Lake Accotink Park

"When making plans to come here with my three kids on a Sunday morning in December, I was unaware the playground had been updated. It was a very pleasant surprise when we arrived. At ten am on a mild December day, there was only one other family there and for a good period of time we had the place to ourselves. When we left around noon, it was a popular spot for other families. In regards to the new equipment, I was thrilled to see what had replaced the older playground. My kids are ages 4, 7, and 11. The swingset has two traditional swings, one toddler swing, and one of the newer toddler/parent type swings. There are some game type pieces, and musical equipment, plus a little house/store area. The bigger equipment contains a very large curly tunnel slide and one of those rope climbing structures. There is no smaller tot lot type slides or climbing structures. My older two loved the slide and my 4 year old tried it with them eventually, even though she had reservations. It is totally dark at the top since it is enclosed and fairly long. I'm a big fan of the rope climbing structures for a wider age range, not to mention parent visibility if there are any issues. My 11 year old didn't immediately comment about being bored and spent a lot of time climbing around before our friends joined us. I appreciate playgrounds that engage the older kids like that. One thing I hadn't seen before was the use of light on a playground. There are a few tall pieces with translucent colored panels that filter the light through to the ground when the sun shines through them. One of them will spin if a child turns it. I appreciate this extra dimension to engage the kids on a new level. Since it is winter the closer bathroom and water fountains are closed. The bathroom above the playground is still open, but the water fountains up there are also off. Before we went home, we stopped on the beach to admire all the birds. Geese are common there, but there were also sea gulls and two other types of birds that seemed possibly swan like and perhaps cormorants. The area to the left of the dock is full of trash, as per usual."

"A nice place to do hiking, walking and a breath of fresh air in the neighborhood. Clean area and lots of picnic spots you can reserve."

"It is a serene, lovely park with great facilities and a breathtaking vista. Perfect for a family picnic or afternoon walk in the park with young children. The lakeside walk is well-maintained and clearly marked. The trail is lined with numerous seats for seating. There are beautiful picnic places beneath the towering trees. The trees create a large shade area so that you can rest from the intense summer sun."

"Lake Accotink park in Springfield has a lot to offer. There is a lovely walking path, including an enclosed overpass to look down on the train tracks below. Accessibility note: the path around Lake Accotink has sharp inclines at times, and not all of it is paved. This may make it harder for people like me with mobility issues to navigate. Of course, there is the lake itself, which is bigger than one might imagine. Individuals can rent paddle boats or get kayak lessons. There is wildlife to be seen if one pays attention. (See the turtle and heron pictures…) For families with children, there is a carousel and miniature golf. There are pavilions that one can rent for parties, or other get-togethers, but there are also picnic tables for public use. There was even an ice cream truck near the pavilion while I was there. All in all, a very family-friendly place."