I love this park! The first visit we had was to shoot photos showing the beauty of Minnesota and to…read morepotentially include in a calendar. As we walked the trails with our dogs - on leash - I had some reminiscing about riding my horse on the other side of the lake and sailing with my father. Wonderful memories. Lake Minnewashta Regional Park is a 340 acre park on the shores of Lake Minnewashta. Facilities include a swimming beach, bathhouse, off-leash dog area, reservable picnic shelters, sand volleyball courts, creative playground (which looked like a regular playground), paved boat access, paved bike trails, turf trails for walking and skiing, ski/snowshoe rental, and vending machines. If your dogs are good at dog parks, this is one to visit! The Off Leash Dog Area is fenced-in off-leash dog area at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park. This 18-acre site has a separate area for small dogs and approximately one mile of trails. To get in to the off-leash dog area you'll need either a $6 daily or $28 annual vehicle permit. Both are able to be purchased through the honor box at the park entrance by the gate house. Definitely worth visiting!

***This is a review about their off-leash dog park.***…read more Even though I've only visited a few dog parks, Minnewashta's must rank amongst the top! Essentially, Carver County dedicated a small forest to everyone's favorite four-legged friend, where plenty of tall trees, fresh water streams, gigantic leaf piles, paw and foot friendly trails, sizable grassy green spaces, and speedy squirrels for them to chase exist. In other words, dog heaven resides in Chanhassen. Also, don't worry about your pup running away, because there's a huge fence that wraps around the entire park. Aside from the park itself, prior to entering, there's a little area with a water fountain and hose. Visitors can use the hose down your pup, before loading him or her into the car. For $24, you can purchase the annual pass. Otherwise, like me, you'll have to pay $5 per visit. From what I heard from another dog owner, though, no one mans the tollbooth after September, so the park relies on the honor system for payment. Once you arrive, drive slightly past the tollbooth, and open up a metal lid that holds paper envelopes. Put your $5 in and write your name on it. It's a bit of a cumbersome process to enter, but seeing the biggest smile on my dog's face was well worth it.

This Three Rivers Park is on the westside of the Twin Cities in Victoria. It offers: Lowry Nature…read moreCenter, Lake Auburn Campground, Grimm Historic Farm Site, Carver Park Archery Range, Dog Off-Leash area, Horseback trails, King Waterbird Sanctuary, Monarch Singletrack Bike Trailhead. Lots of hiking and paved biking trails available. Free entrance, lots of parking lots.

Great place for winter skiing. Xx Nordic ski rentals & great place to try out skiing for the first…read moretime or the 1000th time. Eye candy galore. Our public treasure Yes, come along, fresh air & lungs & views are all life worth celebrating.

Another Hidden Gem: Noerenberg Memorial Gardens Review…read more Noerenberg Memorial Gardens is another secret I should have discovered sooner! As someone who lives nearby I stumbled upon it while planning a bike ride and it felt like I found a hidden oasis. The gardens really do live up to being a place of tranquility and fresh air and are a far cry from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The accessibility of the Noerenberg Memorial Gardens is a big plus. Being close to the Dakota Rail Regional Trail makes it a great destination for cyclists. I highly recommend incorporating it into a bike ride. The ride itself adds to the experience, you get to transition from the activity of cycling into the peacefulness of the gardens. This seamless transition makes for a more immersive and rewarding visit. The garden itself is beautiful. The attention to detail in the landscaping is obvious and it's visually stunning and calming. What struck me most was the quiet. Being right next to a busy road and yet it's so quiet. It's amazing how well the gardens filter out the noise and you can fully immerse yourself in the sounds of nature: birdsong, rustling leaves and maybe the gentle lapping of the nearby lake. It really feels like stepping through a "portal of tranquility" and instantly washing away stress and feeling peaceful. The atmosphere is what sets the Noerenberg Memorial Gardens apart. It's a place for quiet contemplation, a space to breathe deeply and reconnect with nature. Whether you want to read a book, meditate or just wander and take in the beauty around you this garden is the place. Feeling surrounded by beauty is both uplifting and restorative. Beyond the aesthetics the gardens offer learning and inspiration. Discovering places like this is valuable learning regardless of whether school is in session. Seeing the different plant species, appreciating the artistry and just soaking in the peacefulness can spark curiosity and deepen your connection to the natural world. It's a reminder that learning can be found everywhere and not just in a classroom. The Noerenberg Memorial Gardens are more than a garden but it's an experience. It's a must see for anyone looking for a peaceful escape. Proof that nature can heal and inspire and a reminder to slow down and appreciate what's around us.

