Princes Park

What’s not to like about Princess Park?
Fountain, running tracks, doggy off leash area, kids playground, it’s all happening here.
Soft green grass and lots of shades and park benches.
There’s also dog litter bags hooked on the bins around the off leash area.
You can cycle here, walk here, run or take the team. If you drive here, there’s metered parking along the park’s perimeters and free parking if you cross the road.
There’s lots of event that takes place at Princes park too.

This is my favourite place to jog or walk around. As just over 3 km it is perfect for a short jog to get the heart pumping or to jog around a few times when a longer jog is required. Princess Park connects the Capital City Trail so can be used to get to and from places

Fresh air, open spaces, from sports to procrastination this park will let you do it however you like.
There is modular gym equipment distributed along the running track which surrounds the park available to get those wanting to throw in a few chin ups, balance exercise and some work on that core.
The best spot is right in the middle and the only thing you’ll hear are the birds… I enjoy setting up a Slackline and the trees are great. Head to the north end to get some tree perpendicular to the sun for a great slack!
Enjoy it. It costs nothing

My second favourite place to be. A small serenity away from the bustling metropolis of Parkville and Carlton. Parks victoria also keep the grounds in great shape and the ovals can be booked for sporting teams to train. I love using the bars to do biceps curls

Princes Park is one of the best and nicest parks in Melbourne which caters for everyone. If you need a spot for a soccer game, have a kick of the footy or run then this place will suit you. There’s also a small lake which couples who are after a quiet chill out session will love, a playground for the kids, tennis courts and barbie space as well.
I really like Princes Park. It allows me to add some diversification into my training and push myself harder by getting stuck into some plyometrics and explosive workout sessions. The chin up bars and bench for leg raises are a great addition and contribute to a great all round workout during your run.
So, if you’re based near the park, don’t feel like going to the gym but still want to train; then put on your runners and head to Princes Park.

You would be hard-​pressed to find a nicer spot in Melbourne than Princes Park on a sunny day.
Filled with athletes, footy players and college kids, Princes Park provides a whole lotta eye candy which surely makes it easier to justify working up a sweat.
The park has a workout section, playground, lake and huge ovals.
It is also the scene of the BigDay Out which I think demonstrates its versatility and centrality of location.

I like to ride my bicycle through Princes Park as there is a great stretch of bike track where you ride through former railway tunnels under both The Avenue and Royal Parade. The tunnels are full of some great examples of Melbourne street art. One of the tunnels is full of legal pieces, part of a youth project, and the other one has illegal pieces. And once you are through these tunnels then you are in the Princes Park proper.
Apart from all the sports fields, running tracks and other aspects of athletic interest there are some other aesthetic reasons to visit this park. At the far north end of the park there is a large pond with a statue bordered by the hedges of the bowls club.
The statue is Loretta Quinn «Within Three Worlds» 1995 in memory of Angela Jane Esdaile (1969 — 1993) and it commemorates the contribution to the community of childcare workers like Angela. Last year the statue was stolen. The statue has since been replaced with a different version.
The pond is full of water again and that section of the park has been returned to what I remember it was like before the drought. I continue to explore the bicycle track and soon leave Princes Park.

I’ve recently ‘upgraded’ from Carlton Gardens in search of a longer running circuit, and Princes Park is proving far more enjoyable and challenging. The track is sandy-​dirt, which is much gentler on the old knees than the cement I was running on previously. I am yet to work out how many kilometers it is around the perimeter of the park, because I’ve been crossing through the middle where there are heaps of sweet dogs running wild. I can say that it’s defiantly the longest circuit I’ve done in the inner-​north, though.
Another thing I’ve noticed in Princes Park is there are a lot more shirtless men here than any other running track I’ve been to in Melbourne, including The Tan. I didn’t think the north side boys had it in them, but I’m happy to discover I was wrong.
The park has re-​invigorated my fitness plan for summer — I’m looking forward to hopefully getting good enough to extend my loop right out to take in the cemetery along Lygon Street.

Just to the North of the city and North of the University of Melbourne, you’ll find one of the nicest parks you can in Carlton North/​Parkville.
This is one of the most common places for people to go and train to the North of the city. It’s approximately 2 km north to south and about 350m in width. That makes for an easy running circuit of 3 km once around. But there is so much more going on in terms of sports and leisure as well:
— sports facilities for cricket, football, lawn bowls and tennis
— the traditional home of the Carlton Football Club
— large and impressive fig and elm trees
— a kids playground
— barbeque areas
— plenty of drinks fountains on your way round
It is a great spot with views of the city as is a very popular place for people to walk their dogs too. When running around the city, this is one of my regular routes. Good views of the city and an easy circuit.