Mar 16th, 2026 - Two Central Park playgrounds are in the running for USA Today 10Best's annual Reader's Choice award for the country's best public playground. Ancient Playground and Tarr-Coyne Wild West Playground are among 20 finalists selected by an expert panel based on design, inclusivity, interactive playsets, and family-friendly amenities.
Ancient Playground, located near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features pyramid and obelisk climbing structures inspired by the Met's Egyptian collection. Tarr-Coyne Wild West Playground draws on Old West themes with wooden structures and a water feature added during a 2015 rebuild.
Readers can vote once per day through April 6th at noon ET, and the 10 winners will be announced April 15th.
Read more and vote here.