Anderson Point Park is a large park located out near Knightdale. It’s actually pretty close to Historic Oak View but I hadn’t realized it before! This park probably has the most odd playground design I’ve ever seen, so if you’re looking for something unique then this is the place!
Trails and Swings
This park has some awesome walking and biking trails, but what I loved the most were the porch swings scattered throughout the park. It was great to stop and swing together, while admiring the nature happening around us! We just walked the trail, but it’s paved so bring your bike for more adventure! The main loop through the park was just the right length for our toddlers to walk on their own with a few breaks for swinging and exploring.
Amphitheater and Cottage
This park has the perfect setup for a wedding, and I hear that weddings happen here frequently! They have a very nice amphitheater for the ceremony and a small cottage onsite that would be perfect for the wedding party to get ready in or host the reception afterwards! There’s also a couple large picnic shelters that would work if you want to stay outdoors.
I’m way past my wedding planning days, but if you know someone looking for a venue then this would be a beautiful, budget-friendly option! Or book it for your next family party! There’s a large open field next to the picnic shelter and amphitheater as well.
The Playground
Now let’s talk about this playground. I don’t know who planned the layout around the playground, but I really want to know what exactly they had in mind. In my eyes, it’s kind of shaped like a giant eye from the sky, but I don’t know if that’s what they were trying to go for or not. I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s pretty unique, but I’m not sure if it was supposed to be like that or not! Either way, you won’t find another playground in Raleigh that’s like it!
One of the unique aspects of this playground are the slides built into the hill. These are stand-alone slides that were added into the hill and are surrounded by a rubber surface.
Sandbox
My kids also loved the GIANT sandbox. It’s seriously the biggest one I’ve ever seen! It had a digger and some jumping lily pads built into the sand, which entertained my kids for quite a while. They also enjoyed running over the little bridge.
The outer edge of the sandbox is a rubber track, which could be used for skateboarding or biking. I’m not sure if they want you to use it for that, but that was the first thing I thought of when I saw it!
The actual playground structure is your typical playground. I liked that it has a couple shade sails to make sure you aren’t in direct sun. It also had a zip line, which I think every kid loves!
I didn’t like the rubber bridge on the playground structure because it hung down too far below the railing and my almost two year old could easily fall through it. He of course loved jumping on it, so I had to constantly stay beside him to make sure he didn’t fall.
Lots of Swings!
Another thing I noticed was the ridiculous amount of swings available at this park! I’ve never seen so many in a row! Six of the swings were big kid swings and 4 were baby bucket swings. If you have kids that always fight over who gets to use the swing then bring them here! They can each have their own with more to spare!
Overall, Anderson Point Park is a nice park, although I did notice a lot of trash that needed to be picked up while we were there. It’s also very close to the highway so you hear a lot of traffic and don’t get that tranquil nature setting like at, say, Turnipseed Nature Preserve. The parking lot is a bit of a walk from the playground, so it’s not the most accessible for those with really young ones. BUT it has a lot of unique features that you won’t see at other parks, and if you like porch swings and giant sandboxes then definitely go check it out!