happyly approved

Benjamin Banneker Park & Playground

Benjamin Banneker Park, 18th Street North, Arlington, VA, USA

Daylight.

$

playground, outdoor-adventures, run, bike-trails

This newly renovated grassy 12.5-acre park features two playgrounds, an obstacle course, and a rock climbing area. 

Benjamin Banneker Park is a recently renovated park & playground located directly off of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail near East Falls Church Metro. The park features two areas - one for older kids (5-12), and one for younger kids (toddler), separated by a covered picnic pavilion with tables and benches as well as some tables and stools outside of the shaded area. 

The older kids will enjoy the climbing structure with obstacles and fast slides. Don’t forget to take a ride on the rope tire swing (my kids' favorite). There is a rock climbing obstacle course with a rope "bridge" that is a perfect challenge for kids learning to maintain their balance. There are dinosaur fossils carved into it, and my kids had fun determining which dinosaur species was represented. On the play structure, there are two separate and very tall towers that connect by a tunnel. Kids can go down shorter slides from one tower or much taller ones from the other side. The whole structure is designed to appear like a castle, and it's truly a fabulous playground that kids can play at for hours. 

The younger area features a mini climbing structure with slides, musical features, as well as two baby swings. My youngest (15mo) loved the enclosed merry-go-round, a fun and unique twist on the more traditional merry-go-round. There is also a wooden obstacle course perfect for little ones. There are ample benches to relax and watch from throughout the play area.

The playground features a paved path around so kids can feel free to ride a scooter while their siblings play. If the whole family wants to jump on the paved path, there is direct access to the W&OD trail. There’s also a bridge to walk over and check out the stream from there you can access a large field for soccer, lacrosse or other gameplay, or go a little further to check out the dog park on the other side of the park. It's a popular spot on the weekends for neighborhood dog owners.

If you’re hungry after hours of playing, walk over to South Block for a healthy snack or lunch. Or pack a picnic lunch and enjoy eating under the covered pavilion. Dogwood Tavern is five minutes into Falls Church, and Lost Dog Cafe is just five minutes away in the opposite direction in North Arlington.

This is a great playground and park for kids of all ages!

The closest metro is East Falls Church. 

Features

Playground Biking Dog-friendly Trails Picnic Dog Park Nature Play
Thoughtfully captured by:
Melody Parry Jones
Melody moved around most of her life (military family) and graduated from the University of Central Florida where she was a college athlete. Even though the beach will always feel like home, she now lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, Brent, and the #fourlittlejonesies. After stints as a flight attendant, government consultant, and sales representative for a major running brand, Melody spends her days exploring and adventuring with the kids. Whether it’s a hike, playground, bike ride/run to a playground, or nature walk, Melody and the kids are always out of the house by 9:30am (otherwise, it’s chaos). Melody is a Washington D.C. ambassador, and loves the opportunity to explore even more in the city she calls home.
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