This summer (somehow) I explored the outdoors a shi*t ton while also feeling absolutely trapped in…read moremy home? I don't know if that makes sense to you? But... COVID-19. Amiright?! Hickory Hill Park has been on my gotta-try list all summer. FINALLY on Labor Day weekend, we found the time to drive across town, to the wayyyyy east side to check it out. LET ME TELL YOU. THIS PARK IS BEAUTIFUL. There's tons of trails for jogging, walking and hiking! From wooded ones, to paths through the prairie. There is something for everyone. Picnic shelters, too. There are a couple reasons this is a four vs five star. 1. There's not a lot of signage on the trails, so it is very easy to get lost or not know where to continue on to! Make sure you have a map online pulled up when you visit. 2. Hickory Hill boasts very, very narrow paths. So during a pandemic-- BRING YOUR MASK! We typically are the family just try to distance when we are hiking outdoors... but distancing is hard on trails at this east side gem.

Clearly long cold Iowa winters have made me far more brave than I would have imagined. I mean who…read moresays, "It's a beautiful day lets go check out a new park" when its December and 30 degrees out. Never thought that would be me, but sure enough now knowing subzero temperatures have brainwashed me to think 30 degrees is a gorgeous winter day! With this new found appreciation for 30 degree days I packed the pups in the car and headed to check out Hickory Hill Park. What a nice park full of no shortage of multiple winding trails through the woods and prairies. All the trails were very well maintained and were perfect for exploring with our dogs. This is the perfect park if you are just looking to enjoy nature. So want to trail run, walk/hike, stroll with your dog? Then you found the right spot! I also imagine this would be a great spot for snowshoeing or cross country skiing if there was a significant snow fall. It wasn't muddy when we went since the ground was frozen but I imagine if there was recently a lot of rain this place could get pretty muddy.

My husband and I got married at Terry Trueblood, the ceremony was on the outdoor patio overlooking…read morethe water and then the reception and everything else was inside. It was the most gorgeous venue, and the pictures turned out wonderfully! There were people at the park while our photos were being taken or canoeers while our ceremony was going on which could've been weird but we enjoyed that random people got to enjoy our day with us!

Not a great place for fishing. The lake is beautiful and the trail is nice. However if you want to…read morecatch any of the many fish you can see jumping out of the water, good luck. The lake is not accessible except for the very small sandy beach. The fishing jetty is so overgrown with trees and other vegetation; impossible to drop a fishing line.

A large, wonderful city park with a lot of flat open space along the river. The playground uses…read morenatural looking elements to mimic nature--hollow tree trunks, for example--to climb over, through, or around. Connects to city trails that get you along the river or downtown in 10 minutes.

A crazy beautiful outdoor space in Iowa City…read more I came to meet a friend with her almost two-year-old daughter who could not get enough of the park. My friend loves this park because "it's not just one structure, there are lots of different pieces for [my daughter] to explore." Riverfront Crossings Park has great faux nature logs and rocks for kids to play with/on. From the tunnel that runs under a hill, to the zip line there is loads of fun to be had here. I also love the parent/child partner swing which allows parents to swing in tandem with their little one- it saves you an arm workout! There are also some metal spheres that make noise similar to a steel drum. It's a nice sensory addition for children.

ST Morrison Park is a long-time Coralville staple. Its idyllic fishing pond is surrounded by…read moreshelters, a (semi dated) playground, a plethora of (newer) tennis courts, the outdoor pool (which boasts two slides and a diving board) -- as well as youth ball diamonds. This park is home of the Music in the Park Concert Series, Farmers Market and 4thFest. I've been going to this park for decades, it rarely disappoints. Recently I've been renting the south ballpark for youth softball practices. It's well maintained, is appropriately priced per hour and has a plethora of (nearby) parking. You can reserve ball fields through the Coralville Rec online, via a form. (Spring softball fields are insanely hard to come by and require a draft.) ST Morrison Park is a great option for softball practice, a birthday party or just a trip to the park!

