Well, I'll say this much - it's certainly the best covered bridge I've ever been on. Looking at the…read moreinformation packets later, there are photos of this in the last decade with snow having totally collapsed the roof to be flat - it's wild to see how you can't even tell now. The bridge is all wood, with new supports after being moved around a lot. It was a nice time walking down it. I didn't expect a thrill ride, but I got what I was expecting! It is, historically speaking, pretty neat that they kept it. Great theme for the whole town. The park itself is huge and expansive, tons of space, some amazing trees, a great river, and when we were there, a very nice display of flags for Memorial Day. A genuinely huge park space, and a huge fun-looking castle-themed playground for kids, too.

Minnesota's only remaining functional covered bridge, it has been restored to authentic condition…read more The town lattice truss design spans the Zumbro River. It was completed in November 1869 and sort of looks like a barn. It is 116 feet long and the roadway is 15 feet wide. It is NOT open to vehicular traffic, having been moved about 100 yards from its original location to keep it available for viewing for posterity. You can walk or bicycle across the bridge and see it from both sides. The bridge is the centerpiece of the park and there are restaurants and such nearby. There is parking and several captions that provide history and context. [Review 20718 overall - 130 in Minnesota - round number 1700 of 2023.]

We were so excited that this is included in your stay at Treasure Island. You can purchase passes…read moreas well if you are not staying on property, but since we were, it was a nice bonus. We went and experienced the Lagoon on the 3rd of July which is when TI was doing their fireworks and the hotel was completely sold out, so it was certainly busy with everyone decked out in their red, white and blue. We changed in our room as we had read there is no locker room and the lockers are paid lockers (confirmed that). My husband was excited about the swim up bar so we headed to the adults only section which is really amazing when there are a lot of kids. To get into the lagoon as a hotel guest, we needed our IDs so they could match us to our room and give us our wristbands. After you go sign waivers on ipads right around the corner. This got a little congested as there was a mix of technology users and all the Ipads were on a table and everyone stood at the table. They had free towels to use which was really appreciated, they are not big by any means but towels provided is fantastic. We dropped our coverups and shoes in a corner in the adult section which is what most people appeared to do. We spent the majority of the time in the swim up bar. The water was very comfortable. They had a assortment of canned drinks and 2 cocktails that were on draft (strawberry margs and blue razz lemonade). No mixed drinks or anything else. There was only 1 bartender working plus a bar back and she was getting worked for sure. When we were closing out 2 others were coming in. They only take cards and you can not charge to your room which seemed to create a lot of confusion since I think a lot of people wanted to charge to their rooms. We wanted to go the lazy river and there were enough tubes, however with the volume of kids in the river, we opted to just stay in the swim up bar for this trip. They had a pool you could splash around in, adult only hot tubs, lazy river, splash area for the littles and water slides, so really there is something for everyone.

What a great way to spend cloudy and rainy days. The kids had hours of fun switching between the…read morelazy river, the shallower little pool near the water slide, fountain spraying water and an overhead sprinkler/water bucket drop thing, and the smaller pool seating area near the bigger pool for water volleyball. There's an outside hot tub and adults only section too. Ample towels and good amount of free seating along the walls. Cabanas available for rent if you wanted. They also sell some boxed snacks, which were on the pricier side for what it was (gummies, nerds and animal crackers), canned alcohol (no shots) and drinks. Great way to kill some time, just don't look too closely at the color of the water if you took photos and were in the area with kids because it's real green.

Very fun float kayak paddling trip! We rented kayaks and they helped us put in and take out along…read morewith a quick bus ride back. It was about 8 miles on the river with a few small rapids. The water was fairly shallow and easy to navigate. It took us maybe 2.5 hours for our kayak trip with beautiful scenery. We saw deer, 2 fawns with spots and a doe. We saw two bald eagles and 1 golden eagle, blue herons, turtles, kingfisher, turkey vulture etc. The parking is free; there is a bathroom where you put in. You need to sign waivers before going. They offer PFDs to everyone; under 18 must wear PFD.

We love the town of Cannon Falls. We decided to plan a Kayak trip with some family and give this…read moreplace a try. This area is beautiful and we saw many Bald Eagles as we strolled down the Cannon River. I don't think this was too expensive and it was a lot of fun. We had not been kayaking before and my wife was clueless. I had used canoes when I was a kid and had been up to the Boundary Waters, I felt okay. We told the people that it was our first time and without much of any instruction, they put her in the kayak and away she went. I felt like they could have done anything to make her more comfortable. The rental area is a shack, basically. They put you in kayaks and then pick you up in an hour from departure at the pick up point. Look for the large pink rock, that is where you exit the river to be picked up. We had the last time slot with several people overturning and having to empty their kayak, not me, I stayed dry. The people that had to drain their kayak wasted a lot of time and we were late to our pick-up at the end of the day when you know they wanted to go home and start their weekend. I felt bad but it wasn't my fault. This was a fun time. I would recommend that you have some experienced people to help you if you are new at this. The people running this place are not interested in spending time teaching you how to stay dry. That is up to you.

