25 Best Minneapolis Parks

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Boom Island Park is a section of the much larger Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park and provides beautiful views of the downtown Minneapolis skyline and the river. Families with small children can make use of the playground and all visitors can explore the riverfront of the Mississippi along both walking and biking paths. Other amenities at the Boom Island Park include restroom facilities, drinking fountains, a picnic area with a grill, and a boat dock. The park also serves as a good start or end point for a trip on bike or on foot to the Heritage Trail found nearby.

724 Sibley St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Brownie Lake Park is found along the western side of the Cedar Lake Parkway and is the northernmost and smallest link among the Chain of Lakes. The remote location and rustic nature offer locals and tourists alike with a spot to get away from everything without having to leave town. Activities possible at the Brownie Lake Park are geared more towards outdoor enthusiasts, such as canoeing, kayaking, biking, and hiking. There are both walking paths and biking paths throughout the park, as well as a launch and rack for canoes located at the northern side of Brownie Lake.

3201 Wayzata Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55416, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Bryant Square Park is a recreation center and park that is a full block filled with family-friendly fun. Amenities of the park include a wading pool, a softball field, a soccer field, restroom facilities, a playground and children’s area, the Little Free Library, an ice skating rink, a hockey rink, drinking fountains, a basketball court, and an amphitheater. The Public Outdoor Performance Space consists of a circular plaza measuring twenty feet and hosts a concert series during the summer season, as well as other performances and events throughout the year, such as movie nights, comedy, dance performances, socials, and more.

3101 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408, Phone: 612-370-4907

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The Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park is one of the city’s numerous open green spaces located along the Mississippi River and encompasses nearly 140 acres. Paved trails connect with the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park to the north and the Minneapolis Park System trails further south. A variety of species of birds can be seen throughout particular times of year traveling along their migratory journey down the river. Amenities at the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park include bike paths, walking paths, a picnic area, a playground, and more. The park’s Riedel Farmhouse serves as a venue for events.

East and West banks of the Mississippi River between Plymouth Avenue North & 35W bridges, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Columbia Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota spans across more than one hundred and eighty acres and is full of open green spaces, and rolling hillsides, providing opportunities for recreation throughout the entire year. Amenities at Columbia Park include drinking fountains, a cross-country ski trail, tubing and sledding, a rugby field, a soccer field, walking paths, a tennis court, a playground, restroom facilities, picnic areas, grills, a golf course, driving range, and archery field. The park is part of the area’s Grand Rounds Scenic Byway and connects to the walking and biking trails of the St. Anthony Parkway.

800 Columbia Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55418, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Corcoran Park is situated within South Minneapolis and is both a park and recreation center offering a wide variety of programs for people of all ages. Park amenities include a wading pool, a volleyball court, a softball field, a playground and children’s area, picnic areas, the Little Free Library, drinking fountains, and restroom facilities. The Corcoran Park Recreation Center houses a community kitchen, a multipurpose room, a gym, computer labs, meeting rooms, and a craft room. Corcoran Park also participates in the city’s summer meals program that offers free snacks for children and dinners on weekdays during the summer.

3334 20th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55407, Phone: 612-370-4919

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Dickman Park, formerly referred to as “the Main Street Northeast Playground Site,” is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota’s neighborhood of St. Anthony West. Amenities provided in the park include a wading pool, a volleyball court, a basketball court, restroom facilities, a playground, a picnic area, horseshoe pits, and drinking fountains. The playground at Dickman Park consists of two different play structures design specifically for children between the ages of two and five and between the ages of five and twelve. It also includes a shade umbrella, swings, a spinning feature, a seesaw, a fully-accessible playground surface, and a sand area.

614 Second St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Father Hennepin Bluff Park is situated by the Stone Arch Bridge and offers unique views of the Mississippi River and the skyline of downtown Minneapolis. Visitors can stroll along the bridges and footpaths and be transported to a wooded forest within the city’s shadows. Father Hennepin Bluff Park is about five and a half acres in size and is located on top of a wooded bluff that overlooks the river. Guests will find a bandstand, walking paths, picnic areas, grills, and drinking fountains inside the park. The park is named after the first European to see St. Anthony Falls from the site.

420 Main St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Kenwood Park is a thirty-three acre park featuring a number of sports facilities, a community center, open grassy areas, walking paths, and more. The park is also the site of the well known Kenwood Park Water Tower. The sloping hilltop in the park offers stunning views of the sunset, as well as sections of the area’s Chain of Lakes. Boasted as a family-friendly park, Kenwood Park includes a tot lot, playground, a picnic area with grills, sports fields and courts, and a restroom facility. The Kenwood Tennis Courts are the largest public tennis court bank of the Park Board.

