Harrison Park

Harrison Park is a nice square in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.  The street facing the playground is busy and there is a bus stop right in front, but there is also a fence to prevent kids from running into traffic.  The fence has three openings including one right at the front, which would really be much better if it had a gate of some sort.  There is a community center, picnic tables, benches, basketball court, tennis courts, and a rubber-surface baseball field called Miracle Field.  I did not notice nets on the tennis courts, but I may have just missed them.  There is also a porta-potty, but I was told there was a wasp inside.  haha

The playground has a rubber chip surface and two distinct areas.  The first has:

• 2 diggers
• Speaking tube
• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Ladders/stairs
• Slide
• Steering wheel
• Gears

The second area (bigger kids) has:

• Monkey bars
• Ladders/stairs
• Fireman pole
• Bridge
• Steering wheel
• Covered slide
• Double slide
• Rock climbing holds
• Ball maze

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

Riverside Park

Riverside park is nestled into a neighborhood in far west Duluth and has a playground next to a very large field and some sort of community center building.  All doors were locked.  The park has a baseball field, basketball hoop in the parking lot, and it appears to connect to some local trails.  There is no shade near the playground so on a summer day, it gets hot.

The playground has a sand surface and features: 

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• Speaking tubes
• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Monkey bars
• Chain/foot climbing holds wall
• Bridge
• Steering wheel
• Fireman pole
• Stairs/ladders
• Ball maze

Duluth Parks page

Park Point

Park Point is a beautiful park out on Minnesota Point.  You have to cross the aerial lift bridge and then drive about 4 miles down the point to get to the park, but on a hot day when you want a cold beach, it's worth it.  The beach is three miles long and the water is cold.  Be careful to watch for poison ivy along the trails to the beach and hot sand on the way down to the water.  There is a lifeguard on duty in the summer and a beach house along with volleyball, walking trails and other fun stuff.
But now for the playground!  Park Point has one of the most unique playgrounds in Duluth.  There is the regular playground structure like you will see in other locations (Chester Park), featuring a sand surface and:

• Track glider
• 2 double slides
• Spinning wheel monkey bars
• Ladders/stairs
• Rock climbing holds
• Pull-up bar
• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings

The more interesting part of the playground is a replica of a great lakes freighter made out of wood.  It's really just for kids to run around and pretend that they're on a laker, but they sure love it.  There are also two giant tires at the end, filled with sand a la a sandbox.

Duluth Parks page

Wheeler Field

Wheeler Athletic Complex is a huge area of baseball fields, tennis courts, a skate park, and a field house with bathrooms.
The playground is near the fields, so it would probably be great to have little siblings to play at while a game is going on for the big sibling.  It is also right next to the parking lot and has picnic tables nearby.  The playground has a sand surface, and as my 5 year old told me, "this is the Y park."  They're beginning to identify the identical play structures.  :)
This one has:

• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Corkscrew
• Speaking tubes
• Ladders/stairs
• Rock climbing holds
• Monkey bars
• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• Digger

Duluth Parks page

Grant Park

Grant park is a playground that we had visited right after moving to Duluth, but had completely forgotten about.  It is a really nice playground right next to Meyers-Wilkins Elementary school and has a community resource center on site.  There are soccer fields, basketball courts, and a community garden.  I did have to watch the two year old near the garden boxes since he thought it looked enticing but after that, they playground captured his attention.  The park is fenced on two sides and there is only one road nearby.  It might be a concern on school days since it appears to be the school entrance, but it was very low traffic when we visited. There are picnic tables, benches, and shade trees.  It is in full sun and we got pretty hot before 10 a.m.  I assume there are bathrooms inside the community center but there was a group using the center when we were there and I didn't want to intrude.
The playground is sand surface with some rubber mat beneath the main steps.  Some features are:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Bouncing circle to stand on
• Rock structure (no holds)
• Rock wall with holds
• 3 slides
• Speaking tubes
• Corkscrew
• Monkey bars
• Plastic ladder nets
• Ladders and stairs
• Pull up bar
• Spinning wheel to hang from
• Fireman pole
• Steering wheel

Update August 2017: the roller slide has been removed and replaced with a wavy plastic slide.  The covered corkscrew slide has been removed and replaced with a rock wall with holds.  My boys were very sad to see the roller slide gone but it's still a quiet and large park that is very pleasant to visit.

