Please check ahead before heading to Twin Cities Parks in 2020. Many amenities are temporarily closed to support social distancing.
Discover a new outdoor play space! The Family Fun Twin Cities Parks & Playgrounds Search directory is your one stop for the best Twin Cities Park Guide. We share some of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities in this directory. We are so passionate about how awesome our parks are that we don’t want you to stop with 10 parks or even 150 parks! There are so many parks in the metro area, you could visit a new one every day for some free Twin Cities family fun and still not have seen them all in 5 years.
Oak Hill Park is on the west side of St. Louis Park and abuts Louisiana Oaks Park. It has family friendly amenities that include a playground, a splash pad, and sports fields. In the winter, families can ice skate and sled. There is also room to to picnic with both tables and shelters. Oak Hill is one of the parks in St. Louis Park that offers free Wi-Fi in its picnic and park shelters. Also unique to this splash pad is the ability to reserve the pad for groups during specified times (inexpensive birthday party?). You can find the Reservation form here. Group admission is $2.00/pp. Call the park to check availability. The splash pad is limited to 30 people including staff and chaperones. The park has a city-designated sledding area with lights, which are usually on from 4:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Find more Twin Cities Sledding Hills here. The city also maintains a lighted skating rink at this park. The warming house at this location sells hot cocoa for $2 a cup during open hours. For more places to skate during the winter months: Skate the Twin Cities: Where To Find Free Outdoor Ice Rinks. Besides the possibility of a splash pad party (see above), this park has Building Rental available. Park buildings can accommodate up to 20 people. Rentals are by the hour and residents receive a discount. Throw a Splash-Pad Themed Birthday Party?* There are also two shelters available for summer rentals, accommodation 40 people at the Central Shelter and 100 people at the Main Shelter. Note that the city does not reserve shelters on Memorial Day, Independence Day or Labor Day. On these days use is open on a first-come, first-served basis. A damage deposit is required on any of these rentals. Not quite what you are looking for? Check our Ultimate Guide to Birthday Parties in the Twin Cities. *This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon. FFTC receives a small commission on any purchases made through our links.Oak Hill Park, St. Louis Park
Oak Hill Park Splash Pad
Winter Activities
Oak Hill Park Sledding Area
Oak Hill Park Skating
Birthday Parties In The Park
We can help you find some of the best playgrounds Minneapolis, St. Paul and greater Minnesota. Looking for specifics like a playground, swimming spot or bike trail? Want to find the perfect place to a pitch a tent or your city's best sledding hill? Search by all of these amenities and more in our Twin Cities Parks & Playgrounds Search by selecting a category from the drop down menu or typing in the keyword of your choice in the search box. You can even enter an address and select a radius to search by city or region of the Metro. Plus, find park hours, fees, directions, pictures and other extras.
We've currently reviewed over 400 parks in this directory, but we would love to hear from you! What do YOU think are the best parks in the Twin Cities? How about the best parks in Minnesota? What parks did we completely miss? What is your favorite little unknown gem? We really want to share all your favorite indoor playgrounds and outdoor parks! Let us know and we'll add a review here.
Twin Cities parks are great for hiking, biking, rollerblading, kayaking, canoeing and other fun physical games. But, they are also just great for hanging out in a hammock and picnicking while the kids explore and enjoy some of the best playgrounds in Minnesota. Want to get even greener? We have a big list of the best nature playgrounds for kids and families in Minneapolis and beyond.
Quick List of the Best Twin Cities Parks by City
Want to explore what we consider to be the very best parks in each community of the Twin Cities Metro Area? Consult our quick list below:
Inver Grove Heights & South St Paul Parks
Minneapolis Parks Nearby Nature Activities
Inside Parks and Indoor Waterparks
In Minnesota indoor playgrounds are a necessity! I know we think of outdoors when we think of parks, but with our long, dark and cold winters, some indoor active games are a must. You can even have indoor picnics at these parks. This such a great way to stretch the summer feeling into the winter! Check out some of the best indoor playgrounds in the Twin Cities this winter.
Outside Parks and Outdoor Waterparks
Minnesota has these, too! And during our short summer, we want to take advantage of them as much as possible! best In fact, the Minneapolis and St. Paul Parks are some of the best outdoor playgrounds twin cities - actually in the country. They win awards - every year! Look and See. Every. Single. Year. So get out to our area parks, make up some fun games to play.
Beaches
Some of the best beaches in the Twin Cities are hidden little gems. Anne has her favorite 20 Twin Cities Beaches, Parks & Playgrounds to Try This Summer. She revises the list every year to keep us in the know.
Shakespeare in the Park at Twin Cities Parks
One of my favorite ways to enjoy our parks is with a play or musical in a park. It doesn't really have to be Shakespeare, it can be the latest Disney princess musical or even a puppet wagon. In fact, sometimes Open Eye Figure Theatre's driveway tour has some park stops. Watch our Performing Arts page each summer to find these fun, free park events.
Music in the Parks - Minneapolis, St. Paul & Suburbs
Nothing says easy summertime fun like music in the parks! The best thing is, there is seriously a concert every night of the week from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Obviously, some get cancelled due to weather, but pick any nice night, take a look at the Family Fun Twin Cities calendar and you can find music in a park. No sign up, no tickets, no money, no commitment. Show up, bring a picnic, play at some of the best playgrounds in Minnesota and relax to great music.
Movies in the Parks at Twin Cities Parks
One thing I love about Movies in the Park is that they tend to screen at some of the best playgrounds in Minneapolis and the greater Twin Cities. I love to make it a full evening with a picnic and some fun outdoor kid games and Park Games for Kids. This is a good time to see newer kids movies that you didn't catch in the theater or to introduce your kids to your own childhood favorites without having to gamble on library DVD quality.
Tot Times
Active indoor games for preschoolers are something we are always on the search for when the weather is uncooperative. The parks have a lot to offer with their tot times and open gym slots. For instance, they often offer riding toys, hula hoops, games to play with preschoolers, balls of all kinds, climbing structures, fun games for toddlers, etc.
Looking for the Best Playgrounds and Parks Beyond the Twin Cities?
If you are traveling outside the metro, you'll want to check out some of our favorite day-trip parks. If you are going further than that, we have a list of great family-owned websites to direct you to the best parks around the country so you don't have to depend on national websites or random internet searches.
For more outdoor play ideas:
- 10 of the Best Twin Cities Playgrounds
- 20 Twin Cities Beaches, Parks & Playgrounds to Try This Summer
- Nature Playgrounds in the Twin Cities - Get Back to Green
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