The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) revealed the results the 2024 Annual Engagement with Parks Survey, wherein participants revealed that people are more likely to visit a park when it is within walking distance of their residence.

 
According to the NRPA's summary, 86 percent of participants who said they visited a park or recreation facility lived within walking distance of that location, compared to only 68 percent of participants who visited a facility despite living farther than walking distance.

Overall, 82 percent of U.S. adults have visited a park within the last year, with Gen Xers and millennials forming the highest attendance groups at 96 percent and 94 percent, respectively. As can be expected, parents are more likely to visit a local park or recreational facility compared to nonparents, with a 17 percent difference between the two groups.

To see the NRPA's results, go to: https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/park-pulse/millions-benefit-from-local-parks-and-recreation/

As seen in LASN magazine, March 2025.