Best BBQ and picnic parks in Surry Hills
Prince Alfred Park is the top pick for a barbecue, with custom-designed tables and seating, picnic tables, toilets and a heated pool in the same park. What sets the others apart is what comes with the barbecue or the picnic table: toilets, a playground, benches, or a grassed area inside sunken sandstone walls.
Quick picks
- A barbecue with a pool: Prince Alfred Park has barbecue areas with custom-designed tables and seating, and a heated 50m pool in the same park.
- Barbecues in a green reserve: Cooper Street Reserve has BBQ areas and picnic tables, and the reserve has garden beds and mature trees.
- A barbecue with benches: Ward Park has a barbecue with benches nearby, and two playgrounds in the same park.
- A picnic on the grass: Frog Hollow Reserve has picnic tables on a grassy lawn ringed by sandstone walls.
Prince Alfred Park: a barbecue with a pool on hand
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Prince Alfred Park is the pick when a barbecue needs more than a grill. Its barbecue areas have custom-designed tables and seating, and its picnic areas have tables and benches too. Toilets are near the pool entrance, and the heated 50m pool sits in the same park, so a swim can go with the picnic. Two playgrounds are in the same park too. Parking is limited to metered spots on Chalmers Street and the streets around it. Central station is next to the park. It is rated 4.5 on Google (2247 ratings).
Best for: Groups who want a barbecue with tables, a swim and a playground in one park
Cooper Street Reserve: barbecues and picnic tables in a green reserve
- BBQs
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Playground
- Parking
Cooper Street Reserve is the pick for a barbecue in a green reserve. Its BBQ areas and picnic tables are on site, and the public toilets sit in the amenities building. An accessible playground is in the reserve as well, so there is something for the kids while you cook. The setting is green, with garden beds and mature trees. Parking is in 90-degree spaces along Cooper Street. Ward Park is roughly 0.2 km from it.
Best for: Anyone who wants a barbecue with a table, in a reserve that also has an accessible play space
Ward Park: a barbecue with benches and a playground nearby
- BBQs
- Toilets
- Playground
For a barbecue with benches and a playground in the same park, Ward Park is the one. Its barbecue has benches nearby, and the two playgrounds sit within the same grounds, so there is something for the kids while the grill is going. A timed toilet is among the facilities on site. Two drinking water bubblers mean you can refill a bottle without leaving the park. The park is on Marlborough Street, at the corner of Devonshire Street.
Best for: Anyone who wants a barbecue with benches, with a playground in the same park
Frog Hollow Reserve: a picnic on the grass
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
- Parking
Frog Hollow Reserve is the pick for a picnic on the grass. A grassed area is enclosed by sunken sandstone walls, and picnic tables are set in the reserve. Public toilets are on site, which helps when a lunch runs long. On Riley and Albion Streets you can park at a meter, but the spaces are scarce. A drinking fountain with a dog bowl attached sits in the reserve too.
Best for: A relaxed picnic on the grass, with toilets on site
How the parks compare
By area
Every BBQ and picnic park in and near Surry Hills
The table below compares every barbecue and picnic park in and near Surry Hills, with the picks listed first.
| Park | BBQs | Tables | Toilets | Playground |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Prince Alfred Park | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2.Cooper Street Reserve | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3.Ward Park | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4.Frog Hollow Reserve | – | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| 5.Harmony Park | – | ✓ | – | – |
| 6.Shannon Reserve | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Nearby, outside Surry Hills | ||||
| Belmore Park · Haymarket | – | – | ✓ | – |
| UTS Alumni Green · Ultimo | – | – | – | – |
| Frances Newton Reserve · Darlinghurst | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Comber Street Reserve · Paddington | – | – | – | ✗ |
How we picked
We compared the parks on barbecues, shelters, picnic tables, toilets, a playground and size, using what each park's own details say. Unknown details appear as a dash, and a dash never works against a park. Harmony Park has picnic tables and is open 24 hours, but no barbecue is known there, so it stays in the table.
FAQ
Which park in Surry Hills has a barbecue?
Prince Alfred Park, Cooper Street Reserve and Ward Park all have barbecues. Prince Alfred Park's come with custom-designed tables and seating, and Ward Park's barbecue has benches nearby.
Where can I find picnic tables in Surry Hills?
Picnic tables turn up at Prince Alfred Park, Cooper Street Reserve, Frog Hollow Reserve and Harmony Park. Frog Hollow Reserve's tables are in the same reserve as a drinking fountain with a dog bowl attached.
Which picnic park in Surry Hills has toilets?
Prince Alfred Park, Cooper Street Reserve, Ward Park and Frog Hollow Reserve all have public toilets. Ward Park's includes a timed toilet, and Cooper Street Reserve's are in the amenities building.
Can you get a barbecue and a playground in the same Surry Hills park?
Yes, at Ward Park, where the barbecue with benches and two playgrounds sit in the same park. Prince Alfred Park and Cooper Street Reserve also have a barbecue and a playground.