Crescent Lake Park

Crescent Lake Park is probably one of the most used parks in the eastside of St. Pete. The lake is filled with ducks, a fantastic family of geese, and turtles that were out by the droves yesterday. There is a sidewalk running path which is about a mile and a quarter all the way around. There are tennis courts, two dog parks a little pup and a big pup one, and a baseball diamond. Where you see a lot of action is near the playground and a large open field that seems to always have something going on. Yesterday there was a stroller mom class, people playing freebie, people kicking the soccer ball around and a family flying a kite. The day before we were there, they were filming a movie about bearded men. They host an a semi-annual garage yard sale one of which is in September and several other events throughout the year. It is a hub of activity.

I have written about Crescent Lake a lot over the years. I claim it as Baby Friendly in 2011 and as an asset in the St. Pete versus Tampa in 2007. It was the place Lydia first went to the playground and had a first swing. A place I meet up with friends to chat and walk or watch badminton. It is really is a treasure.

The feeding of the ducks can be a challenge. We have feed ducks at Crescent often. There are lots of hungry birds there including seagulls, lots of them, and what can only be their first cousins these little white birds with orange bendy beaks that are just as pushy and overwhelming. Lydia has gotten slightly more brave but the bread comes out the birds come flying from all over taking food right from the ducks and if the geese are there that is a whole other dimension of intensity.

However, there are a few things that could be a little better. The playground equipment is mostly one big structure that all connects. There are 5 slides on it and really just a lot of ways to get up to those slides. There are some swings and a couple of riding cars. The 2-5 year old area has one baby swing and a plastic blue car; nothing else. The park isn't fenced in which allows for little ones to run a little too far too fast. I wish it had slightly more to do for the kids because we frequent this park so much. The playground is placed perfectly in a shady area which makes it great most of the year.

That being said kids seem to find other things to do in the great outdoors even when they seemingly have limited equipment, whether it's viewing the turtles sun, chasing the birds, making new friends climbing the roots of trees or just being a little silly with old friends.