Now THIS is a classic park, if I've ever seen one! The deathly metal merry-go-rounds, steep slides,…read moreand the oldest, most creepy-eyed spring riders in all the land. On the way to our Ellsworth Creamery dairy feast, we had a blast working up an appetite here. A newer playground set, paired with these classic items made for a lot of fun and curiosity. My kiddos also loved the water fountain shaped like a lion, its head out of which you drink water. Just be aware that bees were swarming it (seemed to have a hive there somewhere nearby). Many climbing toys, basketball hoops, and plenty of green space to run, too. A few covered pavilions and grills for a picnic, making this a fun spot for a gathering with friends and family.

You have to visit this hidden gem with gorgeous views on the St. Croix River, less than an hour…read morefrom St. Paul! As we were talking in the stunning fall colors on our scenic drive down Wisconsin's Great River Road National Scenic Byway, we found this beautiful park hidden in a neighborhood in Prescott. The views overlooking the river with the sunset were priceless. They have a visitor center which closed at 5 pm. The park also has a playground and a picnic shelter for events.

On South edge of Prescott, Wi along scenic route Hwy 35 is a peaceful place called Freedom Park…read more Great views along the Mississippi and a large visitor center makes this a gathering place for locals. A large group was congregating in pavilion nearby. Just enough parking I suppose and seating areas. Not much else to say, enjoy the ride down 35 and have your phone cam ready.

"Just remember, every time you look up at the moon, I, too, will be looking at a moon. Not the same…read moremoon, obviously, That's impossible." (Parks and Rec) Crowning the towering Sorin's Bluff in Red Wing, Memorial Park overlooks the city and provides breathtaking panoramic views of the Mississippi River and surrounding bluff country. Treat yourself to a blufftop sunrise or sunset, or to the sight of whatever moon happens to be in the sky! Memorial Park is must-see attraction for tourists in Red Wing and provides 268 acres of outdoor recreation. The park can be reached either by stairs or a quick drive up a narrow, serpentine road. Look for the WW2 M8 75 mm pack Howitzer at the entrance! UPPER QUARRY-Take a right just before you reach the top of the bluff to access the UQ. Here you will find stone picnic tables, a picnic shelter, and hiking trails. TOP OF THE BLUFF--Parking spots run adjacent to the main overlook, convenient for those with limited mobility, seniors, or small kids in their party. The looping road encircles a disc golf course, picnic tables, and an old water tower that looks like a castle. There is a cave below the main overlook, but exercise caution in the descent. LOWER QUARRY - At the end of the loop take a right to the Lower Quarry. Explore the endless hiking, biking, snowshoe, and ski trails, along with old limestone quarries, cliffs and ravines. Whether you're looking for a quick view of the city or a hike around the bluff, Memorial is the place to be. Just remember, "When life gives you lemons, you sell some of your grandma's jewelry, and go clubbing." (Parks and Rec) Or, just visit the bluff instead--it's free! *Fun Fact: the snow angel and snowmobile scenes featuring John and Ariel in Grumpy Old Men were filmed in this park.

First time golfing here and it was a fantastic experience for my wife and me. A couple…read morehighlights: - several holes had amazing views of the river valley so much so that the couple we were golfing worh took lots of photos - the greens were challenging but in a fun way as lots of slope and very well maintained. - the course had a really relaxed vibe and fellow golfers were very friendly. - the staff was super friendly from the person washing carts who got us set up to the pro shop to the beverage cart server to the restaurant/bar where we had lunch after our round. Everyone had a smile and that definitely contributed to a fantastic atmosphere. The course had lots of terrain and mature trees but wasn't too punishing for novice golfers (90-110 scores) who only play a couple rounds per summer typically but are working to play more often. I would highly recommend making the drive during the summer and can only imagine the views in early fall with the river valley leaves. Finally it looks like the clubhouse / restaurant is set up to host events and wedding receptions with amazing views. We will be back as the views, course, and staff made the easy 1 hour drive from Eagan well worth it.

We golfed here for the first time and the views were well worth a road trip. A free pass, won at…read morethe Golf Expo in Minneapolis from Treasure Island, brought us here. A couple of switchbacks on the road bring you to a ridge overlooking the Mississippi River. The tee boxes, fairways, and greens were in great shape. The forward tees were around 4800 yards which is a bit more on the shorter side but the many narrow fairways created plenty of challenges. Staff was friendly. Carts did not have GPS. We had a great experience and would gladly return for another round.

This is a nice park underneath the new Hastings river bridge. If you are not looking for the sign,…read moreyou will miss it. I have been here a few times, if the water levels are high, this area will likely be flooded out. I have been here when it is nice and here when it is flooded. I haven't found hiking trails on the north side but the south side of the river has a paved riverwalk to walk, run or ride your bike on. I also believe that there are bike rentals nearby. Enjoy the 2 photos i took from the south side and the older pictures are from the North side of the river to include when it was flooded. Enjoy.