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RVA's Best Shaded Playgrounds and Parks

  • Writer: The West End Mom
    The West End Mom
  • Aug 8, 2023
  • 20 min read

Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Looking for parks and playgrounds with shade around Richmond? I have plenty of parks for you and your kiddos to check out during theses hot summer days in Richmond, Virginia. The best part? All of these places are open to the public and free to visit.


I've rounded up the best and worst parks in Richmond based on their shade! I'll update this guide as we visit more parks around RVA with great shade. Here's to getting outside even on the hottest days in May, June, July, August & September!


*Follow @thewestendmom on Instagram for things to do with kids in Richmond and around Virginia!


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The Top 6 Parks and Playgrounds with Shade around RVA:

Here is a quick view at my favorite parks and playground with shade. If you'd like more information on these RVA parks, scroll down to the alphabetical list.


1.Carytown's Grayland Tot Lot: This newly renovated park has a brand new playground with complete tree coverage. This is the best playground to visit on hot summer days because it is not only completely fenced in, but it also has 3 different play structures including one for babies and new walkers.


*Great for playground and all ages


2.Glen Allen's Echo Lake Park: Henrico's Echo Lake Park has incredibly tree coverage around its walking trails, and the playground has almost complete coverage. This is a fantastic park to visit on hot days because there is always a portion of the playground with shade.

*Great for playground, bikes/strollers on the trail and all ages


3.Richmond's Larus Park: This City of Richmond park has kid-friendly hiking trails with almost complete tree coverage. While you feel like you're in the woods, this park is located on the edge of the city and Chesterfield, so you can get to dining and shopping spots quickly!

*Great for kid-friendly hiking, baby wearing


4.Chesterfield's Midlo Mines Park: This Midlothian park is one of my favorite for riding bikes and for strolling with a baby. There is so much tree coverage and many of the paths are paved. You'll even find a couple steams for little ones to splash in.

Great for kid-friendly hiking, biking, scooters and strollers


5.Chesterfield's Robious Landing Park: This Chesterfield park has one of the easiest river trails for kids. You will find strong tree coverage throughout the river trails, and while it isn't stroller friendly, there are trails just for bikes too.

Great for kid-friendly hiking, baby wearing


6. Glen Allen's Springfield Park: This Henrico County park is small, but the tree coverage over the playground is perfect for hot RVA days. The playground and swings are completely covered by trees during most of the day.

Great for little kids


These are the RVA parks I talked about on NBC12's RVA Parenting. Click here if you'd like to watch my full segment on 6 shaded parks and playounds around RVA.


Here are the best parks and playgrounds with shade in Richmond, Virginia.

This list is in alphabetical order. Please note the address, location around RVA, and the notes on shade for each park.


1. Byrd Park: This City of Richmond park has 287 acres of open space, paths, lakes, tennis courts & fields. There are three lakes with sidewalks around them and lots of geese. During the summer, Fountain Lake has pedal boat rides, and a concession⁣⁣⁣that offers snacks, lunch, restrooms and free Wi-Fi. This park is stroller friendly, and my children like the "secret garden."


Where is the shade at Byrd Park? While the paths around the lakes are full sun, there are plenty of shady spots on the lawn.


Location: City of Richmond

Address: 600 South Boulevard, Richmond



2. The Carillon’s Tot Lot: This playground is located next to the Virginia World War Memorial Carillon. I like it because it’s fenced in (except a gate) and it’s perfect for the 6 and under crowd. The main play structure has three slides and climbing features. It has two swings, two baby swings and a swing that holds a big kid & a baby! Bigger kids would enjoy the large climbing feature, see saws and other balancing structures.


Where is the shade at Carillon's Tot Lot? While the playground has full sun most of the day, there are plenty of large trees to escape the heat outside the fenced in area.

Location: City of Richmond

Address: 1415 Pump House Drive



3. Cheswick Park: Henrico’s oldest park just REOPENED with lots of new upgrades! While the swings haven’t been added just yet, the two playgrounds & exercise equipment are ready for guests now. Located across from Henrico Doctors Hospital, Cheswick Park has a playground, bathrooms, picnic shelters, open spaces to run, a stream to splash in, and a mile of walking trails.

