I find that more and more I really enjoy our state and city parks here in Tyler, Texas. This is especially true during the summer months. In fact I should take a moment and plug the state park pass. For seventy dollars customers get free admission to any state park around the state, and half off camping fees. In addition there are other benefits and discounts, and the membership lasts a year so for my family it pays for itself in swim time alone.
That being said, I took the boy to a Tyler park that we don’t normally frequent but may have to start. It’s Faulkner Park just off of 69 south, and I’m not sure why we’ve not spent much time there. It’s really a big park with a lot to do there. Of course the big draw for the youngsters is the spray park, which is essentially a system of elaborate sprinklers and water spouts the kids can run through and under. My son also enjoyed the walking trails that wind around behind the spray park. My one criticism is the lack of good shade. As a parent I enjoy being able to sit at the picnic tables and work or read while the kids play, but it heats up fast out there. To be fair it’s not like the park service didn’t try to create shade. They erected some umbrellas around the tables but they’re not terribly effective. Best bet is to find one of the young trees to sit under. Overall, Faulkner is a really terrific park, and I should add, that it’s not super crowded. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.