Kids who love to play pirate or are crazy about boats will enjoy a visit to Davenport Mini Park. Located on Powell Street near the Safe Harbor Marina in Emeryville, this little park has a totally redesigned nautical-themed play structure, plus it’s completely fenced in.
My kids really enjoyed climbing in and out of the ship’s bow, spotting flying birds in the telescope, and pretending the repurposed log pieces from the nature space were lily pads. It seems like a wonderful destination if your children are really into imaginative play. However, it also appeals to the crawling and tot crowd because the play structure is appropriately sized and not overly complicated.
The nature area is less structured — by design. Kids are invited to create with the natural materials. It’s probably best for preschool or older age groups. If you’re visiting with little ones, it would be easy to stay away from this area.
We visited on a weekday afternoon and found parking on the street that was a short walk from the mini park. After playtime, we took a short walk on the surrounding paths to look for birds, boats, and admire the surrounding waterfront sights. There’s also a set of stairs to provide beach access next to the playground if you want to throw rocks into the sand. Use your judgement or do some research before playing in the sand given the proximity to the marina harbor.
Davenport Mini Park Features
Location: 3100 Powell Street in Emeryville
Unique Features: The play structure is designed after a ship, complete with a spacious bow, steering wheel, and telescope. There’s also a slide, stairs and ladders to climb, a log-like tunnel, and balance beam. A nature area is left “wild” and is filled with logs, branches and other plant remnants for kids to stack, build, and climb.
Swings: No.
Fenced in? Yes, it is fully fenced!
Surfaces: There’s a mixture of cushy rubber mat surface and wood chips near the play structure. Crushed gravel in the picnic area. The nature area has grass.
Bathroom: No.
Lunch tables & seating: There’s a small picnic table area near the entrance and another near the nature area. A few benches are located just outside the fenced park, too.
Parking: Easy and free street parking is available along Powell.
Shade: Limited as the landscaping is freshly planted.
Pros: The play structure is brand spanking new. Great for tots and preschoolers. The nature play area encourage discovery and imaginative play with sticks, branches and logs. Located near walking paths and nearby Bay Trail to make arriving by bike or stroller possible.
Cons: No swings may be disappointing to some. The location is incredibly windy because the bay is located to its east and west. No indoor public restroom on site. No grassy field.
The Bottom Line on Davenport Mini Park
This cute park is tiny but the ship play structure is big on fun. It’s worth a trip if you’re shopping at Bay Street or want to switch things up from Christie Park. Just remember that it’s a mini park and may not offer all the typical park features and amenities.
