We found a little bit of magic sprinkled at Smith Nature Park in Upper Arlington. Local mama, Lauren Wilson, recreated a space similar to the Fairy Trail in Granville at the small Nature Park, and we LOVED it. Once she got permission from Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, Lauren and other local families started filling the area with the cutest fairy houses. You’ll find them hanging from the trees, hidden in brush, or sprinkled along the pathways. They’re all different and magical in their own way.
There were a ton of different fairy houses. I lost count of how many! My favorite part of the fairy garden trend is seeing everyone’s creativity come to life. I also love watching the girls getting overwhelmed with excitement each time they find one.
While the fairy gardens are absolutely the perfect reason to visit, the rest of the park is not to be forgotten. A fall wonderland that is perfect for little feet to explore. There were a few steps, but they were built into the ground in a way that made them pretty easy to climb up and down. Everywhere else was pretty flat. Overall, I would say this is a very toddler friendly walk.
All of the fallen leaves were so pretty. We explored all the different shapes, sizes, and textures. There were even leaves bigger than the girl’s faces!
Once it warms back up (or when we have a change of clothes), this creek will be so much fun to play in.
Social Distance: You’re outside, and there is plenty of room to spread out throughout the Nature Park. With that being said, where most of the fairy gardens are is a smaller area, off to the side. There is still room to spread out, but as we were leaving, there were 5 or 6 families, and I felt like that was just enough before it would be too close for comfort for some people.ย
Address
1270 Fishinger Rd, Upper Arlington, OH 43221
Parking
We parked just before the Smith Nature Park sign. I think it might have been the church parking lot. If you go just past the park, you will find another lot on your right hand side. If you park there and are searching for the fairy garden, you will walk through the Nature Park and cross a bridge to get there. If you park in the church parking lot, you basically walk right into the fairy garden. Either way, the Nature Park is not big and everything is easily explored/discovered.
This park was the perfect way to add a little magic into our morning.
