Our family finally had a chance to make it out to Wheaton Regional Park this weekend. It has been on the bucket list for a while now. It holds a dear spot in my family’s heart. My mother grew up in Silver Spring and visited the park as a child and later took me and my siblings when we were little.

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Wheaton Regional is Montgomery County’s largest park and is nestled on a beautiful 536 acres reserve where you will find natural trails, fishing lake, horse back riding, picnic pavilions, play grounds, miniature train, musical carousel and gardens. Not to mention on the same complex is a community recreation center that offers; ice skating, tennis and more. There is something to do anytime of year or in any weather!

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What sets Wheaton Regional apart for our family is it’s unique Adventure Playground that provides kids with a chance to conquer challenges. Whether it’s getting a thrill out of sliding down a ginormous slide or making it to the top of a giant climbing mound or evening master the climbing nets they are sure to have fun and gain some confidence over their new skills.

ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

Wheaton’s adventure playground is like non-other. The climbing nets, gymnastics equipment and giant slides are out of this world.  The first thing that  caught my boys eyes was the giant blue hill. They enjoyed racing up to the top and than sliding back down to the bottom. The playground structure is really cool and has a lot of gymnastics style equipment. My oldest son had fun testing his balance and climbing skills.

 

SLIDES

Your kids and maybe even adults are sure to love the slides at Wheaton Regional Park. There are three giant slides that vary in height. My two boys ages 2 and 4 loved this part of the playground a lot! If your kids are adventurous like mine they are sure to love these tall and fast slides! One of the cool things I noticed is that to save time walking up the ramp to get back to the top you can climb built in ladders on the wall. My four year old was able to climb it independently just like a rock wall.

CLIMBING NETS

What caught my boys attention the most and kept them entertained the longest was a huge climbing structures with two large spider webs connected by a suspension bridge. It tested their strength, agility and problem solving skills.

TOT LOT

Little ones are sure to love the tot lot; a area designed for toddlers and pre-schoolers. It is filled with fun animal figures to climb on, a sandbox perfect for exploration and an adorable play set perfect for ages 2-5. The best part about this area is that it is mostly shaded!

TRAIN & CAROUSEL

My boys are huge train fanatics.  A great feature about this park is the opportunity to ride a train. Wheaton Regional has a 1863 C.P. Huntington replica that takes guests on a scenic tour through park woods and meadows. You can also purchase tickets to enjoy an enchanting ride on the historic Herschell Spillman Company 1915 turn-of-the-century musical carousel. It only costs $2 per person to ride the carousel or train. Children under 2 are free. W- Train

MORE PARK FEATURES TO CHECK OUT & TIPS

You could easily spend a whole day at this park and still have more to come back and explore.

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  • Keep in mind that there are three separate entrances into Wheaton Regional Park. These are clearly marked on the park map.
  • The Shorefield Area is where you will find the play space, picnic areas, carousel and train rides.
  • Consider taking a hike or bringing your bike to explore 11 miles of paved and natural surface trails, you can head to the shores of Pine Lake, which offers beautiful spots for fishing, picnicking, or just relaxing.
  • To visit Brookside Gardens enter the park through the Glenallan Area. I highly recommend visiting the award-winning 50-acre gardens, which feature a variety of displays; including aquatic, butterfly, Japanese-style gardens and more.
  • Stop by the Brookside Nature Center for chidlren’s programs. Check out the live reptile and mammal displays and explore the self-guided trails over boardwalks and to various wildlife viewing areas.
  • Did you know that Wheaton Park even has Stables?!? You can enjoy an escorted trail ride, learn a new sport, or enhance your riding skills.
  • Another great amenity at the park is the F. Frank Rubini Athletic Complex, Wheaton Indoor Tennis Facility and Wheaton Ice Arena that you can access through the Orebaugh Area.
  • While in the Orebaugh Area check out the fenced-in dog park if you brought a four legged friend.
  • If you come on a weekend over the summer, you might catch the Kona Ice truck. Proceeds goes to fund the park.KONA ICE.jpg

PARK INFORMATION

Hours

Sunrise to sunset, year round.
Operational hours of other facilities based within the park will vary; please check listings for each facility.

Address

2002 Shorefield Road
Wheaton, Maryland 20902

Website

http://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/wheaton-regional-park/