McPherson Park
185 Hildreth Street
Lowell MA 01850
Date/time visited: Saturday, March 28th at 1:45pm
Bathrooms: Yes, open during pool hours & sports games
Parking: On street
Shade: Some
Benches/tables: Yes, both
Fenced in: No
Additional features: Traffic playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball fields, and a pool
My five year old son is an avid bike rider, so we’re always looking for new places to check out for him to ride. McPherson Park’s new traffic playground didn’t disappoint! It’s such a unique and impressive addition to the park. The playground is not fenced in, which is the only thing I’d change about it.
Traffic playgrounds are scaled-down roads that give kids a safe and fun place to practice bike riding and learn road safety. The brightly painted pavement shows everything from stop signs and yield signs to homes, buildings, and crosswalks. It’s great for pretend play and real life learning. My son was in heaven!
To top it all off, the park has a bike rack and bike repair station where you can pump your tires or use tools to do any other little necessary fixes.
Because this feature is so new, here are a couple tips: Google lists the address to McPherson Park on Bridge Street, but in order to get to the bike area, I suggest using the Hildreth Street address instead. The traffic playground is located where the Hildreth Street parking lot used to be. You can also park on Richardson Street. The traffic playground isn't visible from the main playground or the sports fields, so you have to look for a paved path behind the playground (next to the brick apartment building) that leads right to the bike area. When I went in March 2026, there were no signs indicating where it was, though they may be added later.
The rest of the park is well-maintained and has plenty of benches throughout. The playground area has a little bit of everything: a web pyramid, monkey bars, multiple swings, a see-saw, ride-on animal toys, and several slides.
Inclusive touches like multilingual signs are displayed throughout the park. There are picnic tables with umbrellas and a picnic table pavilion by the fields to provide shade (definitely a win) and a seasonal snack bar and pool. The pool is open to everyone, not just Lowell residents. See the Water Play guide for more pool details.
There are bathrooms that are open during pool hours and sports games. With softball fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts as well, this park is a great spot for a full day of activity, especially in the summer.
Holly O'Blenis is a mom of four who loves finding new, exciting things to do to create a fun, happy childhood for them! She is an avid reader and crafter who loves the outdoors.
Learn about other local playgrounds in our Playgrounds in Greater Lowell Guide!
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