8 Playgrounds in the Twin Cities You Don't Want to Miss!

The Twin Cities are beloved for their wide-open green spaces, parks, and playgrounds. Sunny summer days, warm winter afternoons, and even some rainy days beg for playful moments outside running, swinging, jumping, and playing together. Indeed, from Stilwater to Maple Grove, families are spoiled for choice when it comes to spending beautiful days at local playgrounds. But a few of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities are worth driving a little further to explore and enjoy together. We’ve compiled a list of these EPIC playgrounds to help you plan your next family outing. So, pack up the kids, your new book, a few snacks, and let’s hit the road. Keep reading to learn why these are our top picks for the Best 8 Playgrounds in the Twin Cities You Don’t Want to Miss!

1. Hyland Play Area (Chutes & Ladders), Bloomington

Looking for a magical playground that will spur your child’s imagination? Then, the Hyland Play Area is a great option! Located inside the Hyland Lake Park Reserve (part of the Three Rivers Park District), this is one of the best playgrounds in Bloomington, Minnesota. Play surfaces here range from sand and wood chips to rubber surfaces.

Locally dubbed the “chutes and ladders park” due to its series of hexagonal climbers and slides, this park was creatively designed for maximum fun for all ages. Kids will delight in racing across the series of ladders, multi-story slides, and sky tunnels. Several play areas mean kids will find endless ways to play. There is even a designated area for toddlers and young kids (ages five and under). Benches are located throughout the playground area.

Want to explore a bit more? Hyland Lake Park Reserve also features a disc golf course, paved hiking and biking trails, and cross-country ski trails in the winter. Plus, the park offers scenic prairie views for all to enjoy.

Finally, please note that the Hyland Play Area is seasonally open. A massive parking lot is available on-site. The small visitor’s center near the playground offers limited concessions and indoor bathrooms.

2. Shoreview Commons Park, Shoreview

Do your kids love Dr. Seuss? Then, Shoreview Commons Park has to be your next family day out! This park is straight out of the Lorax, featuring a whimsical design, vibrant colors, artificial turf, and plenty of space to play. With so much to offer to all ages, it’s no wonder it’s one of the best playgrounds in Shoreview, Minnesota!

Each space feels like it came straight out of nature, featuring enchanting elements like cattails, river paths, and treehouses. Kids can swing, slide, climb, crawl, and play across a giant playground. Plus, there is even a 50-foot zip line! Then, kids will adore the signature treehouse tower. Shooting more than 20 feet into the air, kids will marvel at its super-long slides. A dedicated, marsh-themed play area is available for toddlers and young kids.

Nearby, a more low-key playground and a skate park are available, too. Several seating options and tables throughout the park mean parents can relax, plan a picnic, or catch up with friends while kids play. Families will also find biking and walking paths outside the playground, cross-country ski trails in the winter, tennis and pickleball courts, and more.

A large parking lot flanks one side of the playground. Finally, outdoor portable toilets are available.

3. Central Park, Maple Grove

One of the best playgrounds in Maple Grove, Minnesota, Central Park offers an unbelievable array of entertaining spaces to play. There are seven play zones! With accessible, rubberized surfaces and some sand areas, kids can quickly get around and between the different play areas.

The playground features a 24-foot climbing tower, four giant slides, several unique swings, and a 120-foot climbing wall. Talk about a thrilling day out for kids! With so many options, this is one of the best playgrounds for large families, as even some older kids will enjoy playing here. There are benches around the play area for parents, too.

Nearby, you can also meander through gardens, including a labyrinth path. Additional walking paths, a pond, and ample green space make excellent places to explore together. In the summer, kids can also splish splash in the interactive fountain. Be sure to stay until dark if you can because colorful lights turn the fountain into a light show once the sun goes down. Meanwhile, in the winter, there is an outdoor skating loop and a warming house.

Finally, as one of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities, indoor bathrooms are located in the main lobby. They are open daily and year-round for public use. A snack bar is also available on-site (hours vary between winter and summer). A parking lot and street parking are available.

4. Teddy Bear Park, Stillwater

Just blocks from downtown Stillwater, Teddy Bear Park is undoubtedly one of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities for toddlers and young kids (recommended for ages seven and under). Created with littles in mind, this fenced playground is a great place to let kids play freely.

When you arrive, you will be greeted by a HUGE stone teddy bear, which will delight your kids. A few other stone teddy bears are located throughout the park. Plus, there is a large train, boat, spider web, and other play areas. While most of the park is designed with rubber footing, there is a small sand pit for digging and using one’s imagination. While kids play, benches around the park allow parents to chat, read, or mind younger siblings.

Finally, please note that this playground is open seasonally (mid-April through mid-October). Parking is available in a nearby pay lot or along the neighboring streets. The on-site amphitheater offers regular, kid-friendly programming; check the calendar for more details. Indoor bathrooms are located on-site (with changing tables), and a few spaces are available to reserve for birthday parties or get-togethers.

