In the dead of winter, the art shanties are a fun activity at Lake Harriet. Always new and…read moresurprising shanties that come from the creative minds of the artists. You can dance, dress up and sing, learn about what lives below the ice, be a cat, cast a spell with Taylor Swift lyrics, and help aliens understand humans. This event epitomizes how Minnesotans don't let freezing temps keep them from enjoying the lake and expressing their creativity.

Minnesotans really know how to throw events no matter rain, shine, or winter. Reflecting on this…read morepast winter reminded me of the surreal experience of standing on top of this frozen lake having moved from a two season state. If you've never been when it's frozen over I would highly recommend coming during their kite festival which also happens during the art shanty exhibits. If you show up to the kite festival on a whim, no worries, the park will have kites for sale. I would highly encourage coming with footwear that has good traction or added cat tracks to get secure grip on the ice.

I have such a nice time at this park. I go here to study. To relax. To take in the scenery…read more It is a bit crowded but that's because it's such a nice environment. I enjoy finding quiet nooks at the park

Love this place!!! There seems like so much to do in the summer and winter. Today we had some time…read moreto kill exploring Minnesota more and thought the paddle boats would be fun. Normally I can't get on a Pb due to weight limits but the duck/swan hold 1400 pds or so. They are easy to drive and it's a nice scenery. If you are hot and want to get wet you can go under the fountain (which we did!) the workers were super friendly!

Hyland Lake Park is one of my favorite places to rent a kayak and fish for bass in the Twin Cities…read more The lake is never too busy and the bass are always biting :) I easily rented a single-person kayak online and walked up to the rental booth to pick up my life jacket and paddle - off I went! There is a nice sandy beach, and other boats available to rent (including paddle boats!) This is a must-stop for your summer itinerary in Minnesota!

This is a nice park with a lot of walking trails. You can enjoy some nice views of water and…read morefoliage. Easy to get to with plenty of parking spots.

After finding Bryant overrun with children, our hiking led us in a direction that somehow dumped us…read moreoff at Lone Lake Park. It was especially cool since we hadn't seen a bathroom since Bryant and their facilities were nice (besides some amateur artist using her permanent marker for evil purposes). Upon my initial look over, I saw ideal picnic shelters, a small playground, and basketball hoops, and of course, a pristine view of the lake and a dock for further inspection (and Instagramming). It isn't a big lake by any means, but the trails around it provide a good shaded hike that are also mildly challenging--my Fitbit sent me a notification I hit 50 flights of stairs climbed from going from Bryant to Lone Lake and back. Clean facilities (water and bathrooms), pretty views, and good trails? Check, check, and check.

We have been here in early spring and hiked up the hills, pretty steep and into the woods, and then…read morethe kids slid down just on their snowpants. Fun! They have a covered picnic area with 4- 6 tables, lots of playground equipment including an adaptive swing. The kids have gone out on the dock and fished, a small cute lake. This place usually isn't too busy which is nice but in the summer there tends for be local camps using the area, but still plenty of wide open green space for all to share.

Lovely trail to walk this fall. Very popular so very busy…read more If you don't want crowds during these covid times probably not the best location. So popular that parking can be an issue. They have a long lot and thankfully someone else was leaving when I arrived so I could park in the lot to meet my friend for our outdoor walk and talk. Nice variety of nature- woods, lake, etc. Clear marked trail and nice spot during a less busy time.

Sadly, no bikes allowed :( It's a nice wooded area full of…read moretrails and educational experiences. Great for youngens.

First stroll of the season! Overall a good couple mile trail system in the heart of Eden prairie…read more Reminds me a lot of Elm Creek Park in Maple grove with the park and beach overlooking the lake. The trails are nicely paved as well as some gravel and dirt trails if you get deeper into the wooded areas. Concessions, trail maps nice playground for the kids and a nice size beach for the area it's in. Definitely want to come back when the leaves start returning.

A city park with a load of amenities and plenty of free parking…read more Just blocks from shopping and offices is a quiet well kept park. Boat launch, beach with large umbrellas where I saw at least 10 would be artists practicing their hobby. Swimmers and beach loungers. There is a walking trail and an off-leash dog park. Boat and canoe rentals are available as well. Even Disc Golf. Picnic tables and of course the all important concession stand which opens at 11:00 a.m. daily! The hiking trail is listed as 1.5 miles and then merges with a state trail.

After yesterday's paddle, I gotta say this place is bliss…read more I'd kind of scoped it out a few days prior just by taking a hike around the entirety of the lake to see what all it had to offer besides hiking and biking. I'd parked over by the larger beach (Nokomis Main Beach) on the west side (there's a smaller one on the east side), utilizing the free parallel parking which was available since it wasn't yet a busy afternoon rather than the pay lot. The large beach is quite nice, with some play equipment for the kiddos, a decent restroom facility, even a eatery/ice cream place. Seasonally, there's also a rental place for kayaks/canoes/swan boats if you don't have your own. There's another parking lot on the north end which is nearby a dock that's great for putting in your own kayak/canoe. This is also where you'll find the nearby Community Center with lots more play equipment and tennis courts outside, as well as gyms and rooms inside (open in the afternoons/evenings). It looks to me that the community center offers a lot of classes/activities for kids throughout the year that you can sign up for. I took a quick detour inside and admired their small common area with little library, fish tank, art, etc. Walking around the entirety of the lake will also take you over the car bridge, which offers some nice views. Just north of that bridge is also where the fancier boats are anchored. When I came back the second time with my inflatable kayak, I was able to easily get out onto the water and enjoy my time. Lovely warm September day meant lovely warm lake water, and I paddled the length of it and back, stopping frequently to just lay back and vibe. I especially enjoyed relaxing at the southern end of the lake where the planes fly directly over on their descent into MSP airport. So cool to marvel at!

Love walking around this lake. Cool beach fronts and nice open fields with playgrounds.read more