Welcome to our series: Lowcountry Parks & Playgrounds! Each article in this series focuses more on specific parks/playgrounds at locations all throughout the Lowcountry.
Next up, Gadsdenboro Park in downtown Charleston!
When I ask my boys to pick which playground for us to go to, they almost always pick “The Octopus Playground” (Aka: Gadsdenboro Park)! And I’m always happy when they pick it because it’s one of my favorites too!
Here’s what makes it one of the best playgrounds in Charleston:
- Located next to the South Carolina Aquarium, it’s a nice quiet area of downtown that’s easy to get to.
- It’s rarely ever crowded! The last couple of times we went, we were the only kids on the playground.
- There are two sides to the playground: a side for younger kids, and additional equipment for older kids. My six- and seven-year-olds play on both sides.
- There’s a big octopus to climb on, which makes for cute photo ops!
- Bathrooms! Need I say more?
- Parking is easy (but metered). Go on a Sunday and you don’t have to pay to park!
- The playground is connected to huge soccer fields — the perfect place to run around, kick a ball, fly kites, etc. Sometimes adult leagues are playing on the fields, which is fun to watch too. We watched a women’s rugby team practice one night; it was amazing.
- Gorgeous views of the Ravenel Bridge.
- A really nice sidewalk goes around the fields and connects to the playground. We often bring bikes and scooters for my boys to ride on the path. It’s the perfect size where they can feel independent and go around by themselves, but I can see where they are at all times.
- Plenty of benches for moms and dads to sit on while their kids play.
Hope you enjoy “the octopus playground” as much as we do!
