Washington Park in Springfield IL

If you live in or around Springfield, IL, don't pass up the opportunity to stop in at Washington Park located at S Grand Ave and MacArthur Blvd.  This is a great park for many activities, a quick walk over the lunch hour, fishing with the kids on the weekend, feeding the ducks, playing Frisbee, hiking or just enjoying a quiet picnic.

Playgrounds

There are at least two playgrounds located in the park.  The main one will give your kids hours of enjoyment, and has space for playing Frisbee, throwing balls, or just playing tag to the side.  Tired of the munchkins climbing the walls at home?  Sand pit, swings, slides, rock climbing, and much more will keep your kids entertained for free for hours, just think of it as free babysitting!


Hiking

Many people do not realize there are many hiking trails scattered throughout this park.  Check around the ponds and behind the playgrounds for several nice trails!  As with any hiking trip, if you are going in the summer, hose everyone down with some deep woods off so you can enjoy it without being carried off by the mosquito's.

You will usually see squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and an occasional deer during your hikes.  Sit down on the side of the trail for 10-15 minutes and watch the forest come alive around you!



Ducks
You (and your kids) can enjoy seeing the ducks, just watching them or feeding them.  If you feed them, get ready to be mobbed!  You can also drop small pieces of bread in the water and feed the fish as well.  Tip of the day - the bread store next to the gas station at the corner of Jefferson and Bruns lane often has "duck food" or stale/expired bread available very cheap.  Just be aware a "bag" is a grocery bag full of bread, so that's a lot of bread!  Imagine my surprise when I asked for several bags the first time...


Fishing
I haven't seen many big fish out of these ponds, but my girls absolutely love fishing here because it is so fun.  Get some small wax worms, put them on a #8 hook with a bobber, and you should get a little sunfish with almost every cast during the summer and fall months in the right spots.  If you aren't getting bites, move!  Toss them back so the next person can enjoy!

Treasure Hunts!
Check http://www.letterboxing.org/ and http://www.geocaching.com/ to see if there are any treasures to be found today!  If not, why not hide something so that the next person can find it?

Other Activities
There are lots of other activities to keep you busy as well, ranging from the botanical garden, to tennis, to music in the park.  Check out http://www.springfieldparks.org/parks/washington.asp for more information.