The Best Parks and Playgrounds In and Around Phoenix
The weather in the Valley of the Sun is perfect for outdoor play and activities. That means Phoenix has some of the best parks and playgrounds in the nation! Whether you are sticking strictly to Phoenix or heading to one of the many suburbs like Glendale or Peoria, there is no shortage of amazing city parks to keep the kids entertained for free. Here’s a list of the top 10 parks found in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. These parks are our favorites because they are clean, well maintained and great for all ages.
Anthem Community Park – 41703 N Gavilan Peak Pkwy Anthem, AZ 85086
This is a fun park that is located in the master planned community of Anthem, just north of Phoenix. Plan a full day at this park and ride the Daisy Mountain train, fish in the catch and release pond and enjoy the giant Adventure playground that also includes a splash pad!
Paloma Community Park – 29799 N Lake Pleasant Pkwy Peoria, AZ 85383
This park is northwest of Phoenix in the suburb of Peoria and just opened in October of 2020. Some of the amenities include Pickleball courts, an Inclusive designed playground, fishing lake and picnic ramadas.
Deer Valley Park – 19602 N 19th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85027
Conveniently located off the 101 in North Phoenix, you will find a community center, lighted basketball courts, a large playground with shade structure, swimming pool with slide and a dog park sponsored by Petsmart.
Sahuaro Ranch Park – 9802 N 59th Ave Glendale, AZ 85302
Located just outside of Phoenix, this historic park was founded in 1886 and was a working ranch and farm. Now you can find a playground for the kids, plenty of space for them to run around, peacocks that wander the park and some original ranch buildings that are popular to take photos of.
Rio Vista Community Park – 8866 W Thunderbird Rd, Peoria, AZ 85381
You will find playgrounds, a large splash pad and urban fishing lake at Rio Vista Park. On the weekends it’s a popular destination for baseball teams to use the fields and they even have batting cages available for baseball and softball players.
Coyote Basin Park – 2730 E Beardsley Road Phoenix, AZ 85050
We love this little park tucked into a Phoenix neighborhood. The playground is small but the equipment is newer and there’s never a big crowd. This park does not have a restroom, so keep that in mind.
Roadrunner Park – 3502 E. Cactus Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85032
With a play playground that includes a shade structure and wood chips you’ll also find a lagoon where you can feed the ducks and a farmers market most Saturday’s.
Pioneer Community Park – 8755 N 83rd Ave Peoria, AZ 85345
This is a spacious public park featuring a 5-acre lake, sports fields, a splash pad, dog area & BBQ grills just west of Phoenix. The park is also home to a large art installation, “Forge” by Thomas Sayre.
Cashman Park – 22222 N. 44th St., Phoenix, AZ 85050
You can find this park located in North Phoenix near the Desert Ridge area and boasts a shaded playground and a fitness course that the locals love! If you just want to relax you will find plenty of ramadas and grills.
Buffalo Ridge – 19250 N 16th Street Phoenix, AZ 85024
The amenities at this park include a lighted basketball court, playground and restrooms. The mountain views are amazing at this park and the kids love to explore.
No matter where you find yourself in the Phoenix area, a great park is just around the corner. Remember to help keep the parks clean by always throwing away your garbage and never leaving anything behind.
If you are looking to take your kids to explore the AZ desert outside of our park system, check out our Best Hikes for Kids List and this great article on the best Phoenix Family Friendly Outdoor Activities.