S.T. Morrison park is a delightful area just off the Coralville strip that provides a great place…read moreto go for a picnic, a run or just some chill time with the fam and pets. It's located off the back of the police station and community center and has tons of fields, ponds and shelters for whatever you're in the mood for. The Coralville water park is also attached and is a great spot to go chillax while the kids enjoy an amenity that too often requires a long drive. In addition to the great gathering areas, they have tennis courts, volleyball courts and number of baseball diamonds for use whenever. A great place to get outside and enjoy an afternoon regardless of what your interests!

Great park we found out about from friends who discovered the ENORMOUS play structure here. The…read morepark includes the aforementioned playland, some baseball diamonds, an aquatic center and plenty of free space for the chilluns to burn off some energy. The benches and pavilions are quite nice as well and make for some perfect outdoor dining on spring evenings. It's located on the east side of Iowa City just past Sycamore mall, so it's a bit of a jaunt for those in North Liberty or Coralville. That said, it's not all that far and it's worth it for the playland. A must check out for families and close to Jimmy Jacks so you can get some legit takeout BBQ while you're here!

Do you ever wish there was an adult playground?…read more You know, where you could swing gleefully, strain to monkey across some bars or slide as you grin ear to ear-- maybe even build a completely BA sandcastle? Oh and most importantly, this mythical dream park is for ADULTS ONLY. If you have, consider yourself warned: DO NOT go to Mercer Park. Because oh my gosh, you'll be totally jealous at what the Iowa City kiddos get to play on. Iowa City's largest play area (I'm hard pressed to think of a bigger one) is only two years old and is pure magic. It's got a sensory play center, a net climbing course, a MASSIVE tower with enclosed slide and equipment meant for kiddos ages 2-to-5. There are also shelters, picnic tables, grills, lit baseball/softball fields, tee ball field, tennis courts, a refurbish old fire engine play structure... you name it-- it's got it. Even the indoor aquatic center lives at Mercer, too. There's ample parking and literally kids (and adults?) of all ages will enjoy it. My kids (ages 2 and 4) absolutely love the ginormous tower and crazy four person seesaw. Come check it out!

Unfortunately when I visited the visitor's center was closed, but I still had a blast! There is a…read morelot that you can park in, and then travel down a path to a bunch of informational displays about the flood in 1993 that carved out this gorge, revealing all of the fossils. Then, you proceed down the path into a gorge, keeping an eye out for fossils. I saw a bunch of fossils on the bank to my right, before I even made it to the gorge. There were a few people scattered walking their dogs, although one group was actively looking to spot fossils and had the brochure from the Army Corps of Engineers about the different fossils present. All in all, this was a great spot to spend an hour walking around. I did see evidence that people have poached fossils from here, which is a shame. Look, but don't take!

Open area with lots to look at. I'm surprised they let people walk over these fossil imprints. Much…read moreof the rock is cracked and loose. Much of the area has numbers imbedded into the ground to help you find the things.

This park is part of an urban development project, so don't expect a nature trail. However, it is…read moreneat how they preserved a slice of nature with the adjacent river and wetlands. The sleek industrial walkway stands in contrast to the wetlands. Some sculptures along the path. Feels like a safe area as it is next to a conference center.

Here I am at this place and its not a popular site for visitors today. The place is serene, full…read moreof wildlife, and picturesque. I accidently stumbled on this site by accident and decided to take pictures and understand the historic significance behind this preservation. I believe it adds value to the current reconstruction of this downtown area of Coralville. Time will tell if this park will be a major attraction once the completion of the nightlife businesses occurs.

This is quite possibly my favorite play structure in Iowa City. It lives in the heart of the…read morepedestrian mall and is always crawling with kiddos. Screams of glee and children running around like crazy people are normal around this green Iowa City staple. The structure is right next to the Iowa City Public Library and sits on a soft rubber floor. As a parent, I definitely appreciate that my kids aren't playing in sand or hot asphalt! Park benches surround the jungle gym and always has parents watching their kids but also soaking in the downtown atmosphere. With the addition of Gene's and their patio, I love having a drink as I watch my kiddos play in the summer now that they are a bit more self sufficient -- and when the students are out of town, so it is less crazy busy. The Weather Dance Fountain is right next to the play area, as well. My ONLY knock is lack of shade. Holy cow! Bring your sunscreen, baseball caps and expect to roast on summer days. Park in the Dubuque Street Ramp for a short walk to the park, and first hour free!