We took the kids to Memorial Park on a fine summer night recently. Though the park is near our house, we don’t go often since there is a closer park the kids love.
Memorial Park is known for being what it sounds like, a memorial. Situated at the top of a hill overlooking Dodge Street is a memorial to World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict. It’s also site to a huge free concert every summer around the Fourth of July.
A statue at Memorial Park in Omaha.
On this recent visit, I noticed details there and throughout the park that I hadn’t before before. And I began to feel grateful to have a public space with a little enchantment near my house.
Do you get that way about a park near your house?
Why don’t we go here more often?
Taking in the green space of Memorial Park.
There are a few things my kids love about Memorial Park, a few things that separate it from others:
The Rose Garden
Exploring the rose garden at Memorial Park.
We don’t spend a whole lot of time here, but we always have to walk through it.
I love taking pictures here.
Side note: The rose garden at Memorial Park is a great place to have a picnic with your significant other. Not too many people walk through the garden and so it feels secluded, enchanting.
The Playground
There is one playground at Memorial Park, and thanks to trees on the west side of it, it’s shaded for a large part of the day.
It goes without saying my kids love the playground. You’ll like it too since it’s often in the shade.
The Bridge
I wish I got as excited about a bridge as my kids do.
The bridge over Dodge Street is probably not technically part of Memorial Park but, jeez guys, my kids love walking across it.
It’s also a great way to tire a kid out since it’s far from playground and rose garden.
Walking from Memorial Park to Elmwood Park
If you’re really trying to wear down your kids, it’s a doable walk between Memorial Park and Elmwood Park. My youngest had to be carried toward the end, but the preschooler, he walked/ran the whole way.
Our goal wasn’t actually to make it to the playground at Elmwood Park, so we stopped to explore things along the way.
Once you cross the bridge over Dodge Street, there are some public art sculptures called Sounding Stones that will likely catch your kids’ attention.
Checking out the Sounding Stones just south of Dodge Street and Happy Hollow Boulevard.
They’re curious things, these cement sculptures. You can barely read it in the picture below, but each Sounding Stone sculpture has a word etched in it.
Sounding Stones
If you make it to Elmwood Park, and your kids still have the energy to play on the playground, well then you’re on track to have kids who will sleep well that night.
If you go
Memorial Park
Where: 6005 Underwood Ave.
Parking: Park on the north side of the park
Tip: There is no bathroom there, nor a water fountain.
What you’ll find there: Playground, baseball field, lots of green space, rose garden, walking/bike path, sledding in the winter
Your turn: What park in Omaha do you think is the most scenic?
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