Located right by lake Minnetonka, the Noerenberg Memorial Gardens is a intriguing memorial which…read moreI had the opportunity to partake in a walking tour offered by Three Rivers Park. Through walking through and visiting the eye-catching boathouse architecture and the historic barn which is part of the estate, I learned about the history of the memorial which was originally developed around 1890 by Frederick Noerenberg, a brewer who was one of the first entrepreneurs to establish a year-round home at Lake Minnetonka. Although the family house was torn down and the will was to just preserve the estate the overall feel of the property is still defined by the non existent house. A little disappointed that there are no actual garden with flowers, but the landscape is still stunning and calming that I would like to revisit on my own time.

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.

This particular park feels like its in the middle of nowhere, but its just minutes from Mound and…read morethe lovey Lake Minnetonka. Otherwise, welcome to your typical softball/baseball field. There isn't any shade to be had, so make sure to bring a popup tent if you are going to be there for an all day tournament. Parking is kinda crazy because there aren't any lined spaces. However, there is plenty of space to make your own parking space in the grass or on the dirt drive. If only people in MN could figure out how to efficiently park and make space for others when there aren't any lines to park inside. Overall, good place for some ball.

Nice park. Two open fields. Beautiful sunsets. And most of the people and dogs are super friendly…read more I had a couple of wonky experiences...I don't recommend this park for small dogs that don't play well with any other dog or doesn't play well with big dogs. There are A LOT of big dogs that visit here and there's no designated area for small dogs. If your dog is aggressive (big or small), also not a good spot to bring your dog. I've had one small dog that ran up to me and tried to bite my ankles. And another small pooch that didn't want to play and tried to bite my dog. Not cool and not the right place for your dog.

I love this dog park. I almost didn't move out of the area I love this dog park so much…read more Unfortunately it's now an hour drive one way for us so we very rarely get out here anymore. It's 27 (roughly) acres, all fenced in of tall grass, trees, some water, and walking trails. My dog and I used to spend hours here, it was a sanity saver when she was a puppy, bring her here in the morning for an hour or two and she'd be good and worn out so I could actually get something done in the afternoon. So details about the park, it does cost money, $5/day or $35/year. The year runs out on Dec 31. If you buy a $35 pass Dec 30, you'll need to get a new Jan 1. That said, you pay to *park* there. So if you walk in, it's free. There's a parking lot just down the hill for the bike paths, it's tiny, but it'll fit a few cars. Park there, walk up the hill to the park, and it's free! Do not, I repeat, do not get caught parking in the dog park lot without a permit. It is a *huge* fine, like over $100 fine (luckily I do not know this from personal experience, but from others who got caught). And it is pretty regularly checked for non-permit cars. There is a small dog section of the park that people are picky about being for small dogs, but it is rarely used. There are also free bags at the entrance, and unfortunately it's where the only garbage can is too. So sometimes there's issues of people not picking up the poop on the other end of the park because they don't want to carry it back to the entrance. The regulars are super nice and I met many good friends this way, as did my dog. If you go a mile further down the road from the dog park you'll find Lake Zumbra, which is a public boat access. Dogs are welcome, but must be leashed. The park ranger regularly patrols down here too to make sure dogs are actually leashed. I would just go swimming with my dog, we both loved it. Often I would leave the leash on her, but not always hold it, if you hear a truck coming down the dirt road, grab the leash and pretend like you've always been holding it. (shh)