Duluth Parks page

Portman Park

This square is made up of a community center, hockey rinks, basketball courts, and baseball diamond in addition to the playground.  There is a hill to roll down and mature trees throughout.  There was no potty that we could see, but there may be one in the community center when it is open.
There are two areas of the playground.

A small area has a rocky/sandy surface and is closer to the road, featuring:

• 2 baby swings
• See-saw
• 2 bouncy riders

The larger area is a sand surface with:

• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Monkey bars
• Rock climbing wall
• Bridge
• Ladders and stairs
• Stepping stones
• 2 swings
• Pull up bar

Duluth Parks page

Portland Square

Portland Square is a large square in a neighborhood with housing on three sides and some business, including Ski Hut, on the other.  4th Street is a fairly busy road but the playground is situated a good distance from it.  There is currently one porta-potty on site.
The park has large trees and some grassy area, plus a large circular sidewalk that is great for practicing riding bikes up and down hills and there is a sprinkler in the center of the circle that we have only seen on a couple of times.
There are two separate playground areas, one for younger children and one for older.  There are no baby swings at this park.

The little kid area has:

• Gears
• Xylophone and drums
• Spinning seat
• Steering wheel
• Connect four
• Porthole
• Mirrors
• Periscope
• Steps
• Double slide

The big kid area has:

• 4 swings
• Tire swing
• Corkscrew
• 1 slide
• Triple slide
• Rock climbing wall
• Bridge
• Fireman pole
• Spinning wheel monkey bars
• Monkey bars
• Ladders and steps
• Speaking tube
• Finger mazes
• Steering wheels

Duluth Parks page

Morley Park

Morley Park is a square in a residential area with the playground area taking up half the square and the other side filled with grass and small trees.  The streets are rather low traffic and there is a decent distance from playground to street.  It is a wood chip surface and has benches and a picnic table.  There was no porta-potty when we visited.
The park is quite far up the hill and has no large trees so it gets a good amount of sun.  We like to visit on cooler days when the ample sunshine will help keep us warm.

Some features:

• Tire swing
• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• 2 bouncy riders
• Rock wall structure with "grill" in the middle (standing platform made up of metal bars)

There is a little structure off to one side of the playground for smaller kids with:

• Steps and ladder
• Corkscrew
• Slide

The large playground structure is almost an L-shape and features: 

• 3 slides
• Monkey bars
• Spinning oval
• Climbing wall with holds
• Ladders and steps
• Built in picnic table and benches

Duluth Parks page

Woodland Rec Center Park

This playground is located right next to the Woodland branch of the YMCA.  There is also a hockey arena and baseball fields using the same parking lot.

The surface is wood chips (outdated photos) and the playground features:

• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• 2 swings
• Digger
• Speaking tubes
• Monkey bars
• Corkscrew
• Ladders and steps
• Rock wall with holds

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

Chester Park

Chester Park is located near the University of Minnesota-Duluth, at a small ski hill and former ski jumping hill.  It is a sand park with trails and a creek very nearby.  There is a ski chalet down the road and a stage where they host concerts on Tuesday evenings in the summer.

My boys love this playground but it isn't perfect.  The parking lot and road are very close to the playground itself and my toddler is constantly trying to go down by the cars.  The creek is also within toddler escape distance so I have to watch closely whenever he is on that side of the playground.  The big boys like to run onto the stage and dance for a few minutes as part of their play.

There are several picnic tables and three benches.  There are no bathrooms near the playground.  EDIT: I have been told that there are bathrooms inside the chalet.

Some features:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Brand new swirly slide (the old one was metal and of questionable integrity.)
• Merry-go-round
• 2 double slides (great for racing)
• Rock wall with holds
• Track glider
• Steps and a curved ladder
• Spinning wheels monkey bars
• Pull-up bar

Duluth Parks page