Looking for an awesome playground and park in one? Head to Pleasant Grove and check out Discovery Manila Park where you’ll find an incredible playground AND some great sports areas all at the same place.
Is The Park Called Discovery Park or Manila Park?
It can be kind of confusing that this park has 2 different names. The truth is that the main park is called Manila Park and the playground area is Discovery Park. It’s all at the same place and they’re connected, so many people call the area Discovery Manila Park or Manila Discovery Park. Either way, it’s the same place.
Where is Discovery Manila Park located?
Manila Park is located in Pleasant Grove Utah. It’s on the east side of Pleasant Grove near the base of the mountains. It’s got easy access from most of northern Utah County, so it’s really popular.
What Makes Manila Discovery Park Great?
To really showcase what makes the park great, you have to break it down into areas. Discovery Park is great because of the playground structure (I’ll share details below). It’s well thought out and is a great all-ages playground in Utah County.
The section known as Manila Park focuses on lots of space and sports fields. It’s more spread out than most other parks and there’s really just a ton of space here.
We love that there are areas for older kids and adults to play sports while the younger kids can be nearby on the playground (though it’s far enough away that young kids will still need direct supervision). It’s a great place for the whole family to hang out and play!
Facilities at Discovery Manila Park
Good park facilities always make a visit easier and more enjoyable. Luckily, Manila Park has no shortage of facilities to help you enjoy your time there more.
- Large Playground with separate areas for older and younger kids
- 2 restroom areas – 1 by the playground and one near the sports courts
- Water fountains and bottle-filling stations throughout the park
- 4 tennis courts
- 6 pickleball courts
- 4 baseball diamonds
- Walking/biking path around the whole park
Other Nearby Adventures:
- Harvey Park Utah: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go
- Highland Glen Park and Pond – The Perfect Family Escape!
- A Complete Guide to Liberty Park
- Springville Splash Pad: Water Play with an Artistic Flare
- Fly Fishing the Provo River with Kids
Discovery Park Playground at Manila Park
The real reason that we came to the park was for the playground. It’s massive and incredible and we LOVE IT so much! Truthfully, it’s one of the best-designed playgrounds around and our kids all love it. It’s one of those places where no matter when we go, it just ignites our kid’s imaginations and full childhood magic just takes over. We also love that the equipment is sturdy and solid, so it’s a great place for mom and dad to play WITH the kids instead of just watching from the bench!
As you get to the playground, you’ll see that one side is designed for kids ages 5 and older, and the other side is designed for younger kids. I love that the areas are separated by fences so that the older kids don’t run through the younger kids’ area and knock kids down.
Once you go in, the whole area roughly resembles a fortress, but there are fun structures all over. Part of it looks like a rocket ship, another like a volcano, one like a boat, and there are several little beehives scattered throughout the park as a throwback to Utah’s pioneer history. There are little places all over for kids to hang out and let their imaginations take off, bridges to run across, areas to climb and play, and plenty of slides as well.
Our kids loved the climbing walls and even had fun in the little maze. While we were there there were several games of hide and seek and tag that our kids joined into, since this is the perfect place for both.
Both the younger kids play area at Discovery Park and the older kids area have slides and swings for kids to play on. The younger kids area has a lot of what you’ll find on the older side, just sized down and more appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers.
There is only one way to get in and out of the park, which gives an added level of safety since you don’t have to worry about kids wandering off and getting lost.
There’s a drinking fountain right outside of the playground and there are restrooms right there as well (since one of our kids ALWAYS has to go to the bathroom when we’re out and about).
Best Time to Visit Discovery Park
The best time to visit Discovery Park is on a cool day or in the morning. The surface of the park is a coated rubber pad, which is fantastic for running and playing on but gets SO HOT. Truthfully, the playground area probably gets a full 10 degrees hotter than on the concrete just outside of it, which can be dangerously hot during a warm summer day. The rubber surfacing feels like it’s radiating heat and can get uncomfortably hot FAST! Plan your day to play there early in the morning or on an overcast day. If you are looking to get away from the heat Harvey Park nearby has a splashpad. Or check out Causey Reservoir or Pineview Reservoir for a whole-day adventure and to help cool off in the summer.
Sports Areas at Manila Park
Manila Park is full of great sports areas, and it’s a popular spot for baseball games and pickleball leagues.
Pickleball at Manila Park
There are 6 pickleball courts at Manila Park and they are very popular with local pickleball leagues. In the summers, the courts are reserved on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-10 pm for local leagues, and there are other changing reserved times as well. To check on league reservations, check with Pleasant Grove Recreation.
Tennis Courts at Manila Park
There are 4 tennis courts at Manila Park, and we rarely see them used. In fact, on our last visit, we didn’t see anyone playing tennis there. If you’re looking for open tennis courts in Pleasant Grove Utah, you can probably find them here!
Baseball at Manila Park
Manila Park has a huge baseball area. There are 4 baseball diamonds, and during the summer evenings, these are almost always busy with local baseball league games. If you’re there for a baseball game, we love that the playground and walking path are both nearby to keep the whole family having fun while the game is going on.
Walking and bike path at Manila Park
There is a really great paved walking and biking path at Manila Park. The path goes around the whole park and is 0.7 miles in total. It also makes a great place for kids to get some confidence in their bike riding skills when they’re just learning to ride a bike since it’s flat and rarely crowded.
Hours of Discovery Manila Park
Discovery Park Playground is open from sunrise to sunset year-round. Manila Park is closed from 10:30 pm to sunrise year round.
If you’re looking for one of the best parks in Pleasant Grove that has both incredible sports areas and a great playground for kids, you can’t go wrong with Discovery Manila Park.