Westmoreland Park

Westmoreland Park is one of Southeast Portland's most beloved family destinations, and once you've taken a toddler to the duck pond you'll understand exactly why. The pond sits at the heart of the park, ringed by mature trees and home to a rotating cast of ducks, geese, and the occasional heron. For kids under 6, getting within arm's reach of actual ducks is a full sensory experience — bring some cracked corn from home and you'll be a hero.

The park spans about 28 acres, which is large enough that different family configurations can go their separate ways and reconvene later. Younger kids gravitate toward the playground structures and the shallow water areas. Bigger kids and tweens immediately find the open fields and set up impromptu soccer games.

Teens who think parks are boring often end up staying longer than expected once they find the bocce courts or a pickup frisbee game.

Portland Parks & Recreation has maintained Westmoreland well — restrooms are available near the community center, the paths are mostly paved and stroller-accessible, and the park rarely feels overcrowded except on the sunniest summer Saturday afternoons. The neighborhood around it is walkable and full of good food options if you want to extend the outing.

For families with multiple kids of different ages, Westmoreland is one of those parks that actually works for everyone at the same time — not a small thing when you're managing a 2-year-old and a 9-year-old simultaneously. Free parking, free admission, and open from 5AM to 10PM daily makes logistics easy.