Opened to the public in 1901, it covers 227 acres (92 ha) and offers a playground, community pool and a 27-hole golf course.

In December each year, the park hosts Holiday Lights Fantasia, a Greater Hartford tradition since 1999 where illuminated structures festoon the interior road and thousands of cars stream through the park to enjoy 1 million lights.

The large 90 acres (36 ha) central area in the park was originally left open and unmowed and was known as the Great Meadow.

The meadow was first disturbed in the 1920s when the central part was leveled off and used as an airstrip for early air mail planes.

The Goodwin Park Golf Course is a 27-hole facility, which dates back to 1927, has recently reopened after $1 million in improvements made by the city of Hartford since 2013.