happyly approved

South Lotus Lake Park and Playground

7610 South Shore Drive, Chanhassen, MN, USA

5 am - 10 pm

$

seasonal-activities, outdoor-adventures, playground, road-trips

South Lotus Lake Park is just big enough for plenty of year-round family fun and even features a little sledding hill!

This unassuming park and playground is actually really great for families and is definitely worth a stop. Featuring slides, climbing features, swings, and more, it's fun for all. Plus, it has a few features that my kids really covet...items that we don't find at every playground we visit. This playground has a tire swing, which though it may sound common, really isn't too common to find at playgrounds lately. My kiddos love tire swings...I'm not entirely sure why they're more exciting than regular swings, but maybe part of it is that you don't always see them. South Lotus Lake Park also features a side-by-side set of slides, so the girls can race each other down. They really do love double slides, and I can see why these are super fun for kiddos! I'd be lying if I said Mommy didn't take at least a few runs down the racing slides myself!

Note that this park is up on a small hill, so I do recommend you dress in layers, regardless of which season it is. There's also little tree cover, so sunblock here is a must. There is a small covered gazebo with picnic table underneath, which is great for taking a break from the summer sun. I also highly recommend bringing along a kite, if you have one. Not every park is perched upon a hill, but whenever I find a great little spot of elevation like this, I always want to bring kites to fly!

There is a dedicated parking lot for this park, so no need to stress over street parking. It is tucked just slightly back from the main road, so you'd have to follow Google Maps, or know that it's there. I was happy to discover the hill it sits on is actually a designated sledding hill. What a fun surprise! We've been enjoying lots of sledding these days, so this was a neat bonus feature.

After playing here, I recommend heading over to Cafe Thyme in downtown Chanhassen for a delicious bite to eat.

Features

Parking Playground Picnic Benches Big Kid Swings Tire Swing
Thoughtfully captured by:
Heidi Keller
Heidi Keller was born in the mountains of Northern Idaho, and raised in Minnesota. She completed her undergraduate degrees at the University of Minnesota and has begun graduate studies through the University of North Dakota. She fell in love with traveling at a young age, and her passion has only grown since then. She is passionate about photography, traveling, scuba diving, reading, nature, and any creative projects. But, most of all, she's passionate about spending quality time with her kiddos. She is also an advocate for making reading together a core part of family life with kiddos.
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