We’ve compiled an A-Z list of great parks and play areas in York so you can add some variety to your days out and enjoy even more of the many beautiful green spaces that York has hidden away. We’ve also created a handy map to help you find all the parks and play areas in and around York.
💜 Please remember when you visit a park or play area in York…
🚌: Where possible bike, walk or get the bus to the park or play area in York. Up to 3 children aged 5-16 can travel for free in York on our city services when they’re accompanied by a paying adult (pricing as of 23 Oct 2023). Let someone else do the driving, whilst you prepare for the fun day ahead! Download the First Bus App to plan your journey.
🚗: If you do drive to the park and there is no public car park or car parking spaces available and you have to use available on-street parking, please do so whilst showing consideration for local residents.
🗑: Please throw away any litter in the rubbish bins provided or take it home with you.
This large green space is close to Acomb Front Street, so handy for a run-around and a play, before or after a trip to the shops.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Play area
✅ Large grass area for games
🗺 Location: The Green, Acomb, York, YO26 5LL
🚗 Parking: On-street parking in the surrounding streets
🚌 Bus: No 5 & No 412 stop at Acomb Green
This play area in King George’s Field offers a good range of equipment, and an open space and the River Foss is close by for a walk. It is also easy to access the Foss Fairy Trail from this play area.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Good range of play equipment
✅ River Foss walk nearby
🗺 Location: King George’s Field, Arran Place, Heworth, York
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
Located in the new housing estate at the top of Tadcaster Road (what used to be York College).
🗺 Location: Bursary Court, Dringhouses, York, YO24 1UL
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents. You can park on the side roads not far from the entrance to the park, alongside the small green area.
A range of play equipment with fencing around, so safe for little ones to run around.
🗺 Location: Cemetery Road, Fishergate, York, YO10 5AJ
🚗 Parking: The nearest council car park is St Georges Field car park which is approximately a 15-minute walk away.
Two areas with play equipment, with one section for younger children. Also fields nearby for running around or playing games.
🗺 Location: Gale Lane, York, YO24 3BF
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
When your children need to run off some steam after a few hours in town (or have been dragged around the shops 😀), there are some lovely green spaces in town and two small play areas on the outskirts of town.
Dean’s Park: Enjoy the magnificent views of the Minster in this beautiful green space.
Museum Gardens: Great for a picnic or a run around after a visit to the Art Gallery or the Yorkshire Museum.
Navigation Road Play Area: Situated just off Navigation Road/Foss Islands, this small play area is close to town – see entry below
Victoria Bar Play Area: Situated on Lower Priory, close to the city walls this is a great place to play after a visit to town.
This is a small park but these traditional gardens offer a tranquil space close to the city. A handy location, if you are visiting the hospital but need some fresh air or your children, need to run off some energy!
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Handy location next to the hospital
✅ Newly refurbished children’s play area (entrance from Haxby Road)
🗺 Location: Wigginton Road, York, YO31 8NS
🚗 Parking: Pay & display car park next to the Gardens
What do Mumblers think? “It has a good play area – there is parking right behind. It’s next to Clarence Gardens and has got new equipment.”
There are two children’s play areas which are part of Copmanthorpe Recreation Ground which is a six-acre site and includes a sports field with a cricket square and two football pitches.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Recently improved play areas with lots of equipment including a sensory area.
✅ ‘PlayBuilder’ area for older children which includes a climbing wall, zip wire and monkey poles.
🗺 Location: Barons Crescent, Copmanthorpe, York, YO23 3YR
🚗 Parking: The Centre has a 50-space car park. If you use on-street parking, show consideration for local residents.
There is a large covered play area at York Designer Outlet where you can slide, climb and crawl! Burn off some energy before (or after!) shopping. The play area is located at the East Entrance of the Designer Outlet.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ It’s covered – hooray, a play area you can visit on a rainy day!
✅ It’s fairly big and has equipment for a range of ages
🗺 Location: St. Nicholas Avenue, York, YO19 4TA
🚗 Parking: Lots of free parking at the Designer Outlet
This is really great play area with a good range of equipment, just on the outskirts of Dunnington.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Lots of climbing equipment & zip wire
✅ Close to Hagg Wood to combine with a nature walk
🗺 Location: Intake Lane, Dunnington, Osbaldwick & Derwent, Yo19 5NX
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This large playground has equipment for young and older children and is located next to a large playing field.
🗺 Location: Calf Close, Haxby, YO32 3EA
🚗 Parking: Free car park. If you use on-street parking, showing consideration for local residents.
This is a large play area with a great range of play equipment for all ages.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Cafe nearby
✅ Plenty of play equipment for all ages
🗺 Location: Hawthorn Terrace, New Earswick, YO32 4AD
🚗 Parking: Car park opposite.
This is a large playing field suitable for ball games and more. Play equipment includes two swings, two baby/toddler swings, a cradle swing, a slide, toddler apparatus, a roundabout and more! The zip wire has recently been refurbished and reopened in late May 2024.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Plenty of play equipment for all ages & space to run around!
