4420 Louis Stephens Dr, Cary, NC 27519
Carpenter Park in Cary is a 16-acre neighborhood park featuring walking trails, a community garden, pickleball and basketball courts, a playground, and a memorial site. We only enjoyed the playground while we were there, but next time we plan to walk the loop around the pond!
Older Kid Playground
The playground has a unique rope climbing structure I haven’t seen at any other playground in the Raleigh area. It definitely doesn’t work for younger kids, but children aged 4 and up will enjoy climbing as high as they can and relaxing in one of the perches. My girls claimed their spots and created a type of village, where they would “visit each other’s houses in the sky.” All of the kids at the park participated and it was fun to see them camping out above our heads.
The hammock wasn’t as popular as I thought it would be, although my 2 year old enjoyed laying on it and having me swing him. I thought about laying on it myself, but knowing my luck I would have flipped out of it!
The rope playground also has a standalone slide right next to it. It’s the same slide as what you will find at Abbott’s Creek Park. It has alternating steps instead of a traditional ladder, so younger kids usually can’t get up it. My 2 year old worked hard to master it, but he was still a little shaky. I acted as a safety net, just in case.
To the side there were also a few swings. These were in high demand while we were there, so the kids will have to practice patience in waiting for a swing to open up!
Younger Kids Playground
This playground was definitely built by the same company that built Abbott’s Creek. The younger kid playground has the same slide that sits low to the ground. This was a favorite for my new walkers since they could get up it easily and safely.
There were a couple different features, however. Instead of the marbles, Carpenter Park has a musical piano and drums. The stepping stones were a big hit with my two year old, and overall I just tried to keep him over in this area as much as possible. He tried to climb the net in the bigger kid playground, but could only make it up one level and then needed me to get him back down. I spent a lot of time standing there and getting him back down! He did much better at the younger kid playground and could do everything by himself.
In the corner you will also find a large sandbox that was partially shaded while we were there in the morning.
Additional Amenities
In addition to the playground, Carpenter Park also includes a great picnic shelter, walking trail, community garden, and basketball and pickleball courts, The picnic shelter was conveniently located next to the playground, which is a great setup for a birthday party. It was missing a few picnic tables, but I’m guessing they might have temporarily removed them due to the pandemic.
The walking trail leads back to the memorial setup for the victims of two plan crashes that happened in the area. We didn’t walk back there, but if you continue following the trail it is a big look around the pond.
We also didn’t venture over to the community garden, but according to the garden website they offer raised beds for annual rental. Visit a Garden Open House on the third Saturday of the month in April through October. You can explore the garden, help water and weed, and participate in a kid-friendly art activity during this free community event.
Learn more about Carpenter Park at the Town of Cary Website.