The Milwaukee Zoo is fantastic example of a zoo that blends nature and animals into a unique…read moreenvironment that allows the visitors a variety of different areas across different terrain. I enjoyed my visit and saw many different species of wildlife. My tip is to take the tram or train which takes you on a ride around the park.

This last weekend we visited the MKE zoo and were so pleased with our experience. We live in Green…read moreBay and have visited the zoo a few times but this time was the first big outing that we've had with our kiddos since both being diagnosed with ADHD and my youngest with a sensory processing disorder. He has really been struggling at school with aggression and outbursts when dysregulated and we've been slowly reintroducing family outings since taking January when most of it started. To say we were nervous about taking a two hour car trip (both ways) and being in a busy place with lots of families around to watch if he got out of control is an understatement but we were feeling confident and ready to try it. We were so pleasantly surprised at the wait of the line - it looked incredibly long but the folks at the stands were all quick and we ended up going to the service desk to purchase a family pass for the year. While checking out I noticed a sign that said "sensory bags available" and had a pair of headphones on it signifying that there were noise cancelling headphones for kiddos who tend to dysregulate with loud noise/crowded areas/etc. I asked about them and the person at the desk shared that they were free to borrow and they had some small fidgets in them! Now, I'm not saying the bag was a lifesaving thing but it did definitely come in handy. My son instantly gravitated toward the headphones especially in smaller enclosed areas like the hippo and small mammal enclosure. He also loved the stretchy elastic fidgets and the bag was actually really handy to carry extra things that they accumulated in the zoo. This is a very long winded review to share that we really appreciated the sensory bags - from the free availability to the easy return process - thank you MKE zoo for thinking of neurodivergent kids that can utilize these bags for that elevated experience to let everyone in the family enjoy the day.

Hawthorn Glen is a 23-acre nature center that primarily serves as a field trip location on weekdays…read morefor 12,000 children annually. Natural features include steep bluffs, flood-plain hardwood forest, spring-fed wetland, and a restored prairie. Visitors to this urban nature center can explore five different habitats interconnected by a trail system. The public is welcome to utilize the facility and the well-marked ¾ mile self-guided nature trail in the evenings or on weekends (the lower trail is mostly blacktopped and ADA accessible). Many seasonal programs are offered on the weekends. Trails are designated for hiking only. Hikers are reminded to leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories, and watch for wildlife. Hawthorn Glen is home to deer, foxes, raccoons, opossum, rabbits, chipmunks, woodchucks, two species of hawks, many migratory birds, and songbirds of all kinds year-round. The website states, also, "Come visit our Nature Museum and see native animals of Wisconsin, including tree frogs, several species of turtles and our six foot bullsnake. It is open weekdays (4:00-5:00 pm) and weekends (11:00-11:45 am and 3:00-4:00 pm). Admission is FREE." Check out the Hawthorn Glenn YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru99rqELBcA

A lovely and unexpected sanctuary in the middle of the city. Located in Wauwatosa, Hawthorne and…read moreGlen is a perfect place for families, couples, or anybody who wants to go on a hike, have a picnic, or go into their little educational center. If you're just up for a short, beautiful hike, I recommend going here. You will not feel like you are in the middle of the city. It is beautiful, and we had an incredible hike! It would be a beautiful place to have a picnic, or bring your kids as they have children's playgrounds and the educational center. They even have goose ducks and a few animals that you can go look at.

Nixon Park is what small-town living is all about. The local families appreciate all it offers…read moreover 14.5 acres: a huge playground, splash pad, picnic tables, outdoor music, snack bar (open at times), stage entertainment, tennis courts, and this is just the start! A handicapped-accessible pathway invites everyone in. We watched some young boys fishing and they caught 23" northern pikes- repeatedly! There is lots of room for kids to run and play, traffic is far away, and there are wonderful events regularly scheduled throughout the seasons. We just visited the Healing Wall, and have also enjoyed several stage programs. All free! Whether you have young children or are empty nesters, this park is peaceful and fun for all ages. Dogs are welcome also. After having fun at the park grab dinner down the street; there are many restaurants to choose from. Hartland is a small town that offers lots for everyone to enjoy!

This is a nice little unique park that Hartland has at the heart of its downtown center, and every…read moreresident can find something to do here that will allow them to have both relaxing summer evenings or chilly but fun winter nights. The layout is simple--there's a stage and pavilion for bands, movie nights, performances, etc., a baseball diamond, some large open fields/areas, a space for a beer garden during the warmer months, and a playground and picnic pavilion. An ice rink is also installed during the winter months, so if you have your own ice skates or want to pay a few bucks to rent a pair, head down here for some fun night-skating under the bright lights. I've personally spent time at the beer garden in the summer, which is run by Pat Endter, the owner of nearby Endter's Sports Grill, and it's a great little treat to have for the area--the staff is always super nice, the beer is always ice cold, and the selection is great throughout the different months it's open. There are more than enough umbrella-covered picnic tables to accommodate a large crowd, and the fact that we can bring our dog with us to have a beer outside is awesome. The pavilion/stage is also a unique draw for the park--I've seen movies, comedy shows, and bands perform on the stage there, and the events are always free for the public. There have also been instances of major sports games shown on the inflatable projector screen the Village of Hartland owns and uses at the park, and this allows for a cool sort of community camaraderie when the weather is warm enough to allow for such activities, especially with the food and beer from the beer garden. Probably the coolest part of the park though is the mere fact that it's on the Ice Age Trail, one of Wisconsin's big claims-to-fame. For those who don't know, the Ice Age Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails, and it runs solely through the state of Wisconsin, meaning it's locally maintained and managed for the most part. There are only a few municipalities throughout the state of Wisconsin who can say that the Ice Age Trail runs through the heart of their communities, and the fact that this park features a segment of the IAT itself is pretty cool and a fact to brag about to neighboring communities.

