Against my better judgement, I recently joined an adult slow pitch softball league that plays here…read more I haven't picked up a bat or a glove since my little league years, nor have I ever worn cleats, so this is all a new experience for me. The fields are actually really nice and well-maintained. It looks like the park staff keep them locked to keep them in top shape. The dugouts are what you would expect for a park diamond (fencing with a long, narrow metal bench), but it serves its purpose well. It looks like the concession stand has a lot of great options too.

This park has everything. I feel like I should've known. Walking paths with a cute story for kids…read more(start northeast), work out equipment along the way, baseball diamonds, playground, bridges and water features, tons of parking, not sure why you'd go anywhere else.

Holler Park was my favorite park to go swimming at when I was a kid! They had two great pools for…read morepeople to enjoy, the pools were Heated! That was a necessity for me, I was always freezing!

I've been to this park, sitting all unassuming-like and almost hidden on 6th street, on numerous…read moreoccasions and dined with my husband on our take out (usually Culver's, from down the street). Sometimes it was in the car, sometimes it was at a picnic table. Having no real reason to check out the area, we never explored it, so we pretty much thought that what you could see from 6th street was it. Off the parking lot, however, there is a driveway/roadway that goes back a little ways and there are buildings at it's back, but there is a sign at the "entrance" to this drive that states any parking beyond is handicap accessible only. Bingo! Hubs has a placard, having recently undergone knee surgery. So, on this fine July day, we drive back into a smaller parking lot and are surprised to see what looks like 3 pretty big buildings, basketball courts in the not-to-distant distance and some open space with more picnic tables! Wow, who knew? We grabbed a picnic table under some oaks and began to eat. I looked up for a second and realized there was a pond down the hill in front of us. In the pond, a Great Blue Heron was fishing for it's lunch. Cool! We finished eating and began to explore. The 3 buildings were actually 2. One was a very large cabin that we learned could be rented out for parties. It comes complete with a stage area, small kitchen, bathrooms (of course), a fireplace and some lodge-y type furniture. It also has a wrap around porch and looks over the pond. On one side of the cabin is a wildflower garden that looks like it was abandoned. There are short pathways in the garden, but they are overgrown and lead to broken and/or rotting wooden benches. Behind the cabin are paved walkways that lead to a floating dock in the pond and to a small wooded area beyond. The other building was a recreation type building that you see in most parks, with the swimming pool dressing rooms attached to it. There is, indeed, a pool. Two actually....a kiddie wading pool and a large swimming pool that is only 5 feet deep. Behind the swimming pool is a bunch of playground equipment (swing sets, monkey bars, etc.) with the b-ball courts to one side and an empty lawn on the other. It also looked like there might be a small parking lot by the b-ball courts. If not, there is plenty of street parking available, as I noticed there was another street back there (9th street) with houses on the other side. Now that I've seen the whole of it, I can truly say that this is a neat little family friendly gem hidden between the airport, Layton and Howell. A nice place to hang out when the other area parks get too busy. 124/2015

One of the wilder Milwaukee County Parks, you can really get lost to the world inside of this 40…read moreacres. A footpath system runs throughout both halves. One solid wood bridge links the north half, full of hickory, beech, and oak, to the back half, full of oak, maple, fallen elm, and ironwood. Many species of ground cover best seen in May, a real woodland treat. Bring binoculars if you have them, many birds. Occasional sound from Airport which has a run way adjacent to the east. Called Cudahy Woods by DNR and most others, Designated as a State Natural Area in 2002, this is truly one of the best of the best that's left. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/lands/naturalareas/index.asp?sna=351 A bit hard to find, DNR can help clue you in, the large park sign at chained entry has fallen over and not yet been replaced. But is it worth it? Every bit of it.

Cudahy Nature Preserve: This 42-acre forested area located near Milwaukee Mitchell International…read moreAirport was designated a State Natural Area in 2002. It's one of three such areas in Milwaukee County. I was unable to find an explanation, but it's odd that the preserve is in the city of Oak Creek and not the city of Cudahy. The area is comprised of a small parking lot, shelter, and two distinct woodlands separated by a stream. I included a picture of the map to help illustrate, but a single trail with two loops goes through each section of the forest. According to the information provided by the state online, the north section is a dry-mesic forest dominated by red oak, white oak, black cherry, and shagbark hickory trees. The south woods are moister and supports an old-growth forest containing sugar maple, American beech, red oak, white ash, and ironwood trees. It was a nice enough trail, but my first visit was in July and not only were the mosquitos bad (especially in the south woods), but I was continuously bombarded by flies like a piece of dog poop. Sorry for the crude analogy, but it's pretty accurate. I'll need to visit again in the fall when the colors are in full swing and the bugs are long dead. As I mentioned earlier, there is a tiny parking lot, but it currently has no parking spaces painted on the ground. I was not a fan of the narrow and blind turn into and out of the lot connecting it to College Avenue either. The Nature Preserve itself is nice, but this is a below average lot that needs some care. Overall, this is a short trail that those looking for somewhere new to explore might enjoy. Personally, I recommend driving five minutes further east to either Grant or Warnimont Parks on the shore of Lake Michigan.

