Best Parks Raleigh Near Me

4worldlovers: John Chavis Memorial Park Community Center offers a variety of programs. Browse and register for programs and classes at John Chavis Memorial Park Community Center on RecLink.


Lounge with conversational seating featuring artwork by David Wilson: “Chavis Reclaimed” glass collage


Outdoor balcony with spectacular views of the downtown Raleigh skyline and plaza


Bathrooms including a family restroom with a baby-changing table and accessible shower


The community center has a variety of rooms available for rent. See rentals and rates.


The fitness room has rubberized fitness flooring, fans, multiple machines, and a spectacular view of the plaza and downtown skyline. The equipment includes 3 treadmills, 2 upright bikes, 2 recumbent bikes, a rowing machine, dumbbells, kettlebells, suspension trainer, resistance bands, and equalizer bars.


The locker rooms have accessible showers, restrooms, lockers, and baby-changing tables.


The gymnasium features maple flooring, 8 low-rise bleachers with spacious foot treads, 2 main basketball goals, and 4 side basketball goals. There are game lines for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. The gym is available for rent for $85 per hour.


The gym features a second-floor indoor track. Sixteen times around the track equals a mile. The track has a rubberized track surface with multiple lanes, reversing travel patterns, and a rest/stretching zone that overlooks the plaza and downtown skyline. The track is available for rent for $75 per hour.


The playground features rubber safety surfacing. The natural play areas have playground mulch.


The playground is designed for all ages. The playground includes areas for ages 2 to 5 years and 5 to 12 years, and several features are inviting for teenagers and adults.


The playground has adult exercise equipment, a skywalk climbing feature, and nature play elements.

The splash pad operating hours are 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Sunday.

No lifeguard is on duty. Use at your own risk. Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

In the event of an emergency, call 911. Use the address of 505 Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Visitors are required to dry off after using the water feature before entering the community center and be in dry clothing before riding the carousel.

The carousel, circa 1923, was purchased in 1937 for $4,000. The band organ is a Wurlitzer 146A with an ornately carved and decorated facade. Carousel hours vary depending on the season and may close early due to inclement weather.

Masks are strongly suggested while in the carousel building and riding the carousel.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance on RecLink or in person at the front desk in the community center. For more information, call 919-996-6590.

John Chavis Memorial Park: Past to Present is an outdoor exhibit interpreting events that impacted the development of the park while highlighting community stories from the park's earliest days up to the present. The outdoor exhibit is located by the historic carousel house and playgrounds.

Learn more about the exhibit, planning process, and history of John Chavis Memorial Park.

The track is 330 meters (five times around the track measures a mile)

Request your field rental online using RecLink or by contacting Athletics at 919-996-2154.

Take note: Requests will be subject to staff approval. Upon approval, payment will be required to confirm the reservation. Your reservation is not finalized until you receive confirmation of your payment.

John Chavis Memorial Park has meeting rooms, fields, a reception hall, picnic shelters, a gymnasium, and more available for rent.

4worldlovers:
Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

4worldlovers: Bring the whole family to look through telescopes with Morehead Planetarium & Science Center and Raleigh Astronomy Club on Saturday, May 20 from 9:00 - 11:00 pm on the Big Field.

Dix Park has a new 9-Hole Temporary Disc Golf Course coming this summer to Harvey Hill! The course will be open for play Friday, May 12 - Sunday, July 9. Course map and more info at the link below.

Your favorite classes and activities like Yoga in the Park, Connect + Create art classes, and Birdwatching return this spring. Upcoming events include a Skywatching and Flight Day!

Preschoolers will have fun learning about animals and nature at the park. Stories, games, songs, and live creatures bring this program to life for little learners!


Enjoy the nature and tranquility of Dix Park with a yoga class to increase strength and flexibility. All fitness levels welcome!

There are multiple entrances to Dorothea Dix Park. The most widely used entrances are Hunt Drive at Western Boulevard, South Boylan Avenue at Western Boulevard, Umstead Drive at Lake Wheeler Road, and Goode Street at Lake Wheeler Road. Because this is an active staff campus for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the next few years, parking at Dorothea Dix Park is limited during business hours. On weekends, visitors may park in any of the parking areas striped green.