Bond Park - Lazy Daze Playground is Wonderful

Shhhhh ... don't tell. We fed the duckies! I've been meaning to go to Bond Park in Cary for months but finally made it to play.

I took two toddlers and headed straight to the Lazy Daze Playground. What a great playground! There were two swing sets- one for babies and the other for big kids, two jungle gyms (one for big, and one for smaller kids) and two sandboxes. It was a lot of fun, and the parents and grandparents were so nice.

Then the girls and I headed for the boat dock. There is a trail, docks and even a little beach where we fed the ducks some bread. The hardest part was the parking situation. To park close to the playground meant you were a longer walk from the dock. I wish I had brought my double stroller because it was just a little too far of a walk for my rapidly tiring toddlers to hoof it on the way back. So we drove.

With older kids, no problem...  with the really small ones it's a bit more challenging.

Bond Park is wonderful, but the facilities are pretty spread out. Below is a list of features at Fred G. Bond Metro Park from the webpage on the Town of Cary website.

• Bond Lake
• Bond Park Boathouse
• Challenge Ropes Course
• Sertoma Amphitheatre
• Kiwanis Picnic Shelter
• Lazy Daze Playground
• Buehler Picnic Shelter
• Athletic fields
• Multi-use field
• 4.2 miles of trails
• Compost Education Center
• Screened Porch

801 High House Road
Cary, NC

HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful park, lots of options for kids big and small, nice playground, great dock area and beach-like area to feed duckies, lots of sitting areas, very well maintained.

LOW LIGHTS: This park is really spread out, so you have to park and walk if you're going to visit more than one hot spot, bathrooms were not close to the playground.

COST: Free!

Don't Feed the Ducks! But You Can Play with a Turtle!

Don't do this! Ha, even though my daughter (3) did fall in the water, that's not why. You're not supposed to feed the ducks at Bass Lake. In fact, you're not supposed to feed any of the wildlife. WHOOPS!

My friend, Amanda, and I were so bored last week. We just couldn't think of anything to do. We almost just stayed back played in the cul de sac, again.

Instead we grabbed some old bread and headed to Bass Lake Park (off of Bass Lake Road) in Holly Springs. Since there are two 1-year-olds and one 2-year-old between us, we missed a few signs. The girls started to feed the ducks, who darted toward us at the edge of the water. In fact, they wouldn't leave us alone when the bread quickly ran out.

About 5 minutes later, park personell came over to show us, rather politely I might add, that there were signs (which we were almost sitting on) asking people not to feed the animals. WHOOPS!

But he was incredibly nice and told us about a little nature center in the Bass Lake Park pavilion. I must say, I've been to Bass Lake a dozen times and had no idea this was there. I knew about the ducks, the boat rental, the beautiful deck on the pavilion and even the trails (which are a bit rough for toddlers).

The North Carolina Environmental Education Center was wonderful. Ella and Dani (both 1 1/2) and Jordan (almost 3) loved it. They played for at least 30 minutes without a problem. There were live snakes, fish, books, toys and even a live turtle that wasn't even contained. All three girls loved the turtle. I appropriately named it Shelly.

I don't usually encourage rule breaking, but this is the exception. If we hadn't broken their rules, we wouldn't have met Shelly or found this great little facility.

Bass Lake Park
900 Bass Lake Road
Holly Springs, NC

HIGHLIGHTS: Live animals (but in terrariums so you don't have to touch them), lots of books, friendly staff and other educational toys/tools. (See also cost)

LOW LIGHTS: There were a few unprotected "don't-touch" items and even a few rock samples which both 1-year-olds put in their mouths. It's not terribly clean. 

COST: FREE

Where is my second favorite place to go? HARRIS LAKE

A reader (yay, I have a reader) asked where my second favorite place to go is - I am partial to outdoor activities.  I love going to Harris Lake in New Hill because it has two sets of jungle gyms - one for older kids (I am counting my oldest, Jordan, who is 2 as an older kid) and another for my 1-year-old, Dani. (Harris Lake is just off of New Hill/Holloman Road)

It's also incredibly close to my neighborhood, so it becomes my default when I'm tired of the neighborhood playground but don't want to drive to downtown Raleigh.

Harris Lake Park also has walking trails, biking trails and a dock off of which people can drop their fishing lines. My kids love running up and down the dock, screaming, pounding their feet and spit fishing. That's when we peak our heads over the top rail and spit into the water (classy, I know), and the fish just attack the spit.

There's a great open field where my girls like to run, kick a soccer ball and fly kites. We also held Jordan's 2nd birthday there in one of the shelters. It was perfect, inexpensive and it went off so well a good friend of mine did the same for her son's birthday just weeks later. That's a pretty good sign.

We'll probably make it to Harris Lake some time next few weeks. They have a lot of activities at Harris Lake Park, and I plan to attend a few this summer and write about them. You're welcome to look back for photos and more.

HIGHLIGHTS: Free & there are options for older & younger kids

LOW LIGHTS: Ticks! Spray your kids, they are everywhere & they're the small ones & it's located on Shearin Harris Nuclear Plant land so there's a cooling tower in the backdrop (freaked me out at first but I'm very comfortable with it now OBVIOUSLY)

PRICE: Nothing

GAS COSTS: Minimal for those in Holly Springs & Apex

ADDRESS:

2112 County Park Dr
New Hill, NC 27562

 

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