6 Water Features to Dip Your Toes into this Summer

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6 Water Features to Dip Your Toes into this Summer

by Madeleine Koski

| June 24, 2021

With summer temperatures already hitting record levels, finding places to cool off this season is a must! These six different water features offer refreshing family outings for all ages, interests, and swimming abilities.

#1. Wading Pools
Wading pools are a wonderful option to cool off in if you’re looking for a quick dip. With more than 60 wading pools across Minneapolis, there’s bound to be one in your neck of the woods. All wading pools are free to the public and open from 9am – 10pm daily. However, it’s important to be aware that there is no lifeguard on duty at wading pools. Take a look at the Minneapolis Park Board and Recreation’s map of open locations across the city.

Images courtesy of MPRB, from left to right: Folwell Park, Logan Park, Powderhorn Park, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park

#2. Water Parks
The Jim Lupient Water Park and North Commons Water Park are now open for the summer. Both are open from 1pm – 7pm daily with pools, slides, and fun just waiting for you to dive in. A few features at the Jim Lupient Water Park include: loop slides, tube slides, log water walk, interactive spray features and spray pool for younger kids, zero depth entry for accessibility, shade structures, and outside shower towers. At the North Commons Water Park, you can expect loop slides, shallow water pool, a water playground, geysers and funbrellas, and a wading pool.

Jim Lupient Water Park (Images 1 and 2), North Commons Water Park (Images 3 and 4), courtesy of MPRB

#3. Splash Pads
A splash pad is a recreation area for water play that has little or no standing water. There are sprinklers and fountains that spray water for a fun and refreshing activity. There are splash pads at Currie Park, Hiawatha School Park, and Franklin Steele Square. The splash pad at Currie Park opened earlier this month! It is a welcome addition to the park as summer temperatures begin to heat up and adds a vibrant new space for friends and family to enjoy together.

Currie Splash Pad Grand Opening, images courtesy of MPRB

#4. Natural Swimming Pool
Webber Natural Swimming Pool opened in 2015 and is unique to a standard pool because it uses filters and plants, not chemicals, to cleanse the water. Natural swimming pools are living systems and function more like a stream, lake, or wetland. Webber’s regeneration basin near the pool holds approximately 7,000 aquatic plants rooted in layers of limestone and granite gravel. In addition to the filters and plants, the pool is vacuumed daily. The pool is open 1pm -7pm from Tuesday through Sunday.

Webber Natural Swimming Pool, images courtesy of MPRB

#5. Beaches
Beaches offer a classic summer activity and can be found at twelve different locations throughout the city. Lifeguards are on duty at Wirth Beach and Nokomis Main Beach from 1pm – 7pm daily and Cedar Lake Point Beach from 1pm – 7pm Monday to Wednesday. Check out MPRB’s beach information for status updates on beach openings and closings.

From left to right: Theodore Wirth Park Beach, Lake Nokomis Main Beach (courtesy of MPRB), Cedar Lake East Beach (courtesy of MPRB), Bde Maka Ska (courtesy of MPRB)

#6. Minnehaha Creek

For a more nature-inspired adventure, check out Minnehaha Creek. Minnehaha Creek flows 22 miles from Lake Minnetonka to Minnehaha Falls, winding through tranquil woods and wetlands, as well as dense urban landscapes and neighborhoods. It offers calm waters to paddle down and countless points to relax along the water’s edge. For a guided walk along Minnehaha Creek Parkway Regional Trail, check our newly released download-and-go Walk & Talk tour!