Merritt Park

Merritt Park is a neighborhood square with community center, hockey rink, baseball field, basketball court, and playground.  I believe this is technically in the Denfeld neighborhood and the surrounding streets are busier than some parks.
The playground is a sand surface with a rubber mat surface leading up to the accessible swing.
Other features include:

• 1 baby swing
• 2 swings
• 1 accessible swing
• 1 double slide and 1 slide
• Speaking tubes
• Ladders/stairs
• Monkey bars
• Rubber flap bridge
• Pull-up bar
• Track glider
• Balance beam

Duluth Parks page

Morgan Park

Morgan Park might be a favorite for bigger kiddos, but there is also a typical playground set for younger children too.

The park itself is a large area that features a community center, hockey rinks, basketball courts, disc golf, and volleyball court.  There are gazebos and benches along the playground areas.

The smaller playground has a sand surface and:

• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Corkscrew
• Digger
• Tic-tac-toe
• Speaking tube
• Stairs and ladders
• "Serving area" (my kids always pretend these are ice cream shops)
• Ball maze
• 3 baby swings
• 1 accessible swing

The other area is directly across the street from the Morgan Park Middle School and has structures designed for about that age.

The surface is wood chips and some of the items I can describe (haha!) are:

• Rock wall
• Monkey bars
• Climbing hold wall
• Stepping stones
• Track glider
• 4 swings
• All sorts of slide-like surfaces and climbing/spinning/hanging items

Duluth Parks page

Hillside Sport Court Park

The hillside playground is in a residential area but borders the busier 7th St.  The playground is fenced and has a few entrances.  There is a large field to the west side of the playground that is included in the fenced area.  The parks website lists a parking lot, but close to the playground there is only street parking.

The playground is a sand surface and features:

• 2 swings
• Accessible swing
• 2 diggers
• 1 slide and 2 double slides
• Log roller
• Curved ladders and steps
• Bridge
• Speaking tubes
• Pull-up bar
• Monkey bars
• Fireman pole

Duluth Parks page

Playfront Park

Playfront is easily the most popular playground in Duluth.  It is located right off Interstate 35 between the downtown area (library and Depot, specifically), the Great Lakes Aquarium, and the Decc/Amsoil Arena.  Is is connected to the Bayfront Festival grounds and has a bathroom facility and recreation equipment rental area.  There is a good amount of parking that has a two hour limit and I have never found it full (barring an event at Bayfront).
Parking is on two sides and there are paths on the other sides.  Roads are far enough to not be worrisome, but some adventurous toddlers do like to take off on the paths....ahem....

The surface is recycled rubber tire chips which is a controversial material among some parents for fears of toxicity and off-gassing and it's worrisome when little ones inevitably put it in their mouths.  There is also rubber mat surface in select areas (under one tire swing, near the toddler area, and by some of the stepping stones.

Some features of the playground:

• 2 tire swings
• 4 baby swings (on different side of the park from regular swings)
• 5 swings
• 1 accessible swing
• 2 bouncy riders
• Pavilion in center of playground

The area designed for older children has:

• X-Wave 2
• Monkey bars
• Wobbly steps
• Netting to climb
• Hoops to climb through
• Rock wall structure
• Stepping stones

The area for younger children is a ship that features:

• Speaking tubes
• 2 slides
• Ladders and steps
• Periscope
• 4 steering wheels

Duluth Parks page