Wannabe princesses and princes can find the castle of their dreams — complete with suspension bridges, turrets, tunnels and staircases — at several local playgrounds.

A welcome change from the standard-issue colorful metal play sets, the large wooden structures can be found at Seattle's Roxhill Park; Kenmore's St. Edwards State Park; Federal Way's Steel Lake Park; Gig Harbor's Kids Gig; and Bainbridge Island's Battle Point Park.

With lots of hiding places, they lend themselves to imaginative play (if not royal courts, then maybe Old West forts) and games like hide-and-seek and tag.

Besides towers and raised walkways, the play structures feature such amenities as slides, rope bridges, tire swings, rock-climbing walls, boats and balance beams. At St. Edwards, for example, there's a separate fenced area for younger children with a play airplane, house, sand pit, riding toys and swings.

If you go

Kids Gig

4905 Rosedale St. N.W., Gig Harbor. Park in the back lot of Discovery Elementary School. Walk up the hill behind the school; the fenced playground is on top of the hill between the elementary school and the high school.

Roxhill Park

2850 S.W. Roxbury St., Seattle. From Interstate 5, take the West Seattle exit. At the first light, turn left on 35th Southwest. Drive approximately 3 miles to Barton Street. Turn left. Roxhill Park is six blocks east of 35th Southwest on the south side of the street.

St. Edwards State Park

14445 Juanita Drive N.E., Kenmore. $5 parking fee. From Interstate 405 northbound, take Exit 20A (Northeast 116th Street). Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp. Go west on 116th Street, which becomes Juanita Drive Northeast. Turn left into the park. Park entrance is a little over 4 miles from interstate.

From southbound I-405, take exit 23D (Highway 522 to Bothell). Take Highway 522 through Bothell to Kenmore. Turn left on 68th Avenue Northeast. Continue south for 1.5 miles; 68th will become Juanita Drive Northeast. The park entrance is on the right.

At the fork, go right to the parking lots (left leads to Bastyr University).

Steel Lake Park

2410 S. 312th St., Federal Way. From Interstate 5, take the 320th Street South exit (Exit 143). Turn west on 320th Street South and then right onto 23rd Avenue South. Follow this until it ends at T, then turn right on South 312th Street. The park entrance is on left.

Battle Point Park

11299 Arrow Point Dr. N.E., Bainbridge Island. Take Miller Road to Arrow Point Drive. Turn west onto Arrow Point.

— Stephanie Dunnewind, Seattle Times staff reporter