Waverly Place in Cary, NC is an outdoor shopping center full of neat little shops and restaurants. If you visit their website you will also find information on events they host, like a summer concert series on Wednesdays.
BUT that is not why I am writing about Waverly Place, I am writing to let you know about the playground and splash pad area they have in the shopping center’s courtyard.
Playground and splash pad
The play area is fairly small playground that is fully fenced in and gated. The ground is AstroTurf, which I have not seen anywhere else on my playground explorations, except for the small patch they have at North Hills. The equipment for the bigger kids is similar to that of Leesville Park and Abbotts Creek. It does have one slide with a ladder.
The unique aspect of this playground is that it houses play equipment and a 10 water spout splash pad within the same fenced in area. So it does give your child the option of either or switching back and forth. The splash pad itself is quite small and gets pretty busy even early in the day.
The Splash Pad operates Memorial Day through Labor Day. The hours of operation are 10am – 12pm and 5pm – 7pm, daily. Service is suspended during inclement weather.
The Splash Pad is operated by a dial system. The dial must be turned to the “on” position to activate the jets. Water will be active for 15 minutes.
Separate Toddler Area
The toddler area is adjacent to the above playground and splash pad but it is in it’s own fence. It is… underwhelming. This is it, the only thing for the small kids. So if your child is not a fan of a splash pad then I would recommend just skipping this all together.
One great thing about this place is that you could play for a bit on the playground area, do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat without ever leaving the area. The shopping center itself is beautifully landscaped and has several water fountains (decorative – not to play in) that my children were fascinated by.
I’ve heard from other moms that the playground area hours are pretty strictly enforced. I think a preschool uses the play space before 10 am during the week.
Pros:
- fully fenced and gated.
- the toddler area is separated by it’s own fence, which may be helpful if you want to keep your little ones away from the (sometimes) rowdy big kids.
- Nestled in a nice shopping center with Whole foods, shops and restaurants.
- Has a few splash pad water spouts for cooling off
Cons:
- Direct sun. I mean, like NO shade.
- It’s small but popular, the splash pad part can get pretty crowded. FAST.
- The toddler area is disappointing. So not much for the youngest tots to do, especially if they are not big fans of the water.
Bottom line: If you live nearby, it’s worth checking out. Especially if you have an older toddler. Or if you are in the area shopping, it would be a nice little break for your child(ren). But, I probably wouldn’t make a special trip for it.