Patterson Park

The basics

Along with two playgrounds, there are almost three miles (five kilometers) of paths for running, walking, and biking, as well as 10 tennis courts, a baseball field, four basketball courts, and a dog park. The outdoor pool is busy in the summer, but come winter the indoor ice skating rink is the place to be. Local bird watchers say they’ve identified more than 170 different species within the park—visit the Patterson Park Audubon Center to learn more. The Observatory (open seasonally) dates from 1890 and, from the top, offers views across Downtown and to the Patapsco River.

Things to know before you go

• The paved walkways in the park are wheelchair accessible.
• A general park map and a running trail map of Patterson Park is available on the Friends of Patterson Park website.
• The Patterson Park pool has specific rules on clothing and the amount of time that visitors can spend there, so check its website beforehand.
• Aside from the enclosed dog park, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.

How to get there

To reach the park’s northeast corner, the historic section where you’ll find the Observatory, head for the Friends of Patterson Park’s address (27 S. Patterson Park Ave.). The park’s southeast corner, at the intersection of Eastern and Linwood Avenues, provides access to the tennis courts, ballfield, and ice rink, and is typically where festivals take place. Cars are not allowed within the park but there is free street parking around it.

When to get there

The park is open from dawn to dusk every day, year-round. Check the park’s website for information on events, such as the popular Halloween Lantern Parade in October and the festive Observatory Winter Lights in December. The Observatory is open on Sundays from mid-April through mid-October, and the swimming pool is open from early June to late August.

Duck pond

Patterson Park’s duck pond offers a bucolic escape in the heart of the big city. On the southwestern side of the park near Eastern Avenue and South Rose Street, the pond is stocked with fish in the summer months and provides a habitat for wildlife including ducks, frogs, turtles, and many species of birds.