Apparently, there's a nude beach in the Twin Cities. Cool…read more I read a book under the shade while friends frolicked in the water. No one minded that I was clothed any more than I minded that most were not. -1 for no showers -1 for the string of recent thefts there

We pulled into the parking lot with the Grands, both children stopped talking immediately and…read morecrooned, "ooohh!" They literally dived out of the vehicle and ran into the park and began playing on all of the equipment. It's a small park at the trailhead near Theodore Wirth Parkway. Easy to find, plenty of parking, lots of shade and picnic tables to sit at while the family plays. It's a circuit of equipment for agility and balance. It's designed for adults but the children adore it. There's a sign at the beginning with a map on how to use each piece of equipment. The kids immediately acclimated to the circuit and began running it and timing themselves on their Apple watches. Along the side there is a running track. We had to drag them away when it was time to go to lunch. Their parting words were, "be sure and tell our mom how to get here."

New park that helps with neighborhood revitalization. Lots of brand new playground equipment and…read morespace for kids to run around. Long range plans include adding a bandshell.

My toddler enjoyed this park! I like that is closed in! A bonus if you have little ones that like…read moreto wonder! It also has a basket ball court and community garden!

He Said: Great place for a solo hike, group hike, or…read moreeducational stroll with the family. The Center is right next to 394, but it would not know it, since the Center is very serene. The building is new and clean. There are many cool outside and inside things to do. Check it out. Pros: - Free - Near Minneapolis - Several things to do Cons: - NA

We happen to live across the street from the WHNC but only spent any significant there, starting…read moreabout 3 months ago. No good excuse for overlooking such a gem. Truly a sanctary from the staleness of the suburbs, it's really a fascinating if simple maze coursing around an interpretive center (for school field trips), an intricate hiking path (largely flat) and a small lake. Some wildlife, mostly deer, hares and turkeys, all tame. Biting insects feasted on us during the midsummer heat, but that's manageable with the right clothes and repellant. No domestic pets are allowed, though I have seen that violated here and there. Leave the dog at home. But if one simply wants a nature hike nearby in SLP, you wont do much better than the WHNC.

My wife and I volunteered on a Saturday to help with the MDA muscle walk in 2025 and Wolfe park is…read morea hidden gem. There are tennis courts and sand volleyball and a wonderful playground for kids. They even have a lap pool and awesome water park with some real cool slides in St Louis Park. There is a nearby Target and Steel Toe Brewing if you want to grab a beverage or go shopping. There is a great media museum nearby as well. There is a pavilion where you can use the restroom and it was a perfect host for the event with a trail that runs a mile around a small lake. I am glad we found this place after 26 years!

A pleasant way to spend some time outside whenever the weather cooperates…read more The usual assortment of outdoor things including a decent, newish play area for the kids and some meandering walking paths. A smallish cupola to hold gatherings or escape the rain is also present. At the far western edge of the park is a pond (It's called a lake but seems to me much closer to a pond). One can take a walk around the circumference where roughly 1/6 is on a raised wooden platform. You might notice a fishing dock (I would not recommend eating anything caught but that's just me) and some water flowing over rocks (when it's not too dry). Along the northern side of the park are some fenced-in Pickleball courts that are usually quite busy. Maybe nothing special but still a good spot for some R&R.

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.

It was my first time in the city, and I had some downtime to visit some nature-y spots. Lyndale…read morePark was one of my favorites! I did enjoy the Peace Garden side more than the Rose Garden side (the roses were not in bloom at the time I traveled there), but they still had other beautiful plants and flowers there. This was such a good place to ground down and be one with nature. There are porto potties, paid parking (not expensive), and even a bird sanctuary trail.

This is truly one of the most beautiful spots in the metro area. During high season - mid to late…read moresummer - the rose garden is so lush and spectacular. It is so peaceful. I always bring my out of town guests here and they are in awe. it's also a perfect spot for date night for a walk before or after dinner. Love sitting by the fountain or setting up a picnic under the trees in the park on the hill on a sunny afternoon.

I walked the 8 miles around the lake! I started and ended at East Medicine Lake Park. It was a very…read morewell marked path that stayed close to the lake 50-60% of the time! It was fairly well shaded by trees. Approximately 3 bathroom and water opportunities. I saw a lot of new beaches and fishing points on this walk. It took 3 hours with a few stops. Overall 5/5 recommend for novice hikers!

Medicine Lake is such a lovely lake and the perfect spot for a nice stroll. A perfect visit for…read moresolitude and also a nice lake to gather with a company of friends to walk and talk! It is located less than 10 miles from Minneapolis in the suburb of Plymouth, quick getaway from the city. There are lovely parks surrounding the lake, and the paths are nicely paved connecting to Minneapolis, Maple Grove, and Minnetonka. The paths are ideal for biking, running, and a nice stroll. There's lots and lots of parking, Medicine Lake is one of my favorite lakes and I love the walking paths something one can enjoy all year long with the change of seasons, oh the colors and the fragrance! It is one of the reasons I love living in the Twin Cities. The photos below is from my walk on Sunday June 12, 2022 which was a perfect early summer day.

This is a neat little park that is located at the end of a street near some town homes. There is a…read moreon of street parking available near the park and the park can be accessed from 2 sides. It is not a very big park and features a picnic shelter with picnic tables, 2 half basketball courts, a playground area, a small pond, and some green space. The shelter is small, but in decent shape. The playground area is on a bed of wood chips, has benches along its perimeter for caregivers to sit, and has decent equipment. The playground equipment includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, a see-saw, a barrel spinner, and a super scoop. Th highlight of the playground equipment though is its jungle gym that is very colorful and features a bunch of slides. The park's two half basketball courts a pretty nice and in great shape. One of the court's rims can be lowered, which is nice. I could have dunked on it if I had a ball with me. The court has some chalk writing and is home to a hopscotch board. You will find a nice pond off to the side of the basketball courts, along with some benches to sit, relax and take it all in. It is a neat and chill spot. All in all this is a pretty good park, it does not have a bathroom, but it appears well maintained and does not see o have many visitors. And the few visitors that it gets are from the surrounding neighborhoods. You will find a couple of small patched of green space here that are suitable for a picnic or playing a little game of catch. There is a lone picnic table sitting on one of the patches of green space too. This is not a destination park, but is a nice spot to visit if you are in the area and looking for a park to hangout. It has a very laid back and relaxing vibe and was a nice place to just hang out and pass some time.

Well groomed and relaxing neighborhood park. Beautiful 7 pools fountain flows right through the…read moremiddle. You'll find people wading in the pools in the summer or kids playing and splashing along the crossover areas. Lots of flowers and trees. No playground but there is another park in Lowry Hill with a great one if you have kids. Garage cans on either side for dog bags etc. No bathroom.

Small and quiet comes to mind when you first see this park. And it packs in a lot of features like…read morea river and seating areas. Got to give credit to the Parks system for the design of this park. If you are in the area, stop by and enjoy a refreshing yet brief walk around the park.

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.