Very cute. Lots of wetland to see without risk of getting lost. There were lots of birds to see! I…read morewish there was a pier to fish from.

An excellent Novi community park with well maintained facilities, which is a double-edged sword…read morebecause it is popular over the weekends. Thirteen miles of hiking/MTB trails. Two bikers for every hiker. It can get crowded if you aren't hiking alone with bike traffic. Surprisingly not too many bugs even though it rained the day before. TH at the very end of the parking lot. Numerous pavilions, fishing piers, playgrounds, and a small beach. I took a dip in the lake after hiking and it was refreshing, but the shoreline is small and the swimming area doesn't go much deeper than four feet. Water was clear, to the point where I could see a band aid in the sand. On another note, coming from Detroit you will run into construction on HWY 96 (Summer 22) as you near Kensington Park. I had minor delays at 9AM, but on my way back there were massive delays with only one operating lane. Check before you go.

Really nice park in metro Detroit - there's something for everyone here. In the front, there's…read moreplenty of play structures/areas for kids of all ages. There's also a covered pavilion and lots of benches/picnic tables throughout. Dogs are allowed on leashes so you can include the whole family - even the fur baby. There is also a nice pond and water feature to walk around, and nature trails in the back. They have some fun lawn games to play near the pond too. One trail has a bridge that connects all the way to the green space on the other side of the Clinton River. My personal favorite is the pond with turtles that you can find lounging on logs on sunny days. There's even a kayak launch and other access points into the Clinton River. Tons of wildlife to view - we've seen plenty of deer, chipmunks, squirrels, turtles and cool birds. There is on-site paid parking (and free overflow across the street) but otherwise the park is free, which is really nice. I always see workers riding around in a golf cart emptying trash, making sure the park is clean. They even have bathrooms and a kona ice truck that I've seen on weekends. What more could you want?

Let's get this part out of the way - The park itself? Amazing. It is modern, has plenty of options,…read moreis well maintained, and has some great nature paths outside of the playground area. In an area that features many great playgrounds and parks to take your family to, Innovation Hills has always stood out. There is a lack of options for younger children though (no infant swings?). The three stars? One of the new features of this park is the addition of Park Mobile being introduced for the main parking lot. Signs everywhere reminding you that you better have paid your $1.50 an hour! There is of course a free dirt lot across the busy road for your convenience. Or a parking 'annual pass' you can purchase from the Rochester Hills website. Our society struggles with the concept of 'the third place'. Parks and playgrounds are a haven for families and a community builder outside of work and home. What in the world is the motivation behind suddenly charging for parking? 1 - The City of Rochester Hills wants to prioritize park access for its citizens? Charging for parking doesn't keep out non-residents and in fact just causes Rochester Hills citizens to pay more for something they are already paying for. 2 - The park is often extremely crowded so charging for parking may reduce visitor count? If this was the motivation I am confident this strategy is not working. 3 - We want to encourage more families to park in the dirt lot across the street and attempt to cross a highway? I have more faith in humanity than that. Oh, I think I got it! To quote Tim Robinson's sketch 'The Driving Crooner' - "I gotta figure out how to make money on this thing..it's simply TOO GOOD!"

It's a nice walk along Lakeside road at the end of Harmon street, off of north old Woodward…read more It's too bad the path doesn't go around the whole circumference of this small lake. Only goes on the one side is all. There's a path on the side but it doesn't go around is all. The path is covered with small rocks, not so friendly to the thin sole flats. It's a chilly evening but a nice brisk walk tonight. There are some nice houses on the wall as well.

A beautiful, serene, and peaceful gem a stone's throw from the rat race. Lucky to live within…read morewalking distance.

We have our fair share of splash pads in Chicago, but this wins! I took my 9 and 6 year old boys…read morehere to meet a friend this past weekend and they absolutely loved it! The friend we were meeting is a local so she was able to get a reservation for the 11am-1pm time slot, which is apparently reserved for locals. It wasn't too crowded and was the perfect activity for a very hot summer day. My 6 year old was a bit fearful of the giant bucket of water that pours on your head at first, although by the end of the 2 hours he was standing under it welcoming it. My 9 year old and his friend jumped right in and couldn't get enough of all the slides and water fun. They were probably some of the older kids there, but still young enough to enjoy the fun. There's also a more babyish area to the side for younger kids who aren't into the slides and giant bucket. They also get 5 stars for cleanliness, including the bathrooms and changing rooms. I had to show out my coffee when we arrived since no food or drink is allowed inside the gate, but that's probably how they manage to keep it so clean. My sons are asking when we can go to Michigan just to go to this again so I can imagine if we were locals we would be there quite a bit.

Awesome splash pad! Lily Pad Springs lives up to the hype and need for reservations. Thankfully, it…read morehas been open long enough now that you just have to reserve a couple of days ahead with the forecast being more accurate. This splash pad is great for all ages. There are sections that lends to smaller kiddos, but truly, the whole pad is appropriate and entertaing enough for toddlers to tweens. Even the adults were enjoying themselves. The addition of water slides makes this splash pad the best in the area for older kids. There are changing areas, restrooms, several tables and benches in the shade for parents. Today, it is 93 degrees in the sun and I am really comfortable under the shade of a table. The time limit per session is 2 hours, which is really perfect. You can't bring in your own snacks/lunch, so any longer would be tough for my kiddo. We will be back for sure!

We have lived in Castle Gardens for almost 10 years and have belonged to the Castle Gardens Pool…read moreAssociation (CGPA) for 3 years. We absolutely love the pool! While growing up, my family belonged to several swim clubs over the years (and I have visited many others for parties and other things) and none come close to CGPA. Here's what makes CGPA great: Amazing Staff - This pool is well-maintained and well-run. Diving Board and Slide - Need I say more? Outside Food and Beverage (including alcohol) allowed in the pool area. Great Events and Kids Activities - Labor Day Party and Fireworks, Campout, Candy Bar Bingo, Dads Cannon Ball Contest, Swim Lessons, Water Aerobics Snack Bar prices are basically at-cost. The only thing about CGPA that could be improved is the pool stairs. They're not built-in and can be a bit difficult for swimmers with mobility issues. I'd love to see permanent stairs be added to the pool and perhaps one of those lifts that are becoming more and more common at pools.

I'm just gonna make this short and sweet for you :)…read more 5 bucks for a guest?! takes 38283838 years to find a parking spot a kid takes a shit in the pool every 10 mins the snack bar is always out of what you want and it's always crowded omggggg AND If it's raining he life guards won't let you swim cause they can't see you at the bottom of the pool AND they always yell at anyone over the age of 10 in the kiddy pool area but it's a pretty cute pool. the staff is pretty nice and the seating is nice. - A

I really like this Freedom location. Easy on and off the boat via the dock. No steep steps up to…read morethe boat. I like the restaurant options in the area. Of course, the Freedom people are always super helpful.

We have been members for two years and absolutely love FBC. It's definitely worth the money when…read morecompared to boat ownership and we often use reciprocal clubs in the winter/spring. The employees are always friendly and helpful. You show up and get on a boat. Leave the rest to them.