Martin Ray Reilly Park
4.1(935)4.1 out of 5 stars, 935 reviews Fresno, CA
About Martin Ray Reilly Park
Martin Ray Reilly Park is a highly-rated, free outdoor playground offering a wide array of activities for various ages, making it an excellent choice for family outings. Key attractions include shaded play areas, separate playgrounds for big and little kids, a splash pad (with caution for extreme heat), basketball courts with evening lights, and large open fields. Parents appreciate the strong family atmosphere, active community supervision, and enhanced safety with police patrols after sunset. It's particularly well-suited for picnics and extended play sessions, thanks to its clean facilities and available grills.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families with children of varying ages looking for diverse play options.Picnics and family gatherings utilizing the grills and shelters.Extended outdoor play sessions due to shade and amenities.Evening outings for basketball or general play due to lighting and safety patrols.Parents seeking a park with a strong community feel and visible supervision.
Why families love it
- Dedicated playgrounds for both 'big kids' and 'little kids' cater to a wide age range.
- Features big slides and extensive open field space for running and active play.
- Includes a splash pad, providing water fun (though activation can be delayed and surfaces can get dangerously hot).
- Offers shaded areas, crucial for comfort during sunny days.
- Two shelters equipped with grills are available for picnics and family gatherings.
- Basketball court with lights extends playtime into the evening hours.
Insider tips
- **Crucial Heat Warning:** On extremely hot days (100+°F), **avoid the splash pad area entirely or rigorously test all cement surfaces for burning temperatures** before allowing children to play, especially with hands and when sitting.
- **Plan Restroom Breaks:** Consider visiting earlier in the day for more reliable restroom access, or be prepared for potential closures in the afternoon.
- **Splash Pad Patience:** If the splash pad isn't on immediately after arrival, wait a bit; it often activates later.
- **Pack a Picnic:** Take advantage of the shelters and grills for outdoor dining.
- **Consider Evening Visits:** The lit basketball court and police patrol make it a safe option for after-dark activities.
- **Look for Vendors:** Intermittent taco vendors might be present for snack purchases.
Good to know before you go
- **Extremely hot days (100+ degrees Fahrenheit)** if planning to use the splash pad area, due to severe burn risk from hot cement.
- Late afternoon visits (after 3 pm) if consistent restroom access is a high priority.
- **Extreme Heat Hazard:** Cement surfaces in the splash pad area can become dangerously hot (over 106 degrees Fahrenheit), causing burns to hands and buttocks. This is a critical safety issue on hot days.
- **Inconsistent Restroom Availability:** Restrooms may be closed, particularly in the late afternoon (e.g., closed at 3:30 pm, but open at 11 am).
- **Splash Pad Activation Delay:** The splash pad may not be immediately operational at opening times (e.g., after 9 am) but typically comes on later.
- Crowds
- **Generally Not Busy:** The park was reported as 'not too busy' on a Saturday morning, and also not busy at 11 am and 3:30 pm on different days. This suggests it rarely gets overwhelmingly crowded, offering a relaxed environment.
- Value
- The park offers exceptional value as it is entirely free to enter and use all its amenities, including playgrounds, splash pad, basketball courts, open fields, and picnic shelters with grills. There are no mentioned admission fees or hidden costs, making it a highly accessible and cost-effective family entertainment option. Intermittent food vendors are an optional additional expense.
- Food
- **Outside Food Encouraged:** The presence of two shelters with grills strongly implies and encourages bringing your own food for picnics and barbecues.
- Accessibility
- No specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., for wheelchairs or sensory needs) are explicitly mentioned in the reviews. The presence of a 'sidewalk trim' around the park suggests some paved paths.
- Safety
- **Police Patrol:** Police actively patrol the park once the sun sets, contributing to a heightened sense of safety during evening hours.
What parents say
"Nice big slides, great filed space, nice sidewalk trim around the park, basketball court with lights at night. My kids enjoy this park, i enjoy it too. Very good atmosphere and convenient. Nice when they do have taco vendors there sometimes. Police patrol once the sun sets which makes it feel safe. Only thing is, it is next to a big street but the playground is in the middle so not that big of an issue."
2 months ago
"We saw this park and thought it would be cool to bring the kids here since it was shaded and nearby. It wasn’t too busy on a Saturday morning with plenty of parking. There is a playground for big kids and little kids, that’s great! There’s also a big land to run around along with a basketball court and splash pad. Splash pad wasn’t on even though it was after 9am but it eventually came on. I don’t know if it’s controlled automatically or if there’s a lever you push to make it work. There are also two shelters with grills that you can use. It was very clean and no complaints at all. I would d"
a year ago
"Nice area, friendly kids but only one thing that bothers me. It was over 106 degrees and in the splash area, that cement area that I sat at burned my buttocks from the front to the back. My kids burned their hands. No amount of water was able to cool down that seat area. We just got up and left. Didn't go back! I called and made a complaint but nothing was done because no one complained about it before. Just be careful in that area🙂"
5 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
