We had different plans for Wednesday, but they ended up falling through. Stephen was off work, so I knew we had to take advantage of that time and get out of the house! Helllllo extra set of hands! We decided on Uptown Westerville because they’re home to delicious donuts, amazing coffee (x 2 shops) and a few toddler friendly playgrounds. We intended to hit up two of them, but it was way to hot by 10AM.
We grabbed donuts at Schneider’s Bakery (the yummiest ever) to start the day. Schneider’s Bakery began in 1954 and has been a Westerville staple ever since. Anytime I bring up the shop to anyone, they typically have a fun story or a memory that has stuck with them for some time. Their donuts are $1.10 – $1.20 each and it is a HARD decision to choose! I suggest checking out everything they offer before you go. Not that it will matter because as soon as you walk in, you’re going to want it all!
You can now order online! I saw a few boxes when I walked in. That would make your morning even easier and help with the decision of what to get.
Order online here
I got the girls a simple cake donut to share. It’s safe to say they were fans! Check out Riley’s (far left) face when we asked her for a bite. Still cracking up over her lack of wanting to share. I get it.
Davy Crockett (Cinn. Twist w/ Maple Icing
Depending on whether you’re walking down to Alum Creek North or Hanby behind the library (this is where we went), there are two coffee shops! If you’re going to Hanby, Java Central is going to be on your way to the park, but at the same time – Espresso Air is only a few blocks away. If you’re solo with the kids, I might suggest Java Central because they have online ordering. However, with Stephen being there, I chose Espresso Air. No way I can get our wagon up those stairs! Ha.
I wish I would have gotten his name, but the barista taking my order was SO FRIENDLY. As soon as I walked into the super cute (and quaint) shop, he greeted me with a big smile. Instantly asking about my morning and what type of sweetness I typically liked as I wasn’t sure what to order. The most helpful. This shop is the type of shop you sit down in and feel at-home and cozy. It just has such a good energy about it.
I chose the Almond Joy Iced Latte. It wasn’t too sweet and truly hit the spot that morning! They have a great variety of coffee choices from drip coffee to macchiatos to lattes. But, that’s not all the offers. They have smoothies, baked goods and more. Such a cute gem of a place right in the middle of Uptown.
After I was loaded up on espresso and the girls/Stephen had their donuts, we headed over to Hanby Park. It is located right behind the library. To get there, just walk down the main street in Westerville towards the library. Once you see the library, you take a left on the entrance into their parking lot. You’ll see it in the distance. You can also turn left before the Dairy Queen and take that street back. It is very easy to get to. Just remember it is right behind the library. We parked in a random lot behind the coffee shop, but there is a parking lot right next to the park.
This playground isn’t that big, but features some fun new-age type of play structures. They have swings, a HUGE climbing structure of older kids, a fake grass mini hill and a toddler friendly structure with a few extra things. They do have a splash pad, but unfortunately it is not open this summer. The biggest downfall of this park is there is ZERO shade. ZERO I tell ya. With our hot summer, I would suggest hitting this park early or maybe we will get lucky and have a cooler day coming up? If not, maybe save this park for the fall because it truly does offer a great time.
I love this swing. I am not sure why they’re called, but I call them “Mommy & Me” swings or in the case “Daddy and Me.” It is the best thing to truly be up close to the joy in your kiddos face when they’re swinging. Plus, it’s fun to swing like you’re a kid again!
This slide was the perfect size for the girls. They were able to climb up the stairs easily (they were decently wide) and went right down. E might have gone down on her stomach. We have to work on playground etiquette at home. 😛
I love the vibe of the play structure. It felt very futuristic outer space like. I was going to insert an outer space dad type of joke, but I’ll spare you.
The girls loved this little bridge. There was bit of movement, but thanks to the sturdy rope suspensions it was still safe for little feet. It was interesting to watch each babe walk over the bridge, each having a different awareness of their body and how they moved across. Watching their confidence develop is one of the best things.
I am not sure the point of the table like structure in the back, but the drums were a fun addition.
This structure is like nothing I’ve seen in Columbus! It is VERY TALL and if you have a climber on your hands, this will be their next challenge. The inside is filled with sturdy cargo nets and rock walls.
It’s always a good time to take a break and eat a donut, right? The girls loved this grass/hill feature. This is where I think they could have put some sort of tree like structure, not a real tree – but, something that went with the vibe of the park and could provide some shade!
Other Features
There was a shelter house that had a few picnic tables and bathrooms that were actually open! They did have a drinking fountain, however, it was not available for use. It also is a stop on the Ohio to Erie Trail and because of that, they have bike lockers and bike air pump. The air pump is available for use because I saw/heard someone using it!
We didn’t explore over there very much because there was a mom feeding her babe and didn’t want to bother/ make sure we were social distancing as much as you can at park, but I think there is some fun history on the walls. There used to be an old train station right there! You can read more about the history of transportation in Westerville here.
Next to the park, there is a great green space to run around in. They even have a few bench swings like the ones we have down on the Scioto Mile. This part of the park did provide a bit of shade, perfect for a picnic!
If a picnic in the grass isn’t your thing, they did have multiple picnic tables – under the shelter house as I mentioned and in between the playground and the green space there were 3 or 4 tables. You’ll also notice a grove of oak trees, 8 (I think that’s the right number) have a plaque in honor of each of the United States Presidents which came from Ohio.
We got to the park early and by 10AM it was way to hot to be outside, but luckily we stocked up on portable fans from Amazon. I swear by them! You can re-charge them, they’re powerful and have different speeds, they can be clipped almost anywhere and they have a swivel top that easily moves, but also stays in place. Anytime I see them on sale on Amazon, I grab one! Right now, it looks like they’re $20. You can find it here.
Overall, I really liked this park. I try to find toddler friendly parks that have age appropriate structures and activities for the girls, but also ones that don’t have bigger areas so close that they distract the girls away from playing. What I mean by that is, if we are at a park and there is a huge playground (way to big for them) and it is open and easy to access, they will be right over there! With three toddlers, sometimes thats hard to manage safely. While this playground did have a massive structure far to big for them, it wasn’t a distraction as it is closed in and doesn’t exactly look like a playground if that makes sense! I would say the major downfall of this park (in our current season) is the major lack of shade. As soon as the sun is out, it starts to get pretty hot, including the equipment. I would save this park for early mornings, cool days (crossing fingers for those) or fall time. With all of the trees, it is going to be absolutely gorgeous this fall!
Schneiders Bakery – 6 S State St, Westerville, Ohio 43081
Espresso Air – 25 North State Street, Westerville, Ohio 43081
Hanby Park – 115 E. Park St Westerville, OH 43081
If you’re looking for another toddler friendly playground in Westerville, check out our visit to Towers Park. It isn’t walking distance from this park, but it is a very short drive.
