Banning State Park was one of our favorite outdoor stops during our Hinckley getaway. The park is…read moreknown for its scenic hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and the views of the Kettle River, making it a great place to spend a few hours exploring. Our goal was to find the waterfall, but like many first-time visitors, we ended up taking a wrong turn and wandered a little longer than expected. Honestly, it turned into part of the adventure. As we explored, we spotted deer quietly moving, squirrels darting between the trees, and plenty of birds and caterpillars along the way. We discovered quiet trails, beautiful overlooks, and peaceful stretches of the river that we might have missed if we'd gone straight to our destination. The sound of the water, the surrounding rock formations, and the forest scenery made it one of those places where you naturally want to stop and take it all in. If you're visiting Banning State Park for the first time, don't stress if you get a little turned around. Give yourself extra time, wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy the journey.

Nice trails. Great photo ops. Lovely small waterfall. Great views. Visited in October. Wished there…read morewere more bathrooms.

Great park with AstroTurf and a water park to run in. A great time for kids of most ages. My son…read morehad a blast for hours and slept great.

Great splash park and playground. Just needs an ice cream stand or an ice cream truck.read more

$5 parking (not a state park so passes do not apply)…read more Clean and clear water. You can enter from a latter off the dock, jumping from the rocks, or walking in on the few stretches of shore. Water shoes not a must but I wished I had brought mine. I suggest going early. This is a very popular swimming destination so if you want solitude in nature, this may not be the place for you. Dog friendly! No lifeguard on duty-- jump in at your own risk. I'd definitely go again if I was in the area but I wouldn't necessarily drive from the TC exclusively to swim here.

This review is only regarding the cliff jumping you can do at the park into the water- this review…read moreis not meant to discourage others to go to this beautiful park - just to make people aware of the risks. If you plan to cliff jump - please read!!! I have been to this park many times in my life, and jumped off the high cliff into the water at least half a dozen times. Last Memorial Day, I went with my friends to enjoy the park. I went to the highest cliff jumping spot and I jumped off into the water. I immediately knew something was wrong with my spine when I hit the water as I could barely breathe and my back exploded in pain. As the signs state at the park - you jump at your own risk. It was clear they do not have a protocol for when people get injuries. It took about 10 minutes to get a ranger to come over and help, who did end up calling an ambulance, but they did not offer anything else. They didn't clear the area, and people continued to climb up and jump around me. My friends had to kick me across the whole quarry to get to the shore to get to the ambulance. At the hospital they did an x-ray and a vertebrae in my spine had compressed due to the angle I hit the water and fractured. It was about a 5-month recovery with a back brace full time. If you go for the cliff jumping just be aware that there is a risk jumping into the water, and the risk gets greater the higher you go. All this to say - the park is beautiful and it is still a lovely spot for swimming and hiking. Just know the risks before you go cliff jumping into the water.

Great spot on the lake to stop and enjoy the view...or play on the playground equipment with the…read morekiddos! No wildcats witnessed on our visit.

Fantastic park right off the lake. Wood structures with plenty of areas for play - even for the…read moreyounger children. A pavilion nearby, plenty of swings. Such a wonderful variety with balance beams and climbing walls. Nooks to hids. Play boat or castle....or dig in the sand and look out at the lake. Just beautiful. The only bad part is the city need to wipe the spider webs off more.

This place... This place. I like this place. I took my…read moreparents here one weekend when I had decided that we had not yet done anything 'as a family' in a while. What do I mean? Well I come from a family that doesn't go camping or does many outdoorsy things besides walking or biking. So I decided, why not take everyone kayaking to see how it goes. The price for a the kayaking rental was affordable, but also they fit you and take care of you very well here. You're not really timed on the rental, its more of, "Hey let us know when you get to the pick up point and we will go pick you up." They are super friendly, and even launched my family and myself from the dock themselves. Of course, there is a safety video, life jackets, a map and kayaking accessories. But besides that, it was a great experience on the Mississippi. We brought food on the trip as well, so eating fried chicken on the Mississippi was great. I would go with Clear Waters Outfitting Co. again. The pick up was great, the driver was very sociable, and accommodating to our needs. Bottom line: Great place to rent from, and a great staff behind them.

