Day Trip Idea: High Point City Lake Park

By Laura Dydek 

City Lake Park is a fun Day Trip destination nestled right in our very own High Point! This park has so much to offer and will keep your kids entertained all morning. I have been to this park several times before this visit, but never when the “attractions” were open! It made a huge difference for my 3-year-old and took an everyday playground trip to a whole new level. City Lake Park offers a large inclusive playground, picnic shelters, beautiful lake with fishing and boating, mini golf, carousel, train, and concession stands. Attractions are currently only open on the weekends but are open daily during the summer.

Mini Golf

My son is currently an avid mini golf player, so when he found out there was mini golf involved, he had a one-track mind. Our family lives in Winston and it took us about 30 minutes to get there. We arrived right at 10am when the attractions open to give us ample time to explore and play before we had to return home for naps. We went right to the concession stand to purchase our mini golf tickets and get our clubs and balls. The 18-hold course is small but has unique, fun holes to play! My 3 year old had a blast and my husband and I enjoyed from friendly competition (I won).

Train Ride

You can purchase tickets for all the attractions at the concession stand, centrally located at the park near the mini golf course. The attractions are all very reasonably prices and 3 and under is free with a paying adult! It costs $2.75 for a round of mini golf. We wanted to ride the train next so we purchased tickets for my husband and I for $1.25 each and my son was free. The train ride was really sweet. The actual ride was a figure 8 track around the playground side of the park. It ran along the water’s edge and went through one tunnel. It was a short ride but did the trick for my 3 year old. In fact, he talked about it for the rest of the day!

Marina

We took a little break after the train ride and bought some nachos from the concession stand and snacked on the snacks I had packed for the day. There are picnic tables near the mini golf course, as well as a large pavilion you can use if it is not rented out for the day. We also took some time to walk around the water and explore the marina area. We were a little early for boat rides, but it was nice to stroll and take in the scenery.

Carousel & Playground

Next, we gave the carousel a try! If I’m bring honest, this carousel has seen better days. It was $1.75 for a ticket for me to ride and my son was free. He had a blast and didn’t seem to notice how nervous I was or how dated the ride was. The carousel is located right in front of the playground so after the ride, he was ready to climb and play. The playground is fenced in and spread out! In addition, the actual equipment is large and has sections appropriate for all ages. We had a blast playing on the playground, the fire truck, and the swings!

 

 

We took one more lap around the marina area to check out some ducks and geese who stopped by, and then made our way back to the car. One thing worth mentioning is there is a lot of construction happening at City Lake Park right now. They are working on renovating their large pool area and adding a community center. Both projects are set to be completed by summer 2023. If you’re looking for somewhere to mix up your typical playground visit, a trip to City Lake Park is just the place.

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