If your kids love to climb, slide, and splash, then RUN—don’t walk—to the newly updated McKinney Park in Woodruff, SC! You’ll find a brand new playground where kids can climb sky-high, zoom down half a dozen slides, and leap across the splash pad. Just 30 minutes from Greenville and Spartanburg, this park is sure to be packed out once summer gets started!
Quick Summary: McKinney Park WOW!
This revamped community park has it all:
- A sky-high climbing structure with epic slides
- A separate toddler playground (no big kids trampling little ones!)
- A splash pad between both play areas 💦
- Shaded seating, swings, picnic pavilions & more
Located behind Woodruff City Hall, it’s partially fenced with multiple entrances — just keep an eye on the gates!
📍 McKinney Park, Woodruff SC
🚗 Free street parking on S. Pearson Street & Parkside Drive
Watch! Take a Closer Look at McKinney Park
Tucked right behind City Hall in Woodruff, South Carolina, McKinney Park has long been a staple of the local community—a place where families gather, children play, and memories are made. Originally established decades ago, the park has evolved to meet the changing needs of the community.
And with the recent addition of brand-new, state-of-the-art playground equipment, McKinney Park is stepping into a new era. The park’s new layout and amenities make it ideal for family outings, playdates, and community events. Whether you’re a long-time resident or a first-time visitor, there’s no better time to check out this revitalized community park!
When you arrive, plan to use the free street parking which wraps around this Woodruff park on both South Pearson Street and Parkside Drive. This family-friendly park is partially fenced, and there are gates from both these streets, allowing for easy entry and departure. Parents should note that these gates are occasionally left open, so it’s worth keeping a sharp eye on children, especially around these access points.
McKinney Park’s New Playground: An Epic Climb
The City of Woodruff just unveiled a brand new playground at McKinney Park, and this has got to be one of the best playgrounds in all of Spartanburg County! Since the grand opening in mid-April, word is spreading quickly, and this is sure to become one of Spartanburg’s most popular parks by the time summer rolls around!
The centerpiece is a towering new playset, designed for children roughly ages 6 to 12 years and beckoning with adventure! Kids will climb onto the first level through an array of sensory and climbing structures.
From there, they’ll have the option to slide back down to the ground, test their strength across a twisting rope ladder to the large climbing dome, or climb to new heights through a fully enclosed ropes course up to the sky! For those who brave the climb, they’ll be rewarded with two thrilling tube slides to rocket them back to ground level.
Ground-Level Play for Your Littlest Adventurers
If you’ve got kids too little to make the climb or more timid explorers, there’s no shortage of options closer to the ground, too! The new play equipment features sensory stations at every turn, a spinning merry-go-all, and even more.
McKinney Park’s toddler playground is a huge gift to those of us with tiny tots. It has its own space, set apart from the larger play structure, giving your littlest family members some much-needed wiggle room from the bigger kids who are sure to be running around! One end of the toddler playground is perfectly designed for babies, with low stairs and two low slides. This connects by tube tunnel to a slightly taller play area, perfect for preschoolers!
Splish, Splash, Repeat: Water Play for All Ages
One of the best parts of McKinney Park? The simple, spacious splash pad—perfectly placed for parents and children alike, right between the two playgrounds!
Grown-ups can get comfortable on the shaded benches surrounding the splash pad, maintaining a line of sight to both the toddler playground and the one for bigger kids on either side. And kids can (and do!) run through the ring of fountains and then off to the playgrounds and back again as much as they desire!
Additional Amenities to Explore
Multiple covered picnic pavilions provide ample seating options for parents to relax in the shade while their kids play in the sun, and the main pavilion in the middle of McKinney Park also includes public restrooms and water fountains for families to use.
On the far side of the main pavilion, you’ll find an awesome grassy amphitheater with a large sunshade covering the concrete stage. Surrounded by greenspace and young trees, this is a stellar area to take a break with your kids from the busier playgrounds. On our family’s next visit, I definitely plan to bring a picnic blanket and a frisbee!
Look up the hill, and you’ll discover McKinney Park’s swing set, complete with standard swings, baby swings, and accessible swings. There’s a sidewalk connecting these to the family-friendly playgrounds, splash pad, and main pavilion. A little free library and veteran’s memorial are works in progress along this path, adding points of future reflection for families.
Special Events at McKinney Park
McKinney Park is a gathering place for many of the town’s local events throughout the year. Woodruff’s Farmer’s Market typically sets up in City Hall’s neighboring parking lot one Saturday a month, and youth sports make frequent use of the baseball field. In the spring, watch for Woodruff’s annual Spring Fling and EGGstravaganza events! Plus, a growing summer tradition—the McKinney Park Concert Series! This brings local bands and food trucks to the amphitheater for evenings of music, good eats, and fun.
Keep your eyes on the Woodruff City Calendar for details about these events and more that could be happening at McKinney Park throughout the year!