The main play area has the same color-scheme as the old one with a reconfigured climbing area - stepping stones, ladders & monkey bars. It has a playground for little kids & a more challenging one for big kids. It has 5 slides of varying heights… and it still has the FASTEST slide in Henrico!


Where is the shade at Cheswick Park? The best shade is found on the walking trails, by the stream and by the picnic shelters. The playground has a little bit of tree coverage, but for the most part it is in the sun.


Location: Henrico County, West End

Address: 1700 Forest Ave, Henrico, Virginia 23229



4. Crump Park: Crump Park has a massive playground, picnic shelters, trails, large open fields, a fishing pond, and historic Meadow Farm. Meadow Farm is an 1860 living history farm site & museum, plus it has animals, too! As a bonus, RF&P Park is located inside Crump.


Where is the shade at Crump Park? The best shade is found around the playground and on the walking trails in the woods. This playground is great for all ages and the tree coverage is similar to Deep Run's! There's lots of shade around the perimeter with sunny spots in the middle - the swings, the smaller play structure and parts of the little kid play area have the best shade.


Which areas have full sun at Crump Park? Meadow Farm is located inside of Crump Park, and it has direct sun other than a few trees that provide shade. The largest play structure, the tractor and the corn stepping stones are in full sun. This equipment gets very hot on sunny days.

Location: Henrico County, Glen Allen

Address: 3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060



5. Deep Run Park: This 165 acre park is at the corner of Gaskins Road and Ridgefield Parkway. Deep Run has a pond, 3.4 miles of trails, three separate playgrounds, picnic shelters, bathrooms, a basketball court, soccer fields, and multiple open spaces.


Where is the shade at Deep Run Park? This park has a lot of shade! The two main playgrounds (by the first parking lot & by the soccer fields) have a lot of tree coverage. All of the trails, except the ones around the soccer fields & around the lake, are in full shade. The trail around the lake has partial shade. The soccer field and the toddler playground across from the rec center are in full sun. Check out my reviews on the first playground, the largest playground, and the trails.


Which area has full sun at Deep Run Park? The best shade is found around the two larger playgrounds and on the walking trails in the woods. Equipment that does not have tree coverage will get very hot!


Location: Henrico County, The West End

Address: 9900 Ridgefield Parkway, Richmond, Virginia 23233



6. Dorey Park: At 400 acres, Dorey Park is the largest park in Henrico. With 7 athletic fields, 8 baseball fields, tennis courts, a recreation center, a dog park, two playgrounds, a lake, and a frisbee golf course, there’s plenty of places to explore! It’s also has a connector trail to the Virginia Capital Trail. Located in the East End, Dorey Park is less than 5 minutes from Richmond International Airport.


Where is the shade at Dorey Park? The little kid playground has great shade, while the big kid play area has full sun. The entire playground space is surrounded by trees too.


Which area has full sun at Dorey Park? The large play area is in full sun! The equipment gets hot on summer days. The smaller playground has better tree coverage.


Location: Henrico County, The East End

Address: 2999 Darbytown Road, Henrico, Virginia 2321


*Check here for my full review, and more pictures are in my "East End Parks" highlight.


7. Dunncroft Castle Point Park: This hidden gem is at the entrance of Hungry Creek Middle School. Dunncroft Castle Point Park is located off Francistown Road & it has so much to offer: trails, a frisbee golf course, a soccer field, splash pad and playground. It also has a picnic shelter and bathrooms. 


Where is the best shade at Dunncroft Castle Point Park? While the soccer field, splash park and playground have full sun, the walking trails have shade. We like to visit this playground in the evenings during the summer.


Which area has full sun at Dunncroft Castle Point Park? The playground has full sun. The best shade is found on the walking trails (all toddler friendly).


Location: Henrico County, Glen Allen

Address: 4901 Francistown Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060



8. Echo Lake Park: This is one of the best parks and plagrounds to visit around Richmond on hot, summer days. The entire park has great tree coverage for the majority of the day. Echo Lake Park has a lake, nature trails, two playgrounds, a picnic shelter, and bathrooms. There's also lots of open space for children to play.


Where is the shade at Echo Lake Park? This is one of the best parks to visit in the summer because the playground has almost complete shade. The playgrounds are completely in the shade, and the nature trails are mostly in the shade.


Where is there full sun at Echo Lake Park? The decks overlooking the lake are in full sun.


Location: Henrico County, Glen Allen

Address: 5701 Springfield Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060



9. Grayland Tot Lot: Grayland Tot Lot is the best playground on hot RVA days! It has complete shade & it is completely fenced in with a gate. Plus… the playground & basketball court were completely renovated last summer. 


The play space has a turf surface. It has a few push toys including a cozy coop. It even has a playground for babies - think crawler to ~2 years old. There are plenty of thrills for preschoolers & big kids too! The 2 story play structure is designed for 5-12 years old & there’s one created for 2-5 year olds. The space net is close to the ground & provides low course challenges. 


Where is the best shade at Grayland Tot Lot? The entire playground has tree coverage at all times during the day. The saucer swing has sun in the middle of the day.


Where is there full sun at Grayland Tot Lot? The basketball court has full sun.


Location: City of Richmond, Carytown

Address: Grayland Avenue, Richmond, VA


10. Hunton Community Center & Park: This Henrico County park is located in Glen Allen right next to the railroad tracks! It has a community center, baseball/soft ball fields, a picnic shelter and two playgrounds.

We like this park because the parking lot is right next to the playgrounds, making it a really easy walk with children, and it is next to the railroad tracks. If you check out Amtrak's "Track my Train," you can time your park play around the train schedule!


Where is there shade at Hunton Community Center and Park? While the playground with the swings has full sun all day, the other playground has partial shade and sometimes full shade throughout the day. It's also next to the picnic shelter, which provides full shade all day.


Location: Henrico County, Glen Allen

Address: 11690 Old Washinton Highway, Glen Allen, Virignia 23059


11. Larus Park: This is an 100 acre park in the city of Richmond by the Chesterfield County line. The trails are perfect for family hikes and all of them are in the shade. Hikers will see couple of streams, lots of wildlife, a tunnel, and a massive rock. This park only has an exercise trail - it doesn’t have a playground, parking lot or bathrooms either!


Where is the shade at Larus Park? Almost every portion of the trail is in the shade and there is a shallow stream to splash in. If you've got two little ones, definitely bring another adult with you or save this one for when your kids are a little older.


Location: City of Richmond, near Stony Point and Bon Air

Address: 300 Hayden Hill Lane, Richmond, Virginia 23235



12. Midlothian Mines Park: Located in Chesterfield, this 44 acre park offers paved walking trails, a tunnel, wildlife, a lake and bridges. What makes this park so unique is that it is where the first commercially mined coal came from in 1701. Throughout the park, there are signs explaining the cut stone ruins, coal mining and industrial revolution.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ This park is great for riding bikes & scooters and walking with strollers, but it does not have a playground.


Where is the shade at Midlothian Mines Park? The best shade is on the paved trail that is on the opposite side of the lake (it's a full loop - perfect for strollers, scooters and bikes).


Location: Chesterfield County, Midlothian

Address: 13301 North Woolridge Road, Midlothian, Virginia, 23114



13. Pocahontas State Park: Located inside Pocahontas State Park, Beaver Lake Trail goes 2.5 miles around Beaver Lake. While it’s rated a moderate hike, we make it kid-friendly & stroller friendly by starting at the CCC Museum, walking down the gravel incline, going around the dam & connecting to the paved trail that goes back up to the CCC Museum. The best part? It will only take ~5 minutes with kids to reach the water fall! Make it even easier by going back up the hill instead of trying our loop (~an hour).


Where is the best shade at Pocahontas State Park? The walking and biking trails have almost completely sun coverage due to the trees.


Location: Chesterfield County

Address: 10301 State Park Road, Chesterfield County, Virginia 23821



14. Point of Rocks Park: Located in Chesterfield, this park is 176 acres with a lot of history. The grounds of the park were used during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign, and there are remnants of these battles & historical markers around the park. Point of Rocks Park has two main areas: an upper area & a lower area. The upper area has athletic fields, picnic areas, a large playground with two play sets and swings. The lower area has a play space, 2.7 miles of trails (paved & hard pack), and a floating boardwalk over tidal marsh!  


Where is the best shade at Point of Rocks Park? The best shade is on the trails and at the lower playground. The upper playground does have large trees around it and a picnic shelter, providing some relief from the sun.


Where is there full sun at Dodd Park? The floating boardwalk has full sun at all times during the day. The upper playground has portions in full sun, but a lot of tree coverage around the perimeter.


Location: Chester

Address: 201 Enon Church Road, Chester, Virginia 23836



15. Robious Landing Park: This is a 102 acre park in Midlothian, just 20 minutes from the West End. Located on the James River, the 3.4 miles of trails provide views of the river, wildlife and forest. Since it’s on the river, there’s easy access to the river for boating & fishing. It also has a playground, picnic shelters & a sand volleyball court.


Where is the shade at Robious Landing Park? The river trails are almost completely in the shade.


Where is there full sun at Robious Landing Park? The playground has very little tree coverage.

Location: Midlothian

Address: 3800 James River Road, Midlothian, Virginia 23113




16. Springfield Park: This neighborhood park is located next to Springfield Park Elementary School. There is a picnic shelter, bathrooms, swings, and a playground. There is also a paved trail that loops around the park and the elementary school. The playground has almost complete shade, even in the afternoons! This playground is great for younger kids with its ramps & smaller slides. The trail only has shade near the playground, and then it is in full sun.


Where is the shade at Springfield Park? This is one of the best parks to visit on hot days because the playground has complete tree coverage, and the small, paved loop has partial shade.


Where is the full sun at Springfield Park? The walking trail to Springfield Elementary is full sun. Portions of the loop around the playground have full sun, too.


Location: Glen Allen

Address: 4600 Springfield Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060


17. Westham Park: Nestled in the middle of Westham and close to University of Richmond , this park is surrounded by trees and has a stream running through it. Make sure you bring bug spray if you plan on checking out the creek. There’s a playset for younger children, a climbing structure for older children, swings and plenty of space to run. It reminds me of Westwood Park!


While this park is in a neighborhood, it is open to the public. There is not parking lot -- you'll park at the end of Dogwood.


Location: Henrico's West End

Address: 7906 Dogwood Road, Henrico, Virginia 23229



18. University of Richmond's campus: The University of Richmond's campus is beautifully manicured and has so many shaded places to explore. We usually park at the lake or near Pitt Field (the baseball field). Most of buildings are also open to the public, so you can grab snacks or drinks while your visiting.


Gamble Mills Eco-Corridor: This paved trail goes from behind Tyler Haynes Student Center to River Road/ Huguenot Road. It's about .6 miles with partial shade in some areas. If you visit before 11, the majority of the trail has full tree coverage! We usually scoot or bike to the end & back, and it takes us around 25 minutes.


The lake: Lakeview Walk is a paved trail around Westhampton Lake & it’s open to the public. This trail has partial shade, with full shade on one side. Our favorite parts of the trail are the bridges over the lake & the gazebo on its own “island.”There is a trail around the lake that is partially paved & partially gravel. It’s perfect for children to walk or to push a stroller.


Tyler Haynes Commons is located on Lakeview Walk - it is climate controlled, has bathrooms & food options!



19. Westwood Park: This Henrico Park is nestled in a neighborhood close to Willow Lawn and St. Mary's Hospital. It's located at the corner of Morningside Drive & Keystone Drive (5906 Keystone Rd). There is a toddler-friendly playground, swings, and open space to play. There's also a soccer goal. There isn't a bathroom, but it's very close to lots of places with bathrooms (Willow Lawn and the Regency area). The playground and swings are almost completely in the shade!



