Willow Brook Park
Willow Brook Park offers serene wooded trails, a charming carousel, and family-friendly amenities like an upgraded playground and pool.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Quiet trails, fewer crowds
Willow Brook Park
Best Time
Quiet trails, fewer crowds
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Willow Brook Park offers serene wooded trails, a charming carousel, and family-friendly amenities like an upgraded playground and pool.
"Discover hidden trails, a Victorian carousel, and family fun at Willow Brook Park!"
🐾 Dog-Friendly Hiking
Explore the quiet wooded trails for off-leash dog adventures. Access via a graffiti tunnel!
🎠 Carousel Fun
Enjoy a ride on the beautiful Victorian-style carousel, a hit with kids and adults alike.
Quick Facts
Hours
Rating
4.4 · 344 reviews
Type
Park
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Victorian Carousel
Willow Brook Park
A charming, turn-of-the-century merry-go-round featuring 51 carved wooden figures of mythical beasts and horses.
Hidden Wooded Trails
Behind the baseball fields
Discover peaceful, circular hiking paths through a quiet wooded area, ideal for dog walking and nature exploration.
Upgraded Playground
Near the baseball fields
A modern play area with soft, spongy ground, perfect for children's active fun.
Veterans Memorial Stadium
Willow Brook Park
A significant sports venue that has hosted international soccer matches and local football rivalries.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Planning Your Visit
Discover Hidden Trails
Family Fun & Sports Hub
Best Times
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
🐾 Dog-Friendly Hiking
Explore the quiet wooded trails for off-leash dog adventures. Access via a graffiti tunnel!
🎠 Carousel Fun
Enjoy a ride on the beautiful Victorian-style carousel, a hit with kids and adults alike.
⚾ Sports Spectacles
Catch a game at the baseball fields or Veterans Memorial Stadium.
☀️ Poolside Relaxation
Beat the heat at the public pool with friendly lifeguards.
Tips
from all over the internet
🐾 Dog-Friendly Hiking
Explore the quiet wooded trails for off-leash dog adventures. Access via a graffiti tunnel!
🎠 Carousel Fun
Enjoy a ride on the beautiful Victorian-style carousel, a hit with kids and adults alike.
⚾ Sports Spectacles
Catch a game at the baseball fields or Veterans Memorial Stadium.
☀️ Poolside Relaxation
Beat the heat at the public pool with friendly lifeguards.
🎨 Tunnel Art
Don't miss the vibrant graffiti art inside the tunnel leading to the wooded trails.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Willow Brook Park is a beloved community space with a mix of natural beauty and recreational facilities. Visitors praise the peaceful wooded trails, the upgraded playground, and the charming carousel. Some minor concerns include occasional teen hangouts near the playground and historical access restrictions to certain areas.
"I enjoy coming here to take my dog for a walk in the wooded area. It's very quiet back here and I don't have to leash my dog and she can run free in the wooded area. I never see anybody back here when I come so if anybody's into hiking like I am I would definitely recommend checking this hidden spot out. It's also cool because you get to go through a tunnel on your way in and it has nice spray painted graffiti on it. They also have a baseball field a play escape for the kids it's right behind the baseball field is where the hidden trails are it goes around in a circle. And once you go to the end it will open up into a big field it's actually a really awesome hike I would definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't already."
Joan Helm
"Nice park. Has a public pool, New Britain Bees baseball team, playscape area is good for kids, (but sometimes older teens hang out). Nice tennis courts. You can also access the woods in Hungerford Park in Kensington if you go under the highway via the tunnel either on foot or perhaps by bike.
Years ago, you were able to go on the track and run, but I would imagine a few bad apples must have ruined it for everyone as it is now locked.
I'm glad they repaved the road going through it and now they are clearing trees and brush that became very overgrown on South Main Street.
Fun fact: The park is in New Britain, but the parking lot is in Berlin.
The Thanksgiving Day football games between New Britain and Pulaski High Schools were a lot of fun growing up, but since the factories are mostly gone and the population has changed, Pulaski i now a middle school, so now New Britain plays Berlin and that is still pretty cool.
Update (April 2023)
The playground has been upgraded and updated… Much nicer!
The ground of the play area is soft and spongy.
Now they just need to keep the riffraff out of there & keep it nice for the children."
K Lap
"Willow Brook Park is a place that I have been going to for all of my life. I have seen it change over the past 60 plus years, some for the good and the bad. WBP has been growing since they built the Veterans Memorial Stadium which opened in 1982. It is home to soccer teams, football clubs and other sports. I remember going to see my father and uncle play soccer against a team from West Berlin, West Germany which was attended by thousands of people from all over. Tennis Borussia Berlin was the name of the club which still has a website and are still active at the time of this post.
I can go on and on about Willow Brook Park but I will be back to update this if enough people are interested.
Until then, stay safe, help others, be kind and enjoy life every day.
American Revolution"
American Revolution
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
🚇 🗺️ Getting There
Willow Brook Park is accessible via Route 9 North, with an exit for Willowbrook Park/Route 71. Some visitors note the park spans both New Britain and Berlin, with the main parking lot in Berlin.
Yes, there is parking available, including a main lot in Berlin. The road going through the park has been repaved, improving access.
While Route 2 is mentioned in local discussions, the primary access to the wooded trails is typically from within the park itself, often via a tunnel.
The hidden trails are located behind the baseball fields. You can access them by walking through a tunnel with graffiti art, which leads to a circular hiking path.
Information on public transport to Willow Brook Park is limited, but local advice suggests driving is the most common method of access.
🎫 🎫 Tickets & Entry
Willow Brook Park itself is generally free to enter. However, specific facilities like the public pool may have admission fees.
Park hours are not explicitly stated but are generally assumed to be from dawn until dusk. Specific facilities like the pool or stadium may have their own hours.
While specific ticket information for the carousel isn't detailed, it's a common park attraction that likely operates with a small fee per ride.
Historically, access to the track was locked, suggesting potential restrictions on certain areas. The playground has been upgraded and is intended for children.
The Veterans Memorial Stadium is a venue for various sports teams and events, suggesting that booking or event access might be possible through relevant sports organizations.
🎫 🏞️ Onsite Experience
You can enjoy hiking on wooded trails, playing at the upgraded playground, swimming in the public pool, and watching sports at the baseball fields or stadium.
Yes, the wooded areas offer a great space for dogs to run off-leash, making it a popular spot for dog walkers.
The park features a Victorian-style carousel that opened in 1999, with 51 carved wooden figures, including mythical beasts and horses.
Absolutely! There are hidden, circular trails in the wooded area behind the baseball fields, offering a peaceful hiking experience.
Families will appreciate the newly upgraded playground with soft ground, the public pool, and open fields for recreation.
📸 📸 Photography Spots
Capture the Victorian carousel, the vibrant graffiti in the tunnel, scenic sunset views over the park, and the serene wooded trails. +2
Yes, the park is known for its ducks, making it a great spot for wildlife photography, especially around the water features. +1
The park offers beautiful sunset views, providing a picturesque backdrop for photography.
The turn-of-the-century Victorian-style carousel is a visually appealing subject for photos, with its detailed carvings.
The park is ideal for nature photography, candid shots of families enjoying the playground, and capturing the charm of the carousel.
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from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit