’t forget to travel mindfully
I hope our waltz through our favorite San Antonio playgrounds was helpful and inspired you to go out and play. If you’re not in the area, I urge you to check out what’s local to you. Most cities have fantastic recreation areas that offer a good time to all ages. Stay tuned for a future article where we will discuss our favorite parks and playgrounds in Europe. We may have to do that one by country!
If you like our content or have suggestions on what you would like to see, please comment below or contact us. We want to provide useful and inspiring content. Your input makes that possible.
If you’re interested in coming to San Antonio, we would love to see you during our Explore! San Antonio Cultural Excursion Worldschooling Hub, April 4-9, 2022. Click here to learn more. Hope to see you soon!
Think big. Act small. Travel with purpose!
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