Discovering The Best Park In Dayton For Kids: Wegerzyn Gardens

Over the past few years, I’ve really been astounded by how nice the Dayton, Ohio MetroParks are. The expansive Five Rivers MetroParks covers 16,000 acres of green space and they’re connected by a huge network of bike paths. Dayton is actually a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community which means every Daytonian lives less than 10 minutes from a path and from there they can hit green green green. It’s an amazing network.

Knowing that a lot has changed since I was a kid growing up in Dayton, I marked all of the parks on my map and we set out to see as many as we could and started with the Wegerzyn Gardens which wasn’t only popular with me for the gorgeous formal gardens, but was an absolute winner with my daughter thanks to their well-designed Children’s Discovery Garden. If you’re looking for one of the best parks in Dayton for kids, this has to be up there on your list.

Wegerzyn Gardens, Five Rivers MetroParks, Dayton, Ohio

Get ready to spend a few hours in the Wegerzyn Gardens in Dayton, Ohio:

Basic Info
A Breath of Fresh Air for Nature Lovers
The Children’s Discovery Garden
The Formal Gardens and Beyond
Map of Wegerzyn Gardens

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Basic Info

Address: 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, Ohio, US
Admission: Free
Parking: Free with ample space
Hours: April 1 – October 31: 8:00am ~ 10:00pm; November 1 – March 31: 8:00am ~ 8:00pm
- Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day
Are dogs allowed at Wegerzyn Gardens: Dogs are allowed in Wegerzyn Gardens as long as they are leashed for everyone’s safety and comfort, and they are not permitted in the Children’s Discovery Garden.

A Breath of Fresh Air for Nature Lovers

Nestled along the Stillwater River, Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark is an 88-acre park in the Five Rivers MetroParks system. Established in 1973 and evolving into a part of Five Rivers MetroParks in 1995, it stands today as one of the region’s most beautiful public gardens. On top of just being gorgeous itself, it also features a gem of a garden for children making it one of the best things to do in Dayton with kids.

Embracing gardening with native plants alongside traditional selections, the park offers an ideal learning platform for home gardeners, too. There are beautifully designed gardens, plant combinations, and cultivation techniques that are perfect for the Miami Valley environment. While I visited to check out the Children’s Discovery Garden, other members of my family who are bicycling enthusiasts came upon the park as they were following the expansive network in the Dayton area and found this park just as appealing on bike.

The Children’s Discovery Garden: Where Fun and Learning Blossom

Right at the entrance, you’ll see a sign toward the formal gardens and one that leads to the Children’s Discovery Garden. Of course as soon as my daughter realized there was a place built for her, we had to go there straight away. It’s a place where kids can connect with nature in an engaging and meaningful way.

We had been doing a lot of nature-based homeschooling in the years building up to a visit here, this park was able to bring so many of our educational themes together in one place. It’s really such a great garden and a lot larger than I expected. If you have kids, plan to spend at least a couple of hours letting them really dig in and enjoy.

Divided into three main areas, this garden is a haven for little explorers. They can indulge in various activities, from experiencing a sensory garden filled with unique plants to playing in the Music Maze which my musician husband even found super enjoyable. In the summer, the plats are full and lush and long vines create hidden spaces beneath trees where little benches have been placed. It’s really quite magical how they’ve put everything together here.

There are sandboxes for creative play where my daughter was happy to stay for quite some time, a Fossil Cave for the budding paleontologists, and interactive water features that mimic Ohio’s natural watercourses. Be prepared to get wet! I highly suggest either bringing extra clothes, or letting the kiddos get wet and then walking throughout the rest of the park so they can dry off before getting back in the car.

The Formal Gardens and Beyond

Beyond the Children’s Discovery Garden, if you can tear your kids away from it, Wegerzyn Gardens features ten distinct areas in the Formal Garden. The Garden Green is a beautiful landscaped lawn lined with Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress and Yew hedges. The Arbor Garden has roses and a mixture of various annuals and perennials, shrubs, vines, and more to look for.

There is an English Garden and Victorian Garden, designed and styled to evoke English Garden architecture and gardens from the late 19th century. You’ll also find some romantic seating areas which I’m sure have been used in a number of wedding photoshoots by now.

Map of Wegerzyn Gardens

You can see the zoomable version of the Wegerzyn Gardens here.

Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark is more than just a park; it’s a vibrant, educational, and fun-filled destination in the Dayton MetroParks. Whether you’re a local or a visitor looking for things to do in Dayton with kids or just a beautiful park to take a walk, this park should be on your list.

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