2101 W Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405, Phone: 612-370-4941

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The Lake Harriet Bandshell Park is a popular destination in Minneapolis for outdoor recreation activities, both on the water and land. The park provides two beaches, a trail system consisting of both bike and hiking trails, and sailing on Lake Harriet. The bandshell complex in the park hosts a concert series during the summer season called the Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Parks and includes a picnic area, as well as the Bread and Pickle outdoor seasonal restaurant. There is also a preserved portion of the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line running between the bandshell area and Bde Maka Ska.

4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55409, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Lake Hiawatha Park is a park that encompasses a total of 241 acres and is made up of a gorgeous lake, wide open green spaces, and mature trees that provide plenty of shade. Amenities available to visitors in the Lake Hiawatha Park include a basketball court, tennis courts, a softball field, a soccer field, a hockey and ice skating rink, a foot golf course, a cross-country skiing trail, a golf course, a driving range, and a horseshoe pit. The park also offers a picnic areas, playground, the Little Free Library, a fishing pier, a wading pool, walking paths, and public art.

2701 E 44th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406, Phone: 612-370-4930

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Lake Nokomis Park is home to one of the Minneapolis park system’s three sailing lakes and offers opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor recreation. Paddle board, boat, bike, kayak, and canoe rentals can be found at Wheel Fun Rentals. There are fishing piers located at the northern side of Lake Nokomis at the Lake Nokomis Parkway and the East Minnehaha Parkway, along with location on the southeast side on the East Lake Nokomis Parkway. Lake Nokomis Park also includes ball fields, sports courts, a beach, bike paths, walking paths, picnic areas, and a playground.

4955 W Lake Nokomis Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55417, Phone: 612-370-4923

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The Linden Hills Park is located in the heart of the Minneapolis, Minnesota neighborhood of Linden Hills and provides a variety of recreational activities. Amenities in the park for families, particularly those with young children, include a tot lot, a picnic area with a grill, a wading pool, and a playground. Linden Hills Park also offers restrooms, drinking fountains, ball fields, sports courts. Ice skating rinks and hockey rinks are located in the park during the winter months. Linden Hills Park also hosts the Winterfest each year, which features horse-drawn wagon rides, marshmallow roasting, complimentary hot cider, and much more.

3100 W 43rd St. Minneapolis, MN 55410, Phone: 612-370-4913

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The Lyndale Park Gardens is situated to the north from Lake Harriet and is a park featuring some of the most beautiful fountains and gardens in the city of Minneapolis. The Lyndale Gardens are made up of four different themed gardens: the Rose Garden, the Peace Garden, the Perennial and Border & Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens, and the Annual-Perennial Garden. Visitors to the Lyndale Park Gardens can also explore the Roberts Bird Sanctuary. The best time to visit is during April to May to see the migratory birds. Lyndale Park Gardens contains decorative fountains and public art as well.

1300 42nd St. W, Minneapolis, MN 55409, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Mill Ruins Park is a combination of present-day activities for visitors of all ages and an exploration of the past of the city of Minneapolis. Amenities found within Mill Ruins Park include walking paths, drinking fountains, a pay parking lot, and bike paths. Guided tours and a variety of programs are also offered to both local residents and tourists. Mill Ruins Park also serves as the centerpiece for the city’s revitalization of the historic West Side Milling District. The park share the history of the city through buried waterpower features and exposed historic walls.

102 Portland Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Minnehaha Regional Park is one of the most popular and oldest parks of Minneapolis, Minnesota, featuring river overlooks, limestone bluffs, and a grand waterfall measuring fifty-three feet high. The park is named after a stream and the impressive falls that plunge down fifty-three feet down into a gorge before it runs into the Mississippi River. Hiking trails lead out in every direction, including to popular river shorelines and down the gorge. The Minnehaha Falls are certainly the main sight to see in the park, acting as a roaring tribute to the plentiful fresh water in the state of Minnesota.

4801 S Minnehaha Dr, Minneapolis, MN 55417, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Mississippi Gorge Regional Park is a gorge area along the Mississippi River that offers several outdoor recreation activities for visitors year-round. Popular activities to do within the regional park include photography, birdwatching, and hiking. Autumn is a particularly popular time to visit the Mississippi Gorge Regional Park when the trees feature their fall colors. Hiking and biking trails can be found along either side of the Mississippi River in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Birdwatching is especially popular during the springs and fall migrations. The Mississippi River Gorge is the only true gorge existing along the Mississippi River.