5. Elm Creek Park Reserve, Maple Grove

Offering one of the largest playgrounds in Minnesota, Elm Creek Park Reserve also ranks highly as one of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities. The playground is filled with a rainbow of colors, inviting kids of all ages to play. The playground is fenced, and play surfaces are mostly rubber, making them easy to traverse for all ages.

Features like giant slides, a fun fort area, a rope ladder, and vibrantly colored equipment make Elm Creek Park one of the best playgrounds in Maple Grove, Minnesota! Older kids will love climbing the giant boulders or rope structures. Meanwhile, littles have a dedicated space just for them. Then, a huge sand pit allows aspiring paleontologists the chance to excavate a giant dinosaur “skeleton” buried beneath the sand.

Elm Creek Park Reserve is also the largest park within the Three Rivers Park District. Outside of the playground, families can find almost every outdoor activity available in Minnesota. Eastman Nature Center provides miles of hiking and biking trails, a swimming pond, mountain biking runs, and more. Keep your eyes out, too! Elm Creek is home to wildlife like sandhill cranes, deer, beavers, loons, trumpeter swans, and hawks.

Finally, on-site parking is available and free, and entry to the park and playground is free. There are also indoor bathrooms near the playground.

6. Madison’s Place Playground, Woodbury

In Woodbury (on the M Health Fairview Sports Center campus), Madison’s Place Playground is one of the best all-inclusive, accessible playgrounds in the Twin Cities. Kids and adults alike will be impressed by all of the fantastic features and play areas! The playground also offers plenty of shaded areas for sunny days.

Madison’s Place Playground includes sensory play equipment, wheelchair-accessible play equipment, accessible swings, and much more! Kids of all abilities, skills, and strengths can navigate the entire playground thanks to a series of ramps and decks. Kids can also enjoy the playground by zipping, hanging, swinging, and sliding to their heart’s content.

Then, on hot summer days, cool down at the nearby splash pad. It is divided into sections for big kids and littles. The splash pad features dump buckets, spray nozzles, and more watery fun throughout the area. If kids need more space to roam, plenty of green spaces are available for games like TAG or, Red Light, Green Light.

Ample, free parking is available. Then, indoor bathrooms include changing areas and attached water fountains.

7. Woodridge Park, Cottage Grove – Playgrounds Twin Cities

Ideal for year-round fun, Woodridge Park provides a nature-based playground nestled in Cottage Grove. Families will quickly see why Woodridge Park is often rated as one of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities for accessibility. Everything here is wheelchair accessible and features 100% accessible surfacing!

On the playground, kids can crawl through tunnels, zipline from plank to plank, swing, and much more. A few areas are also designed specifically for toddlers and young kids. Benches throughout the playground mean parents can sit back and relax while kids play or meet with other parents for a quick coffee.

After playing a bit, continue your outing along one of the walking trails near the pond. Pack a picnic to make it a whole day out. Picnic shelters and tables are located throughout Woodridge Park (including a few charcoal grilling areas!).

In addition to the playground, there are baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, and a seasonal ice rink (with a warming house) for more family fun. Winter visitors will also find a fun sledding hill here too.

8. Augsburg Adventure Park, Richfield

Augsburg Adventure Park is one of the newest all-inclusive parks in the Twin Cities and one of the best playgrounds in the Minneapolis area. Located just across the southern border of Minneapolis, in Richfield, this fenced playground features towering slides, quiet spaces, rubber surfacing, and wheelchair-accessible features (including an inclusive merry-go-round).

Kids will adore racing down the two-story slide, zooming across the zipline, swinging, spinning, and playing. Babies and toddlers have their own nature-themed area built just for them. Then, plenty of seating around the park allows parents to have vantage points from anywhere to watch kids play. If you’ve packed a picnic, there are plenty of picnic tables and green spaces to lay out a blanket. A few picnic shelters also have charcoal grills. A small pond is nearby, home to many geese and ducks.

Finally, there is a large on-site parking lot and portable toilets available. After playing, walk to Augsburg Park Library (part of the Hennepin County Library system) to read a few books or play in the cozy indoor play space (best for ages five and under). The library and Community Center offer indoor bathrooms (when open), which include changing tables. The Community Center also has water fountains.

Have Fun Playing Together at These Fun Playgrounds in the Twin Cities!

We hope this list of the best playgrounds in the Twin Cities helps you plan your next outing. No matter where you live in the Twin Cities, playgrounds across the metro await exploring. This list is just a taste of the many amazing playgrounds near Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding suburbs. We hope you enjoy playing with your kids at these fun playgrounds in the Twin Cities!

Antonia Grant is a Minnesota mom + freelance writer who loves encouraging parents to find ways to connect and make memories with their kids. She’s a firm believer in providing children with experiences over things. You can find more from Antonia and her family adventures on Instagram @knead.to.roam and on her website. She shares all things family travel, outdoor adventures, and their favorite foodie finds.