This park was a park that I happened to find on Yelp while eating some lunch in Shakopee. I saw…read morepictures that an out-of-towner posted which made me want to check it out. What a nice park. I was surprised that this park was so large with everything to do there, they have trails, lake, beach, all kinds of sports fields and play sets. There is something for everyone. I took a lot of pictures because I would round a bend or come over a hill and see the park is bigger and with more to offer. This park is well kept and well marked. I can't wait to stop back to capture more photos and some sunshine. Have a great day. Keep Yelping! Enjoy the photos and maybe I will see you there. Make sure that you say HI.

This recreational park was one of my favorite places that we stopped while I was in town. There is…read moreample parking and the park was pretty empty but, it's was a cooler fall day. There is a playground that has equipment for all ages, swings, basketball courts and a skate park. There was also pavilions, arbors and a beautiful gazebo. The lake runs through this park and there was plenty of benches on the walking trails. I took the shaded trail that leads down to the lake front beach and it was absolutely gorgeous. Tree covered pathway through the forest and the crisp fall air whipping by is enough to make anyone's stress melt away. There is a map at the bottom of the trail near the lake that shows the various trails throughout the park. It does circle around no matter which outlet you take back into the main park area. Since it was a paved trail it was an easy hike and a great opportunity to take in the leaves changing colors. The beach park was small but, it did appear to have bathroom facilities and enough room to take a dip during the summer. Unfortunately it started to rain so, I didn't get to walk the trail to the front where there was a nice walking bridge.

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!

A lot of cool things for kids at this park. The wading pool is big and has some fun features. The…read moreplayground has enough space and play opportunities for when it gets busy. My kid loves the imitation camper and car. It would be a nice spot for a picnic with the family.

Tired of driving around the parking lots by Minnehaha Falls, feeling lucky if somebody leaves and…read moreyou can pay the machine for that spot to park? Drive up the hill (just up 46th Avenue So)-like you're headed for the Veterans Home. On top of the hill is the Wabun Picnic Area & Disc Golf. It's not far from the bicycle trails! It offers clean bathrooms, beautiful mature trees, good views, nice playground & wading pool for the kiddos, ChargePoint Charging Station for electric vehicles, and disc golf. Yes, it is a walk to Minnehaha Falls (0.5 miles, about an 11 minute walk) but it's well worth it!

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.

I have such a nice time at this park. I go here to study. To relax. To take in the scenery…read more It is a bit crowded but that's because it's such a nice environment. I enjoy finding quiet nooks at the park

Love this place!!! There seems like so much to do in the summer and winter. Today we had some time…read moreto kill exploring Minnesota more and thought the paddle boats would be fun. Normally I can't get on a Pb due to weight limits but the duck/swan hold 1400 pds or so. They are easy to drive and it's a nice scenery. If you are hot and want to get wet you can go under the fountain (which we did!) the workers were super friendly!

I play volleyball here occasionally, and it's one of the most beautiful parks in the Twin Cities…read more It has well kept sand volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts. There's also a decent beach located on the lake. There's a ton of parking. Overall this park just has great vibes going on.

Okay, maybe I'm biased because my husband and I had our wedding at the barn at Lake Riley but... I…read morelove this park! Plenty of amenities such as trails, a picnic area, a basketball court, a tennis court, a big playground, grills, etc. The beach is really nice, and there is a lifeguard present. You can drink in the picnic area (not the beach). Makes for a nice afternoon.

After yesterday's paddle, I gotta say this place is bliss…read more I'd kind of scoped it out a few days prior just by taking a hike around the entirety of the lake to see what all it had to offer besides hiking and biking. I'd parked over by the larger beach (Nokomis Main Beach) on the west side (there's a smaller one on the east side), utilizing the free parallel parking which was available since it wasn't yet a busy afternoon rather than the pay lot. The large beach is quite nice, with some play equipment for the kiddos, a decent restroom facility, even a eatery/ice cream place. Seasonally, there's also a rental place for kayaks/canoes/swan boats if you don't have your own. There's another parking lot on the north end which is nearby a dock that's great for putting in your own kayak/canoe. This is also where you'll find the nearby Community Center with lots more play equipment and tennis courts outside, as well as gyms and rooms inside (open in the afternoons/evenings). It looks to me that the community center offers a lot of classes/activities for kids throughout the year that you can sign up for. I took a quick detour inside and admired their small common area with little library, fish tank, art, etc. Walking around the entirety of the lake will also take you over the car bridge, which offers some nice views. Just north of that bridge is also where the fancier boats are anchored. When I came back the second time with my inflatable kayak, I was able to easily get out onto the water and enjoy my time. Lovely warm September day meant lovely warm lake water, and I paddled the length of it and back, stopping frequently to just lay back and vibe. I especially enjoyed relaxing at the southern end of the lake where the planes fly directly over on their descent into MSP airport. So cool to marvel at!

Love walking around this lake. Cool beach fronts and nice open fields with playgrounds.read more

This is a great playground. It's brand new. It's got a great new rubberized hill and slide and…read morethere's nothing like it in Saint Paul.

It's a great park with brand new equipment and cool features, including an artificial river (which…read moreI've only seen water in once) and a giant slide down the hill. I don't recommend going on a sunny hot day, as there is absolutely no shade.