Bluffton’s newest playground is nothing normal — it has a zip line. Take a look around
Drew Martin
·2 min read
While Winter Storm Enzo may have delayed the grand opening of Bluffton’s newest playground, once children see all of the rope climbing structures, swings and slides, it’s going to be difficult to keep them away in advance of the grand opening on February 22.
This playground may be the area’s best, eclipsing Lowcountry Celebration Park the Town of Hilton Head Island opened in 2020 in the Coligny-area.
That will soon be decided by Bluffton’s families that have moved to the greater Bluffton area.
A view of the tower system with a variety of ways to get to bird nests which are connected by a rope bridge as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
This playground is located on the 37-acre parcel named the New Riverside Barn Park where the iconic red barn sits that greets drivers as they whisk around the May River Road and Okatie Highway traffic circle.
It is the first phase of the 37-acre property that the Town of Bluffton purchased from Palmetto Bluff in 2018. In 2019 then Bluffton Town Manager Marc Orlando said, “It’s important to create community open space in this section of Bluffton.”
What will likely be the biggest attraction will likely be the zip line (watch video above).
A zip line start platform allows park goers to get carried along a 82-foot long cable as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
The end of the zip line allows park goers to get carried along on a 82-foot long cable as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
There are activities for all age groups and swing sets that allow parents and children to swing as a duo.
Swing sets that feature baby seats, left and what manufacturer Kompan calls “You & Me” seats allowing adults to swing with their children as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section of the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
A combination swing with traditional seats as well as a ‘bird nest’ seat, right, as well as a covered area with tables, background, as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
There are several structures that young people can practice their parkour talents.
A combination of posts and climbing ropes as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
Stilts that improve balance as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
A built up berm that allows kids to crawl through a tunnel or take a slide.
A crawl-through tube in an embankment as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
A slide sits atop an embankment as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
There are plenty of rope structures for young people to climb to improve dexterity and balance.
A rope staircase allows youngsters to get to the top of the structure where they can use a slide to get down as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
A climbing structure with a rope bridge leads to a slide as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
A climbing tower is featured in one section as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
While there isn’t much natural shade from vegetation, the town has built several structures at New Riverside for people to get out of sun or rain - or just to take a rest.
A large umbrella offers shade and a place to rest as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is featured in one section at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
There is a sitting area outside the park covered by a pergola with bathrooms and water fountains that lead to the park’s entrance.
The area outside the New Riverside Barn Park offers a place to sit as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, with a grand opening date of Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
The ground is covered by a cushioned turf that in areas is highly colorful., especially if children get dizzy from a new take on merry-go-rounds - the spinner bowl.
A whimsical see-saw is featured in one section as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, at the New Riverside Barn Park set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
The full plan for New Riverside Barn Park
The second phase, currently under development, is the barn. Plans include expanding it and renovating it into a space that can be used for private- and community-wide events. It is scheduled to be finished by this year.
Photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, the red barn at New Riverside Barn Park is expected to be finished this year and will have the potential to host private and large-scale public events.
Date for grand opening and park hours
The grand opening for the park has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22 starting at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the normal operating hours for the park will be from sunrise to sunset.
Signage at the New Riverside Barn Park as photographed on Jan. 28, 2025, is set for a grand opening on Feb. 22 in Bluffton.
It’s been an extended stay in Mexico for hundreds of WestJet passengers — but not one they planned for. “Over the past two days, [we] have spent almost 16 hours at the airport and being shuttled around,” explained Alim Kara, who had been on vacation with his wife and two sons — ages of 6 years, and 18 months. “We have two very tired unwell kids due to two days of being stuck in the airport with no answers about what is happening.” Kara, his family and dozens of other passengers arrived at Cancun International Airport Thursday afternoon, ready for WestJet flight WS2249 to take them home. After two small, hour-long delays, passengers learned their flight was cancelled – and headed back to their hotel about 6 hours after first leaving.
Quebec Premier François Legault is warning Americans they will pay the price if President Donald Trump goes ahead with 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports — particularly the province's aluminum.Trump said Thursday he would impose tariffs as soon as Saturday, though his administration has not provided details and it remains unclear which sectors could be affected. Three people familiar with the planning told Reuters on Friday that date was pushed back to March 1, though the White House disput
Air traffic controllers were emailed by the Trump administration urging them to quit their jobs and take mass “buyouts” just 24 hours after the D.C. plane crash. They were among hundreds of thousands of federal workers sent the email at 8.30 p.m. Thursday to push the extraordinary offer by Trump’s aides to get civil servants to quit en masse. The email dropped almost exactly 24 hours after an Army helicopter crashed into an American Airlines jet as it came into land at Reagan National Airport, k
“Before his imprisonment, our neighbor didn’t hide the fact that he was a Proud Boy, and our whole neighborhood witnessed the FBI surrounding his property.”
Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz was driven nearly to tears Friday night after his CNN co-panelists took issue with how he dismissed the backlash over President Donald Trump’s comments about DEI hiring and the mid-air crash in Washington, D.C. Appearing on NewsNight With Abby Phillip, Luntz seemed to take things a little too much to heart after the show’s host objected to his argument. Lutz prefaced his comments by saying, “I think I’m alone in this group; I think I’m kind of afraid to be
Comedian Bill Maher applauded President Donald Trump for what he said was a fitting response to a “stupid” question about visiting the crash site of the mid-air collision that killed 67 people this week in Washington, D.C. Taking press questions in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump was asked if he intends to see the crash site in the Potomac River himself. To which Trump responded, “You tell me, what’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?” On Friday’s broadcast of Real Time With Bi
Charlie Angus, a member of Canada's Parliament, suggested his country put tariffs on Elon Musk's "douche Panzer" should Trump follow through on his plans.