The following Richmond area schools and churches have shaded playgrounds, and we love visiting them when Sunday School, preschool, school are not in session.


1. All Saints Church Playground: This playground is designed for walkers through 5 year olds with two sand pits, a nature kitchen, a playhouse, swings and more. It also has some more thrilling areas for older kids. It’s been a lifesaver with two little ones 22 months apart because of the shade, the fence & the sand. All Saint's playground is almost completely shaded throughout the entire day!



2. Derbyshire Baptist Church: It’s off Derbyshire Road, between Gaskins and Paraham. Since Derbyshire has a preschool, this play area is designed for walkers through 5 year olds. It’s completely fenced in, and it’s really nice for play dates (you’ll be the only ones there)!


The playground has been recently refurbished with a brand new play set and bus vehicle. There are two basketball hoops in the parking lot that can be raised or lowered (my 5 year old loves them). Across the parking lot is another play space - it has a mini soccer field, large climbing structure and swings.



3. Mary Munford Elementary School: This is one of our favorite playgrounds because there are so many play spaces. Mary Munford has two playgrounds, a climbing playset & lots of swings. There’s a giant picnic shelter, tennis courts, basketball courts, a large athletic field + exercise equipment.


Heads up: While most of the play structures have full sun, there is a huge tree for shade near one of the climbing structures plus there is a large picnic shelter with fans.  



4. St. Matthew's: Located off Forest, this amazing playground has complete shade! It is a great spot for the 7 and under crowd, too. It has two sand play areas, a steep slide, a playground, two playhouses, a climbing structure and a bunch of regular swings. It is also completely fenced in! St. Matthew's playground is only closed to the public during preschool & church hours.



5. Third Church: The ark playground is one of our favorites! It has a giant, wooden ship & wooden train plus a playground. It is completely fenced in, and it has a special area for toddlers. Third Church is walking distance from the Ridge Shopping Center - perfect for snacks after playing!   


*Heads up: This church and playground are undergoing refurbishment. The playground is currently closed.



6. Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church : This church is on the corner of West Franklin & Stafford Place & the playground is completely fenced in! The playground has shade in the afternoon, so save this one for after naps. It’s small, but perfect for the 6 & under crowd. It’s great for play dates or if you want to have a playground for just your group. Church playgrounds like this made life easier for me when I had 2 under 2! It’s also less than 3 minutes from Ukrop's & Christian's Pizza.


Heads up: The shade is only in the afternoon, once the sun goes behind the buildings.



7. Westover Hills Tot Lot : Located in Forest Hill, Westover Hills Methodist Church opens its playground to the community every day after 1. This tot lot is completely fenced in, making it very easy to parent solo with multiple kids. It's designed for children 2-10, but even babies would love the sand pit! The large playground, climbing tunnel, and spider web will keep big kids moving, even on hot days. It also has two big kid swings.


*The tot lot shares a parking lot with Tablespoon Bakery. Grab some treats after you play!


Looking for a unique, Virginia day trip with shade?


Check out Snead's Asparagus Farm. We spent 3 hours exploring this whimsical, woodland play area, only leaving for food! This sustainable family farm is located in Caroline County, just over an hour from Short Pump . Snead's Farm has pick your own sunflowers in late summer, pumpkins in the fall & cut your own Christmas trees in December. It also has so many areas to play in the shade: the mountain slides, the sand pit, the forest and the creek. The farm currently open daily from 9-5, and their operating hours change throughout the seasons.



RVA Parks and Playgrounds with the Worst Shade:

The following parks & playgrounds have very little shade. Playground equipment can get very hot in the middle of the day, too! If you want to visit them on hot days, try early in the morning (breakfast playdate), in the evenings (dinner playdate), or on rainy days.


