It’s no secret that many folks in the Triangle are transplants, and a solid portion of those come from up north. We fall into this bucket ourselves and, on occasion, need to head back to see family and friends. If you’re adventurous enough (read: crazy enough 😂) to make this drive like us, we have a great park pit stop for you a few minutes off the highway that breathed some fresh air into our trip.
Walker Mill Regional Park is located in Capitol Heights, Maryland, which is just outside of DC and about 4ish hours from the Triangle. The park is a straight 5-minute drive off the I-495/I-95 beltway and there are tons of fast food and fast casual options en route if you need to refill those bellies, too. (We stopped at @wawa as is mandatory when you are in Wawa country.)
The playground is called the “Woodland Wonderland,” and we’re here to tell you it does not disappoint. You’ll start to see the playground on top of the hill to the right directly after you turn into the park. (There’s flat, paved pathways up to it so you can walk a stroller there like we did.) The structures aren’t your typical playground fare and are so unique and fun. Many look like trees and wooden buildings. Keep an eye out for hidden creatures. One of the little houses makes music. Enjoy a bite to eat under the giant toadstools. And during the warmer months, the giant cattails spout water and make a “misting park.”
Some of the playground surface is squishy, some is concrete, and then the playground is on a hill surrounded by grass. The playground isn’t completely fenced, though, so keep an eye on your littles.
Our only knocks on this park were that 1.) there were some bees that made me a little nervous, but did leave us alone, and 2.) even though there were bathrooms, they were locked (not sure why, but I would imagine they are typically open or you can stop by one of the many food places just up the road we mentioned previously).
Even with these, though, we had a great time and absolutely recommend this park for a stop off.
Do you ever make this drive up north and stop at a park? Let us know your favorite spots in the comments!
(Note: We're currently working on updating our website with our reviews. This review was originally posted on Instagram and Facebook on November 17, 2022.)
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