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

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

Cascade Park

This playground is located in the middle of a residential area on a rather steep part of the hill. It used to contain a waterfall with a gazebo, but the waterfall has since been routed underground.  You can still go up in a gazebo and get a great view of the harbor.

The playground is a sand surface and contains:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• 3 slides
• Monkey bars
• Digger
• Speaking tubes
• Wobbly steps
• Balance beam
• Steering wheel
• Corkscrew
• Pull-up bar
  
  
  
  

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

Memorial Park

Memorial park is right downtown in West Duluth.  It is situated on the corner of Grand Ave. and Central Ave., and as you can guess by the names, they are very busy streets.  Fortunately, the entire park is enclosed by a chain link fence, minus one entrance/exit right at the corner.  It does make me a little nervous with a very adventurous two year old, but the entrance is a good enough distance from the playgrounds that I can see if he takes off before he would reach a street.

The park actually consists of two separate playgrounds but are close enough together that I wouldn't worry about kids being at both structures at the same time and trying to keep an eye on them.  Both are a sand surface with a fairly large area for kids to spread out and dig/drive trucks and not run into any other kiddos.  It is also located right next door to Laura MacArthur Elementary School (rubber tire chip surface), so if you want a lot of variety in play structures, this might be a fantastic location to go and flit from structure to park to park.

There are several benches surrounding the playgrounds, a picnic table or two out in the open and an entire pavilion filled with picnic tables.  There are three porta-potties next to the entrance.

The playground that is designed for younger kids is a ship, just like the one at Playfront park.  It consists of:

• 2 slides
• Speaking tube
• Periscope and steering wheel
• Ladders, steps

The older kid playground has:

• 2 slides
• Rock climbing walls (one with holds, one without)
• Digger
• Monkey bars
• Steering wheel
• Wobbly steps
• Speaking tube
• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings

Duluth Parks page