Are you looking for information about Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park? If you want to know all the reasons this is a great park for kids, you’ve come to the right place. Local mom, Erika, has reviewed all of Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park’s amenities and is sharing why it is one of her kids’ favorite parks. 

Goodbye to those hot, humid days of summer, and hello to the cooler, crisp air that fall brings! Now is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors, and what better way to do that than to check out one of the wonderful parks that Spartanburg has to offer?

One park worth mentioning, and well worth the trip to Boiling Springs, is Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park, located at 591 McMillan Blvd. Whether you have never heard of it before, or just haven’t had a chance to make it out there, there are multiple reasons to add this park to your “to-do-with-the-kids” list.

Want to explore other parks? Here’s a round-up of the best parks and playgrounds near Spartanburg, SC and Greenville, SC.

What’s so great about Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park?

How is the playground?  Great; but we’ll get to that part later. Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park offers a lot more than just a playground and a few swings. Seven different sports fields, with football goal posts and soccer goals, are located in this gem of a park, so bring your soccer ball along and let the kids run off some of their energy. The fields are well maintained with the grass kept short and fire ant mounds are sprayed frequently.

Inside the park, lies Shoally Creek Disc Golf Course. This 18-hole course sits on a “hilly” landscape, making it a bit more exciting, and most of the course is played through the woods. A course map is posted near the start, of course, giving you an idea of what to expect as you play. A wildlife sign is posted, so keep a lookout for the critters that call the woods home. The course is open during daylight hours and is free of charge, just be sure to bring your own discs.

If you’re a fan of Disc Golf, check out our list of more locations where you can play Disc Golf In Spartanburg.

Nestled in the back of the park, away from the noise of the playground, you will find a sand volleyball court, as well as a caged tennis court, with three courts located inside. You will also find a paved walking trail with “doggy bag” receptacles, so leashed pets are welcome on the trail.

The playground is great too

What is a park without a playground? Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park offers not one, but two fenced-in, fun playgrounds geared toward children ages two and up. The smaller playground is designed for children age two to five and offers multiple height-appropriate slides, a tic tac toe board, a steering wheel, a bridge, and multiple ways to climb onto the playground, such as stairs, an arched ladder, and a climbing wall. The playground is open underneath so your little one can run under it for added play space. With twelve swings total, four are kiddie swings for children four-years-old and under, and eight regular swings, it’s not likely that your child will have to wait their turn for a swing!

The larger playground, geared toward children age five to 12, doesn’t lack space or fun! A large bridge connects two different parts of this awesome playground, and each side includes a covered “treehouse-like” area. Various slides, ranging from smaller ones with less of an incline, spiral slides that are high enough to include three spirals before you reach the bottom, and side-by-side slides so your children can race each other down, sit on all sides of this playground. Multiple climbing walls, stepping stones, and staircases can turn this playground into a fun obstacle course, amongst other fun ways to enjoy it.

Neither of the playgrounds is made of wood, so no need to worry about pulling any splinters out at the end of the day. The ground of the playground area is mulch; however, there is soft padding at the end of each slide so your child has a soft place to land.

What else makes this park great?

Convenient options can make or break a park for parents, and Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park does not fall short in this category. Some of the most dreaded words a parent wants to hear 10 minutes after arriving at the playground are “I have to go potty!” only to realize that the closest bathrooms are all the way back home. This park has a men and women’s bathroom, located near the tennis courts, with multiple stalls and a changing table; and more importantly, these bathrooms are kept clean! There are several benches throughout the playground area for parents to sit and relax while their children play. Shaded areas with picnic tables are easily accessible, so you can pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic with your family. The playground area is fenced in, reducing the worry of your child running into the parking lot. Trash cans are situated throughout the park for your convenience and are frequently emptied to keep bugs away. Beverage vending machines are located near the fields closer to the park entrance, as well as a concession stand that is open during organized sporting events.

As with any public park, there are rules set in place for the safety of everyone.  Glass containers are not allowed, so keep that in mind if you decide to pack a lunch.  While leashed pets are allowed in certain areas of the park, they are not allowed in the fenced playground area; however, service animals are allowed in all areas of the park.

The park is open 7 days a week, park hours vary throughout the year:
Nov. 1‐ Feb. 28: 7 am ‐ 7 pm
March 1 ‐ Oct. 31: 7 am ‐ 9 pm

You can view the full list of park rules here.

Do your kids love Va-Du-Mar McMillan Park as much as mine do?