Imagination Station at Roosevelt Park is a wonderful outdoor playground great for all ages. My 2…read moreyear old loved the treasure chest image underneath the stair cases. Great for all skill level climbers and walkers. Many options to hang and swing from. The bathrooms were clean and directly across from the play area. Some shade provided near the play area under trees.

The playground is awesome here…read more Imagination Station is a huge, accessible playground for children of all ages. It's a perfect place for mom or dad to be able to climb around with the kids. There is a separate Tot Lot area that is for kids 2-5, but most of the playground is still accessible even for the littler kids. There are plenty of place to play hide and seek, a train, pirate ship, castle, slides, climbing nets, monkey bars and tunnels. The fun tandem swings are something I have not seen before. The entire play area is covered by the soft foam instead of sand or wood chips. We drove out from Wauwatosa and it was worth the drive.

Nashotah Park is in the Waukesha County Park system. Get your yearly parking pass for next to…read morenothing and enjoy this gem all year long. That parking pass is then good for all the Waukesha County parks. I have used the large and small dog off-leash areas, the open field, the rest areas, but mostly the wonderful trails all through the woods. Today, my sister and our two dogs did the long hike all around the area, a nice way to stretch our legs with easy and slightly harder terrain. Nothing to worry about, but in the end, we put on a few miles and enjoyed a full drink of water at the end. There are drinking fountains for both human and animal use (separate spigots.) The restrooms are clean and well-maintained, not port-a-potties. Park your car in one of the two parking lots, take a look at the map and find the colored trail(s) you want to hike and set out. The trails are never really crowded, and you will meet other people and pets along the way. Dogs are to be on leash at all times, and be sure to take poop bags with you; there are some available at each parking area in case you forget your own. There are few garbage cans along the trails so prepare to carry it out with you. We trek here all year long and enjoy the changing seasons as well as the quiet even with roads all around us. This is a nice place to just get away. There are areas marked as environmentally sensitive, so stay on the trails and you will have a wonderful time out in nature.

Loved this park! We headed here for the dog park. They have separate areas for large and small…read moredogs. The large dog area was huge. Lots of room to run and play catch. There were a nice amount of dogs to hang with. We did a couple of laps around the outside then headed to the trails. The yellow trail is just over 3 miles. It's about half shade and half sun. The shade parts through the woods were covered with mulch. The nature area had grass and tons of wild flowers. The trails were nice and wide for easy passing. There are some lakes along the way but they are hard to see through the foliage. We bought a day pass which required a whole process of setting up an account and such. There really should be a quick option to just be a guest for the day. There isn't great reception but my husband was able to get it to work scanning the QR code. Would definitely come back here. Very nice park.

One of our favorite parks in Wauwatosa. A lot to explore. Whole park is beautiful designed with art…read morepieces. Nice bike pump track, good walking and sitting area. Events in the summer is definitely a plus.

I would have killed for a park like this when I was a kid! The play equipment is awesome with lots…read moreof fun things to do and everything is so brightly colored. Even on a gloomy and a little rainy morning like the one we visited on, this park is vibrant and fun. There are lots of grassy areas to run and play, artistic benches and fountains, the bathrooms are nice and clean, the parks workers blow out all the leaves and take good care of the grounds and did I mention the multiple really cool playground areas and toys? Plus they have Mama Rosa which is the cherry on top! This park made me wish I was a kid again, or that I had young kids again so I could come here and play. If you're in the area, definitely give this spot a stop!

This place was AWESOME!!!! One of my fav indoor play places so far. It has so so many different…read moreareas for kids to play. Lots of imagination play! My daughter loved it all & could stay there all day. We'll definitely be back. Good snacks & drinks for purchase, and the staff were all so friendly!

Perfect play spot for kids 6 and under. Our 3 yr old spent 90% of his time in the Train room. Safe…read morearea for running around with a picnic area so you can bring a snack or lunch.

Our family visited on a Sunday morning. The playground is quietly tucked within a neighborhood and…read moreit appears to be newly renovated. It has a rubbery surface and there are plenty of shades. Our two girls especially enjoyed the double-sided monkey bars, swirling slides, and rope apparatus. If we didn't have lunch plans, they could have easily stayed for over an hour.

tl;dr An older neighborhood park with fenced baseball diamond, basketball court, park shelter with…read morebathrooms and drinking fountain, a large playground with rubber playing surface, and plenty of shade trees. I was looking to take my kiddo out before we headed into Sam's Club, and this park was nearby and seemed like a good stop. It was indeed! The playground is an all for one design, with no separate little kids side or big kids side, which is just fine. Variety is the key with this setup. For slides, there is one big enclosed twirl slide (my two year old loved this one), one three person slide, and a two person slide. For climbing into the playground, you can walk up the back of a crocodile, tackle the climbing wall, or take the variety of ladders, including one that goes into the middle of the roost. As well, there are two swings. One for toddlers, one for big kids. It's nothing crazy, it's not brand new, but it is well designed and maintained. Trees line the playground and basketball court, so there is plenty of shade. Parking is just on the street, no parking lot here. As well, the bathrooms are on the opposite end of the park from the playground, instead of centrally located. Other than that, the park is great for your traditional neighborhood park. We'll be back for sure.