Riverdale Park in Anaheim / Anaheim Hills is impressive with its bright sky blues and almost neon greens. The first thing you'll notice is that it's huge and there's a restroom nearby. But there is more to it if you take the time to look further.
I was lucky enough to have a local mom give me the tour which is my favorite because she could share all the insider info. She joked that it's good to have the fire station and Kaiser nearby for any accidents. It is a playground that has space for littles, but best for 5 year olds to 12 year olds who want to climb. So, thanks to Melissa of @MadresCollective.OC on Instagram.
Location of Riverdale Park near Anaheim Hills: The park is right near the intersection of the 91 Freeway and 55 Freeway at the main thoroughfare of Lakeview Avenue. I visited right after visiting Eisenhower Park in Orange and had an easy drive over without navigating the freeways. Otherwise, you will exit the 91 Freeway at Lakeview and go back over the freeway. Turn left at East Riverdale. (Park Address: 4545 E. Riverdale Avenue, Anaheim) MAP TO RIVERDALE PARK NEAR ANAHEIM HILLS
Highlights
The massive size of the playground is the first thing you will notice. And that the main shaded picnic area + restroom building are close to the playground.
The kids will probably first notice the TWO zip tracks with the round seats so they can sit and zip! Or race even. And they are LONG rides!
This playground encourages what's called "horizontal movement" where kids can navigate the playground by climbing and balancing from structure to structure without touching the ground. Think about playing "hot lava" where your feet don't touch the ground.
It can look like the photo above and also like this where the only way to navigate is to move horizontally across the equipment:
All those horizontal elements attach to what some of you are calling an obstacle course. Kids navigate this big arch to lead to other fun climbing opportunities.
Can you see those wooden benches in that photo above? Well, there are springs at the bottom and the mom I was with told me the kids love to ride them like surfboards!
This playground has a very tall tower with a bit of a corkscrew slide. My mom friend even tested it for me so I could see how it worked since no kids were at the playground when we visited. There are double ladders that are steep and could be tricky for some kids. The edges of the slide felt shallow, but luckily it wasn't too fast.
My favorite piece of equipment was probably this wide slide with a little bit different approach than your traditional slide.
As for toddlers or the 2-5 year old rated playground, this is the one on site and it's fun. Although your little one will probably demand play on some of the older kid equipment.
2 baby swings and 2 bench swings behind the zip track.
Along with a fun spinner! I think I'm going to call it a jellyfish spinner - doesn't it look like one?
You can already tell that this park and playground has something for everyone. If you need a little break from the stimulation, you can head along the sidewalk that leads to the back of the park and the Santa Ana River Trail with views of the river! We spotted some egrets in the water and a variety of ducks.
I think it would be possible to ride your bike from here over to Yorba Regional Park. When I map it out on my Apple Maps, it shows the distance as 3 miles and a 16 minute ride. There are 6 playgrounds at Yorba Regional!
In the other direction, Anaheim Coves playground is 2.7 miles from Riverdale Park and about 15 minutes. The whole Anaheim Coves Trail is lovely. Here is a peek at the playground there:
Be Aware:
Yes, you can see the dreaded wood chips. And NO shade on the playground. So plan your visit on cooler days in fall and winter.
I put access to the bike trail as a highlight, but you'll also just want to have your radar on and aware that people can enter the park from the direction of the parking lot and also from the Santa Ana River Trail at the back of the park.
Also, if you do go out to the bike trail, make sure you look both ways because it is an active bike path. There is a ledge on the other side of the path where you can see the views. Make sure you watch your footing and stay away from the edge.
Saw a report that the women's bathroom stalls don't have doors, but we checked in October 2025 and there were doors on the stalls.
Since this is mostly rated for 5-12 year olds, there are quite a few areas that would be "drop zones" for younger children. Just so you can be aware and available to help.
Checklist:
- Dedicated free parking lot
- Play surface: wood chips
- Restrooms available near the playground
- Softball field
- Basketball court
- Official City of Anaheim website for Riverdale Park
- Nearest public library: Yorba Linda Public Library is gorgeous and only about 8 minutes away or try the Canyon Hills Branch of the Anaheim Public Libraries
Parks Nearby:
