Beautiful park with hiking trails. There's also a dog area so that's always a plus. The trails…read moreconnect to other regional trails so make sure you read the maps or bring your own so you don't get lost.

A great walking path if you don't mind a bug or two…read more Hike (or bike) along rice creek in several areas with plenty of newly remodeled benches to rest on. Many connections to other regional trails for the more adventurous. A small area park lies just over a foot bridge for the younger set.

Maybe I don't want to leave a 5-start review because then the secret is out…read more I'm searching for nice, quiet beaches around Blaine. I got tired of Anoka County Parks beaches with lifeguards because they tend to be overcrowded and loud. But that's a different post... Golden Beach was recommended to me a couple of years ago, and I finally took that advice. Easy access off of Lexington, down a quiet residential street. No wonder it's a hidden gem. I had no clue this was back here. A big parking lot right next to a playground. The lot was just re-tarred, but no lines were painted yet. The beach is not visible from the parking lot/playground due to a hill... added privacy. A slight walk to the beach made us pass a clean bathroom and pavilion. On the way back to the car, I noticed there was a concession stand open. Must be on the back side of the restroom building. There was another path leading into tree cover (away from beach path)...did not explore where that went. The beach is narrow and long. There was a retaining wall separating the sand from the grass. Prefect place for kids and adults to sit on while getting sunscreen put on or their swim shoes. Lots of grass to sunbathe in. Big mature trees to find shade under for those not wanting to fry as they watch the water. The swimming area is not roped off. To one side is high reeds. To the other is a fishing dock. Kid swimmers were either out in the open or towards the reeds. I dipped my toe in...87 degrees out and it was cold. There was staked signage that the water was treated with something (I can't remember what). It said the water was safe to swim in, but not to drink it (people and pets). The water didn't look clear, no algae. A very lovely beach. How no one reads this so that it stays that way!

Local Golden Lake Park is a public park on the lake. No outboard motors are allowed on this small…read morelake, so it's a quiet lake to enjoy. Fishing, swimming, hiking, canoe or kayak here. The playground equipment and picnic shelter are closed due to CV-19.

A local park actually located in Circle Pines. A park for all seasons: ball field, playground,…read moreice skating rink and hiking/biking trails. At this time of year, the trees and sumac make a colorful walk. The parking lot is sand. One of the main trails meets with the Rice Creek Regional Trail-making it a perfect place to leave (and LOCK) your car and bike or hike! For map, go to: ci.circle-pines.mn.us

Rice Creek Regional Trail Corridor is quite long-I think that this Yelp review pertains to the…read moreregional trail between the Lexington Avenue to almost the old Arsenal. There is a paved hiking/biking trail as well as a wetland Rice Creek flowing through it. This really is a lovely area. The Rice Creek Off-Leash Dog Area is on just off Lexington Avenue North. There's a canoe access area just before the main parking lot. The public bathrooms are closed for the season.

Wow, Rice Creek is a hidden gem. I'm specifically talking about the creek, we didn't use the…read morewalking trails or dog park. We kayaked down rice creek from County Rd J to Old Highway 8, which goes through Rice Creek Park. It was amazing! It's hard to realize you are ok the Twin Cities, as you are completely surrounded by nature. We saw cranes, deer, ducks, musk rats, flowers, reeds, calm flowing water, and all sorts of other nature. We did not see cars, houses, buildings, advertisements, or any of the other normal sensory bombardments of city life. The entire creek, or water trail as it's called, is pretty long and goes through several lakes. The portion we went down was about 4.5 glorious miles. The water is pretty shallow throughout and the only rough water is just right after you go under a couple of bridges. If you have access to any paddle powered water craft, go check it out now!

2.4 acre heritage park in Shoreview. Highlighting the Lepak Larson Farmhouse and the Guerin Texaco…read moreGas Station. Before Shoreview was a suburb, it was a place of farmsteads & cabins along the lakes. This farmhouse was built in 1896 by the German immigrant family Lepak.

A very nice park with plenty of parking. It is next to the Turtle Creek Open Space Area (which…read moredoes not have any paths/walks thru it). This park has baseball fields (including Frank Viola Field), 2 tennis courts, basketball courts, lacrosse & soccer fields, as well as 2 ice rinks, small sledding hill, open areas to cross-country ski and snowshoe.

This place is great, my dog loves it! Huge fenced in area with so much space it truly never feels…read morebusy. It's very well maintained--in the summer they have plenty of water jugs and just added a mini pool by the parking lot in case you need to clean off your dog. Speaking of the parking lot, it can get very busy on the weekend so be prepared for that.

Iconic! If you have a dog and you have not been to the Rice Creek Off-Leash DP, you are missing…read moreout. Out of all the dogs parks in MN, this may be my favorite. First off, parking is a breeze and there are multiple entrances depending on the direction you are coming. Secondly, this DP is filled with water jugs and is fully stocked and reliant on patrons like you and volunteers to keep the grounds clean and running. Lastly, the entire space is massive with varying terrains ranging from sand to wood-chips to wooden docks to pavement to grass. The robust options for shade or sun are endless. We were able to see a wide variety of birds flying overhead on our most recent visit. I highly recommend Rice Creek Off-Leash DP to anyone with or without a dog. The grounds are absolutely stunning!!

12 acre neighborhood park in Blaine (but close to Circle Pines, so people refer to either…read moremunicipality). This park offers an asphalt trail around the park, a playground, picnic tables and benches, a tennis/pickle ball court, basketball court, baseball and softball fields. There is a dedicated off-Street parking lot but it is unplowed today (lots of snow), but the walking path has been cleared.

Located off of Aqua Lane, this little patch of woods is a delightful stop along the Rice Creek…read moreRegional Trail. There are a couple of parking spots along Aqua Lake. It's just a short walk to the bridge and the creek. It's not paved but a nice place to walk in the woods.

Interesting old gas station from 100+ years ago. Part of the Shoreview's Heritage Park…read more Pretty crazy how simple things were back then.