By Chelsea Nallenweg
River Bend Park- Raleigh
River Bend Park, located in Northeast Raleigh behind the River Bend Middle School, is a great park for families with young children or kids that like to climb! This park offers convenient amenities, including an awesome playground, parking lot, restrooms, and a kayak loading and launching area, as well as direct access to the scenic Neuse River Greenway.
Designed with little ones in mind, the playground features a unique rubberized ground with the colors designed to look like the park is a grassy area with a flowing river running through the playground. It is best suited for children ages 2-5 and includes a disc swing, small slides, a rolling slide and climbing net built into the hill, and climbing boulders. The boulders, however, are geared toward kids aged 5 and up as those require some climbing skill. While the park has two shaded canopies, it is mostly open to the sun, making it an excellent spot to visit during the winter months. During the warmer months, kids can enjoy an interactive water feature with a hand pump. The hand pump puts out water that trickles down a man-made stream, sticking with the “river” theme of the park.
River Bend Park is one of several launch sites along the Neuse River for kayaks and canoes. The launch site area is located just a few minutes walk from the playground. The park provides both general parking and designated spaces for kayak and canoe trailers, along with a convenient unloading/loading area near the launch. The Neuse River Greenway trail also runs through the park, making this a great park for kids to bring bikes or scooters!
For those looking to pair the park with some food or drinks- Smooth Joe Coffee and Heyday Brewing are just a few minutes down the street from the park. Whether you’re looking for a fun and unique playground for little ones, a winter-friendly outdoor activity, or a place to start a kayaking/biking adventure, River Bend Park is a great spot to explore in Raleigh!
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