What a nice surprise! This park has a bit of everything. Large shade trees and multiple shelters…read morewith a huge central playground make this place ideal for a family picnic. And parking is all around. The playground has a number of small pieces of equipment, but the showpiece is called Manitou Mountain. A large wooden series of towers and slides are enclosed in this fenced area. Swings and other pieces of wooden equipment are mixed in among the towers. In addition to the playground, there are basketball courts, a baseball field to the north and a football field to the south. The park was clean and in good condition. This is the park to choose if you are visiting Rochester. Review #3076

There's a lot of weird kids here me myself as a kid I'd like to play around go down the slides and…read moreeverything and there's a lot of kids here that like flip people off and say some pretty bad words not trying to be a kid Karen but do you know it's a little bit weird. But the slides are nice and the play equipment.

Very nice city park. Well manicured and a great playground for the kids! Great place to run off…read moresome energy!

Wow, this is a beautiful park. I wish we had taken more pictures! Pet friendly, and easily…read moreaccessible. There's lots of parking. There is a Garfield statue here (one of the many in Grant county). This park was so nice, I was surprised it was free admission. Beautiful fountains, lots of educational information, and butterflies everywhere. In my opinion, the garden alone is worth a quick day trip.

This small nature park rests next to US 31 on County Road 150N. It has a small lake with a walking…read morepath around the edge. There is a gravel lot at the entrance and a shelter with picnic tables. The rest of the park is basically returned to prairie growth. A few small trees surround the lake, but otherwise, there is no shade. Review #3075

Good park Pool is clean…read more Bathrooms are eerie Fun for kids and adults Lots of stuff to do

it was OK, but in the main part, there were writings of peoples names and peoples name ship…read moretogether, but the main problem is that there were a lot of writing bad things about people and the park is really dirty easy spot so your kids in the park. The park is a little too big. You can lose your child really easily if you take your eyes off then, be careful, the giant slide has a bunch of sand and is easy to slip in the back by the giant hill. There's the blueberry vegetable and the added the new part in the back, which is really nice for the little kids that don't wanna be by the older kids way easier to watch your kids in the bath and you do not want to lose your kids in the back. There is a zip line which is a little scary cause it seems to fling you and you might wanna hold onto your kids because it flings them if they are really light

My boyfriend, dog, and I stayed at France Park for two nights and had a great time. We rented the…read morecabin (there's only one on site) and wanted to make a review since it's hard to find info on it. The cabin is tucked away and was difficult to find due to the staff not giving us a map or directions but we found it just after driving the whole park and deciding to go back for directions. The cabin is primitive and you have to bring your own bed clothes, pillows, etc. no running water, electric, or heating/cooling but there is an electrical outlet a little ways from the cabin. You'd need an extension cord to reach the cabin though. Picnic table and fire ring on site. They didn't give us any hassle with bringing our dog which we declared when making the reservation. The cabin is very shaded and I was not worried about my dog over heating. There's also a store on site with basic supplies and you can also buy firewood on site. There were vault toilets right by the cabin but they were intolerable...strong odor, wet floors, you get it...so we would head up to the bath house for the rest rooms. Little bit of a walk so we'd drive up. Those were clean and the showers were free. France Park had a lot of fun things to do including various fishing areas (one being just down the hill from the cabin), a swimming/beach area with an obstacle course on the water, and the coolest disc golf course I've ever seen (we brought our own discs. I didn't check to see if you could rent or buy on site). The course goes through the woods and was very challenging for a beginner like myself but loved the experience. The location is also fairly close to a tubing place called Riverside Rentals and we really enjoyed that river float. Also not too bad of a drive to town if needing supplies. I wish we would have taken more photos but was too consumed in being present and enjoying disconnecting. Overall, the only negative was the vault toilets but we'll definitely be back to enjoy this location. What a gem!

Great campground and activities. Beautiful waterfall. Great trails. The water was amazing for…read moreswimming. Had a live DJ and concessions. Had a blast! Would highly recommend.

This was a beautiful Botanical Garden! There was plenty of street parking right in front of the…read moreentrance. The property was full of beautiful flowers, lush greenery, and bright colors. There was so much to take in! It's a great place for a photoshoot, relaxation, or just enjoying nature! There were a few groups relaxing around the gardens on benches or in the gazebos. Over the small bridge was a stream and a small pond with koi fish & turtles. I wasn't able to see any of the fish in the pond. The water was pretty murky, but a few did pop up. I was able to spot a few turtles! I had a fun time exploring the botanical gardens. The property was very clean and well maintained. It was extremely peaceful & a nice escape from the normal day to day to experience nature's beauty!

This is a pretty little park in Valpo. Beautiful flowers and big trees. A small stream runs through…read morean area off in the corner. Benches to sit around on, or just lay out in the open grassy areas. Pavilions for gatherings are available. At tippy top there is a playground for children. I like to go for a run and then come here and relax after.

Awesome park for hiking, horse riding, and camping. My favorite is the fire tower! When open, you…read morecan climb to the top for great views. Signage at parking area indicates if the tower is open or closed. The park roads are well maintained and bathroom facilities available throughout. The park charges an entry fee in-season.

