Depending on the age of your kids or your mood for the day, finding a park without mulch or sand could be an important move for your next park outing. Here is a list of parks in and around Carmel that are mulch/sand free.
Westermeier Commons @ Central Park
20 Central Park Dr W, Carmel, IN
A futuristic giant in the center of central park, the Westermeier Commons playground is a huge park with lots of play options, all with a rubber park flooring and no mulch. When you enter the park, the playground structures will be on your left and a sprawling splash pad will be on your right.
You can find a full park review of Westermeier Commons, here.
Monon Playspace
Along the Monon trail, roughly 571 Monon Blvd. Carmel, IN
Without an official name, this playspace is carved directly into the Monon trail just south of midtown plaza. With a combination of rubber and faux grass, this park is mulch & sand free.
Although small, this playspace is packed with fun features. A large cement slide, a caged lily-pad climbing structure, STEM stations built into the back wall, and a half dome with holes for climbing. It works great if you are waiting for a table at a restaurant in Midtown and want to take the kids somewhere to play!
You can find a full park review of the Monon Play Space, here.
Meadowlark park
50 Meadow Ln, Carmel, IN
One of the newly renovated parks in Carmel, this one is a personal favorite of both me and my kids. Another rubber floor park, there is no mulch or sand in sight.
The park designers did a really nice job mapping out this park. The center climbing structure is designed like a giant tree, giving it a really cool vibe that still gives the kids a “wow” factor when walking up. There are climbing structures ranging in big, medium, and small. Swings, springed teeter-totters, manual merry-go-round, this park has it all!
You can find a full review of Meadowlark Park, here.
Carey Grove Park
14001 Carey Rd, Carmel, IN
Newly renovated, Carey Grove is a modern take on a neighborhood park. Rubber flooring, multiple play structures, swings, interactive music equipment, basketball courts, adult workout equipment, and picnic shelters make this park really easy to take kids of all ages.
You can find a full park review of Carey Grove Park, here.
Inlow park
6310 E. Main Street Carmel, IN
With a grand re-opening in July 2022, this park and splash pad are a hotspot on the East side. In addition to a splash pad, the park has three separate areas to play, all with a different adventure profile–and no mulch.
You can find a full park review of Inlow Park, here.
Grand Junction Plaza Playground
225 S Union St, Westfield, IN 46074
A perfect park for climbers of all ages, the Grand Junction Plaza Playground in Westfield has one of my favorite types of park flooring – faux grass. It’s soft and provides lots of cushion for any falls, but dries quickly and is no mess!
This park has climbing ropes and swings that go on and on, and a separate section for the littlest climbers. It has a short stone wall around the edges that helps to keep little ones contained. Just north of Carmel, this park is worth the short drive!
Simon Moon Park
3044 E 171st St Westfield, IN
Right down the road from the Grand Junction Playground, Simon Moon Park is another great faux grass play space. It’s a smaller playground area but packed with lots to do. My kids always end up wanting to play at this park for longer than I expect them to!
It’s also a great park for a crawler/pre-walker to be able to safely explore. There is a covered picnic shelter adjacent to the playground, pack a picnic and check it out!