Being the cultural and economic center, Fort Wayne is a center of attraction in northeastern Indiana, United States. The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department manages 87 parks that are spread across 2840 acres of area. The recreation department makes sure that the tourists and residents get ample atmosphere to relax, have fun, and enjoy activities.
All these Fort Wayne Parks provide different feel and activities. Hereโs a list of few parks that you should consider while exploring Fort Wayne Parks. Itโll make it easy for you to choose from, as you cannot explore all 87 of them on vacation.ย
1) Franke Park
This is the largest amongst the Fort Wayne Parks. The park includes,
- Two pavilions
- Shoaff Lake for which fishing license is available
- Huge playground
- Walking and hiking trails
- Foellinger Outdoor Theatre, which was built in 1948, a place for concerts, performances, movies, and rented events.
- Fort Wayne Childrenโs Zoo
- Franke Park BMXย
- Franke Park Day Camp with lots of activity that helps the physical and mental growth of kids of all age.
2) Foellingner-Freimann Botanical Conservatory
This beautiful conservatory is in downtown Fort Wayne. This is like a gorgeous oasis full of lush gardens, a cascading waterfall, saguaro cacti, Sonoran Desert display, four seasonal exhibits, tropical palms, and a lot more just to get lost. There are other special exhibits as per the holidays too!ย
3) Foster Park
Spread in 255 acres and present in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne since 1912, this park includes,
- Two pavilions, one is having a capacity of 336 with an enclosed kitchen and another having capacity of 128, featuring four picnic tables.
- A 3rd pavilion is in the talk of restoration to restore it to its historic glory accurately.
- Fort Wayne Parks Department is very proud of its 18-hole golf course in Foster Park, which is maintained well and is very challenging.ย
- Foster West Park is an extension to Foster Park, Features Ball Diamonds, Restrooms, a Soccer playground, and a Rivergreenway Trail that is 25-mile-long along St. Maryโs, Maumee, and St. Joseph Rivers.
- Bridal Glen, Playground, Floral Area are also a part of Foster Park.
4) McMillen Park
Full of superb amenities, this park in the Fort Wayne Parks includes facilities like,
- Pavilion and Playground for toddlers and Pre-teens
- A golf complex of 18-hole, par 65 layout
- A Swimming Pool area with waterslides, shade umbrellas, sunning decks, water play area, and heated water.
- Ball Diamonds and Soccer Field
- Four Basketball Courts
- Tennis Courts
- Lifetime Sports Academy for boys and girls between 8 to 18 years of age.
5) Shoaff Park
This park can be distinguished from other Fort Wayne Parks by the fact that it offers the most amenities in comparison. Those amenities are,
- Ball Diamonds and Soccer Fields
- Frisbee/Disc golf course
- Basketball and Tennis Courts
- Boating in the 1.3 miles of riverbank including a boat ramp
- Two gorgeous Pavilions
- Playground with many slides and other fun features
- Splashpad/Sprayground
- Restrooms and Open Air Shelters
- Three trails for fitness freaks
Doesnโt all this fun availability sound interesting?
6) Weisser Park
Enjoyed for the beauty of wooded areas, Weisser Park is a part of Fort Wayne Parks since 1909. Facilities available here include,
- Ball Diamonds
- Playground
- 2 Outdoor Tennis Courts
- Weisser Park Recreation Center is a community center specifically serving the youth.
7) Rudisill/Fairfield Park
An open space at the intersection of two major roads to breathe in nature when tired from the fast city life, Rudisill or Fairfield Park features benches for relaxing. The park is more for laying low and take in a few moments of tranquility between humdrum.ย
8) Memorial Park
This park has a very heart-touching history as it is dedicated to all those who gave their blood during World War 1 for Fort Wayne and Allen County. There are many sculpted monuments reminding us of various events. Other facilities available here are,
- Memorial Grove, where 71 trees are planted of four species viz. white oak, hackberry, tulip, and elm.
- Pavilion of 160 capacities and a Ball Diamond
- Playground with slides, see-saw, jungle gym, and others
- A swimming pool
- Sprayground with lots of colorful playing equipment
- Picnicking Spotsย
- Basketball Courts
For a memorable family time where kids can enjoy the most, this park among the Fort Wayne Parks is a great option.
9) Riverfront Fort Wayne Park
Riverfront Fort Wayne is an emerging district of which Promenade Park is its first step toward development. Promenade Park is the latest attraction and will be your perfect destination for arts, culture, history, nature, and recreation. Fun that awaits at this park for you includes,
- Exploring the park with personal Canoes, Kayaks, or any other watercraft that you might have.
