Such a lovely beach a few minutes out of Rochester!! Visited this area before but didn't realize…read morethey had a whole beach (only saw the areas where boats would go in) The water was pretty clear considering there was plenty of people there. Also saw some small fish. The sand does have rocks in it, so just be aware. They have showers, restrooms and a place where you can rent gear. The campground seemed clean (just drove by it), and they had a playground for the kiddos. There are trails nearby too but didn't explore them. So happy to revisit this place and will definitely be visiting again!

Watercraft (canoe, paddle board, kayak) rentals are affordably priced and in good condition. The…read moreriver was beautiful to paddle on and the birdwatching is excellent. I only wish they were open later than 6 during the summer!

This is my second time floating this river with Zumbro Valley Canoe Rental and I cannot say enough…read moregood things about the experience. The staff and owner were great and made sure we had a safe and enjoyable trip on the river. We saw bald eagles, giant blue herons and other wildlife.

The float from Zumbro Falls to Hammond is a beautiful, peaceful 3 hour trip in kayak or canoe. That…read moregave my rating the fourth star. The establishment itself is a 3 star because the overall condition of the kayaks. The kayaks are Old Town which when new were high quality. However, most of the kayaks here are in pretty rough shape. My wife and I had two that were ok, but several had missing peddles and/or major damage to the fiberglass. So beware, before you pay make sure your kayak meets your approval. After all you're going to be in it for 3 hours. The canoes looked in better shape. The price of $35 per kayak was reasonable and Sully gave us excellent advice on how to navigate the river.

My furry friend group chose this spot for our big annual camping trip! There were 86 of us total,…read moreand we utilized the Group Site that has several cabins available, plus a main cabin that serves as the place to gather and eat with a full kitchen and walk-in fridge. I really enjoyed the cozy feel to the cabins, which have wonderfully rustic wooden paneling and floors. Our cabin had two wings with four bunk beds each, plus a center room with a large bed (ideal, no doubt, for scouting purposes). The cabins are heated by thermostat and there are a few electrical outlets, but no other amenities that I was aware of. The main cabin had a large center fire pit that made the whole place wonderfully cozy. Also included are several long tables with benches to sit at, as well as additional chairs with backs to gather around the firepit. There are electrical outlets too. Flooring was a mix of wood and tile. There are also restrooms nearby, which include toilets, sinks, and showers. Separated by gender, male and female. The designated parking lot for the Group Site was able to accommodate around 40-45 cars, which served our purposes well. There is also a small roundabout that leads up to the main cabin for ease of unpacking/dropping off gear. All these amenities made the long-weekend very enjoyable! This isn't a huge park by any means, but even in the icy snow, I was able to enjoy a few of the trails while there. The alphabetical trail markings confused me a bit at first, but then I realized it was how the park was indicating "you are here" without customizing each sign. At the trailheads are large informational signs that give you the distance, difficulty, and features you'll see on said trail. The river that cuts through here is really gorgeous. It was partially frozen over during our visit, and we got some flurries while we were camping, which covered everything in a beautiful fresh coat of white powder. Got some great photos and great memories. I was a bit bummed that the Nature Store wasn't open (it's seasonal), because I am a sucker for souvenirs on sightseeing trips to parks and such.

Whitewater is a gorgeous park with some varied scenery. There are a lot of neat formations to check…read moreout such as the bluffs, forests, rivers, and more. There are some easy to more challenging hikes available. There are also a lot of nice amenities and a beach area.

Super cool! The people who work here are really nice and…read morethere's a lot of different grades to climb. 5.5 to 5.13. There is an easy kid section, a boulder, and auto-baleys everywhere. The gym room upstairs is small, but there are plenty of things in it. Also upstairs is a hangboard with a book that has routines to follow. They have different style yoga classes almost every day. Great place to check out for a day or train everyday.

Great facility! I'm new to rock climbing, but it seems as though there are a variety of walls for…read moreall levels of experience. I went during a day when school was out for break, so there were a TON of kids there by the time I was done climbing, but everyone did a good job of taking turns and not hogging walls, so I was still able to get plenty of climb time in. You don't have to pass a belay test before using the auto-belays, just watch an instructional video on how to use them. Staff is available to show you how to partner belay if you'd like.

We golfed the Northern Hills course. We were able to get a tee time right away, even though we just…read moredid a walk in. The rates were reasonable, even with a cart. The staff were super friendly. Overall, a great experience!

Eastwood is the nicest Golf course in Rochester. I love the new course. You don't even feel like…read moreyou are in Rochester. Quiet, subdued, challenging etc. I enjoy all the courses but Eastwood is the best if you are new to Rochester or just visiting!

Parking, cleanliness, presentation was 5 stars. However, the condition of some of the animals had…read moreme a little concerned. The bear we saw was pacing and panting back and forth. I'm not a zookeeper by any means, but considering the heat and kids screaming, maybe stress and hot! The same was for the mountain lion. He actually was pawing at his enclosure door to get out of the sun, but seemed unable to do so. Other animals were even seen pawing at empty bowls, which again, assuming this to be for water. I grew up on a farm, not a zookeeper, but the animals looked very uncomfortable.

This was unexpected. Like, really unexpected. We drove here after camping at a state park nearby,…read moreand the roads made us think we were headed towards someone's backyard and we might be the only ones there. We could not have been more wrong! Buses full of field trip kids! So many granny nannies! Plenty of older kids, including a few groups of teenagers! This is a legit nature center, quality playground, and perfectly nice little zoo. I don't know what it's like to live down here, but apparently the locals love this place. That said, it wasn't too crowded at all, and the bathrooms were clean. Parking was easy. We stayed for about an hour, but plenty of people looked like they had packed lunches and intended to stay all day.

The RAC is an athletic club in NW Rochester offering a gym, swimming, and tennis facility…read more The pros: this club is the best family club not only in Rochester, but basically anywhere. The programming, facility, and staff in the kids club are second to none. If you have children, this is one of the best resources in the area and well worth the membership fee. The cons: the parking lot is large, but in -30 weather, it would be nice if there was a covered option. Overall, the RAC is a must for families. Highly recommend!

it doesnt accept apple pay where i need it. fix it. now. the bands cost too much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!read more

This is the South End Trailhead of Zumbro South Trail. Zumbro South Trail is one of the many trail…read moresystems along the south fork section of Zumbro Reiver in Rochester MN. The south end trailhead is located at the intersection of Salem Rd SW and Maywood Rd SW and the north end trailhead is located at Mayo Memorial Park in downtown Rochester. Its length is about 6.5 miles each way. It is a popular and easy/fairly flat trail for bikers and hikers a like and provides nice scenery with diverse vegetation/flowers.