Trying to be more intentional about exploring parks around Minneapolis this year, and Hidden Falls…read moreseemed like the perfect place to start. We usually default to Minnehaha Falls across the river, but I'd never actually explored this side--which looks to be really sprawling with new townhomes and modular single family homes. We parked near the dam and walked along the trail to reach the stairs leading down to Hidden Falls. Heads up: the walk down is a little precarious since there's no railing for most of the stairs, but it's not very steep and the trek itself is pretty short. The falls themselves were a bit disappointing at the moment--more of a trickle than a waterfall--but it is early in the season. That said, the forested park area it winds through was really nice, and made the visit worth it regardless. I can already tell this place is probably stunning in the summer when everything is green and flowing! Even with the lower water level, it was a great way to explore somewhere new and great to see there were so many people already exploring the park with it being chilly still!

Beautiful park near the city. Grabbed some take out and found an empty picnic table in the middle…read moreof the day - lots of parking! Watched a few boats launch, saw some geese, enjoyed watching people along the shore. Picnic tables near the water at the North Entrance. Check it out!

Well, this was a surprise. Fabulous indoor park for kids, the grands had to be literally dragged…read moreout. Climbing, slides, tubes, giant Legos. And only a $10 admission for the park only. (There is a pool on the premises but it is not a water park-type of pool experience.) Lots of parking outside and places for guardians to wait inside. Tons of kids of all ages and I noticed that the older kids were very gentle and caring for the littles. It was nice to see. Bring your own snacks and water. There is a robotic vending machine for $4 water the kids loved. Great for a rainy or snowy day. Follow it up with a visit to Dave and Buster's down the road at Southdale. (That's how we got them to leave!)

This place is AWESOME! I decided to get my boys (9,5) out of the house and they had a blast! They…read morehave already been asking when we can go back! There is free parking. Walk in and pay the fee for the kiddos. As of Jan 2026 it was $10 a kid with unlimited time. Parents/guardians are free. There is a large park towards the end of the building! It kept my kiddos plenty busy! There is seating for the adults. There is also a gym space for kids to run, balls to play with, mini basketball hoops and items for the little kids to push ride on! There is also a pool to do laps and a gym with equipment, but I'm unsure if those cost extra. You can do birthday parties here! Check the website for additional information!! They do have 2 spots where you can get snacks and picnic tables to eat! Overall this was a very solid experience and we will happily be back!

I had a fun time here. There were lot of different benches to sit on…read more It was over 90 degrees but the trees provided a nice shade. One of the dads that was there with his daughter kept staring at me. When I made it obvious that I wasn't interested in him, his body language became aggressive. There was also a couple rude women there. I wouldn't suggest going here alone. A park is for serenity but a lot of people there are miserable, unfortunately.

He Said: One of our favorite nearby parks. The playground is…read morewell-shaded, fenced-in (easier to watch kids), there are play structures for most kid ages, and has a nearby park and library. Pros: - All- around great playground option, in the metro area Cons: - There is some litter, but that is more the fault of the people coming to the playground, not the playground itself.

Our annual Fourth of July spot! They normally do fireworks July 3rd so it's nice to come here…read morebefore everyone is busy on the fourth. The area is very nice. We get a nice spot by the lake to set up chairs. Bring bug spray because it can get wild with the mosquitos! There's tons of food trucks and booths but the lines were looooong. There's a waterfall that's nice to take pictures at. Parking can be tricky and traffic can be crazy. Stop by for a walk around the lake if you find yourself in the area.

Had some extra time to spare before an event nearby and it was reasonably nice outside (aka,…read moreforties in March lol), so I decided to take a hike around the lake. You won't manage to escape road noise really because it's surrounded on three sides by fairly busy roadways, but still better than nothing! It's not a long walk around, just about forty-five minutes worth at a leisurely pace. The park actually features two paved trails that run parallel to one another, with the outer ring for bicyclists and other wheeled conveyance usage, and on-foot folk on the inner ring. Dogs do need to be on leash. Occasional benches around the lake, and a cute man-made waterfall. There are a couple of gazebos near the parking lot for if you'd like to have a picnic. The bandshell structure was particularly impressive and neat. There are bathrooms built into the back of it, which were even open during off season, so that was highly appreciated. Water fountain was currently turned off though, unsurprisingly. Parking lot seemed a bit small, but perhaps most folks who visit are from the surrounding office buildings on their lunch break.

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!

We love frequenting this playground! The many play structures are perfect for all kids…read more Bathrooms on site.