1. Glover Park: Henrico’s newest park is located in Glen Allen, just minutes from Lavender Fields Herb Far, . The 200 acre park has turf fields, volleyball courts, restrooms, lots of parking, and a paved path around the park. It’s perfect for running around, playing in the sand or watching games. A running trail, a playground and more fields will be added soon! This entire park has full sun throughout the day.⁣⁣⁣⁣



2. Meadow Farms: The historic farm at Crump Park has very little shade. You can check out the turkeys and chickens under the shade of some trees, and there are some shady spots when you first walk onto the farm.



3. RF&P Park: This athletic park is located next to Crump Park. There are trails, tennis courts, a football field, and baseball fields, including The Glen Allen Stadium. There’s lots of parking, side walks + places to run around. Most importantly, there are four restored RF&P train cars, perfect for train lovers!⁣⁣⁣ This entire park has full sun during all parts of the day.




4. Park 365: Formerly known as ArcPark, Park 365 is an outdoor play area that is open to all ages & all abilities. It’s open every day of the year from dawn to dusk. While this is one of the best playgrounds in the Richmond area, it has full sun throughout all parts of the day. There are two large picnic shelters and a water play area that provide some relief.




5. Play 60 Obstacle: Located at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, this obstacle course has Ninja steps, floating boards, a traverse wall, a turf floor and more. Families can enjoy the park and obstacle course daily from 8:30-5:30 even though training camp was cancelled this year. This green space is next to The Science Museum of Virginia and The Children's Museum of Richmond , and it’s close to the interstate.  While it’s the perfect park for sports fans, it has full sun throughout the day.




6. Poucney Track Park: Nestled between Short Pump Middle School & Striker Park in Glen Allen, this park has so much to explore. There are paved paths, nature trails, pickle-ball courts, open space to play, athletic fields, and the historic Springfield Schoolhouse. Also, the playground is brand new! The playground and pickleball courts have full sun, but there is a small picnic shelter by the playground that offers a little relief from the heat.




7. Short Pump Park: Located in the heart of Short Pump, this Henrico park is bigger than it seems! It includes multiple playgrounds, a dog park, walking trails, a football field, a baseball field, concessions, and a restored 1902 Schoolhouse. The paved walking trail is .25 mile, going from the park to John Rolfe Parkway. While this entire park has full sun at all times of the day, it has a large picnic shelter in the middle of the park and there's a hidden playground behind the baseball field that has partial shade.




8. Three Lakes Park & Nature Center: This massive park is in Henrico’s East End. It has two playgrounds, lots of open space, trails, and three beautiful lakes. There is also a 6,500 square foot Nature Center with 50,000 gallon fish tank, exhibits and a beautiful deck overlooking one of the lakes. The Nature Center is open from dawn to dusk on Saturdays & Sunday - it's a great spot to escape the heat.




9. Twin Hickory Park: Located next to Twin Hickory Public Library in Glen Allen, this park has a lot to offer! It has walking trails, open play areas, 4 sand volleyball courts, a splash pad, a picnic shelter with restrooms, and two different play areas. It opened in July of 2014, so it is also relatively new. This playground and splash park have full sun throughout the entire day, but there is a large sunshade with picnic tables in between the two play areas.




10. Westhampton Green: Also known as Libbie Playground, this park located between Granite Ave & Libbie Ave. While it’s nestled in a neighborhood, it has its own parking lot & street parking. We love this park because it’s fenced in. It was one of the places I could handle alone with a newborn & 2 year old! It is also in a great location. This park is best on cooler days because the entire play space has full sun except in the late afternoons. You can walk in one direction to Westhampton and in the other direction to Super Stars Pizza.



Looking for more Richmond playgrounds to visit? Check out my guide to The Best Fenced Playgrounds around Richmond.


For details on these Virginia places and more things to do with kids around Richmond, follow our family on @thewestendmom on Instagram!


Tags: Things to do with kids in RVA, free things to do in Richmond, family friendly activities in central Virginia, free activities for children in Virginia, parks with shade, the best playgrounds in Richmond

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