We just love this company! We utilized their shuttle services to take us and our kayaks North on…read morethe Mississippi so we could do a sweet 5 mile paddle back down yesterday. Super friendly and helpful staff! Lots of great kayaks and canoes for sale and rent in their shop, as well as cool gear (and more!) in their fun gift shop. We will definitely be back!

This garden is a must-see attraction if you're ever near the St. Cloud area. It looks as if it's…read morestraight out of a fairytale book! There are beautiful fountains, winding walkways, and charming trellises to enjoy - and the best part? It's completely FREE to experience. Munsinger Gardens holds historical significance as one of St. Cloud's most beloved landmarks, with its origins dating back to the 1930s. It has been lovingly maintained to showcase seasonal blooms, peaceful river views, and stunning landscapes that make every visit magical. Whether you're looking for a serene stroll, a romantic photo spot, or just a place to appreciate nature's beauty, this garden delivers!

These gardens are absolutely beautiful! The grounds are so well kept, with many different types of…read moreflowers. There is a cute ice cream shop on-site, and it is right next to the river walk as well. Super close to downtown, access to many restaurants. Lots of street parking which is a quick walk to the location. Great spot to check out with free time!

Trying to be more intentional about exploring parks around Minneapolis this year, and Hidden Falls…read moreseemed like the perfect place to start. We usually default to Minnehaha Falls across the river, but I'd never actually explored this side--which looks to be really sprawling with new townhomes and modular single family homes. We parked near the dam and walked along the trail to reach the stairs leading down to Hidden Falls. Heads up: the walk down is a little precarious since there's no railing for most of the stairs, but it's not very steep and the trek itself is pretty short. The falls themselves were a bit disappointing at the moment--more of a trickle than a waterfall--but it is early in the season. That said, the forested park area it winds through was really nice, and made the visit worth it regardless. I can already tell this place is probably stunning in the summer when everything is green and flowing! Even with the lower water level, it was a great way to explore somewhere new and great to see there were so many people already exploring the park with it being chilly still!

Beautiful park near the city. Grabbed some take out and found an empty picnic table in the middle…read moreof the day - lots of parking! Watched a few boats launch, saw some geese, enjoyed watching people along the shore. Picnic tables near the water at the North Entrance. Check it out!

I have been going to the park almost daily with my mini schnauzer without any problems. Yesterday,…read morehowever, he was attacked by a pair of large dark colored German Shepards. The owner was able to call his dogs off but Chunk was bitten. He is recovering but anyone with small dogs should be cautious. I will in the future. I really like this park still and will continue to let Chunk play there;he really enjoys running free.

Back in the day I watched 4th of July fireworks here. Now I bring my dog here to their fenced in…read moredog park that goes to the Mississippi River. My dog seems to enjoy running around here and sniffing and meeting other dogs. People must take pride in this dog park as I didn't see any dog crap anywhere. Thanks fellow dog owners for being considerate. Free and small but clean and worth it.

We pulled into the parking lot with the Grands, both children stopped talking immediately and…read morecrooned, "ooohh!" They literally dived out of the vehicle and ran into the park and began playing on all of the equipment. It's a small park at the trailhead near Theodore Wirth Parkway. Easy to find, plenty of parking, lots of shade and picnic tables to sit at while the family plays. It's a circuit of equipment for agility and balance. It's designed for adults but the children adore it. There's a sign at the beginning with a map on how to use each piece of equipment. The kids immediately acclimated to the circuit and began running it and timing themselves on their Apple watches. Along the side there is a running track. We had to drag them away when it was time to go to lunch. Their parting words were, "be sure and tell our mom how to get here."

Outdoor challenge course lives up to its expectations! Nice green turf with lots for children of…read moreall ages and adults to do. Fun timed football dash run on site. Parents be aware of location next to local road and adjacent pond. Keep close eyes on children from fast approaching cars.

A nice regional park with walking paths, access to the river for boats, and a small picnic area…read more It looks like the walking path is a large loop around the natural prairie grasses. Not paved, but neatly mowed. The one thing that could be added to improve would be a bathroom area. I didn't see any.