These splash pads guarantee hours of fun in the sun for your kids.
If you – or your nanny or sitter – and the kids are looking for a place to beat the heat this summer, look no further! We’ve found the top splash pads the Twin Cities Metro area has to offer. Best of all? Almost all of the entries on our list are free of charge (unless otherwise noted).
With June already racking up record-breaking temperatures and humidity, we think these 10 places may be your best bet for cooling off this summer.
Lewis Park
Address: 900 N. Marion St., St. Paul, MN 55117
Hours: June 10 – Sept. 4 (Labor Day), 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 651-266-6400
St. Paul’s original splash pad features a playground, a picnic area, multiple walking trails, and wide-open space for yard games and family picnics. It even has synthetic turf surfacing on the playground, perfect for avoiding scraped knees or elbows.
Roaming Rec, a free summer youth program run by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, also offers outdoor games, arts and crafts, and other activities at Lewis Park and other locations around St. Paul — and they provide snacks!
Phalen Beach Splash Pad
Address: 1400 Phalen Drive, St. Paul, MN 55106
Hours: June 10 – Aug. 27, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Phone: 651-776-9833
Adjacent to the beach and just opened this year, this St. Paul splash pad has plenty of fountains and sprayers for kids of all ages. The park offers a sand beach and volleyball court (but you will need to bring your own net), locker rooms, and changing tables. The park also has a playground nearby, as well as canoe and watercraft rentals, making it a place you can spend an entire fun-filled day.
Round Lake Splash Pad
Address: 16691 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, MN 5346
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: 952-949-8333
Built in 2013, this splash pad is a part of Round Lake Park, an expansive area with a pristine beach, a walking trail around the lake, and multiple picnic options. The splash pad has a water-themed rubber surface to keep slips to a minimum. Interactive features as well as bubblers and fountains will make your child’s experience one they will remember.
There is playground equipment nearby and shaded seating to catch a break from the sun and enjoy a picnic. A lifeguard-stationed beach is also located next to the splash pad. In addition, Eden Prairie has tons of kid-friendly restaurants within a few minutes’ drive, including our family favorites Punch Pizza and Kona Grill, which serves adorable little bento boxes made especially for kids.
Oak Hill Splash Pad
Address: 3201 Rhode Island Ave. S., St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: 952-924-2540
This splash pad in Oak Hill Park is one of the most popular places to cool off on a hot summer day. The park charges $1 per person for nonresidents, but it’s worth the money. It’s one of the largest and most elaborate splash pads in the Twin Cities, with interactive bubblers and nozzles, fountains, and plenty of room to splash around.
Don’t forget to stop off at the nearby Shops at West End for lunch or dinner or to do some shopping with your little ones at Creative Kidstuff. You can also catch a matinee at the the Icon Theatre if you need sometime out of the sun.
Nicollet Commons Splash Pad
Address: 12550 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville, MN 55337
Hours: Open daily during park hours, 5 a.m. – midnight
Phone: 952-895-4500
This is one of the busiest and most fun splash pads around. It is smack dab in the middle of a small city shopping district with a shallow stream running all around it. There are plenty of rocks to climb, fountains to splash in, and small waterfalls to check out. This is one of my son’s favorite spots to cool off on a hot summer day. He always manages to talk me into a flavored shaved-ice treat from the nearby cart.
Street parking is available nearby if you don’t mind walking a couple of blocks, as well as a parking lot next to the Ames Center. If you have time for breakfast or lunch, I recommend checking out Jensen’s Cafe right around the corner.
Central Park of Maple Grove
Address: 12000 Central Park Way, Maple Grove, MN 55369
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Light show, 8:45 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 763-494-6000
This large playground boasts a 2,100-square-foot plaza with 49 jet sprays and 18 arching sprays. There are also interactive fountains and a lot of room to run around and play.
A huge outdoor playground is situated right next to the splash pad, and between the two, you and the family are guaranteed hours of fun in the sun. Nice, clean changing rooms and restrooms can be found inside the park building. The park also has a gorgeous garden with walking trails and tons of green space for picnics and yard games.
Minnesota Zoo Splash Pad
Address: 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley, MN 55124
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Phone: 952-431-9200
You will have to pay $12 for kids under 12 to access this splash pad (kids under 2 are free), but it’s worth the money and you will have access to all the zoo has to offer. Kids can cool off in life-sized animal sculptures and an interactive water fountain, located on the zoo’s Central Plaza. The pad is right next to a large playground with rubber flooring and a food station with plenty of options for kids. Some restaurants in the zoo also have gluten-free menus.
If you get tired of the water activities, try Hanifl Family Wild Woods — a nature-play experience for kids — or the Wells Fargo Family Farm, where you and the kids can pet goats, pigs, and cows, and explore all the zoo has to offer.
Andrews Park Splash Pad
Address: 7200 117th Ave. N., Champlin, MN 55316
Hours: Open daily, noon – 5:30 p.m.
Phone: 763-923-7163
Built in 2014, this splash pad features a boat-themed park with plenty of rings and hoops to jump through, water-table options for early walkers, and adorable flower showers. Shaded benches and picnic tables mean everyone can get a break from the hot Minnesota sun.
A large park right next to the splash pad features tons of slides, monkey bars, and a swing set. There’s also lots of grass, so you can park yourself on a blanket with a picnic or let the kids run off some energy.
Highlands Park Splash Pad
Address: 6975 Idsen Ave. S., Highlands Park, MN 55016
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: 651-458-2800
This splash pad replaced Cottage Grove’s 50-year-old public pool in 2012, and it’s been a big hit ever since. The pad has a number of overhead and waist-level sprayers. Nearby, you’ll find tennis courts, paved walking trails, baseball and soccer fields, and basketball courts.
Highlands Park is one of Cottage Grove’s premier parks, with 65 acres for families to enjoy. The park has plenty of picnicking areas located along the pond, with grills available and a large play structure for kids looking to run and climb while out of the water. This one doesn’t disappoint.
Rosemount Splash Pad at Central Park
Address: 13885 South Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN 55068
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 651-322-6000
New in July 2014, this water spot with approximately 3,700 square feet of space is perfect for little ones to run around. It has a variety of ground nozzles that spray water upward out of the splash pad’s rain deck, as well as a moving water feature, the Water Journey, which allows the littlest ones to play as water flows through a maze, all with no-slip flooring.
The splash pad is beautifully landscaped and provides tons of seating for parents who want to enjoy the park without getting soaked. There is a new 900-square-foot covered shelter with picnic tables and a drinking fountain as well.