W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Painter Park is a Minneapolis city park consisting of a playground, a variety of sports fields and courts, picnic areas, and a recreation center. Sports fields and courts provided in the park include ones for tennis, softball, soccer, pickleball, and basketball. The Painter Park also features a restroom facility, a tot lot and playground, a Little Free Library, and drinking fountains. The Painter Park Recreation Center houses a multipurpose room, a meeting room, a craft room, and a community kitchen. The park is located in the southwestern part of Minneapolis off of Lyndale Avenue.

620 W 34th St, Minneapolis, MN 55408, Phone: 612-370-4911

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The Powderhorn Park is located near downtown Minneapolis, a little further south and is a treasure of the residential district surrounding it. The park serves as a venue for many of celebrations and events throughout the year. Powderhorn Park is the last stop for the May Day parade each year and hosts the annual art fair in August and a popular fireworks show for the 4th of July. The district surrounding the park is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The park includes picnic areas with a grill, a variety of sports courts and fields, a fishing pier, gardens, and a playground.

3400 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407, Phone: 612-370-4960

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The Riverside Park is one of the city’s oldest parks and is separated by wooded river bluffs and WPA-era stone walls. The park has large grassy areas and a good view of the nearby Mississippi Gorge. The neighborhood park offers a number of activities for visitors of all ages, such as a dog park, a volleyball court, tennis courts, a wading pool, a playground, a basketball court, a softball field, hiking trails, bike paths, and areas for picnicking. Riverside Park also hosts programs during the summer months, including the Summer Playground, which typically runs from the middle of June through August.

2820 S Eighth St, Minneapolis, MN 55454, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Sheridan Memorial Park is situated along the Mississippi River and is home to the Sheridan Veterans Memorial that honors all veterans of the state of Minnesota. The memorial was created by Robert Smart, a local artist, and centers around a large circular sculpture made up of protective shields. The Sheridan Veterans Memorial emphasizes the cost associated with war, along with the importance of peace. The path around the perimeter of the memorial features quotes regarding peace that are engraved into the granite. The memorial is also surrounded by gardens and markers describing conflicts Minnesotans have served in.

1300 Water St. NE Minneapolis, MN 55413, Phone: 612-230-6400

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The Theodore Wirth Regional Park is the largest park within the city park system of Minneapolis, around the size of New York City’s Central Park, and features opportunities for recreation activities throughout the year and natural treasures, including a fishing pier, disc golf, two golf courses, and more. While there are many miles of beautiful trails for biking and hiking, the focal point of the park is the Quaking Bog. Visitors can take a walk along the floating boardwalks to explore the unique bog. Abundant plant species and wildlife can be found in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.

1301 Theodore Wirth Pkwy, Golden Valley, MN 55422, Phone: 612-230-6400

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Waite Park is a neighborhood park that is connected to the Waite Park Community School, as such, several of the programs offered in the park are available in collaboration with the community school. Although the closest coffee shops and restaurants are many blocks away, the park provides an abundance of green space for having a picnic lunch, as well as provides grills for visitors to use for cooking out. The park’s playground is divided into three different parts and includes a tot lot. There is also a zero-entry pool with splash-pad, tennis courts, basketball courts, and multi-use fields.

1810 34th Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418, Phone: 612-370-4959

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Whittier Park is located within the Whittier Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota and provides families with young children with a playground that features a tot lot, as well as a picnic area with a restroom facility and drinking fountains, and a Little Free Library. Whittier Park is also home to multiple sports courts and sports fields for basketball, softball, and other sports. The Whittier Park Recreation Center contains meeting spaces, a multipurpose room, a craft room, a gym, a a computer lab, and a community kitchen. The pool at the park opens during the Whittier International School’s summer break.

425 W 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55405, Phone: 612-370-4966

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The Windom Park offers a variety of outdoor recreation activities for visitors, particularly when it comes to sports, such as tennis, hockey, ice skating, and football. Amenities in the park include a wading pool, a playground, a picnic area with grill, restroom facilities, a Little Free Library, tennis courts, basketball courts, softball and baseball fields, a soccer field, a pickleball court, an ice skating and hockey rink, a football field, and a broomball rink. The Windom Park Recreation Center houses a multipurpose room, a meeting room, a gymnasium, a craft room, a computer lab, and a community kitchen.

2251 NE Hayes St. Minneapolis, MN 55418, Phone: 612-370-4905