The abundance of seating, both in shade and sun; the variety of pool options from zero entry to…read morepsuedo cliff diving. The abundance of life guards, no annoying ". safety breaks". The random first aid drills are interesting and fun to watch.

I love Como pool- I go almost every day and I love every minute of it; the community, the…read moreammenities, and the food. 10/10 would recommend

Today is opening day for this new indoor playground in the south metro! I went with my daughter and…read moreniece (both 5 years old) as well as a friend with her 5 year old. The space is clean and has a few bonus amenities, like a baby bottle warmer and sink in the main area. There's about 10 small tables for kids and parents to sit at for lunch. The play equipment is perfect, with lots of different types of climbing surfaces, tunnels, slides, swinging things, and more. There is also a lovely area for smaller kiddos, a building area, and an open space with balls. There are also a bunch of cubbies to put your stuff in. Day passes are a bit steep but the monthly pass is a good deal if you think you'll come 3+ times a month. We will definitely be back! One recommendation - add wifi! Would be great for days when school is closed and parents want to get some work done.

My son had so much fun here! He's almost 2.5 and ran around getting all of his energy out. He…read morenapped for a good bit afterwards. It was imo overwhelmingly packed though, I'm not sure if there's a capacity limit or not here. Every table was taken and it did get chaotic. Overall, a cool place to have in the south of the metro to let the kiddos run off some energy. I saw a nice setup for a birthday party as well. Lots of cool slides and things to keep a toddler busy.

I am transplant from the other side of the river and absolutely love living in this neighborhood…read more Obviously the perks of this park requires a list so here goes: - The old water tower gets opened up during Highland Fest and in the fall for the fall colors. Once you climb the many stairs, you are treated to an amazing open air view of the surrounding area. The planes at the airport look like toys landing and taking off and all the colors just pop if you time it right. When open, it is only on the weekends. - Two golf courses. On the 18 hole, the 15th hole has a sand trap done up like Snoopy (zoom in on link) in honor of Charles Schulz once being a caddy. The 9 hole across the street is much hillier and is that way because a lot of it is the dirt from the construction of I-94 back in the 60's linking the two cities. http://goo.gl/maps/ZnXbz - Cross country skiing. Both course become x-country ski havens in the winter with even one of the courses having trails groomed. There is also a sliding hill by the water tower which gets packed after a fresh snowfall. - The Pavilion (and many other shelters) can be rented for picnics. Many a fine Booyah's, a fine upper midwestern treat that you need to have once in your life, are served here by neighborhood groups doing fund raisers. Bring a tupperware container to bring some home if you'd like. People will be there with empty ice cream bucket containers for the good ones. - The swimming pool. St. Paul has a few pools now that utilize sphagnum moss as a major cleaning process. Amazing water and you don't come out smelling like a chlorine factory with your hair turning a different color or your eyes burnt red. It's fantastic. - Frisbee course. While I don't understand the layout, many people do and it is always getting used. - Just walk around in the park or on the paths. Towering oaks, deer, fox, willow trees, hills and hidden stairs. This is really an old park and a gem in the city. Even the playground equipment has been updated in the last few years.

The pool facilities are excellent at the Highland Park Aquatic Center, and lots of updates since I…read moreenjoyed swimming here as a kid have really made this a very entertaining destination for kids of all ages and adults too, but the way it's run leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately. There was plenty of free parking and lots of shade available on the pool deck, but during the 4+ hours we spent there (2 adults, 3 kids under age 10) I didn't see one adult worker anywhere-just lots of teen life guards and workers. Also, the pool and deck rules are very unclear, sparsely posted and inconsistently enforced, so we found ourselves breaking all kinds of secret, nonsensical rules only the lifeguards seemed to know about (and we definitely weren't alone). Then, when asked to clarify how what we were doing was wrong, we could never get a clear answer and the lifeguards were often rude and dismissive. We were also given contradictory information from 3 different lifeguards about the same rule! We figured things out for ourselves quick enough and learned which lifeguards really could be consistent, so in the end we had a really good time, just be aware when you go that it's on you to figure it all out, not many of the staff will be helpful (even in matters of safety) at all. Lastly, the admission cost is a little steep ($6 per adult, $5 per kid under 48" tall), and even though they give a little break to families, it's not like you're getting all that much bang for your buck. Also be aware that no outside food or drinks are technically allowed--which I understand to a point, but this is also not listed online or posted officially anywhere on site which is annoying and inconvenient, especially since the concessions are mainly very overpriced junk food. So it would be nice if they offered some healthy alternatives like fruits and veggies rather than more processed, packaged, sugary junk for sale. If that's not possible then just let us bring at least those things with us? With little kids it's not easy to drag them out of the pool, back to the car for a healthy snack--which we ultimately did only to be harassed exiting AND re-entering by the overly enthusiastic little "teen bouncer" at the front gate even though re-admission is permitted as long as you're wearing your wristband. Like I said earlier though; ALL the rules at this facility and how they're communicated and enforced are very inconsistent to say the least! We resolved that if we return we'll just smuggle our own snacks in since they that's what we observed most people doing anyways! The bottom line: you can have a great time in the pool and the facilities have a lot to offer people of all ages if you take some of these tips to heart, learn how to work the ill-managed "system" of rules and their teen army of enforcers, advocate (and think) for yourself a little, and just basically ignore the incredible inconsistency that truly rules here!

