This five acre park features a hiking trail and...wait for it..a small pond. There's also a dock…read morefor fishing and a bench that provides a pleasant view of this largely undeveloped plot of land near the Waunakee Village Center. No playground equipment and no bathroom facilities, but the hike around the pond is a pleasant one.

Coming from a city that doesn't even compare to the lakes here in Madison, I'm always impressed…read morethat you can get all over the city by boat. All the different locks and canals are so cool! Tenney Park Locks in particular are surrounded by a beautiful park, on both sides of the road. You can park and walk up a canal to cross the road to the actual lock. It was cool to see the water level difference that the locks create. We took a long walk out a concrete pier and really enjoyed an hour on the lake. There's plenty of benches to sit and watch the wildlife. My kiddo really enjoyed playing on the rocks nearby the water (very carefully).

The park is beautiful at sunset. Never saw the lock schedule and the channel can't be fished while…read morelocks are closed so we were not.certain if we could fish or not and had to go somewhere else.

Sometimes I forget how massive this park is! Vilas Park abuts the Henry Vilas Zoo and offers tons…read moreof green field space, two playgrounds (including the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe slide that's been there forever), a beach, and a fair amount of parking if you can figure out how to get to it. I've attended a few birthday parties here, spent a few afternoons on the beach looking at Lake Wingra, and hiked through to get to the zoo when parking in the surrounding neighborhood. If there's a park activity you want to partake in, Vilas probably has it. I have yet to make it to the park in the winter, but there is a speed skating track on the lagoon and a some other skating/hockey spots. With the zoo being free, it's easy to make a day at Vilas.

Vilas is a great park with ample green space and an excellent lake for swimming in the summer and…read moreice skating in the winter. While pets may not be allowed in the park, you can certainly walk along the road/path with your pet. Vilas beach offers a great swimming spot and a sand beach. Lake Wingra is a wake-free lake so it's less busy, quieter and presumably cleaner than other lakes around. There is a lifeguard stationed at the beach and a maintained swimming area. Note - be sure to check the City website to make sure the beach is open before heading out, Madison beaches can close unexpectedly due to bacteria (translation -don't feed the geese! They poop & then beaches end up closed!) Vilas also offers a great playground for kids and ice skating in the winter. The only thing on my "wish list" for Vilas is that they would actually pave a sidewalk along the road through the park. You have to walk either on the grass or along the road, which can feel dangerous. It's also a one-way drive through the park but with some regularity drivers get confused and/or impatient and drive the wrong way through there so keep your eyes open for that!

North Ridge Park is a 5.5 neighborhood park, located in the, you guessed it, the North Ridge…read moresubdivision. The park has playground equipment, a walking path, tennis courts and a youth baseball diamond. The playground equipment, tennis courts, and a walking path. There's a porta-potty near the tennis courts - holding your breathe is highly recommended during the summer months.

Settler's Park is a well-maintained 1.5 acre park nestled on top of a hill in the Southbridge…read moresubdivision. There is no playground equipment nor any rest room facilities. However, the park features a panoramic view of Lake Mendota and the downtown Madison skyline.

This 1.3 acre park in the Maple Bluff neighborhood features playground equipment (including a…read moresandbox) and a basketball court. The parks has plenty of mature trees, providing some shade in the summer months. While there is no parking lot, there is plenty of street parking available nearby.

Best Outdoor Basketball court in Madison! Wish more people came to play basketball this court is…read moregreat.

This half acre neighborhood park is located by the Steeplechase Condominiums and features…read moreplayground equipment and a gazebo. No bathroom facilities. While there is no parking lot, there is plenty of street parking available. It does not get a lot of use though.

Great place to spend the afternoon with family. Nice pier for parking your boat. Bathrooms are…read moreclean, bike stations, adirondack chairs for viewing the lake and a sandy beach!

This is a great little park with a sandy beach in the heart of Monona right on the shores of Lake…read moreMonona. There is a small playground, bathrooms, a pier, picnic tables, and a gazebo. A recent addition is the B-bike electric bike rentals. I also have seen guys fishing along the small canal. Across the street is the bait and ice cream shop which is handy in many regards. They serve the typical hot dogs, burgers and Babcock ice cream. Once a month in summer they hold beer garden events with bands. Another plus. A nice community asset.