CT Mommy Blog

128 Jacobs Street, Bristol, CT

Since the temperature is heating up in Connecticut I wanted to bring my little ones to a splash pad to cool down. We headed to Rockwell Park in Bristol, CT to check out the playground and splash pad.

It was my first time visiting Rockwell Park and I must say that I was very impressed. There are so many different areas of the park to enjoy. There is a great playground, splash pad, outdoor pool, picnic areas, skate park, basketball court, volleyball court, and hiking trails. There’s also a pond and the Pequabuck River on the property. In the summer they feature “Rockin’ Out at Rockwell” summer concerts in the park.

We started our day off at Mrs. Rockwell’s playground. It’s located between the skate park and splash pad. It has a castle-type design with flags at the top of each structure. There are many trees around that give much needed shade on hot summer days. There are also plenty of benches for parents to sit and watch. The playground features two playscapes; one for ages 2-5 and the other for ages 5-12.

Playground for ages 2-5

Playground for ages 5-12

Picnic Area

After spending some time on the playground we decided to head over to the covered picnic area for some lunch. There were only two picnic tables but we had not trouble finding a spot. There is also plenty of space to bring a blanket and enjoy lunch on the grass. I also noticed that the ice cream man seemed to be permanently parked next to the playground the entire time we were there.

Splash Pad

We visited the splash pad on the first full week off from school. It was really busy but we still had a good time. The splash pad is open from the end of June until the end of August. It’s open daily from 10 AM – 6 PM. This year the splash pad opened 2 weeks before the pool because of heat. Check with Bristol Parks and Recreation for exact dates of operation.

The splash pad is fenced in on 3 sides. There are sprinklers at all different heights that alternate going on and off. There’s room for parents to sit along side on their beach towels and beach chairs. There were also a few benches for sitting.

TIP: Wear bathing suits or change into suit in car. There were no changing areas (at least not when the pool was closed). There were also only porta potties to use for potty breaks.

Next to the splash pad is another small and older playscape for young children with a few baby swings. Behind the playscape is the beach volleyball court. I didn’t see anyone playing volleyball but there were a bunch of kids digging in the sand with their sand toys.

Pool

The pool opened a few days after we visited so I didn’t get a full look. It’s an outdoor pool located next to the splash pad. It’s fully fenced in for safety. The Rockwell Park Pool is open from 1 pm – 7 pm. It’s open in the morning for swim lessons through the Parks & Recreation department. The pool is open to residents and non-residents. Cost of admission to pool for Bristol residents: $2 adults, $1.50 seniors, $1 children; non-residents: $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 children.

Before leaving we decided to take a walk to see the rest of the park. We ended up feeding some hungry fish in the pond, saw turtles swimming around, and walked along the bridge. The grounds are beautiful.

Rockwell Park was a hidden gem. I’m so glad I found it. Since it’s one of the closest splash pads to us I can see us coming back often. It’s a great spot for a family day trip.