Parks Archives - Thrifty Minnesota

Nature Play Area at Terrace Oaks Parks

June 18, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

A friend recently told me about her visit to the Nature Play Area at Terrace Oaks Parks. Not a typical play area, the Nature Play Area is simply about nature, which of course is awesome. Not everyone has a woods to play in and this play area is a great substitute.

The park is located in Burnsville and just opened up recently, you can find more specifics about the park here on the city website. I would love to see more parks like this pop up in the metro area!

The Nature Play Area features natural elements that allow kids of all ages to climb, jump, build and explore. Features include painted animal tracks, tree cookies, climbing logs and rocks, building sticks and limestone block benches.

Filed Under: Attractions, Parks

Silverwood OnStage

June 11, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

The best part about summer, there’s so many great outdoor events and activities to enjoy. The Silverwood OnStage is a free concert event taking place on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. The Three Rivers Park District’s Silverwood Park is located in St. Anthony and has a beautiful outdoor stage area.

Wednesdays | 6:30–9 PM

June 13 Michael Monroe
June 20 Nooky Jones
June 27 26 BATS!

July 11 The High 48s
July 18 Brian Laidlaw and the Family Trade
July 25 Malamanya

August 1 Sarah Morris
August 8 Annie Mack Band
August 15 Your Friend, Lydia Liza
August 22 Salsa del Soul
August 29 Kiss the Tiger

In case of rain, concerts will be moved into the visitor center.

Filed Under: Concerts, Parks

Schaper Park in Golden Valley

June 8, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy of “Bring Me the News”

School has officially ended for the year and that means we have more opportunities to explore. We have our favorite parks that we go to and then we always try find some new ones. I recently learned about the Schaper Park in Golden Valley. We’ve added it to our list to try when we have a free day. It looks like a great option for older kids.

Not only is this particular park all inclusive it also has a challenge course. The challenge area is geared towards those 13 and older, so yes parents can join in the fun and race the teens! Sounds like a great afternoon of fun, a family race! Maybe race and then whoever wins gets to pick the ice cream place?

You can find more information about the park here on the City of Golden Valley Website.

Filed Under: Parks

National Get Outdoors Day

June 7, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

This Saturday, June 9th is National Get Outdoors Day. Care to share where your favorite outdoor spot is? We’ve enjoyed several of the Minnesota State Parks, too many to choose from to say which one is our favorite. You can get in free this Saturday, a special way to celebrate National Get Outdoors Day.

Then there’s the north shore, even when the weather doesn’t cooperate it’s still fun. Or maybe you own some land and enjoy walking in the woods or along the river somewhere? Wherever you decide to go, take a few minutes to enjoy the wildlife and scenery. Take a couple extra photos or just sit and take it all in.

Filed Under: Events, Parks, Thrifty Tips

26th Annual Parade of Boats – Centennial Lakes Park, Edina

June 3, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

During the upcoming 26th Annual Parade of Boats you won’t see people in the boats. These boats are small and instead of people in the boats, they’ll be on shore controlling them. The parade takes place in Centennial Lakes Park in Edina.

The model boat event will take place June 10th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature boat sailing, racing and showings along the shores of the park’s central pond. A fun event to watch.

Filed Under: Events, Parks

WaterFest at Lake Phalen

May 29, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

The WaterFest at Lake Phalen takes place this coming Saturday, June 2nd. This event is fun for the whole family, with lots of great activities taking place. The water will be a great place to be if the weekend is anything close to the one we just had. it sure felt like we skipped over spring and went straight to August.

This year’s theme for Waterfest is “Follow the Flow,” a nod to Saint Paul’s largest connected chain of lakes. WaterFest is a free, family festival celebrating our clean lakes with fun outdoor activities and hands-on learning about local watershed topics. The event runs Saturday, June 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Phalen Regional Park in Saint Paul.

Some of the free activities will be:

Water Parade at 11am
Learn to fish
paddleboat
canoe
kayak
water games
climbing walls, native plant giveaway
music

Plus lots more fun throughout the park and on the water

You can find more information on the event here on their website.

Filed Under: Events, Parks, St. Paul

Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail Grand Opening

May 28, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

What’s your favorite bike trail in MN? We are lucky there’s so many to choose from. Some have more shade than others, while some are near water. Many used to be the route for trains. If you enjoy exploring different trails, you may want to save the date of June 3rd. The Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail Grand Opening happens on that date. Even if you can’t attend the grand opening, you can always check it out on another day. A map of the trail can be found here.

The Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail is a 15-mile trail that travels through Hopkins, Minnetonka, Edina and Richfield.

Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail Grand Opening
Sunday, June 3
10:00 AM
Fred Richards Park
7640 Parklawn Ave.
Edina, MN 55435

You can find out more information about the grand opening celebration here.

Filed Under: Events, Parks

Mississippi Paddle Share Program

May 27, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Have you heard of the Mississippi Paddle Share Program? I recently learned about it and hope to take advantage of it this summer. We don’t own our own boat and although we have access to a canoe, it’s not convenient for our family of four. Last summer we spend a day kayaking in southern MN and really enjoyed it, I shared our experience here.

If, like us you don’t own your own kayak but have done it before, the Mississippi Paddle Share Program is something you may want to check out. You can choose to rent a single-person or tandem kayak. There are five different places you can choose from:

Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park to North Mississippi Regional Park
River Park to North Mississippi Regional Park
North Mississippi Regional Park to Boom Island Park
Lowry Avenue Bridge to Boom Island Park
Hidden Falls Regional Park (North Entrance) to Harriet Island Regional Park

More information on the availability, price and hours of the program can be found here.

Filed Under: Parks, Sports

Memorial Day Animal Show

May 25, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Are you still busy planning out your weekend? How about an animal show? The Memorial Day Animal Show takes place at the Eastman Nature Center at Elm Creek Park Reserve. It’s a free event for all ages from 1-4.

Touch turtles, snakes, and salamanders, and learn why they’re special. Drop in anytime. Children 17 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Filed Under: Attractions, Events, Parks

2018 Opening of the Minneapolis Wading Pools

May 24, 2018 by Kristi Leave a Comment

It seems like just yesterday we were dealing with our last unexpected blizzard. It really wasn’t that long ago, but thankfully some warm days have arrived.

The 2018 opening of the Minneapolis Wading Pools is just around the corner. Most of the wading pools open this Sunday, May 27th. Note *Wading pools located in parks adjacent to a Minneapolis Public School building will open Friday, June 16 and remain open just prior to school resuming Monday, August 28.

Even though we don’t live in Minneapolis, we still took advantage of these great pools. Some are fenced in, making it easier to manage multiple children. Even if you don’t live in Minneapolis keep them on your bucket list for summer. Maybe you are in town for an event or visiting family? Or make a day trip, with ice cream included.

Check out the full list of pools here, as well as the dates the plan to be open and closed.

Filed Under: Attractions, Minneapolis, Parks