Elm Creek Park Reserve- Maple Grove, MN

If you’ve never been to this park, I’d say it’s a must-visit! Everyone always raves about Chutes and Ladders (Hyland Park) in Bloomington, Minnesota. Yet, I feel this park is definitely right up there as well and it’s not as overwhelming for kids/parents. It’s much easier to see all parts of the park, even sitting down at a picnic table. Located in Maple Grove, there is lots to do at this Three Rivers Regional Park. One of our favorite nature centers is also, located here (Eastman Nature Center). I’d definitely plan a long morning or afternoon of exploring.

Back to the park, there are two ziplines. A small toddler area was perfect for my one year old and allowed her to explore independently, while staying safely in the play structure. Also, next to the toddler area was a large sand area. Within this area, there was an Allosaurus dino dig under the sand. My son would have loved this! Another fun part of the park was a multi-story playground. Once they got up past the first level, it was all contained. This is always a nice safety precaution for those very adventurous littles who are skilled at climbing. Yet another area of the park contained a large yellow climbing structure, with many nets and ladders. Besides all of these fun play features, there was also a metal climbing area in which kids could climb, balance, or rock back and forth.

Last, there were some oval swings and a large boulder climbing area. The boulder provided an opportunity for kids to climb up into the playground as it was slightly lower than most of the other play features. There were many areas to picnic here, as well as some areas that were covered with large umbrellas. Another added bonus was inside individual bathrooms. We spent a while playing here, as well as taking a visit to Eastman nature center and hiking a little bit. After we finished playing, we did make a stop at Honey & Mackies for a wonderful flight of ice cream in Plymouth. Highly recommend this fun location as well! Overall, this is a definite must-visit park that is enjoyable for all ages and skill levels. Plan your visit there today!