Lake Nokomis Playground

Right on the shore of Lake Nokomis, this playground punches well above its weight for a neighborhood park. The climbing structure is the real draw — kids go absolutely feral on it, and there’s enough going on that even the ones who’ve outgrown basic monkey bars stay busy. Slides, swings, and some natural play elements round things out for the younger crowd. When you’re done at the playground, you’ve got a basketball court, soccer field, and a huge open grass area that basically doubles as extra running-around space. Pack a lunch — there are picnic tables, parking is easy to find, and honestly you could kill a whole afternoon here without trying.