This place is a dream for parents of small children. Lots to do, but a small, well designed space -…read moreso you can see your child almost no matter where they are. Safe, clean play space. I will come back again and again. There's a barn, grocery store, cafe, "track," and indoor playground. Free coffee and some places to sit at tables.

Awesome play in good or bad weather…read more We have taken our grand kids here several times. It is well laid out and easy to see the kids where every they are playing. It is great to have someplace to take them in bad or hot weather. It is clean, staff is nice and I hope that they will vary the activities by adding and changing things occasionally to help keep it fresh and interesting. There are certainly bigger indoor play places we have taken them, but this place is just right for now. Parents need to chill, kids ask questions, get hurt, run around, scream and make messes, it all good. Don't be so uptight!

This is a beautiful park nestled in a nice neighborhood of homes…read more The park has tons of walking space and is ideal for pets. It also has beautiful, well kept tennis courts and a basketball half-court which is also always clean. One of the highlights of my trips to Sioux Falls includes walking through McKennan park with my dog and playing tennis. The courts are impeccably clean and are never fully occupied. The basketball half-court is also nice, but if someone's using the court, waiting for your turn can be a frequent issue. On a beautiful day, spending time in McKennan park can't be beat.

Great park! Lots of space, covered picnic area, bathrooms, tennis courts, splash pad for kids…read more Covered picnic area is available to rent to guarantee space for parties/events.

I cannot for the life of me understand why they are calling this a Japanese garden. This is a small…read morestretch of grass and paving stones near some water. If this city wanted to call it a park, that would be passable, but it's actually insulting and frustrating that they are calling this a Japanese garden. I was able to find what I think is a Japanese maple and they had a bridge that looks like they tried to style it in a Japanese style over an empty bed of rocks that was possibly intended as a koi pond once upon a time, but as it stands, there is nothing Japanese about this location. It's really confusing. For anyone who's not clear, putting a stone lantern from Pier One next to a walkway does not make it a Japanese garden. To add insult to injury, they had the sprinklers going full blast at noon with only one pathway in and out. We got soaked, as did many other people who seemed like locals that were just trying to walk on their lunch break. I was hoping to stop here and feel a little more Zen but I left wet and annoyed.

Beautiful! You would never know you're in a big city. It was peaceful and a great spot to have a…read morepicnic and a walk.

Nice park with plenty to do. The USS South Dakota is a good place to start with kids to check out…read morethe memorial. There are several fields for softball and baseball. Thats good and bad. If you come here just to play in the park it can be difficult to find a place to park!. Its a short walk to the Great Plains Zoo.

Righteous park. Upper section has spread-out meadow with playground equipment and tons of room for…read morepicnicking. Killer view of northern Sioux Falls from ridge/overlook. Native burial mounds dot the upper ridge section, making it clear that humankind has long enjoyed this spot. Lower section spills down toward the zoo, with more picnic spots. In between the two, the adventuresome kid will find some trails along a steep ridge.

One must considering viewing the falls for which a major populated city was named. Unbelievably…read morecreated by volcanic activity millions of years ago, this showcase is domiciled smack in the heart of Downtown Sioux Falls. Although it does have an elevator lookout with a platform for viewing, it does lack a movie detailing the falls creation as well as history of the Cities development.

As many many, many, many, many, many many other reviewers here have commented, the smell is…read morehorrendous. When we pulled into the parking lot for the falls, my husband was certain that our dog had had an accident in the car but I knew that couldn't be.We searched for what the smell could be and then I opened my door to get out and see if it was something outside. The smell punched me in the face like Mike Tyson. We tried to get our bearings and understand what was going on. Everyone else was walking around like nothing was happening. My husband googled it and we read that due to the proximity of the Falls to the wastewater treatment and pork slaughtering plants, there is always a terrible odor here. We decided to try to walk to the falls since we were already there, but we honestly barely made it. Near The Falls there were children playing and running and people walking and chatting like nothing was going on. I had my shirt up over my nose and mouth and at one point started to throw up. I only noticed two or three other people who were holding their noses and having difficulty with the smell. My husband did go up in the tower at the visitor center quickly and I remained outside because they do not allow pets. He said the smell was much improved from up at the top but you still get whiffs of it. We couldn't stay in the park for more than 5 or 10 minutes. It's really a shame because this park has a lot of potential. I don't think we are particularly sensitive to smells, but sewage mixed with death should be a difficult one for most people. The fact that these large families were picnicking and frolicking as if nothing was happening makes me wonder what their homes smell like or how they could possibly get used to or carry on with this stench. This was a terrible experience for us overall and we would never return and never recommend a stop here to anyone.

