Millbrae Parks For Children of All Ages

Growing up in Millbrae, I have been to my fair share of the parks. But now as a parent, they have a whole new appeal. I felt it was time to experience them from the perspective of a parent. So with my husband David, and my daughter Madison in tow, we set off to see what the Millbrae parks had to offer us.  

We started our journey at . I can remember playing on that tire swing on a sunny, summer day when I was 10. But how would it handle my 17-month-old? The playground area is quite small, with a slide, tire swing and things to climb. Other than a playground, the park offers tables with built-in chess boards, picnic tables, lots of grass and a quiet setting. Parking is pretty easy, which is always important when you have kids and all the stuff that comes with them.

My daughter wasn’t a fan of the tire swing, but thought the slide was pretty great. In my opinion, Green Hills Park would be a great place for a small get-together.

Next on our list was . The parking situation isn’t as convenient as some of the others on our list, but not bad enough to keep me from visiting there. The park is large with newer play structures and options for smaller and bigger kids. And by bigger kids, I mean me and my husband! You could definitely spend a few hours at this park. My daughter thought it was great and so did my husband and I.

, located at the top of Richmond Drive, is small but fun. They have swings, a slide and a climbing structure. There are picnic tables, benches, easy street parking, and a large lawn. This is a great park if you are looking for something close and with just enough stuff to allow your child to burn off the “pre-dinner crazies.”

We then headed towards Ashton Avenue to . This is another small park that offers grills, picnic tables and a really cute playground tailored to smaller children. They have cute little cars for your little one to sit in and “drive.” One bonus is the amount of shade. On a hot day, this would be the park to visit. This park offers just enough fun for a quick jaunt to the park.

The final two parks on our list were and . Both of these parks offer newer play structures and picnic tables. Marina Vista offers grills, a basketball court and the playground is enclosed by a fence. This is a huge selling point if you have a little one who likes to take off running. This would be a great location for a party with offerings for adults and children alike.

My major dislike about Bayside Manor Park was the parking. It is located at the dead-end of a neighborhood street. As you can imagine, most of the street parking is taken up by the residents on the block. And good luck getting out of the dead-end street if there isn’t a space to park. My husband found it easier to drive in reverse all the way out, rather than trying to find an empty driveway in which to turn. I was disappointed that we weren’t able to visit Bayside Manor Park, but I’m sure the residents of that area really enjoy having a park in such close proximity to their homes.

All of these parks and more information and pictures about them can be found in the Directory of Millbrae Patch under Community Resources, Parks and Gardens.

Considering that Millbrae isn’t that large of a city, we are very lucky to have the selection of parks that we do. So take the time to check them out. You just may find a new favorite!