Austin has no shortage of great parks with awesome playgrounds, perfect for idyllic (and free!) family fun. This list features some of our new faves and some ATX classics you know and love. Also, check out which playgrounds have new features and enhanced shading below!
*Header photo of Skyline Park via Easton Park FB Page
— Skyline Park (Easton Park in Southeast Austin)
This playground has so much to offer. From the three story climbing structure, to the splash pad, to the zipline, swings, and area for younger children, there’s something for everyone. The playground is equipped with nice, new restrooms, water fountains, and places to play (or sit!) in the shade. We took our kids recently and they played for hours between the splash pad and play structure.
This park was completed in July 2023 and has a shaded playground for kids of all ages. And you know how important that shade is in Austin’s hotter months! There’s also a shaded pavilion, as well as other places to sit and relax while the kids play.
Alliance Children’s Garden (Downtown Austin)
Located by Lady Bird Lake in Butler Park, this beautiful playground known as the Alliance Children’s Garden sits on two acres of land with gorgeous skyline views and lots of exciting play structures for all ages. There’s lots of shade and seating and plenty of room to spread out and picnic. It’s also located directly next to a small pond where you can spy turtles, and it’s adjacent to the Liz Carpenter splash pad.
Play for All Park (Round Rock)
The park in Round Rock includes 51,000 square feet of outdoor fun for children of all abilities. This large gated park has a “pretend town” with buildings and working traffic lights that you can travel through and make stops in the grocery store, fire station, hospital, etc. It also has a speedway to race your bikes, a zip line, a shaded sand pit, and more!
Walnut Creek Metro Park (North Austin)
Walnut Creek had a playground makeover in 2020 with structures accessible for children of all ages that include a terrific large (fast) slide for big kids, as well as play equipment for toddlers and preschoolers. Additionally, there a section of the park that was transformed into the Park & Recreation Department’s first official Nature Play Space. The signature play feature is dubbed “the Fairy Pavilion”, re-homed from a previous Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Fortlandia exhibit.
More Favorite Playgrounds
— Kingsbury Commons in Pease Park (Central Austin)
Located within Pease Park, Kingsbury Commons include fantastic play structures, a splash pad, basketball courts, plenty of room for picnics and community gatherings, and a remarkable treehouse — a one-of-a-kind orb that brings visitors under a canopy of trees into an open-air structure with sturdy netting to lay upon and enjoy the natural surroundings of the park.
— Circle C Metro Park (South Austin)
This shaded play area includes remodeled playsets for children ages 2-5, and another for ages 5-12 as well as swings, soccer fields, and more.
— Ramsey Park (Central Austin)
With a fun playground, baseball field, basketball court, tennis court, and pool, Ramsey has been a social hub for families for decades. In recent years, Ramsey added a natural play area, new climbing equipment, more shade, new pathways, and more, making it a great place for kids of all ages to play.
— Mueller Lake Park (East Austin)
This popular park across from the Thinkery includes unique play structures with a very modern design. Kids love to climb and slide in this fenced-in park. It’s also adjacent to a little lake where you can feed the ducks and take a stroll.
— Roy G. Guerrero Park (Southeast Austin)
This enclosed playground has many nature-themed climbing structures for kids of all ages. You’ll find a mini tightrope to walk across. And the playscape for little kids features fun, interactive buttons that play nature sounds.
— Springwoods Park (North Austin/Anderson Mill)
The playscapes, benches, and picnic tables, and the bulk of the 0.8-mile hike & bike trail are fully shaded by awesome, old oak trees. You’ll find two playscapes, one for bigger kids and a smaller one for smaller kids. There is a sand volleyball court, a soccer field, two tennis courts, and a 0.8-mile hike & bike trail, too.
— Bee Cave Central Park (Bee Cave)
This park includes multiple play structures as well as tube drums and pipes for musical play. There are great walking trails, and basketball courts, too.
— Joanne Land Playground (Round Rock)
The Joanne Land Playground, located near the Lakeside Pavilion in Round Rock’s Old Settler’s Park is truly an awesome destination to check out for some free family fun. The playground features huge climbing towers with enclosed netting that includes obstacles, slides, tunnels, and more. There’s also a little pond nearby and lots of walking trails.
— Elizabeth Milburn Community Park (Cedar Park)
Elizabeth Milburn Park in Cedar Park consists of 42.4 acres and offers a playground, picnic shelters, barbecue pits, a walking & jogging trail, a basketball court, tennis courts, washer pits, soccer fields, a community garden, a recreational BMX track, and a rock climbing wall.
— Katherine Fleischer Park (North Austin/Wells Branch)
This park is the jewel of the Wells Branch neighborhood. You’ll find a gazebo, a heavily shaded playground, a giant playhouse, a pool, a soccer field, a sand volleyball court, tennis and basketball courts, and a multi-use baseball field.
Local playgrounds with updated shading options
As part of Austin Park Foundation’s effort to build a heat-resilient community, more shading options are being added to some of ATX’s most visited parks, playground,s and pools:
- Alderbrook Park | Recently upgraded with shading for the play areas, walking loop, picnic pavilion, as well as an urban forest canopy to further cover those areas
- Govalle Neighborhood Park | Recent updates include a partially shaded playground
- Oertli Neighborhood Park | As of early fall 2024, this project is still underway, but it is shaping up to be an incredible playground with lots of shade options!
We hope you enjoy these fun experiences out in our city playgrounds!