A little expensive, but we had a great time feeding butterflies and checking out the fish! We will…read moredefinitely be back!

This is a very small attraction, not quite what I expected after visiting several different…read morebutterfly conservatories. The price is the same as the very large places we've been, that might be why my expectations were high! The aquarium is an odd accompaniment to the butterflies and it definitely shows. It's very small with very little variety. The kiddos all loved that you could appear to be in a fish tank but there wasn't much to capture adults attention. The touch tank was all netted off so that left nothing much to do! The butterflies were nice but there didn't seem to really be that many in the house and only a few varieties. Standing in line to get in was one thing but then having to stand in line to leave felt a little claustrophobic!! The staff was not friendly, welcoming or available to interact with, most seemed a bit bored. The fake flowers and nectar seems like a great idea but unfortunately not many folks were having any luck! All in all, it's a nice little attraction to spend an hour or so!

Absolutely beautiful camp sites! Lots of trees, fairly level sites, beautiful river with paved…read morewalking trails and pit toilets. Attendants were very pleasant. About 20 minutes from downtown! The only warning I have... there's a racetrack nearby and we happen to be therein race night - very loud till 10:0-ish... after that... very quiet!

Stunning Park, Deeply Disappointing Experience and Park Practices:…read more A park this beautiful shouldn't leave visitors feeling deceived and angry -- but after my first visit, I'll never invest another penny to return. The grounds are pristine, the scenery breathtaking, and it's the kind of place you'd gladly support -- I would have happily donated to help preserve it. But being blindsided with a $128 citation for parking in the visitor's lot, at the ranger station, before even reaching the park itself, left a lasting mark that no view could erase. We were short on time, but since it was her favorite birthday tradition -- and her two friends (myself included) had never seen the park she loved so much -- my friend offered to give us a quick drive-through using her season pass. We parked just outside the small brown ranger station at the main entrance -- before entering the park itself -- and hopped into her vehicle, which had the pass. We stayed only long enough to share a small cupcake and take in her favorite view. When I returned to my car minutes later, I found a $128.xx citation on my windshield. I was stunned! My car had never entered the park -- it sat at the ranger station where visitors commonly stop for information. When we explained the misunderstanding, the ranger repeated a script he seemed to know too well: "You don't have to pay the citation if you buy a season pass." When it was clear that wasn't an option, he moved to, "We also have a monthly pass," and finally landed on "daily." Why not start there? It felt rehearsed -- as if this situation happens often, relying on loosely interpreted rules to justify charges. We had deliberately parked outside to ensure we were abiding by the park's rules -- a choice made out of respect, not avoidance. Ironically, we could have driven through without a care and paid the same or less. It made me wonder if this is how the park maintains such immaculate grounds -- by penalizing good-intentioned visitors for honest mistakes, time and time again, until the script is second nature. For those unaware: the moment your tires touch the gravel -- even before reaching any usable part of the park -- it's considered "entry." There was no signage clarifying this, no grace for an honest misunderstanding, and no willingness to resolve it fairly. What could have been a memory of shared beauty became a lasting disappointment. Instead of creating lifelong visitors, this experience ensured that none of us will return. It breaks my heart that a place so beautiful left such an ugly impression.

This outdoor 50 meter 8 lane pool is used for swim lessons, swim team and recreation. It is located…read moreat Frank Olson park which also has a playground, picnic shelter and baseball/ softball fields. There is also a separate wading pool that is free and for small children. There are changing rooms and a concession area. The pool is older but is well maintained.

Nice clean visitor center. Over 6 miles of scenic trails. Classrooms are available for rent. Neat…read morehistory of the Poncas.