This is a great little park that we've stopped at a ton of times on the long distance hauls from…read moreKansas City to the Minneapolis area. The bathrooms are closed in the winter time so keep that in mind. Great park to let the kids burn off some of that pent up energy.

Spent a weekend camping & hiking here and it's lovely! This state park occupies a large swath of…read morethe coastline of Lake Albert Lea, and is very convenient to the city of Albert Lea and 35-W. As such, this is a very easy park to get to. I camped in one of the two large drive-in campgrounds, both of which are very well-appointed with amenities. There are drinking water faucets distributed liberally throughout the campgrounds, and there are large restroom facilities at each, which are kept clean and have plenty of toilets, sinks, and showers. They even have little stations to plug in devices to charge them. Probably my biggest gripe with this park is that the restroom facilities are so brightly lit, right next to where the campsites are, that it strongly impacts the outdoorsy ambience. Many campers might not mind that & might even prefer it. But between that and the audible proximity to the Interstate, I prefer to feel a little more isolated. I saw lots of big trailers plugged into outlets, and there are also group camps, rentable cabins, and backpacking sites. I definitely want to return here to try one of those backpacking sites along the east side of the lake. Speaking of the lake, I did spot a number of fishing and canoeing options being taken advantage of. With all the beautiful lakefront area here, this is a really cool place for that kind of activity. I was surprised that the office wasn't staffed when i arrived mid-afternoon on a Saturday in June (2022) to check in; I wasn't able to get my hands on a physical map, and I had to put cash in an envelope to get some firewood. But other than that, it felt like a well-staffed park. All things considered, I will defintely return from the Twin Cities, and if it's more convenient to where you live, you can consider that a good thing! EDIT: I did indeed return two weeks later and try out a packpacking site. Loved it! It's way more remote over there. Really beautiful and lots of cool, well-posted trails. There was a big stash of firewood they'd prepared for free; do they do that for everyone? It's great! You can get to all the backpacking sites via canoe. Bumping my rating from 4 stars to 5!

Beautiful, large park with trails for walking and bike trails. Wetland areas, big trees, and well…read moremaintained public areas

Prices have gone up A LOT! Chicken salad sandwich $18.99. Pulled pork sandwich $19.99. Beer…read more$6something. Ordered Carbless received Whiteclaw $9something. Waitress said it wouldn't change price. Will not go out of my way to go back.

always good .....always fun... If the weather coOperates sitting out by the lake is great. OR go…read morefor a good breakfast..

wonderful campground. only downfall was our trailer site didn't have gravel. causes ruts in the…read moregrass when rainy, as it was when we were there. lots of wildlife. I about got ran over by two young deer. they hang out in the park. there ws a giant turtle and a little turtle. lots of deer throughout the park. the bathrooms were awesome. shower rooms with doors. the water is comfortable temperature and stays on for a decent amount of time. the ca.pgrpund host Pam is phenomenal.!!! very helpful and takes pride in the park. I saw her out and about constantly. We will definitely be back.

A Peaceful park with an observation tower and fishing pond. Saw a rafter of turkeys crossing the…read moreroad.

Small but exceptional!!! The fragrance as you walk on the paved paths as well as smaller gravel…read morewalkways are so soothing. Water features, interactive planting areas, open area with seating ( several sections) and yard games. This is a gem in the middle of Clear Lake!!! I truly enjoyed walking ( even doing several laps) is the well kept, loved gardens

Central Gardens in Clear Lake is a beautiful place to spend a few hours on a summer day. I go…read moreseveral times during the season and each trip is different, new colors and varieties seem to bloom throughout the season. It is a great place to grab a lunch to go from one of the great local restaurants and enjoy nature. Do not forget to bring your camera and take some of the beauty home with you. If your timing is right, you can take in one of dozes of the summer events they have planned. One of my favorites in picnics & Performances on Sunday afternoons. Grab a bottle of wine, your lawn chairs and enjoy great local musicians.

This is a great place to go to for multiple occasions, wether you need a place to go for a get…read moretogether of any kind, or need a quiet place to relax or refocus! East park makes a beautiful place for pictures as well!

I'm feeling homesick for Oregon today, so I decided to go park hoping today. This is such a nice…read morepark. Clean and well maintained. There are actually many playground sets within this park to choose from. Lots of picnic shelters and benches to enjoy a lunch at. Nice walking paths wandering through the whole park and Pleanty of resting benches to sit at if you get tired. If you enjoy Frisbee golf, they have a nice set here to play with too. Check out the water fountain by the flower gardens or bring some bread to feed the ducks or geese. If your kids have never seen a deer up close, well...this park also has a deer enclosure for the kids to enjoy. Pleanty of things to do here on a nice spring day.

Woke up early to go to this place before the temperatures exceeded my comfort zone…read more Very nice place to hike and look for fossils. It really is amazing how many shells are litterly covering the whole area. It's like walking on an ocean floor without the water. Unfortunately, we could only stay an hour since the temperature started to rise fast. I really don't do well in the heat and humidity. Maybe next time when it's a little cooler.

This is the perfect field trip for those who love the outdoors. It's a reviving prairie with…read morefossils the public are allowed to take with them. There's also fields and trails that are perfect for hiking!!!!

Outside the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, you will find over 500 acres of prairie, forest, and…read morewetlands. Inside, offers hands-on learning. You can learn about owls, hawks, snakes, turtles, and more. You can find each of these live animals inside. Most have a write-up near their exhibits to teach you more about them. If you are lucky you can visit the center when the snake is taken out of its cage and have the opportunity to hold it or see it up close. There are plenty of interactive displays inside and several places where little ones can play. Whether outdoors or indoors this is the perfect way to spend a day.

The Hormel Nature Center brings back warm fuzzy memories from my childhood when my Dad used to work…read morehere. They have educational events, tours, nature walks, a visitor center, etc. And of course you can always explore on your own as well. The park features native prairie, hardwood forest, wetlands and streams. I rememer climbing the big rock out in the front of the visitor center and feeling like it was SO TALL (when you're 5, everything's giant). Not sure if everyone would or could enjoy it as much as I do, but it's still a great little retreat.

We stayed at Clear Lake a State Park for 4 days and Three nights in a tent with our two young kids…read more It was the Best Camping experience we've ever had. The camp hosts were amazing and so helpful. The beach was awesome!! The park was clean and the bathrooms and showers were top notch and always spotless. After being at a few other state parks this summer I can honestly say that Clear Lake State Park is one of the best campgrounds in Iowa! We will be back!