June 25

Exploring Roseville’s Best Outdoor Spots: A Local’s Guide

I’m on a mission to have the best summer with my family and that includes a lot of time outdoors. Thank goodness for Roseville and all the beautiful (free) outdoor space.

Let’s start with Central Park – The Ultimate Hangout

Central Park is massive with lots of opportunities for summer fun!

Bennett Lake and the Iconic Rocket Slide

You can’t talk about Central Park without mentioning Bennett Lake. It’s the perfect backdrop for a stroll. The real star for anyone who grew up in this area or has kids is the legendary rocket slide. It’s exactly what it sounds like, and yes, it is just as fun and fast.

The New Inclusive Playground

Over on the Victoria Street side of the park, they’ve introduced a brand-new inclusive playground. I love seeing spaces designed so that every kid, regardless of their ability, can play. It’s thoughtful, modern and so much fun.

Summer Evenings at the Amphitheater

When the sun starts to set, nothing beats heading over to the park’s amphitheater for some live music or theatre. From June through August, they run an amazing summer programming lineup most Sundays and Thursdays. And the best part, it’s free!

Muriel Sahlin Arboretum

Within Central Park sits Muriel Sahlin Arboretum and it feels like you’re stepping into a hidden sanctuary perfect to unplug and decompress.

It’s an 8-acre botanical garden that features themed gardens that change with the seasons, a healing garden, native trees and shrubs.

And if you’re looking for a place to take great family pictures or for big life moments (graduation, birthdays, anniversaries, etc), this is the spot. It gives that perfect social media aesthetic with natural light filtering though the trees.

There’s also an urban orchard that I’m excited to visit with my son with fruit trees, shrubs, vines and vegetables. It’s an educational space and is open when someone on the team is there to facilitate.

Beat that: Best Lake Spots

Summer = lake days in Minnesota! Here are two of my favorites.

Lake Josephine

Lake Josephine has something for everyone looking for a family-friendly day by the water. Located just south of County Road D on Lexington Ave, there’s a beautiful park and swimming beach. For the anglers, there’s a fishing pier and boat launch. The most common catches include northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass and bluegill. There’s also a hiking 1.4 mile loop around the lake to get in some steps.

Lake McCarrons

For the ultimate water enthusiasts, Lake McCarrons has it all…a large swimming beach with a play area steps from the water to sift and sort sand, a fishing pier and boat launch. This lake is located north of Larpenteur Ave and west of Rice Street. The most common catches are northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and yellow perch.

Plan a whole day around exploring and soaking up the sun from morning arboretum walks to evening theater at the amphitheater.

Which spot will you check out first? Tag @visitrosevillemn and me @lexandthecities so we can see your adventures!

Author

Alexis Thompson

For more than two decades, Alexis Thompson was a familiar voice on Twin Cities radio, but these days she’s building community in a whole new way. As the creator behind Lex & The Cities, she’s part hype-woman and part creative maker, always on the lookout for the best businesses, makers and stories. Lex is all about celebrating the people and places that make her hometown feel like home. Check out Lex's website and find her on social media at @lexandthecities.