With over 185 parks and greenways in San Antonio, it’s tough to decide which park to visit next. As we work toward our goal of visiting 20 parks in 2014, our family plans to visit as many new-to-us parks as we can.
Park #2, Phil Hardberger Park, is one we’ve wanted to visit for a long time. Not only is it one of the newest parks in San Antonio, but it boasts its own website (and Twitter! and Facebook!). How could I resist this social media savvy park?!? On MLK Day, Delaney, Waylon, and I headed there for a picnic.
It was a gorgeous day filled with warm and abundant sunshine, cool breezes, and low humidity – yeah, pretty much a rarity in San Antonio. We had to GET OUTDOORS. But, of course, we weren’t the only ones with a park visit on our mind that day. No, it seems all of San Antonio went to Hardberger Park so our first impression was one of frustration. We entered at Blanco Road (at the park’s east entrance) and circled the relatively small lot for at least 20 minutes before a spot finally opened up.
Parking leaves a lot to be desired (at least on the east side of the park – we haven’t visited the NW Military side yet but I’m told parking is a little better over there). The good news? This park understands social media, is responsive, and it has a sense of humor:
I’m glad we waited for that coveted parking space because the park did not disappoint. Trees, shade, and picnic tables greet you as you leave the pavement behind for paradise.
Hitches for dogs and their leashes are just on the outskirts of the playground. While that may make Fido a little sad (and whiny), parents of young ones love that considerate dog owners have a place to securely stow their pups so kids can play safely nearby.
Delaney and Waylon gave the playground a huge thumbs up. There are swings and several different jungle gyms for kids of varying ages (even toddlers). Kids were sliding, spinning, and climbing all over the place. My kids’ favorite part? The merry go round (When was the last time you saw one of those at a park? It was all I could do not to jump on board for a spin!).
There’s plenty of room to run and explore (the park sits on 311 acres). But we missed a few key areas (the dog parks, Salado Creek Greenway, and various trails) that we definitely want to see when we return.
If you’re planning a visit to Hardberger Park, check out their programs. The Salado Outdoor Classroom regularly hosts educational sessions and an events calendar on the website lists all upcoming kid-friendly activities.
Hardberger Park: a friendly place to visit, both offline and on!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhzQbwPCQMA
Check out all of the San Antonio parks we’ve visited this year as part of our #SA2020Resolutions.
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