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.

This Thank You Thursday, I'm popping in with an updated review - and more love - for Wirth Lake…read more Last year, I added Wirth Lake on Yelp and was SHOCKED that its listing hadn't been on here yet. The Theodore Wirth Park system is so vast, but it still feels highly underrated, unknown, and a true hidden gem in the heart of the city (5 minutes from downtown/North Loop!). After more than a year living within walking distance of this park and lake, I can safely say this is a highlight of my life here in Minnesota. How lucky are we to have stunning, protected, cherished green spaces that are so well-kept? Wirth Lake has it all: - A lovely paved walking path around the lake - Stunning views from the over-water bridge - A beach (YES!!) with shade, seating, and and over-water floating bridge - Sand volleyball courts (sign up for a league!) - Restrooms and facilities (weather-dependent, closed for winter) - Adirondack chairs under shade - Huge playground system - Basketball court Need I say more? With its connected access to the rest of the parkway walking and biking trails, close distance to Quaking Bog and Elise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, this is a highlight of the Bryn Mawr neighborhood. I love enjoying the lake in all seasons - and I must say, I've seen some of the best sunsets in MN right here. I'm so thankful to have this protected space as part of our Minneapolis Parks system!

Last month, I visited Wirth Lake for the first time. Minnesota is known for having at least 10,000…read morelakes. So, there's plenty of them for me to discover. Wirth Lake is a part of Theodore Wirth Park, which the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board manages. I learned that it's actually situated in Golden Valley. Well, it's thankfully managed well. I went on a Saturday. It was 2°C. With the windchill, it felt more like -6°C. I should return when it's warmer. I look forward to ditching the toque and mitts. It has a nice beach. I actually walked along a path with the lake on either side of me. It was enjoyable as someone who grew up in the Beaches and gravitates towards lakes without much thought. Despite the winds, it felt nice watching the ripples in the water as I walked. I saw some volleyball courts. Summer can't come any sooner! You can fish in this lake. Largemouth bass, northern pike, and walleye are some fish that are present. There are some nice paths to walk and enjoy. The trees are majestic and likely provide some nice shake when it's hot. I especially loved the signs detailing the history of Wirth Lake. It used to be the site of the Aqua Follies, an aquatic extravaganza between 1941 and 1964. There was a 6,000-seat grandstand and an Olympic-sized pool. The shows featured high divers and synchronized swimmers. Eventually, the aging structure was torn down. There's nothing left of it. It's kind of sad, but I'm glad that I learned about these aquatic shows. I had no problem finding parking in front of the pavilion. The park is rather large, so you either have small lots scattered everywhere or you can park on the street. I enjoyed my time here, despite it being a bit nippy for April. I'd love to return when it's t-shirt and shorts weather and stay longer. (124)

Lake Minnetonka can be a vast, scary landscape where Big Boats like to play. No place for a dainty…read moreand classy vessel like the Silky Pig. She prefers a more bucolic environment, free of tidal waves and Auto-Tuner. Eagle Lake, a mere fifteen minutes from the middle of the city, is big enough to be exciting (tubing!) and small enough to keep Silky safe. If you head out around two or three you might catch a glimpse of Club Pontoon, the floating suburban party that rocks out to Jimmy Buffet every weekend off of Maple Grove's leafy coast. Also, turtles!

This is a pretty fun laid back Lake. We found a really good spot, but there were only small fish…read morethere. The real fun beginning when my boyfriend found the bridge and we began fishing from there. We were catching fish left and right. Mid-size fish though!!! But all of a sudden when we left expected it, I got a really good bite, and ALMOST caught the biggest fish of the day. Hahaha it was at least a 5lb Northern. Good place, great paths, great fishing!

Lake Minnetonka is a beautiful lake. There's a lot of bays and generally a lot to explore. Looking…read moreat all the lake houses is always a good time. There's some restaurants and businesses near the main lake. There's big island and swimming areas. Not sure I personally trust the lake water but for sure "purify yourself" if you wish. We went on a Saturday early afternoon & it was pretty busy. Lots of boats on the water. It's generally chill. We were on a private boat but they do have boat tours and yacht party's which are really fun.

Nice, clean lake. Smaller than anticipated still worth the visit if in the Minneapolis area…read more Boaters and fishing on the lake that day.

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!

Very nice neighborhood park Gathered here with friends for…read morememorial weekend bbq Lots of space and picnic tables and garbage /recycle area Bbq grills available but bring your own charcoal Beach area is small but clean and perfect for the kids Lots of parking

This is an ok little lake/swim/beach area. The water is fairly clean for being a lake that is not…read moreconsidered up north. They must rake the beach so that all the creepy floaty thingys stay at bay. The fish however really like to bite at this one which kind of creeps me out. I mush prefer a good chlorinated swimming pool, but those aren't always available. There are lifeguards at this location. The swimming area is quite small and quite shallow, but I think its made more for the kiddies not for doing any serious laps or anything. Basically its a nice little area to go cool off in. The park itself is nice. There are picnic tables up the hill. It's clean and well maintained. Flat surface parking, but it does fill up pretty quickly making it difficult to find a spot on a really warm day.

This park is lovely, with Stone Arch Bridge anchoring one point, large bathrooms, and several…read moretrails. The Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Trail runs through this park, and there is also a lower trail that takes you near the river and provides a lovely lower vantage point of Stone Arch Bridge - perfect for photos. The lower trail does have some stairs and the trail does get narrow/not paved. The park has plenty of benches and grassy areas. Lots of mature trees provide shade. Plenty of people were jogging and biking during my visit. Do note that Stone Arch Bridge closes on 4th of July to prevent people from unsafely congregating on the bridge. When I visited on the 4th, they had blocked off the bridge so I couldn't take photos on the bridge. A lot of locals were also surprised too. Lots of street parking here, as well as a paid lot nearby.

Hennepin Bluffs Park in Minneapolis is on the east bank of the Mississippi River, and is the north…read moreentry point to the Stone Arch bridge, letting one walk across to downtown. It is named after Father Louis Hennepin, who was the first to document the nearby Falls in 1680, and named it St Anthony (after his patron saint). I visited it on a snow covered day in March, entering it once I crossed the bridge from downtown. One can supposedly walk down to the river from here, probably a lot more accessible during non-snow season. Will give it a try the next time I visit.

First time visiting Edgewater Park, and it's such a scenic little escape tucked around Colby Lake…read more Met up with an old friend for a walk and chat, and the paved trail around the lake was perfect--peaceful, tree-lined, and surrounded by gorgeous homes. We noticed tennis courts, basketball courts, and spots for fishing too. There's easy onsite parking and convenient onsite restrooms. Nice touches like an AED on-site show the park is really thoughtfully maintained. Perfect safe walking spot. Already looking forward to my next visit.

Nice park, friendly Busy neighborhoods and golf course. I have beautiful day expect the small…read moreparking to be full so you park on the sides. In the area for kids was full of kids playing coming and leaving. Even the parents seemed nice. Walking about the lake will take you some time so be ready for that. I couldn't finish it because the kids got tired and bored.