Best park hands down I been here for 10 years I seen a lot of parks but this the best oneread more

My grandson (7) loved it. Being able to run between the water features and the playground was a…read morewonderful way to be able to stay cool. The reason for the 4 instead of a 5 is because the entire playground was in direct sun. The slides were too hot to touch and the lack of shade intensified the temperature. Other than that, the features were great and the shaded areas for the parents was much appreciated.

If you're looking for a great spot for you and/or your kids to run around and climb stuff, this is…read moreit! Really great playground structures with plenty of different types of equipment, including things like balance beams, teeter-totters, and spinners, in addition to more standard playground fare like swingsets and slides. There's also a splashpad that you can activate for playing around. Water squirts or dumps from various water features. A lot of fun. It was even still running in October when I was there! Lots of gazebos (which can be reserved, if desired) with picnic tables and grills and trash/recycling cans. An ice cream truck swung by while I was there, much to the delight of the kids there. Massive parking lot. Only port-a-potties. Nearby is also a large grass field for soccer. If you go a little deeper in, you'll see it also connects with the Black Dog Trailhead. Be aware however that this is a "minimal maintenance" trail. I tried to follow it for aways after the railroad track but felt a little lost and ultimately turned back. Not sure how often or at what time of year they maintain it to make it easier to follow, but it's understandable that they don't because it is part of a specific biome of wet meadow known as a "fen". These are fairly rare and thus requiring protection, so tread lightly and respectfully if you do go! It's important nature be preserved as much as possible.

Minnesota has always impressed me with the effort it puts into its green spaces, parks, trails and…read moreespecially its playgrounds. There are a lot of good ones scattered throughout the Twin Cities, but the Hyland Play Area is operating on a different scale. The first thing that hits you is simply the enormity of it. A landscape photo barely does it justice. This isn't a playground with a couple of oversized structures--it's an entire playscape built around elevation, exploration and seemingly endless ways for kids to disappear upward and reappear somewhere completely different. There are distinct areas that make it approachable for kids of different ages, select water features, and plenty for younger children to explore without making the bigger kids feel like they've outgrown it. But the stars are those towering structures and enormous climbs spread throughout the park. If you've got a kid who needs to "get their zombies out," this ought to do it. A determined child could probably accumulate the equivalent vertical ascent of Minnesota's Eagle Mountain before lunch. What impressed me almost as much as the playground itself was how well the space handles people. There can seemingly be hundreds of kids here and somehow it doesn't feel like hundreds of kids. The scale absorbs everyone. Instead, you get this constant background soundtrack of giggles, playful screams and kids absolutely exhausting themselves. And somebody clearly thought about the adults. There are huge umbrellas providing shade along with benches, tables and places to settle in while the kids go explore. You quickly understand why the crowd is such an interesting mix: stay-at-home parents making a morning of it, grandparents with their grandchildren, friends meeting up with their kids, and even remote workers squeezing in some laptop time while periodically looking up to make sure everyone is still accounted for. It's less "take the kids to the playground for 30 minutes" and more pack some food, bring water and make this the destination. We're only reviewing the play area for now, but based on this alone, Hyland deserves the five stars. It's enormous without feeling chaotic, ambitious without forgetting the little kids, and thoughtfully designed for the adults who inevitably spend half their day here too. Minnesota does parks exceptionally well. This is one of the ones worth going out of your way for.

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!

Great park with really nice scenic walking routes. Great little bridge to over the water. Very…read moreclean and lots of parking. Definitely a beautiful spot to visit.

A fantastic little 1.1mi loop around a lake in Eagan. This park also features an impressively sized…read moregazebo with picnic tables, fire pit, restrooms (seasonal), grills, trash/recycling, and even concrete cornhole. There is a children's playground as well with a wide variety of features like swings, climbing walls/ropes, diggers, slides, spinners, and more-- you and/or your kiddos are gonna have lots of fun here. The playground is on gravel. There's also a volleyball court with sand, and lots of open grassy space to kick or throw about a ball. Seriously excellent amenities. The trail has inconsistent surfaces-- some of it is paved, other parts are dirt and gravel. Just something to be aware of (it wouldn't work well for skateboarding or rollerblading, for example). There are a couple docks you can fish off of or just sight-see from. A wooden bridge across the lake makes for excellent photographs. There is also a boat ramp (walk to, not drive to). The parking lot is pretty large with many spaces.

Clean park, with a large playground ages 5-12, with multiple rotating play toys, and climbing…read morestructures. Small playground for under 5, two sets of swings. Large soccer field and volleyball area. Two large shelters with picnic tables and grills and a really nice water splash pad.

My 4 year old had so much fun playing at this park. It's a really unique place with tons of little…read moreplaces to explore.