Minnesota has always impressed me with the effort it puts into its green spaces, parks, trails and…read moreespecially its playgrounds. There are a lot of good ones scattered throughout the Twin Cities, but the Hyland Play Area is operating on a different scale. The first thing that hits you is simply the enormity of it. A landscape photo barely does it justice. This isn't a playground with a couple of oversized structures--it's an entire playscape built around elevation, exploration and seemingly endless ways for kids to disappear upward and reappear somewhere completely different. There are distinct areas that make it approachable for kids of different ages, select water features, and plenty for younger children to explore without making the bigger kids feel like they've outgrown it. But the stars are those towering structures and enormous climbs spread throughout the park. If you've got a kid who needs to "get their zombies out," this ought to do it. A determined child could probably accumulate the equivalent vertical ascent of Minnesota's Eagle Mountain before lunch. What impressed me almost as much as the playground itself was how well the space handles people. There can seemingly be hundreds of kids here and somehow it doesn't feel like hundreds of kids. The scale absorbs everyone. Instead, you get this constant background soundtrack of giggles, playful screams and kids absolutely exhausting themselves. And somebody clearly thought about the adults. There are huge umbrellas providing shade along with benches, tables and places to settle in while the kids go explore. You quickly understand why the crowd is such an interesting mix: stay-at-home parents making a morning of it, grandparents with their grandchildren, friends meeting up with their kids, and even remote workers squeezing in some laptop time while periodically looking up to make sure everyone is still accounted for. It's less "take the kids to the playground for 30 minutes" and more pack some food, bring water and make this the destination. We're only reviewing the play area for now, but based on this alone, Hyland deserves the five stars. It's enormous without feeling chaotic, ambitious without forgetting the little kids, and thoughtfully designed for the adults who inevitably spend half their day here too. Minnesota does parks exceptionally well. This is one of the ones worth going out of your way for.

Hyland Lake Park is one of my favorite places to rent a kayak and fish for bass in the Twin Cities…read more The lake is never too busy and the bass are always biting :) I easily rented a single-person kayak online and walked up to the rental booth to pick up my life jacket and paddle - off I went! There is a nice sandy beach, and other boats available to rent (including paddle boats!) This is a must-stop for your summer itinerary in Minnesota!

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!

It's a large park area with lots to do. From easy fishing spots, to walking and bike trails, and…read moreeven the clam shell for performances there is a lot to do at Casperson. The park is clean and feels safe, I often see lots of kids and families. And there is some lake life happening as well with boaters and kayakers. Plan for an hour or plan for the day.

Very beautiful community park. Family fun for every one. Heart fishing dock and boat landing.read more

Excellent park for walking, playing and socializing. I'm at the beach a lot here that connects to…read moreLong Lake. Nice size city beach. Water is fairly clean for a city lake. A little murky but not horrible. Open space to play volleyball or sit in the grass. Nice wooded paths to walk dogs or go for a run.

We were there because my wife had her company picnic at the main pavilion. It was a solid location…read morewith plenty of coverage in case it rains, plenty of picnic tables to hold the amount of people we had, and lots of electrical outlets to ensure we had what we needed for powering fans and sound speakers. Being down the street from our hotel didn't hurt much either as well as being closely located to either Interstate 35 West or 694. There is also plenty of athletic fields to participating in sports, walkways for walking around the grounds, and the restrooms were conveniently located by the pavilion and were individual so you didn't have to worry about people hovering over you.

There are sand volleyball courts just a tiny walk away and people gather there to just play. It's…read moreamazing and the people there are super kind and inclusive. (I would know I'm always the youngest there by like 10 yrs) It is my favorite place and playing makes me indescribably happy. It's amazing the most popular time is about 6-9 bc it's getting colder and more people come. We go everyday now (when we can) It's amazing please try it out if you are interested or just like V-Ball

I go here on a regular basis. It is and always will be one of my favorite late walks in the Twin…read moreCities. About 3.12 miles around and you get a little bit of everything. There is nothing like it in the summer.. there is a spot where you can rent a kayak if you want (which I do fairly often on a hot day) and you can pull it up to a beach and take a dip. Just so lovely. The walk is also great and it gives you a bit of everything. Gorgeous lake, some wood scenery, on a main road as well if you want to stop off and grab food or a coffee. There are a few parking lots where you can pay for parking but there is also a lot of free street parking which is typically what I do. Just all in all a lovely walk everytime.

This is the "beach" we grew up at. So many memories of my dad bringing me here whenever I wanted to…read morego for a swim. It's usually really nice and clean. The fishing area is separated from the swimming area. Area to wash off the sand when you are done for the day. Plenty of parking. Playground nearby for kiddos who don't want to swim. Bring your beach toys for a nice day at the lake. Great place for picnic too.