Not my first time to Good Times but my first in the heart of Woodbury. It's located on the…read morenorthern side of the city. It costs $13 + tax for each child. No costs for adults. You head to their website ahead of time to schedule the day and pay in advance. They provide a door code cause it's unmanned to enter. The code will let you in. Then you have a full day to play. You can even leave and come back later. Lots of fun options for kiddos. Playground, reading room, basketball area, soccer area, ninja area, toddler area, etc. They even have an area for you to eat (bring in food if you wish or they have vending machines). Clean up after yourself (please). Great option to get the wiggles out on a cold or snowy winter day!

Amazing indoor park! Slides, inflatable trampoline, turf field and countless other fun activities…read more The entire facility (including the bathrooms) are incredibly clean and tidy. 10/10 would recommend to any parent of young kids.

We decided to visit the aquarium at the Mall of America, and it turned out to be a great…read moreexperience. The highlight of our visit was the long underwater tunnel, which provides an incredible view of sharks, rays, and a wide variety of fish swimming all around you. The exhibits were well maintained, and the animals appeared healthy and well cared for. There was a good variety of marine life to see, and the layout made it easy to explore at a comfortable pace. Overall, it's a very nice aquarium and a worthwhile attraction if you're visiting the Mall of America, especially for families or anyone who enjoys marine life.

Pretty much similar to the one that we have in Orlando. Sea…read moreLife is a chain brand that has aquariums all over the world. I did check out the one in Sydney Australia as well. It's a large interactive aquarium with plenty of sea life to see. It's a good way to kill a few hours! The exhibit is pretty informative and it's a lot of fun at the end to touch the starfish . Great learning experience for all ages

Ok facility... nothing special, just the right size to get a couple of good matches in…read more Went there after reading the yelp reviews but should have read through the google reviews as well to get the complete picture. Super Friendly staff besides the main guy behind the counter (John in the red shirt)... could hear him yelling at little kids during orientation and just being flat out rude to some. I was sitting at my table with my kid and could hear John getting frustrated during the orientation which made us wonder why is he in the customer service business if he does not have patience for his customers...

Tired of hibernating in my apartment, I decided that some paintball therapy was in order this…read moreweekend. So glad I found Air Assault. This huge indoor facility must have opened recently, because I would've noticed it sooner otherwise. Conveniently located just a few blocks from the heart of downtown St. Paul this place is just a short drive for me. I went on my own on a Saturday afternoon and found just a single group playing. The staff was quite helpful and quickly got me setup and a rundown of the basics, then grouped me with the rest of the paintballers. I lucked out - the whole day stayed quiet, but I was still able to meet lots of great people, from age 12 to 40. If you need to get out of the house, it's hard to beat running around a huge course, diving behind inflatable barriers and shooting a bunch of people you just met. If I had been able to enjoy the fun for a little less $$ then this would be a 5 star for sure!

Been here a few times with the kids. It is easy to navigate, has a decent amount of stuff to do,…read moreand the lifeguards are on point. It isn't Great Wolf Lodge, it is a manageable size, and has all the things you need - including nachos with the terrible but delicious cheese (that is so wrong yet so right). My kids like bouncing back and forth between the pool with the slides (a walk-in kind) and the lap pool nearby that is more your traditional pool. Prices are reasonable. Its a great way to burn some energy for a few hours.

So you've got this rec center in the middle of the hood. It offers all kinds of things for people…read morein the neighborhood. Playground, basketball, volleyball, yoga, exercise equipment, etc. are all offered and more. But it is the lap pool and swimming I'm writing about that is so awesome. A lightly chlorinated pool. That's right. They have a different filtration method here using sphagnum moss which significantly reduces the amount of chlorine in the water. There is nothing better then getting out of a pool and NOT smelling like a chlorine tablet. Less burning of the eyes and itching of the skin. A win all around. Plus they open @ 6:30am some days for you early morning risers and open it up from 5:30-7pm on other days (see website for schedule). Plus if you got the toddlers and young kids, there is the water park, 2 water slides, and a shallow pool to get them acclimated. Me likey.

We love coming here for all the Rosemount events. It always looks so different to me depending on…read morewhat's going on here. Cory of Rosemount does a great job with community engagement. The splash pad is great, not too busy when we went. Perfect area for the kids to cool off. Love the shaded seating area for the rest of us. Wish the playground was a bit closer to the splash pad. The Halloween trick or treat trail is one of our favorite events here. We also love the "fairs" that happen during the summer.

Fabulous little oasis - small enough to stop for an hour or so in the evening, yet big enough to…read morewant to come back again and again. Splash Pad is fun, works well, and has a solid stream of kids coming and going. Bring some small toys - ping pong balls or floating bath toys for the little river. Playground is clean, with wood chips flooring. I prefer wood chips to rubber as they don't heat up in the sun and don't smell. A little free library box is well stocked with the books for parents and kids pleasure. A band shell is small, but hosts a variety of outdoor entertainment events, especially during Leprechaun Days. A small cosy meditation garden is tucked in the shade overlooking the entire park. There are lots of picnic tables everywhere, cedar lined restrooms are clean and I heard that local pizza places deliver right to the park.