Magical Bridge Palo Alto

The Magical Bridge Playground had its Grand Opening on April 18, 2015. Currently, over 25,000 visitors experience its magic per month.

Located in Mitchell Park in Palo Alto, Barbara’s two-story treehouse is the focal point of the Magical Bridge Playground. Based on an original and innovative inclusive playground design that welcomes visitors of ALL abilities, the colorful, wooden play house features two fully-accessible levels of fun.

The lower level includes a Community stage where local musicians and performers entertain on the weekends. And the play structure theater is fully accessible from backstage, allowing those in wheelchairs to easily participate in putting on a show! The back half of the stage also doubles as a play area with beautifully hand-painted cakes for bakery play and a tool bench complete with charming wooden tools for tinkering games. 

The upper level is where you'll find the Café, complete with tables and an adorable wooden tea cup and notebook, hand-stained to look real. It’s great place for kids to meet up, day dream, or strategize for their next game. This top level also connects with a series of ramps that lead to a tree deck, elevated ramps, walkways and even a fully-accessible swinging bridge!

To bring this vision to life, treehouse builder Barbara Butler worked closely with founder Olenka Villareal, Verde Landscape Designs, Barry Swenson Builders, the City of Palo Alto and a committee of local families for five years to create a comprehensive park design that serves not just wheelchair users but children and adults with autism, visual impairments, sensory and cognitive issues. Already known for her creative play structures and treehouses for kids, this was Barbara’s first fully inclusive project. Since then, Barbara has created several more for other locations of Magical Bridge around California.

As one of the few truly all inclusive playgrounds in the country, every detail is meticulously executed to provide a high-quality and fun play experience for people of all abilities. All ramps are wide and extra smooth so they feel equally great on wheels or bare feet. The gentle slope of 1' over 12' in length conforms with best practices for ramps.

In addition, we created several custom add-ons, including eight Buddy Benches, where kids can sit to make a new friend, and four Retreat Huts, which provide a calm refuge for those feeling overstimulated by the sensory experience of the playground.

Our wooden play structure is made of second-growth redwood lumber from well-managed forests and stained with eco-friendly, non-toxic tung oil to create a cheerful and sustainable playground.

Magical Bridge Palo Alto meets ASTM F1487 Standards for Public Use Playground Equipment and the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act.