This is a smaller beach which has its pros and cons…read more Pros: family friendly, easily walkable, grills, dog friendly Cons: can get crowded, drinks are not permitted So, I believe it is perfect for a stroll and a family grill. However, if you are looking for a hang out with your 21+ friends to drink and lay out I would recommend another beach. They have a beautiful dock for some quiet reading and fishing. However, I have yet to go down there because it's always being used.

I recently came here to ice skate and had a really pleasant time! The pond had been cleared off in…read morea somewhat oval shape and was relatively smooth. I would recommend it if you have your own skates!

Fireman's Park is located on the west side of downtown Chaska. Easily accessed by walking and…read moredriving. It is adjacent to the Chaska community center and Crooked Pint's patio overlooks it. It is a fantastic area for kids. With playgrounds, a splash pad, and fishing allowed by the DNR it is a great place for first-time fishing experiences. The lake has crappies, bluegill, walleye, and largemouth bass. It is also ice-skating available in the winter months. The landscaping is beautiful. They have flower gardens and an awesome boardwalk that lights up at night. It's a stunning sight. The fun continues with a beach that has lifeguards on duty from 1 PM - 7 PM during the season in addition to your required supervision. The concession stand and restrooms are available from Memorial Day to October. a beach. Planning a party? The picnic shelters are available to rent for an affordable cost. You can rent a time block of 9 AM - 3 PM or 4 PM - 10 PM. Speaking of renting.. paddle boats and paddle boards are also available for 30 minutes at a time. There are many monuments around the park to teach about the brick-making in Chaska and the history of the local fire firefighters. It is so important to see brave heroes being memorialized and remembered here.

This Carver Park Lake Auburn Campground is so very well maintained. And it's quiet and calming…read moresituated among the woods of Victoria, Minnesota just 29 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis. I absolutely loved every minute of my one night stay here! For any person, avid camper, adventurer, tourist, or simply just a local wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city or looking for a short weekend getaway...this Lake Auburn Campground is it! Alright well, although it may not have all the amenities I look for when camping out (like showers, flush toilets and electrical AMP Power), I was easily able to overlook all of those additions for the simple fact this place is so easily accessible for folks like myself who showed up randomly without a reservation and needing a simple spot to rest for the evening. I couldn't have been more pleased and satisfied with my experience here. Let me run down all the terrific details this Carver Park Lake Auburn Campground offers.... - They have 57 campsites. - Prices are $15.44 for each campsite per night and then with 6.8% sales tax it = $16.50 in total. - They accept cash or check payments. - There's Wi-Fi, though cell phone reception works perfectly. - You can purchase firewood for $5 per bundle. - Check-in is at 4pm and you can check-out as late as 3pm. - You can re-register for each additional night starting at 11am. - Make reservations ahead of time by calling (763) 559 - 6700. - Quiet hours are 10pm - 7am. - Maximum of 2 tents and 6 guests per site or 1 tent and 1 RV. - Each site has a firepit and picnic table for barbecuing. - Pets are permitted at campsites but must be leashed among the grounds. - Even beer and wine are permitted, though no kegs or hard liquor. - How cool...they rent canoes, rowboats and single kayaks by the lake for $15 every 2 hours, and tandem kayaks for $20 every 2 hours. - Dump Station is $5. Some last things I'd like to mention.... - I discovered this Carver Park Lake Auburn Campground through the amazing app on my phone called Campendium. I highly recommend it for all camping enthusiasts. - The entrance road into the campground was not paved but easily drivable on very flat ground. - Once past the entrance station, I simply looked for an unoccupied campsite, backed my car into the space, set up my tent and then returned to the front section with my written check payment inside an envelope and released it into a white drop box. - I was able to pitch my tent on nice, fluffy grass which made the padding for lying down inside my tent that much more comfortable. Ya know, a lot of campgrounds are situated along hard, dirt ground that can make for difficult night sleeps. But not here, I always appreciate setting up on the grass! - Even though it was no big deal for me, there weren't any showers and only vault toilets. I guess just keep that in mind for when visiting. - The town of Victoria, MN is only 2 miles away and has all the extra necessities you'd expect from a big town like restaurants, grocery stores and even a Dairy Queen to stop in for a blizzard dessert treat at night. And that's it. I can't say enough good things about this Carver Park Lake Auburn Campground. Had I been staying in the area longer I'd happily camp out another few nights. In the end, I just keep thinking about how it was so peaceful here among the charming woodsy outdoors of Minnesota...I hope I can return during my 2022 summer cross country road trip.

Looking forward to checking this out this summer!!! The people working there were very nice and…read morehelpful