Let me just lead with this: Jamie climbed all the way to the top of a slide, touched it, and flat out refused to go down. It was that hot. And honestly? I don't blame him. I was getting hot just standing there watching him.
Colonel Beatty Park in Matthews is one of those parks that people who live nearby swear by and everyone else somehow hasn't heard of. It's 265 acres, which is massive, and it has way more going on than you'd expect. But the thing that matters most if you're bringing a toddler? Which playground you pick.
When you first pull in, there's a large playground right by the soccer fields with easy parking nearby. It has a solid setup: swings, a big play structure with slides, climbing stairs, and some puzzle-type features built in. Plenty for a toddler to explore.
The catch? Almost no shade. There's some of those flat, stretchy canopy covers, but they don't cover much. We went on a warm, sunny day and that's how we ended up with the hot slide situation. Jamie climbed up, touched the metal, looked at me like I had personally betrayed him, and that was that.
If you're going on a mild or overcast day, this playground is great. Full sun and 75+ degrees? Keep reading.
We pulled Jamie's tricycle out of the car and walked along the path instead, which turned out to be the best decision we made. The path winds past a bunch of picnic areas, each one on a concrete pad (so you're not sitting in the dirt), with its own trash can and a view of the lake. People were just hanging out having snacks, which was really cute and made the whole park feel well loved.
The lake itself was a hit. It's 17 acres, so it's not a pond. Jamie got to see geese and turtles up close, and we passed a bunch of people walking their dogs, which is basically his favorite thing in the world right now. If your kid is in a phase where they lose their mind over animals, this stretch alone is worth the trip. The loop around the lake is about 2 miles, which is a solid walk but very doable with a tricycle or stroller.
Worth noting: you can also fish, kayak, and paddleboat on the lake in warmer weather if you want to level up the outing.
Further along the path, we came upon a smaller playground tucked into the trees. This one is naturally shaded, which made all the difference. It has a little rock climbing arch and two play structures connected by a tunnel. It's smaller and simpler than the big playground, but Jamie had way more fun here.
Part of that was the shade. Part of it was two little girls who were absolutely obsessed with him and spent the entire time playing peekaboo and chasing him around. He barely touched the actual equipment because he was too busy being popular. We'll definitely be going back to this one.
This playground is near a larger gazebo area where we saw people having a party. The park actually has a rentable event space called Lake Pointe Hall that overlooks the lake and fits up to 120 people, complete with a kitchen and grill. If you're planning a birthday party or family gathering, it's worth looking into.
We were mainly there for the playgrounds and the path, but this park has a ton more. Five lighted soccer fields, three softball/baseball fields, eight tennis courts, two basketball courts, four horseshoe pits, and a pump track for bikes called "The Colonel" with routes named Original Recipe, Extra Crispy, and Gravy (because apparently someone on the parks team has a sense of humor). The mountain biking and hiking trails total about 8 miles and range from beginner to intermediate. The walking paths add another 4.8 miles on top of that. Multiple reviewers online rave about how clean the bathrooms are, which, as a parent, is genuinely the information I care most about.
📍 4330 Weddington Road, Matthews, NC 28105
💰 Free
🅿️ Multiple parking lots throughout the park
🚻 Bathrooms on site (and very clean)
👶 Best for: toddlers through elementary age
🐕 Dogs welcome (leashed)
🚴 8 miles of mountain biking trails, 4.8 miles of walking paths
🎉 Lake Pointe Hall available for event rentals (up to 120 people), call 980-314-1000
We found at least two playgrounds, but the park is 265 acres and there may be more we didn't get to. The big playground near the soccer fields has almost no shade. The smaller playground in the trees is naturally shaded and way more comfortable on warm days. The lake loop is about 2 miles. Bring a tricycle or a balance bike if your kid is into that. You can kayak and paddleboat on the lake in warmer months. There's no food or drink sold in the park, so bring water and snacks.
Absolutely. Colonel Beatty Park is a gem in Matthews with something for basically every age. The big playground is the move on mild or cloudy days. The small shaded playground is the move when it's warm. And the path between them, with the lake and the picnic spots and all the animals, is honestly the highlight, especially if your kid is in the "point at every living creature and scream" stage.
We'll be back. Probably this weekend.