Even when the rhododendron is not blooming the Rhododendron Park (Alppiruusupuisto) in Haaga is a…read moreperfect destination for a nice weekend walk. The park was founded and still functions as a plant breeding experimental site of the University of Helsinki. Simultaneously the eight-hectare area is a park open to the public. The first rhododendrons have been planted here in 1975. Meanwhile several different species grow some of which were created on this site and are internationally well known to handle temperatures of up to -40 degrees. Many paths and duckboards as well as some look-outs make it possible to explore most parts of the park in a comfortable way and are also accessible for wheelchair-users without problems. Have a wonderful walk!

Mountain Man Gardens This place is named after the mountain…read moreman- get grizzly and rugged out here. This small park is rather urban- right off of the #1 and #2 streetcar lines. There is a playground on this place, but the gate seems to have been frozen shut when I went, but some kids managed to smash through the ice and open it up. There's lots and snow and ice here when it's cold. I'd recommend crampons, since the sidewalks aren't salted or anything. It's an average park- not too special. It has some trees to it, and some lackluster landscaping. There's plenty of places to grab a bite around here for a good picnic. Don't go out of your way for this park, but it's okay to go check out if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

Hillside park! I tramped through this park while trying to…read morefollow the scenic, historic tram line number three. This park is large, situated on a hill overlooking the bay where the ships moor. Since the whole park is on a hill, and was covered in ice when I went, it was a very tough climb to get across the park. The stairs have handrails, which were a welcome accommodation to help ascend and descend the stairways. It'd be tough to traverse this park in a wheelchair. There are some beautiful statues here, and large wide open spaces to run and play. It offers a great view of the bay at the east end of the park. Some of the pathways don't lead anywhere in particular, they go to someone's backyard or a business, or a wall. Part of the park seems to be used by the city for road maintenance. I can imagine that this park would be pleasant in the summertime, but when I went it was completely iced over and was a pain to try and get across due to all the ice and snow. It was a beautiful walk, but treacherous. I found no public restrooms here. There is plenty of parking here, as the park is so large that there's lots of street parking available.

Such a nice place to take a stroll. The park is on a hill, so you get a great view of the water at…read morethe top. You can also see the churches and other landmarks between the trees.

Vanha Kirkkopuisto is the Old Church Park and it's a very nice mostly green spot (it's November, so…read morethe trees are a little bare). Popularly referred to as the "Plague Park" as victims of the 1710 plague were buried here alongside the church. So there's that going for it. Several large grave markers alongside the paths that crisscross the park, which is the size of the city block. Modernized in the late 1990s, the overgrown trees were cut back. This brought more sunlight, allowing the grass and shrubbery to grown in. The paths are cleaner and definitely not muddy despite some recent rain. The main archway was restored and they've added a public toilet here. It is 3.5 hectares (8.4 acres). [Review 10089 overall, 1675 of 2018.]

Old Church Park! This old park is right in the middle of…read morethe Kamppi Design District in Helsinki. It's a big park that takes up an entire city block, with lots of places to sit and watch the trees grow. There's lots of walkways that allow you to traverse the park in any direction. When I went, most of the pathways were covered in ice, and were quite slippery. It's a picturesque park that'd be perfect for an afternoon stroll or even a picnic! The church at the end of the park is beautiful, and a great setting for photos. It's a quiet park, without much open space- it's all taken up by pathways, lines of trees, and tombs. It's not an ideal place for a game of football or to fly a kite. In the corner of the park, you'll find a cemetery with ancient tombstones in Finnish, and tombs. Some of the tombstones don't look to be in the best condition. One of the tombstones resembles a large book, marking the grave of the first print shop owner in Helsinki. Parking can be challenging here, no lots to park in. I also didn't find a public restroom, but there are more in the neighborhood. The other name for the park is "Plague Park." Creepy! It's where they buried the plague victims hundreds of years ago. Don't dig!

Pleasant little park to come when in Helsinki and need to take a little beak. Tall trees around to…read moreprovide shade and in the quiet Taka-Töölö neighborhood. It's a short walk to the Sibelius monument as well. Nice for a quick break.

This triangle shaped park in the Kamppi Design District in Helsinki is a cool park! There's lots of…read morethings to see and do in this urban park that has a twin sister park right next door, separated by a traffic circle. Lastenlehdon is the larger of the two parks, which houses a playground, public restrooms, some landscaping and sculptures, and a big open space. The park was pretty frozen when I went, with the open spaces filled with ice and snow. There's a big, wide open space that would accommodate a baseball or soccer game, if it's not frozen. The park is safe, and rather well lit. There's plenty of places to sit, and the sidewalks were heavily tread to do away with the ice. The playground seems to be utilized during the day by a local school, as it was full of children wearing bright yellow reflective vests. Parking seems like it could be pretty challenging around here, but it is serviced by the public buses, and the taxi stand in the corner of the park.

I live in Toolo Towers and I LOVE IT!…read more I asked my taxi driver about the demographics of the neighborhood and he said "its not rich and it is not poor, its right in the middle." From what I read, Finland is a classless society, but to come from a finnish, that was interesting. I haven't explored much outside of Toolo, but all of the walking I have done, I felt safe and like if I wanted to go to the lake, city center or up north, everything is relatively close.

Töölö is where I live and I love it. It's exactly the perfect distance from the center and also…read moreclose to nature. Töölönlahti is one the most amzing parks in Helsinki and I live right next to it. We have the Olympic Stadium, Sonera Stadium and Jäähalli, where I can go see concert, football games etc. There are great restaurants, cafe's and bars in the Töölö area and more seem to pop up all the time. It's a very safe neighborhood with an old Helsinki charm.

I have been to a handful of amusement parks in my time, and to be honest, Linnanmäki (aka…read moreBorgbacken) is not the best of the best. But what it does have going for it is that visitors can enter without having to pay an entrance fee. Then, they can choose to purchase a full-day wristband, or buy rides individually. I ended up visiting Linnanmäki after hanging out in the adjoining Alppipuisto Park. My companions and I had the idea to go up in the Panorama Tower, which is free to visit. As the name suggests, it gives riders a 360-degree view of the city from above. We also then opted to try out the Vuoristorata rollercoaster, which is the most iconic ride in the park. Although it wasn't the best wooden rollercoaster I have been on (the Giant Dipper is perhaps my favorite), it still is quite cool. Fun fact: it was the last rollercoaster in the world to be built with side friction technology. All in all, I think Linnanmäki knows what it's doing with allowing anyone to enter, because that means people will buy one-off ride tickets, food, etc. If you are in Helsinki for a few days and nearby, consider checking it out and, at the very least, taking a ride up in the tower.

Fun little amusement park in Helsinki which has rides, games, shops, a theater and places to eat…read moreand play. The park itself isn't that big but it actually has a lot going on. It's free to enter the park but the rides are insanely expensive. €8 for a single ride! You can get a wrist band for €36 which is still high seeing as there aren't that many rides. A couple of the rides are free such as the Ferris wheel, observation tower, carousel and the tea cups. I went on the wooden rollercoaster called Vuoristorata and it was fun. It's a good place to visit if you're visiting Helsinki even if you're not planning on going on any rides.