This review is for the campground!…read more Well maintained sites. Wooded. Private if on the exterior - highly recommend. Bathroom is not nice but not gross. Friendly campground attendants. Pack bug spray! I'll return to actually explode the park. We did off-site activities this trip!

I recently attended a wedding at Foundation Meadows Park. The venue is stunning, featuring…read morebeautiful outdoor spaces and a very cool gazebo, perfect for a memorable celebration!

Great park with 3 levels of slides. Beautiful walking paths and public bathrooms. Entire play area…read morehas rubber pellets to protect the kids when they fall. Trust me, they will fall, they are kids!!! Two covered pavilions that make for a great place to have a meal/snack. This park is less crowded than ValPlayso while valplayso has more to do!!! This park is one of the many reasons Valparaiso, IN is an amazing place to visit and live!!

This is the classic Japanese-style garden. It was a gift from Mishawaka's sister city, Shiojiri,…read moreand unlike anything else in the city. Upon entering the park, one will notice how this garden sends off quite a different "vibe" than western-style gardens do. Typical of Japanese design, it was thought out quite a bit, and there is a reason behind every little detail within. Every changing month seems to bring its own charm to the park. An excellent park to go to for feeling closer to both God and nature. This has got to be the loveliest acre of land in Mishawaka.

This park celebrates the sister city status of Mishawaka and Shiojiri, a city in Nagano, Japan…read more Niwa is Japanese for garden and this park takes on many of the characteristics of a Japanese Garden. Some of those characteristics include: Water - renewal and calm Stone - longevity and forces of nature Yukimi-gata Lantern (a snow lantern) Bridges The park has all these but the water/pond which would ideally contain fish /koi. Of course, the weather here would necessitate wintering of the fish elsewhere, so it is probably a cost management issue. The park is well kept and is filled with plants, small trees, and gardens. There is also a bronze sculpture to the right of the entrance that commemorates the relationship between the two cities. Review #3099

I've been making an effort to experience my home state of Indiana a little more these days. From…read morestate parks to roadside attractions to smalltown diners, I've been trying to simply slow down and enjoy Indiana. Chain O' Lakes State Park is one of Indiana's state parks. Located in Albion, a small city of under 2,400 in northeast Indiana's Noble County (think Kendallville), Chain O' Lakes State Park has as its main feature, you guessed it, a chain of lakes. The park has a chain of nine "kettle" lakes (13 lakes total, 9 connected). Kettle lakes are glacial lakes that were formed out of melting ice blocks. Chain O' Lakes offers small boating, 23 miles of forested trails for hiking, a hillside family cabin, a Nature Center, campground, swimming beach, picnic shelters, and the historic Stanley Schoolhouse - a historic one-room schoolhouse. Chain O' Lakes has 426 campsites, 18 cabins, waterfalls, great fishing spots, and you can rent watercraft. This is far enough from Indy that I kind of recommend making it a weekend trip rather than a day trip. There's much to do in Noble County (which also has a decent-sized Amish community). You can canoe a great five-mile path through the park's nine connected lakes (This used to be an official "challenge," though I don't know if it is anymore). There are even canoe camping sites (more isolated than the traditional camping sites). Chain O' Lakes is one of Indiana's under-appreciated gems. It's definitely less accessible than some of the parks, though it has improved somewhat over the years. It's more rustic and natural. It emphasizes outdoor experiences and its just over 2,700 acres feel like you could just get lost in them. The park is only 19 miles northwest of Fort Wayne (Indiana's second largest city), however, it feels like a world away. As someone who typically goes to Fort Ben State Park, I have a major love for these parks where you get there and forget there's a world outside the gates. If you're not the camping type, I'd probably head to Kendallville rather than Albion for the overnight. However, Chain O' Lakes has everything from primitive to more comfortable camping. So, it's easy to find something that works. I hadn't been to Chain O' Lakes in a while. Returning, I was reminded just how much I enjoy the place and how relaxing it is. A few other basics - This is a state park, so there's a fee to enter unless you've gotten the State Park pass (which I recommend for Indiana's 24 state parks). Also, fishing requires the state license and it is enforced. Finally, a couple semi-fun facts. There's a "re-entry center" located directly in the state park with a capacity of 140 incarcerated individuals. It offers educational and treatment programs designed to help people transition into the community - it also helps maintain this park, Pokagon, and the surrounding communities. It's been here since 1967 (and yes, it is safe.). Chain O' Lakes State Park also hosts The HUFF 50k Trail Run/Relay, the 12th largest ultramarathon in North America. Doesn't all this make you want to visit? I'll admit that I tend to stick in the 4-5 star range for most state parks. I love them. In terms of accessibility, I'd go 4-star for Chain O' Lakes. Because it offers so much and is really under-appreciated (in my opinion), I'm bumping it up to 5-stars. The trails, occasionally accessible, really do require someone with mobility issues to have assistance and some simply wouldn't work. Word of caution, as well, with so much water you had best plan for mosquitoes. They can be really serious around here!

Great camping spot! It's always quiet and beautiful. The boat rental closes at 4 ( I couldn't find…read morethe hours) and we didn't know that and got there at 4:05 :( only downside. The trails are good and the Dairy Queen in town is always a nice backup if the hot dogs aren't enough for your hunger