Parks & Playgrounds: Salem’s Riverfront Park Playground

By Emy Sloan

There is always so much going on at Salem’s Riverfront Park. It’s right on the Willamette River and is host to many of our city’s best festivals, music concerts and community events!

Located right in the heart of downtown Salem, this park features well maintained paths for walking and biking, a splash pad that runs in the summertime, a large covered picnic area, an amphitheater and so much more.

One of our very favorite parts about Riverfront Park is the playground!

The playground basically consists of two large play structures and a swing set (which includes baby swings.) It is set in a safe and confined area. There are benches along the outside, making it easy for parents to sit and relax while watching their little ones play. There’s a smaller structure (designed for the younger children) and a bigger one for the more advanced! There is a variety of bridges, ramps, stairs, tunnels, slides and many other fun things to discover.

There are restrooms on site and a large grassy area to run around on right next to the playground. There are plenty of picnic tables in case you wanted to bring a lunch and make a day of it!

As you venture further into the park you’ll find a very unique piece of art called the Eco Earth Globe. This giant model of our planet is made up thousands of tiles and is pretty interesting to look at!

Along the river’s edge you will find many benches available in case you would like to sit and take in the gorgeous view of the Willamette. There’s a boat dock below that houses Salem’s Willamette River Queen (an impressive sternwheeler riverboat that offers various cruises, lunch and dinner options, etc.)

In case all of that isn’t enough, Riverfront Park is home to Salem’s Riverfront Carousel AND it’s only a short walk to the Gilbert House Children’s Museum- making it a pretty ideal place to spend the day with your little one!