Windom Park NE is my Northeast Go To Park for when I want to play Pickleball…read more The park has 2 Tennis Courts with Pickleball Lines, a Basketball Court, a big field usually used for soccer, since nice walking trails as well as a big building that I once played an indoor volleyball league at. The park is typically not that crowded and parking is super easy on the street along it. The pickleball / tennis courts are in a little rough shape, but I am no professional so I appreciate that it usually means the courts are empty.

Open 10-7 with a bath house to change at. No life guard. Next to a small playground. Perfect for…read moreyounger children, 2!0"-6 grounds for 2-12 and 5-12. 8 yr old had a blast here. .

This is just the grand ol' park. It has it's flaws and age showing, it's mostly known for watching…read morefireworks, or announcing your hat throw for president in a snow storm, (impresses the rest of the country since they think it snows here 11 months of the year). I've enjoyed spitting up dust with a bike and the old railroad bridge and separate island. There is paid parking which is more closely checked than luggage by the TSA. Not many trees for shade but hanging by the river is a cool time with friends. A few grilling pits and that's about it.

Nice area with plenty of pavilions. The surrounding area and trails are really nice and easy to…read morerun. With some views of a lock and damn and the river. The public restrooms were not open yet. The parking lot is not very large, so plan on street parking.

Hennepin Bluffs Park in Minneapolis is on the east bank of the Mississippi River, and is the north…read moreentry point to the Stone Arch bridge, letting one walk across to downtown. It is named after Father Louis Hennepin, who was the first to document the nearby Falls in 1680, and named it St Anthony (after his patron saint). I visited it on a snow covered day in March, entering it once I crossed the bridge from downtown. One can supposedly walk down to the river from here, probably a lot more accessible during non-snow season. Will give it a try the next time I visit.

Father Hennepin Bluffs Park and Lower Trail is so beautiful! With gorgeous views of the…read moreMississippi River, Minneapolis skyline, Stone Arch Bridge and the Historic Pillsbury Factory area. We saw a few photographers doing senior photo shoots here - a great area for that. We loved the Lower Trails with the gorgeous footbridges. There are many stairs, uneven pavement and some rocky terrain so it is not suitable for people with mobility problems.

A huge improvement along the riverside with walking and biking trails connecting to the existing…read moretrail heading northward. There is an open area that will grow in with newly planted trees and grass. Look for the Papa-San chairs for lounging by the river. Unique design of wood tribute with poles either straight up or leaning, intentionally of course. I spoke to another site seeker who griped his discomfort with the pole design, saying they look like strike anywhere matches. Great place for dog walkers and bikers and an easy glide from Boom Island. On a weekday morning there is parking on the street but the question is where will people park if this park is picked for a massive celebration?

I was in the area (for a Yelp Elite experience, actually lol) but it was a gorgeous day outside…read more(aka, forties in February) so I wanted to make sure I soaked up some of the sunshine in the afternoon. Peeking at this place on Google maps it didn't look like much, but I gave it a shot; I'm quite glad I did! Part of why I'd been unsure was because it does have a relatively small footprint of the landscape (it doesn't even encompass the entire lake, as many houses have backyards around more than half the shore... boo). But, they made up for it with a really nice visitor center and art installations! Honestly, I'd say this place wouldn't be half as good without the outdoor art walk; I really enjoyed discovering all the unique and fun sculptures along the path. It meant I got a much more engaged and lengthy experience; I don't know if their longest path was much more than a mile's distance, but because of the sculptures I kept venturing off the paved path to check them out up close (and take photos and selfies with each)! It was fun. There seemed to be two parking lots. The one near the visitor center was pretty large and seemed to be necessary; there were quite a lot of visitors there when I was, plus a school bus! Most of the visitors seemed to be there to enjoy some skating around out on the frozen lake, but others were walking the trail. Inside the visitor center were bathrooms, including a family restroom, water fountains, including a water bottle refill station, cute little trinkets to buy, a cafe with beverages and bakery snacks, a cozy seating area, lots of rooms for community events, a board advertising said community events for the next couple months, and an art exhibit. I was grateful for the easy access to bathrooms and water! Just outside the visitor center was one of the most adorable little free libraries I've ever seen, nestled inside a mushroom-like sculpture! All in all, definitely worth checking out. Unless you lived nearby, you probably wouldn't go too repeatedly (I think the indoor art exhibit changes seasonally, but the outdoor one has been installed awhile... one of the plaques read 2018), but it's great for a one-off or occasional visit!

A really fun park with a lot of great art to see while you walk around it. The QR codes give a lot…read moreof additional information to listen to as well. Lots of trees, walking paths and a beautiful lake make this a great place to enjoy nature and art.

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."

Outdoor challenge course lives up to its expectations! Nice green turf with lots for children of…read moreall ages and adults to do. Fun timed football dash run on site. Parents be aware of location next to local road and adjacent pond. Keep close eyes on children from fast approaching cars.

This is so cool! The city easily could have demolished this whole area and created a new…read moreriverfront, but instead they chose to honor these 19th century ruins. Flour is what put Minneapolis on the map as an export, and these ruins were once mills that used the power of St Anthony Falls to run. Definitely worth a visit if you're into archaeology, city history, or just want a place to walk with a pleasant view.

Mill Ruins Park in downtown Minneapolis is so named because it still contains the remnants of the…read morefloor mills (powered by the Mississippi River) that made 19th century Minneapolis the 'Flour Milling Capitol of the World', opening in 2001. It overlooks the Mississippi River, has the Mill City Museum, and is the South gateway for the Stone Arch Pedestrian Bridge. I stopped by on a cold March afternoon, and had a chance to explore it a bit, making note of places I would look at more closely on a warmer (and less wet) day.