- Boat Tours
- Doermer Kidโs Canal
- Games like Ping Pong Tables, Foosball Table, and Cornholeย
- Trubble Riverside Cafรฉ
- Little Creek Bioswaleย
The park and the Riverfront Fort Wayne are going through phase 2 developments, which will add lots of other fun activities that will hook you there.
10) Swinney Park
Swinney Park is a site of the annual Allen County fair and Trierโs Amusement Park. The park is divided into two zones, the East Swinney and the West Swinney. Combined features of these Fort Wayne Parks are,
- Fishing
- Ball Diamonds
- 18 Hole Disc Golf
- Natural Open Spaces
- Tennis Courts
- Rivergreenway of 1.11 mile starting at St. Maryโs Riverย
- Swinney Homestead, herb garden, and a log cabin
- Japanese Pavilion
11) Lakeside Park
This Park features amenities like,
- Two gorgeous, wedding and event worthy pavilion
- Tennis and Basketball Courts
- Breathtaking Rose Garden and Floral Display
- Walking Path and Playground
- Fishing in the lakeside pond with a license
12) Bob Arnold Northside Park
Formerly the State School and a Training Center, Bob Arnold Park has lovely pavilions. Other features are,
- Playground for kids
- Tennis Courts
- A swimming pool with slides, a splash pad, umbrella shades, swim lessons, and lots of fun
13) Hamilton Park
This park, just like other amazing Fort Wayne Parks, includes facilities like,
- A shelter kind of pavilion
- Picnicking tables throughout the park
- Three different playground areas with a special space dedicated to toddlers and infants
- Tennis courts and a baseball diamond
- Walking Paths
14) Lindenwood Nature Preserve
This gorgeous 110-acre nature preserve is a place that will make you feel youโre in a forest. There are four hiking trails of different lengths of which, one is wheelchair/stroller accessible! This beautiful preserve features a little pond and an open-air pavilion to just fill your pockets with an ample amount of natural beauty.ย
Other facilities available here are wildlife viewing, picnicking, photography. Thereโs a campfire ring in the park, which is the trailhead for the four following trails.
- Trillium Trail of 0.5 miles is the most scenic trail in the spring season as it features wildflowers.
- The 1 mile of Trail of Reflection is the only trail leading you to the pond and is accessible.
- Maple Spur Trail of 0.5 mile
- The 0.75 miles of Oak Paradise Trail
This Nature Preserve is a must-visit when you start exploring the Fort Wayne Parks
15) Nuckols Memorial Park
Nuckols Park was home to the famous statue of General Anthony Wayne, which is now moved to Freimann Square. Currently, this park holds the memorial of its own namesake, John Nuckols, the first African-American councilman of the city. East Central monument is also in Nuckols Park. This park is suitable for a lazy stroll or an active run among the fresh trees.
16) Tillman Park
This park holds many famous amenities of Fort Wayne Parks. Mainly known for Stewart McMillen Tennis Center that was established in 1976, Tillman Park also includes,
- A disc Golf Course of Championship Caliber with par 3โs, par 4โs, and even par 5โs.ย
- Well-lit Ball Diamonds and Rivergreenway
- Playground and Picnic, Serving tables
17) Old Fort Park
This park is in the vicinity of Fort Wayneโs downtown attractions like Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Lawton Park, Botanical Conservatory, and Headwaters Park. This is the oldest park among the Fort Wayne Parks, as the name itself suggests. The land of this park was purchased during the civil war times in 1863.
To your surprise, this park still holds the well that was used by the Fortโs occupants in 1794. In this park, youโll come across a marker outlining the history of the area. If youโre interested in knowing about some local history, you should visit this park.
18) Pawster Park
The name must be self-explanatory, I guess! Located in Foster Park West, Pawster Park Pooch Playground is like heaven for your lovely doggos. A camp canine, i.e., a 60.000 square feet of grassy and fenced play space, is available. An open-air shelter of about 600 foot and a lovely patio is also available in this charming dog park.ย
To rest and chat while your dogโs play, there are bone-shaped benches. A little drinking fountain with ground-level dog bowls and higher-level bowls for humans is fashioned in the park.ย
Give your dogs some fantastic time with lots of fun and play with their type and enjoy watching them use up the food they keep demanding.ย
Know some other fantastic tourist attractions in Fort Wayne in this video.
Fort Wayne Parks
Doesnโt all these parks feel intimidating? Well, this is not it. There are lots of other parks that come under Fort Wayne Parks and Recreationโs Public Parks. Apart from these, there are private parks also which might not be listed in the Fort Wayne Parks directory but are open for public use.ย
Have you visited any Fort Wayne Park and had a great time? Share your experiences with our lovely readers.ย
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Last Updated on by Laveleena Sharma
