Great Bridge Lock Park

When we're out running errands on the weekends, we like to try to look up a nearby park to visit in between stops. Anouk gets to run off some steam -- we all get to stretch our legs -- and sometimes we find a place to add to our list of favorites. Everybody wins!

The weekend before last, we were out at breakfast at Greenbrier, and on the way home, stopped by Great Bridge Lock Park to explore. The park is named for the Army Corps of Engineers lock that was built to separate the salt water of the Elizabeth River from the fresh water of the Great Dismal Swamp. It's situated on a little peninsula -- on one side, you can watch big boats going through the lock on their way down (or up) the Intracoastal Waterway. On the other, you can see small boats and canoes dotting the tidal marsh. It's a great place for boat enthusiasts, that's for sure.

We spent a little while at the playground, which we rated a solid 8. No water feature (we're still looking for the perfect summertime spot to replace our favorite splash park up in DC), but there were a couple of climbing gyms, plenty of swings, and some cute riding animals. Here is me enjoying one of them. I am calling it 'Woman with Frog Butt.'

Work it.

Some other key features of the park include: a canal overlook, a spacious picnic area, and a walking trail that winds through the woods all the way around the peninsula. James was also really excited to see there was a boat launch -- he's looking forward to coming back in the spring with his new Christmas kayak.

Hooray! We love finding new places! Have you been to Great Bridge Lock Park? Or to Deep Creek Lock Park?