8228 Michigan Ave, Whittier, CA 90605
Hours: Monday-Sunday (Sunrise-10 PM)
Restrooms? Yes. Located beyond the second playground
Playground Surface: Rubber
Parking Lot? Yes. Dedicated parking lot in front of main playground
Gated/Fenced? Yes. Dinosaur playground is gated but the toddler playground is not
Overview
This fabulous neighborhood park is located in the city of Whittier. One of the many highlights of Michigan Park is its neat dinosaur themed playground. An additional playground is located within eyesight of the main play structure and is best suited for toddlers. One of the coolest aspects of this park is the picnic area. A massive setup of picnic tables and barbecues is accompanied by a stove and sink area, all in a relaxing setting with large beautiful trees providing a canopy overhead. Expansive lawn areas are available here as well as a ball field.
Features
Dinosaur themed playground and a separate playground for toddlers a short walk away
Dinosaur Themed Playground
- Dinosaur skeleton/bones and dinosaur egg
- Dinosaur tracks imprinted into the play surface
- 4 bench swings and 1 accessible swing
- 3 slides, very standard equipment but nice.
- Ramps and walkways, monkey bars, multiple ladder climbers, and fireman’s pole
Toddler Playground
- 3 slides (race slide and 2 standard slides)
- Crawl tunnel and a swinging bridge and 2 ladders
- 2 baby (bucket) swings
Other Amenities
- Massive picnic area covered by trees providing shade with tons of barbecues and picnic tables and a sink and stove area
- Softball field, fitness stations and huge lawn areas.
Scout’s Story
It’s hard to believe that just two and a half months ago, our 15 month old daughter, Scout, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. As Scout continues treatment, we are currently at a pause between chemotherapy, as the doctors await P.E.T scans to determine Scout’s next steps in treatment. While we are currently doing as much as we can to keep Scout from being around others due to her weakened immune system, we also don’t want to completely limit her from doing normal kid things.
Today was Halloween and after spending most of the day inside we decided to try our luck by heading to the Dinosaur themed Michigan Park, which was not too far from our house. This ended up being a great idea and Scout had a fantastic time and her mom and I didn’t have to worry too much about her getting sick as there was barely anyone else present at the park.
As the Dinosaur themed playground was still a bit advanced for Scout, we made our way to the toddler playground and helped Scout navigate the small play structures time and time again. Scout began to ask to do one of her favorite things, which is to swing, so we made our way back to the Dinosaur Playground to let her do so. After swinging for a bit we let Scout explore the Dinosaur bones and just run around until she was ready to go.
As we were leaving, some families had started to arrive and were setting up Halloween jumpers for a Halloween party. It was hard for me to believe that it was Halloween. As we focus on Scout’s treatment and journey, everything else around us seems to have become so foreign. Our family loves Halloween but this year just doesn’t seem to be the same. As Scout continues to fight, we look forward to many Halloween’s in the future, that we will assuredly enjoy to the fullest with her.
October 31, 2022
