Shoreview Community Center gets 5 stars! I went in not expecting much but I was blown away by how…read moremuch fun there was. The waterpark was the highlight. That waterslide with the lights and music? Awesome! It's a one of a kind experience. Beyond the waterpark the playground was also great. It's not your average playground; it's big, well designed and has tons of opportunities for kids to explore and play. What really makes Shoreview Community Center stand out is the community. They offer so much more than just a pool and playground. From the fitness center to the skatepark they have created a space for all interests and ages. It's clear they have invested in making a valuable resource for everyone.

What an amazing indoor water park for the family! We went here for a kiddos birthday party. The…read morecabanas are in Bamboo Bay area vs the main pool area. Bamboo Bay is much louder than the main pool area due to the fact it's more enclosed and there are sprayers with lots of water all over. The lifeguards do a great job of keeping their eyes on the kiddos cause it can get very very packed in both pool areas and kids of all different ages including adults too! The bathrooms and lockers are great and all facilities are pretty new and kept clean. I do love the spinner to spin clothes after swim time... As a side note, if you're like me and just hung out with other parents while the kiddos swam...it can get very very hot and humid so dress accordingly even in the winter time!

Well, this was a surprise. Fabulous indoor park for kids, the grands had to be literally dragged…read moreout. Climbing, slides, tubes, giant Legos. And only a $10 admission for the park only. (There is a pool on the premises but it is not a water park-type of pool experience.) Lots of parking outside and places for guardians to wait inside. Tons of kids of all ages and I noticed that the older kids were very gentle and caring for the littles. It was nice to see. Bring your own snacks and water. There is a robotic vending machine for $4 water the kids loved. Great for a rainy or snowy day. Follow it up with a visit to Dave and Buster's down the road at Southdale. (That's how we got them to leave!)

This place is AWESOME! I decided to get my boys (9,5) out of the house and they had a blast! They…read morehave already been asking when we can go back! There is free parking. Walk in and pay the fee for the kiddos. As of Jan 2026 it was $10 a kid with unlimited time. Parents/guardians are free. There is a large park towards the end of the building! It kept my kiddos plenty busy! There is seating for the adults. There is also a gym space for kids to run, balls to play with, mini basketball hoops and items for the little kids to push ride on! There is also a pool to do laps and a gym with equipment, but I'm unsure if those cost extra. You can do birthday parties here! Check the website for additional information!! They do have 2 spots where you can get snacks and picnic tables to eat! Overall this was a very solid experience and we will happily be back!

Great splash pad, cool playground and lots of green space. My girls love coming here on a hot day,…read morethe water area is pretty big with plenty of seating along walls, benches and a pavilion area. Nice bonus having the concessions and changing/restroom area close by.

My boys requested to go to a park they hadn't been to yet and we found this place! Definitely worth…read morevisiting! The grounds are huge! Footballs fields, volleyball courts, baseball fields! This place has a splash pad, large playground, a tots play area for the little kids, bathrooms, and an area that sells snacks (I'm assuming during the summer months) There is a TON of parking and the grounds were clean! My kids had a blast here!

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!

I would recommend adding a canopy to the food tables, away from the beach. We had to wait out a…read morestorm, and weren't allowed in the water, and it would have been nice to have somewhere covered to wait. Also, I wish they had slides or lily pads and some more fun things for the kids. Finally, I know it is a chlorinated lake, but it was gross seeing all the goose poop on the bottom of the pond.

I walked past this while on the trails with my dogs. Have not been there for swimming, but it looks…read morelike it would be great fun. Huge sandy swimming area and lots of parking close to the entrance. The walking trails near there are beautiful and not too hard to navigate.

A nice park and beach but a very busy place! At least they have a pretty big parking lot…read more They have a small area of sand near the shoreline but the majority of the "sitting" area is grass. They have little pockets away from the actual beach that you can chill in with your dog or launch off with your kayak/padddleboard but again it's a busy place so sometimes people are using those areas. We went on a Wednesday and the garbage was still full to the top from the weekend so it was a little dirty in the area.

Ya know, look at the one star reviews of this place. In one, someone is complaining about fish in…read morethe water . It's definitely worth a read. Here's what I like about the place: - The beach is small but nice. - Picnic tables and benches along the water where people are hanging out. - A boat launch with info on keeping aquatic hitchhikers off your boat. - A fishing pier north of the beach for those who want to fish. - Open areas south of the beach where to let your dogs swim. - A playground for the kids. - Bathrooms in a legit building open during the summer months. Honestly, the lake is clean and a slow slope into deeper water so you can cool off in. What more do you want?

I just enjoyed our first time at Big Marine Park Reserve. Yes, you do need a daily ($7) or annual…read moreWashington County pass ($35) if you plan on visiting this park. They have lovely grounds that are kept up. The playground didn't appear to be too old and they had one playground specifically for toddlers and another for big kids that had 2 huge slides. There are bathroom facilities near the beach and by the playground. They also had a water fountain. The beach was great. The water was clear and the floor was sandy. What a beautiful lake. And the water was warmer than I expected even on a cooler 75 degree day. Lots of places to park your cooler and/or towels and wasn't too busy. And lots of parking spaces too.

Our summers seem so short here in MN which is why whenever possible I love spending time of the…read morewater. The best I can do for golfing is mini golf and I'm not even that good and tend to play mini golf like Happy Gilmore. All the more reason for me to go out fishing or boating. One of our favorite locations is Big Marine Park. There is public access to the lake on the North end however for $7.00 a day or a $30.00 for the year, you have access to so much more. From a boating perspective, the access is wide and nicely paved. Room enough for two vehicles at a time where the other access is a single access. Plenty of room to park. There is a fishing pier that is handicapped accessible. A really nice beach with a playground, picnic area and pavilion. There are even scenic hiking trails. The park is open from 6:00am to 10:00pm. Lots to like and enjoy about Big Marine Park for kids of all ages which is just one reason why we look forward to our next visit.

We took our grandkids for an hour and a half one hot afternoon. I think it was one of the most fun…read moreexperiences they had out. There was a good variety of activities and they tried them out. They especially enjoyed an interactive floor run by a computer that had different challenges. The kids had to put their feet on each of the squares and not touch others. We had a great time and will return when they visit next year.

I have been to Zero Gravity twice so far - the first time was through a school fundraiser and the…read moremost recent visit was through the Explorer Pass (which gives access to a 60-min jump pass once per week) with my family. Both my boys (age 7 and almost 4) had a lot of fun. They have a variety of trampoline activities, a climbing wall, arcade, laser tag, playground (for kids 42 inches and shorter), and large pixel floor. While it's a good value in terms of pricing for the jump pass, the facilities is a little dirty and many items are a little out of date.