Most mornings, my husband and I load up the car with our two little boys and double-stroller and head to Lake Benson Park in Garner.

Located at 975 Buffaloe Road, the park boasts 64 acres of fields outlined with large trees, four playgrounds, four picnic shelters, a trail, gardens and a gazebo. Lake Benson Park is also home to the legendary Garner White Deer. The park is peaceful and feels like a getaway, even though it's only about nine miles from downtown Raleigh. It's surrounded by neighborhoods and, of course, Lake Benson.

Of the four playgrounds, I'm partial to the one that's toddler-sized. My 3-year-old can climb, slide, rock and swing without the worry of falling and hurting himself. There are several benches for moms and dads to sit, relax and chat. It's also located right next to the bathrooms and water fountain. A big-kid playground is next door. It's usually packed. It also has a slide, swings, rocking horses and a jungle gym. A third playground is a short walk away. It's smaller, with only a slide, some swings and a couple of rocking horses.

The only downside to the first three playgrounds is that they are currently not shaded, so bring the sunscreen. The last and smallest of the four is situated in a wooded area. It has swings, some monkey bars and rocking horses.

The bathrooms are located near two of the playgrounds, but a short walk from the other two. The water fountain is just outside the bathroom doors.

If you're looking for a place to play in the shade, a new set-up is on the way. According to Ed Johnson, Recreation Facility Project Manager for the Town of Garner, the toddler and big-kid playgrounds will be replaced in the coming weeks. The new playgrounds will have shade systems, a fabric awning on the south side of both playgrounds. The shades will each cover about 30 feet. The old playgrounds will be donated to South Garner Park and replace the current 25-year old sets.

Look for both parks to be completed by mid-October.

Lake Benson Park's four shelters are great for birthday or graduation parties. Rentals run between $5 and $20 per hour and seat anywhere from 20 to 150 people. For no additional fee, there are grills and electrical outlets at each facility. The shelters are located near each of the playgrounds. Reservations can be made online.

My favorite thing about the park is the walking/biking/jogging trail. Each lap of the paved trail is 1.2 miles, with an additional .6 miles of dirt trail. The paved portion is more stroller-friendly than the dirt. It's a great place to meet up with friends and teach the kids about exercise.

Also, if you're interested in tossing a football, kicking a soccer ball, flying a kite or letting the kids run loose, Lake Benson Park has huge fields everywhere you turn. My one pet-peeve is that people don't always clean up after their dogs, even though Dogi Pot stations and trash cans are available throughout the park.

Lake Benson Park is open from sunrise to sunset every day.

Every Thursday, learn about places and ways to play with your kids. Read our other playground reviews.

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!

WEEKEND: Relax!