🗺 Location: School Lane, Fulford, just next to Fulford Pre-School
🚗 Parking: No car parking – if you use on-street parking, showing consideration for local residents.
A small play area with a range of equipment and fencing so young children can run around safely. Close to Huntington Library.
🗺 Location: Garth Road, Huntington, YO32 9QU
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This is another small, traditional garden tucked away in Heworth, centred around two bowling green, with a good range of play equipment.
⭐️Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Good play area – with a long slide on a mini hill
✅ Close to Heworth shops, including cafes
✅ Toilets
✅ Nice picnic spot
🗺 Location: East Parade, Heworth, York YO31 0XH
🚗 Parking: The nearest car park is just over the road at East Parade car park (pay & display) or there is plenty of on-street parking. If using on-street parking, please show consideration for local residents.
What do Mumblers think? “Glen Gardens in Heworth gets my vote and on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday they open the cafe in the gardens.”
This large park is fantastically well maintained and a complete joy to wander around, enjoying the plants and flowers during different seasons. There is a very large play area with a good range of equipment.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Huge play area, including equipment for children with disabilities
✅ Toilets
✅ Fantastic picnic spot
✅ Tree trail (enjoy spotting the numbers and finding all the trees)
✅ Small pond
✅ Pop up café (March – Oct open week-round late May- 2 Sep, weekends only all other times)
🗺 Location: Water End, Rawcliffe & Clifton Without, York, YO30 6WP
🚗 Parking: Small free car park at the Shipton Road entrance (postcode YO30 5RE) and plenty of on-street parking outside the park. If using on-street parking, please show consideration for local residents.
What do Mumbler’s think? “It’s a great park and we’ve been enjoying recent events which have been held there and the cafe is a great addition. Better toilet facilities would be my only suggestion.”
This traditional large park is located alongside Osbaldwick Beck and is about a mile from the city centre. There are two play area and plenty of places to have a picnic or go for a woodland walk.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Close to Osbaldwick Beck
✅ Two tennis courts & a basketball court
✅ Wooded areas for a walk with mature trees
🗺 Location: Alcuin Avenue, Hull Road, York, YO10 3TH
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
Situated in the lovely little village of Knapton, is a very spacious and brand new play area with great equipment for all ages! Equipment includes swings, a tractor climbing frame and an agility trail. Please note, dogs are not permitted in the recreation field & play area.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Brand new play equipment!
✅ Green space for running around and games
🗺 Location: Main Street Knapton (turn left not far after the pub on the way to the main road at the new houses, signed posted New House Covert) York, YO26 6QG
🚗 Parking: On-street parking on Main Street – please show consideration for local residents.
Situated within the new housing estate, this park is spacious and full of fun things to try out. Close to Acomb’s Morrisons so ideal for a play after a shopping trip.
⭐️Why it’s great⭐️
✅ Spacious park
✅ green space for running around and games
🗺 Location: Lowfield Green, Acomb, York, YO24 3DD
🚗 Parking: Onstreet parking on surrounding streets – please show consideration for local residents.
There are play areas at Monks Cross & Vanguarde shopping centres, which makes shopping much more fun (for the kids! 😂).
Monks Cross play area is along the left-hand side of the shopping centre as you enter (outside Clarks Shoes). Vangaurde play area is located near the leisure centre entrance. The play equipment at Vangaurde is quite challenging with some high areas, so great for older kids too.
🗺 Location: Monks Cross, Huntington, York YO32 9GX & Vangarde Way, Huntington, York YO32 9AE
🚗 Parking: Free onsite parking at both locations (note time limits apply & limited to 2 hours on match days)
This is a small recently refurbished play area (2024) with timber play tower which matches the city walls. It is just off Foss Islands Road, close to B&M/Morrissons shopping area.
🗺 Location: Navigation Road, Guildhall, York, YO1 9UQ
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This small play area is located close to Little Hob Moor, which is great for a run-around or picnic. York Railway Pond is also very close by and a lovely tranquil spot to enjoy watching the wildlife.
🗺 Location: Dringhouses, York, Yo24 1HD
🚗 Parking: There is a small car park opposite the play area.
Orchard Park is a large play area with a great range of equipment.
🗺 Location: Orchard Park Community Centre, Badger Paddock, Huntington, YO31 9EH
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This play area has a good range of play equipment and is located within the recreation ground.
🗺 Location: Outgang Lane, Heslington, York, YO10 5EW
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This small play area has a good range of new (2018) equipment including a zip wire. It is also located near the recreation ground and the Poppleton Community Centre which has a cafe.
🗺 Location: Poppleton Community Centre, Main Street, Upper Poppleton, York, YO26 6JT
🚗 Parking: There is a car park at the Community Centre.
Situated next to the Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride, just 2 ½ miles from the city centre, the park is a huge grassed parkland surrounded by trees and close to the river, making it great for a walk or run around.
⭐️Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Play area
✅ Toilets (at Park and Ride)
✅ Climbing boulder – 3m high with more than 60 square metres of climbing features
✅ Pump bike track – a 70 metre inner track and an easier 140 metre outer track.
🗺 Location: Rawcliffe Park & Ride, Rawcliffe, YO30 5RR
🚗 Parking: Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride site is adjacent to the park.
🚌 Bus:
What do Mumblers think? “Rawcliffe Country Park has wooded and open areas. And it’s right next to the Rawcliffe Park and Ride site so the bus takes you right to it!”
This small enclosed play area has a good range of equipment and a multi-use games area/basketball court. It is adjacent to Clifton Explore Library and Eastholme Drive shops, including the Java Bar Cafe.
🗺 Location: Rawcliffe Lane, Rawcliffe, YO30 5QT
🚗 Parking: Clifton Explore Library has a car park. If no car parking spaces are available use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
Just a short walk from the city centre, this is a huge 30-acre park offering plenty of space to stroll with the buggy or let your children run free. But be aware, the park is situated in the River Ouse floodplain so can be closed when there has been flooding – check the Friends of Rowntree Park facebook page before making a trip).
⭐️Why it’s great⭐️
✅ Rowntree Park Reading Café – all parents need refreshments (coffee!)
✅ Large play area
✅ Toilets
✅ Sporting facilities including a tennis court, basketball court and skateboarding area
✅ Ornamental lake with ducks & geese
🗺Location: Terry Avenue, Micklegate, York, YO23 1JQ
🚗Parking: There is a small pay & display car park adjacent to the park on Terry Avenue
What do Mumblers think? “It’s a nice park. Loads of grass to play on and a little park as well. Just watch out for duck/goose poop.”
This is a really large open space, in a great setting just on the outskirts of the city.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Play area
✅ Large open grassed area
✅ Outdoor table tennis table
✅ Five-a-side football posts
🗺 Location: Scarcroft Road, Micklegate, York, YO24 1BQ
🚗 Parking: Bishopthorpe Road car park is approximately a 5-minute walk away. On-street parking is available in the surrounding streets, but be aware some streets are restricted to residents only.
🚌Bus: No 11 stops here (ask for Scarcroft Primary School Stop)
A play area with a recently updated playing surface, located within a housing estate off Boroughbridge Road.
⭐️ Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Small enclosed space
✅ Soft playing surface
🗺 Location: Boroughbridge Road, Acomb, YO26 5SX
🚗 Parking: There is no car park so please use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
This park is tucked away in the middle of Holgate, and on first sight seems small but is an impressive 20 acres and you can get a close-up view of the windmill if you walk all the way through the park.
⭐️Why it’s great ⭐️
✅ Two play areas – one for under 11’s and one for over 11’s
✅ Toilets
✅ Woodland walk and tree trails
✅ Rose terraces and pergola walk
✅ Meadow picnic area
🗺Location: Acomb Road, Holgate, York, YO24 4NS
🚗Parking: There is a free car park off James Backhouse Place, adjacent to the park and plenty of on-street parking in the surrounding streets.
What do Mumblers think? “We like West Bank, exploring the little wood and there’s a play area.”
This play area has a zip wire and equipment for a range of ages. There is also a green to run around on and is near Woodthorpe shops and Phill Ya Boots cafe.
🗺 Location: Woodthorpe Green, Summerfield Road, Woodthorpe, YO24 2RX
🚗 Parking: Parking is available near the adjacent shops. Use available on-street parking, whilst showing consideration for local residents.
⭐️ If it’s winter take a flask of tea or coffee with you. Whilst your kids will be running around, climbing and staying really warm, you will probably be standing in a muddy puddle, slowly freezing! 🥶 Even better visit a park or play area with a cafe nearby like Rowntree Park or Poppleton Community Centre Play Area.
⭐️ If it’s summer take a picnic with you! The kids ALWAYS want to stay longer than you think they will and it saves rushing home for lunch. Plus, you never know, you might get to bask in the sunshine for half an hour! ☀️
⭐️ If you have a toddler in tow, visiting a park or play area with toilet facilities is always handy. Some of Mumbler’s favourite parks include Homestead Park, West Bank Park and Rowntree Park!
⭐️ Sometimes the play equipment doesn’t cut it, so if you need some new ideas for things to do at the park how about…
🪁 If the park is big enough take a kite to fly!
⚽️ Play a game – take a frisbee or football along with you
🌳 Discover and explore the trees – Homestead Park has a tree trail
🍁 Go hunting for wildlife and nature. Download our FREE scavenger hunt sheets – there is one for each season!
Winter Scavenger Hunt – download & print at home
Spring Scavenger Hunt – download & print at home
Summer Scavenger Hunt – download & print at home
Autumn Scavenger Hunt – download & print at home