I spend all summer here. From the trails to the beaches to the perfect beer garden this is the…read moreplace to be. Easy access, good parking!

One of the great Milwaukee County Parks, as it has so many amenities and features going for it. I…read morelike to hike here once in awhile, going north you go through Cuppertino Park, going south you go all the way to Bay View Park past the unofficial beach area- both are great hikes. South Shore of course has: - Rentable pavilion that hosts a lot of weddings - South Shore Beer Garden top notch - Newly constructed beach area - South Shore Farmer's Market - Picnic areas - Volleyball (sand courts) - Playground - Oak Leaf Trail cuts through it - Bike trail - Fishing (shared with Cuppertino off the docks by the SS Yacht Club) The views of Milwaukee's Downtown are some of the best, and you gotta respect South Shore Park in Bay View.

Great park for young children! My son is 13 months and was actually able to enjoy the smaller…read moreplayground, crawl up, use tunnel, make noise, and SLIDE (with an assist). There is also a double swing for both toddler and parent to swing together which he loved!!!

tl;dr An older neighborhood park with fenced baseball diamond with bleachers and lights, park…read moreshelter with bathrooms and drinking fountain. Plus, a brand spanking new (2017) Landscape Structures branded, baseball themed, playground with rubber playing surface. I hadn't planned on going to this playground, heck, I had never heard of it before... But, our plans to head to the zoo got foiled by the massive lines from the free Senior day. So, I opened Yelp, searched for playground, and this beauty popped up. Yelp, you saved the day, yet again! The little kids side (2-5) is unique, but in a positive way. I feel like most little kids areas are the same basic=boring setup. It sorta reminded me of the old woman who lived in a shoe, with a sloped roofline and misshapen/unbalanced look. This area had ringing music notes, a track to run little cars/balls down, a crawling tube, a spinning giant glass marble, on top of the slides, climbing ladders, etc. Plus, there was a dedicated little kids swing set, with two toddler swings, two regular swings, and then the much loved yet hard to find toddler/parent combo swing!!! The big kids side includes a four seat seesaw, an accessible swaying "boat", multiple climbing walls, a standing gravity spinner, five slides, "concessions stand", a dedicated big kids swing set with accessible swing, and more. All of this included old shade trees, overlooked the diamond, and was a short walk from the bathrooms. Kudos to West Allis for installing a truly great and unique playground.

This is a pretty small park sandwiched in between several businesses, homes and apartments…read more There are some slides, swings and small play area for kids. Public restrooms are available here. There is a small t-ball/little league field and some green space here. Nothing super fancy, but if you are looking for a quick spot in the city to maybe do some reading or a spot to rest and eat your lunch, then this is a cozy little park!

Franklin Woods' playground area has greatly improved since they put in Kayla's Playground- a…read morehandicap-friendly and large playground to suit many ages. This playground and nearby picnic area is much improved, and they've also doubled the size of the parking lot, which is nice, and the playground is really a popular attraction. I've been coming here to hike the woodland trail for years, and it's a nice secluded hike with one main trail and a short offshoot. It's dog friendly, and we like to hike it year-round. If hiking in the winter, wear boots, as the trail can get icy. It's a nice secluded trail that connects to the neighborhood nearby. The paved loop around the marsh is nice as well. I would like to see them bring back the interpretive nature sign by the woodland path that told you about the numbered trees in the trail. The signs that do remain look unused, and the one by the marsh is broken with a small beehive inside. Small improvements to the "nature center" part of this area would make it five stars.

This park has greatly improved from what it was just a few years ago. It started with a tiny…read moreparking lot and trails through the woods. Then a playground and walking track was added. Now there is a big parking area and a handicap accessible playground- but my favorite part is still the original woodsy trails. From spring through fall(not a fan of winter walking) I have walked these woods, watching the birth, life and death of so many cool plants and foliage. In spring there is an impressive Trillium bloom that can be seen from the road. The trails are good for walking dogs too, but please clean up after them! The walking trail is very flat so anyone of any age can enjoy it. I can't speak for the playground as I'm a bit too old to partake, but the swings were always fun ;)