Unique Park Features to Check Out this Summer

Among our more than 80 park properties and 60+ miles of trails, Prince William County Parks and Recreation is home to parks that include some unique features. Summer is the perfect time to check out these parks for the first time or revisit them if you haven’t been in a while. From an interactive dance and play arch accessible to all, to an American Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course, to a boardwalk that has become quite the popular tourist attraction, and so much more, we hope you’ll enjoy exploring each one of these unique park features better than the last.

Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center – Sona arch
Did you know that Prince William County is home to the only Sona Interactive dance and play arch in the Washington, DC metropolitan area? The unique Sona arch is located in the courtyard between Chinn Aquatics & Fitness Center and Chinn Park Library. 

The Sona, created by Finland-based company, the Lappset Group, is a 13-foot-tall arch with a play area under it that offers an inclusive, movement-based play experience powered by sound and motion-camera technology, featuring interactive games and data-driven insights that encourage physical activity and intergenerational play. Examples of games include Dance Battle, a high-energy game that responds to body movement and rhythm, encouraging coordination, balance, and expressive movement; and Results Race, a fast-paced reaction game where players move quickly to different zones, promoting agility, decision-making, and friendly competition. Additional games emphasize memory, teamwork, and full-body movement, making the experience engaging for children, teens, adults, and seniors alike. Come check it out!

Locust Shade Park – Warrior Challenge Course
Do you think you can handle the obstacles on our Warrior Challenge Course? Come test yourself on obstacles built to mimic those on the popular American Ninja Warrior television show. The Warrior Challenge Course located at Locust Shade Park is an obstacle course geared for visitors of all skill levels and abilities. Created in partnership between the Department of Defense (DOD) and Prince William County, visitors can expect to test their strength and endurance all while having a blast traversing the many obstacles along the way. More than 20,000-square-feet await athletes of all levels with a mini version of the course nearby for children 2-years-old and up. Some of the obstacles include: floating boards; sway & ninja steps; a warped wall; a two-lane sprinting track; and a real-time electronic scoreboard.

Locust Shade Park also has a variety of other great amenities with a beautiful, scenic backdrop and picturesque trails. Amenities include eight pavilions (available to rent), three playgrounds, horseshoe pits, three tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, 3.2 miles of scenic nature trails, a 15-station fitness trail, a mountain bike trail, batting cages, a driving range and an 18-hole miniature golf course, along with boating and fishing in an eight-acre pond. The park is also home to the Jean C. Smith Amphitheater, an outdoor performance venue that presents family entertainment during the summer season

Rollins Ford Park – Farm-themed Playground and Bike Pump Track
Located off Vint Hill Road, the playground at Rollins Ford Park is a must-visit with its unique farm theme. You can’t miss the large bird structure on the playground, or the barn structure kids can climb to access the slides. Rollins Ford Park also features the County’s first free public bike pump track that opened last November. (*Please note the playground will be closed from June 29 - July 3 for some maintenance.)

Rollins Ford Park also has a basketball court, three dog parks, two picnic pavilions, grass fields (for soccer and lacrosse), a comfort station, walking trails and a water bottle filling station along with water fountains, including one for pets.

Fairmont Park – KABOOM! Community Designed and Built Playground
From design to installation, community members led the creation of the playground located at Fairmont Park. The months-long collaboration between Prince William County Parks and Recreation, Amazon Web Services (AWS) InCommunities, and KABOOM! culminated with building of a beautiful 7,500 square foot playground in the Manassas. Want to ride the slide with friends? Be sure to check out the wide purple slide that fits more than one person at a time. 

Neabsco Regional Park - Neabsco Creek Boardwalk
The beautiful Neabsco Creek Boardwalk has become a popular tourist attraction in Prince William County. The Boardwalk traverses Neabsco Creek, allowing hikers access to wetlands where the tall grasses and marsh filter pollution from the river and provide a rich habitat for great blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, sparrow and red-winged blackbirds, just to name a few of the winged wildlife known to populate the area. The Boardwalk is also a popular spot for wildlife photographers to families out enjoying nature at its finest.

The Neabsco Creek Boardwalk is 10’ wide and 3,300’ long (.625 miles), with a two-level observation deck, a single-level observation deck, and three overlooks. The Boardwalk is ADA accessible via a paved trail from the parking lot. It is open from dawn until approximately one hour after dark daily. Weather conditions may delay or close the Boardwalk for the safety of visitors.

Veterans Memorial Park – Scott D. Eagles Skate Park
The Scott D. Eagles Skate Park is located at Veterans Memorial Park in Woodbridge and is the largest skate park in Prince William County. It features a vertical ramp half-pipe and a 6,300-sq. ft. concrete course and a 60-ft long kidney bowl for a challenging ride!

Veterans Memorial Park is located adjacent to the beautiful Marumsco Creek, Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge and Occoquan Bay National Water Reserve. The park is home to several sports leagues including swimming, soccer, football, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and Little League sports. Grills, picnic tables, volleyball, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, horseshoe pits, pavilion rentals and restrooms are available throughout the park. The park also has a 50-meter outdoor pool open in the summer that features a few slides, some buckets and other splash features that will keep you and your family entertained all afternoon. 

Silver Lake Regional Park – Self-Serve Kayak Rental Kiosk
Want to go kayaking but don’t have your own kayak? Silver Lake Regional Park now offers a self-serve rental kiosk. When you arrive at the kiosk just follow the directions on the sign. To rent, you will need to download the Whenever Watersports app on your mobile device, create an account and then follow the instructions for renting, which include scanning a QR code to unlock your kayak and equipment. To expedite the rental process, you should download the app and create your account prior to arrival at the park. Find the Whenever Watersports app in the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Both single and tandem kayaks are available for rent at Silver Lake and rentals start at $19.99. Paddles and personal flotation device(s) are included with all rentals. PFDs are recommended at all times for both children and adults when out on the water for everyone’s safety. A federal law requires children under 13 years old to wear an appropriate U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. 

The park opens at 7 am and closes at sunset. Please note there are no trash cans at Silver Lake Park. Park visitors are responsible for removing their own trash. Remember to “Leave No Trace” when visiting—what you bring into the park, you must take out of the park.

Ready to get outside and explore these park gems and more? Make sure you download our PWC RecMapper app before you head out. You can map your route, look up trails, parks and amenities, view upcoming events and activities, and so much more!