We are lucky in the Tri-City area to have so many great playgrounds and parks to explore. From swings to slides, to climbing walls, Fremont, Newark, and Union City parks and playgrounds keep my kids active, are a great place to meet old friends (and make new! friends), and they're FREE!
I often get asked what our favorite playgrounds are, so I thought I'd share here with you some top picks for our top five playgrounds and parks to visit in Fremont, Newark, and Union City.
Locations are listed alphabetically:
Karl Nordvik Park
Ardenwood Blvd. and Commerce Drive
Fremont, CA
What we love about Karl Nordvik Park:
Out of all the parks on this list, Karl Nordvik in Fremont is probably the busiest of them all but the kids always love going to this park. There are two play structures. One geared for toddlers and the other for older kids.
There are swings for both infants and older children including an inclusive swing seat, a large netted climbing structure, swivel seats that the kids love to just spin around and around in. The playground itself is not shaded but shade can be found under a few trees that line the park. Overall this a great popular park with new equipment and fun for all ages.
Amenities at Karl Nordvik Park:
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Newark Community Park
35501 Cedar Blvd.
Newark, CA
What we love about Newark Community Park:
Newark Community Park located close to shops and stores in Newark sits on 17 acres and offers a great space for families and friends to meet with kids of all ages. There are two playgrounds situated right next to each other with one being more geared to 5 and under and the other one geared to 5-12 years old.
Both parks have ample shade which helps on those hot summer days. The playground also offers numerous swings, slides, a small cave for hideouts, there is a large sandbox as well as a rocky wall alongside the older kids playground. The wall is great for those 5 and older, but this is the one thing I have found those with smaller children do not particularly like about this park as it can be hard to discourage little climbers from tackling it. This park is a popular location for many city events in Newark.
Amenities at Newark Community Park:
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Newton Court Neighborhood Park
34399 Newton Court
Fremont, CA
What we love about Newton Court Neighborhood Park:
Children's park near Warwick Elementary School is a small neighborhood park located in the middle of the Northgate Trail Park in Fremont. Important note: there are NO bathrooms.
Recently updated in about 2017, Newton Court Neighborhood Park in Fremont features red, blue and turquoise play structures that really catch your eye. There are two play structures. One geared for around 4 and older and one that can be ideally used for 3 and under and even those that are just crawlers as the structure is very low to the ground, one of the smallest ones I have seen. The kids will really enjoy the merry-go-round spinner that they can sit in safety and go round and round! There are also swings for both infants and older children along with a netted climbing structure. This park is always very clean and often not busy.
Amenities at Newton Court Neighborhood Park:
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Niles Community Park
37361 3rd Street
Fremont, CA
What we love about Niles Community Park:
Niles Community Park in Fremont is a great place to meet up with other families for a playdate because the playground is simple and in a smaller area so the kids can have fun, be safe and the parents can interact together as well without fear of a child running off or getting lost in the shuffle like bigger parks.
Although the playground is smaller and simpler than some playgrounds in the area the playground equipment can entertain both toddlers as well as older kids safely. The playground area also offers a sandbox and swings for both infants and older children. The park area is shaded by lovely large mature trees which make it a perfect place for summer meetups and the benches under the trees give a nice place for parents to sit and relax as the children have fun!
Amenities at Niles Community Park:
What are the amenities here parents will care about? Ones to think about: bathrooms, water features, handicap accessibility, picnic tables, trails, etc. Not sure? The municipality that takes care of the park often keeps this info on their website. Tips: try to keep these columns at equal length so they look aligned when you hit publish. Feel free to replace the bullet points you see here with emoticons for some visual interest!
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Seven Hills Park
384 Florence Street
Union City, CA
What we love about Seven Hills Park:
Seven Hills Park is a lovely little neighborhood park up in the hills off of Mission Blvd. in Union City is a hidden treasure. Seven Hills catches your eye once you arrive with its car-themed playground. Although not all the special features of the park like the stoplight work anymore, the kids always have fun.
There is a race track that circles the playground equipment where the kids love putting on their own races by feet, bike or scooter. If you have a hot wheels fanatic, you can find a hot wheel track on top of the back wall along the playground, but we recommend bringing a small hand broom as pine needles from the tall trees along the park tend to fall on the track.
One of the best features of this park is that the park is sunken down away from the parking area and the street so has a lower chance of your child running away into the street. If you come at the right time you might even see some wild turkeys come down from the hills!
Amenities at Seven Hills Park:
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Hope this list of top five playgrounds and parks in Fremont, Newark, and Union City helps you find -- or rediscover! -- some fun places for your family to explore this year. Now get those kids out to play!
*All photos by Shawna Johnson.
When visiting events and local businesses, be sure to tell them Macaroni KID sent you... and don't forget to tell all your friends!
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