Okinawa City Athletic Field 3, originally uploaded by juliamagnolia.

CONTRIBUTED BY JULIA

Okinawa City Athletic Field is a convenient place to take your kids to play if you’re in the Kadena area.  This park is located just outside of Gates 2 and 5.

There are a few distinctive things about the playground area here.  There is a HUGE cement slide , a netted play structure that reminds me of a Christmas tree, and a rope climbing wall.  There is also a play structure with slides and tunnels.  A smaller play structure suitable for younger children has slides as well and is surrounded by a few teeter totters.

Directions:

From Kadena Gate 2:

    • Take a RIGHT at the 2nd light which will lead you down the ramp to merge with 85.

 

  • At the 3rd light make a LEFT and enter the parking area on your RIGHT.

 

 

  • You can park here and walk OR take a LEFT at the road at the far end of the parking lot to go under the overpass and up the hill.  The playground will be on your right and you can park on the side of the road.

 

From Camp Lester:

    • Make a RIGHT onto 58 to head towards Kadena Air Base.

 

  • Make a RIGHT onto 23.

 

 

  • Pass A&W and then Gate 5 on your LEFT side.

 

 

  • Make a RIGHT at the 2nd light after Gate 5 and enter the parking area on your RIGHT.  (Be aware that there is NO turn lane at the 2nd light after Gate 5 so if you prefer you can turn at the 3rd light instead and loop back around).

 

 

  • You can park here and walk OR take a LEFT at the road at the far end of the parking lot to go under the overpass and up the hill.  The playground will be on your right and you can park on the side of the road.

 

 

7 COMMENTS

  1. My almost 6 year old LOVED the concrete slide, it terrified me. The climbing Christmas Tree still looked to be in good shape but the actual playground structures (there are 2) were really run down. Most of the slides were blocked off by plywood or removed. Things just seemed dirty, dingy and old. I’d say try it for the slide & climbing but don’t expect the normal awesome playgrounds.

  2. We went to this park the other day and the kids had a wonderful time. They really enjoyed the Climbing tree and running around the playground. I did try the concrete slide, and I am still missing some skin on my bottom. It was steep but not very fast. We had a four year along with us and he went down several times all on his own.

  4. Just finally tried this park yesterday! We loved it there! I’m glad I followed the directions above about parking. We were going to park in the first lot and walk but were afraid that it might rain so we hopped back in the car and drove to the playground. That hill going up to the playground was steep! I saved my poor legs by driving:) The cement slide is really intimidating. I was shocked to see the older kids “skiing” down it! I can’t wait to take my husband there who’s much more adventurous. He’s going to love it!

  5. I, too, am terrified of this slide, but Bob and the kiddos have gone down together and they had a blast. Alan had just turned 2 years old and got stuck using the rope trying to climb up that monster of a slide, so adult supervision is definitely required for both the up and down trips on this slide. The rest of the park is great. We’ve flown kites and played on the playgrounds and always have fun.

  6. I am petrified of that slide. I sat at the top for a spell once and chickened out. Joe went down with Eli on his lap once. Never again. WOuldn’t send a toddler down alone. Many of the bigger kids will slide down on their flip-flops just to go that much faster. I’ve gotten way too frightened of everything since kids so, yeah, NEVER done it.

  7. The cement slide here is the only one I haven’t tried because its the biggest one I’ve seen and I’m a little intimidated by it. Would love to know if anyone actually has tried it or sends their thrill seeking child down it. I have sent my 4 yr old nephew on the Christmas tree net and he liked it. Climbed it, no problem. I’ve also seen people walking and flying kites in this park. Its really nice for picnics with toddlers. Provided they don’t try and go down the slide!