Dennis the Menace Park

Back in April we went for a short trip down to the beautiful coastal town of Monterey. The highlight of our trip was our visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium - you can read about it here. While the aquarium may be the biggest drawcard in town there are a few other "must see" places to take the kids.

Once such place is Dennis the Menace Park; quite possibly one of the coolest playgrounds ever!

This playground was designed by the creator of Dennis the Menace, Hank Ketcham who was a local in the Monterey Bay area.

Dennis the Menace Park

Now I must admit that not being a fan of Dennis the Menace I was a little skeptical when I heard the name. However, I'd been told by quite a few people that it's a great place. Well, they weren't wrong. This playground has everything: slides, tunnels, flying fox, swings, bouncy suspension bridge, rock climbing wall, a maze, plenty of things to climb, a weird spinning ride that I couldn't possible name...

Unfortunately my camera battery went flat not long after we arrived at the park so I could't take quite as many photos as I would have liked. Too many happy snaps taken at the aquarium, me thinks.

Looking over Dennis the Menace Park

The clear favourite of the day was the roller slide. This slide is made up of lots of little rollers down the length of the slide as you'll see in the pictures below. This makes the slide bumpier and therefore much more fun! Both Ava and Lola loved the roller slide and went on it over and over and over...

Weeeeeee!

Ava slides down the roller slide

Sitting this time

As well as the roller slide there are regular slides too. 

Ok, so they're a little wigglier and bumpier than regular slides :)

Family slide

The girls enjoyed running backwards and forwards through the tunnel that runs under a little hill. When they tired of running under the hill it was time to climb over it. Easy for Ava; not so easy for Lola!

Tunnels are fun!

Going through the tunnel

Lola in the tunnel

At the top of the hill there is a suspension bridge running across to yet another hill. Ava had so much fun running and bouncing backwards and forwards across the bridge. Lola wasn't quite so sure about it though and was a little freaked out every time it started to sway or bounce.

Run Ava, run!

Climbing on the pirate ship was much more to Lola's liking...

Peek a boo!

... as was attempting to climb the rock climbing wall!

Lola attempts the rock climb

All this playing makes kids very thirsty.
Watch out the lion doesn't bite your head off while you're drinking Lola!

Roar!

Oh, and no eating racoon poo please!

Hmm...