The outdoors & activities we send people to in Southwest Minneapolis. Part of our full outdoors & activities guide and the Southwest Mpls neighborhood guide.
Four interconnected lakes inside the city of Minneapolis, ringed by paved paths, public beaches, and the kind of small-town green-space access that makes other American cities jealous. Walk, run, or bike the loops. A summer afternoon on Lake Harriet is one of the great unposed Minneapolis experiences.
Seasonal rental concessions at Lake Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, and Como Park renting paddle boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes by the hour. The simplest way for a visitor to get on the water in the metro. Memorial Day through early October.
The unofficial swimming beach on the north shore of Cedar Lake, accessible only by foot through a wooded path. No lifeguards, no concessions, just a clothing-optional sandy stretch beloved by the kind of locals who have been going for years. A real Twin Cities open secret.
A lifeguarded public swimming beach on the south end of Bde Maka Ska, with sand, picnic tables, paddleboard rentals, and a steady summer crowd. The most accessible city-lake swim in Minneapolis.
A swimming beach on Lake Harriet paired with the historic 1986 bandshell that runs free concerts almost every summer night. Bring a blanket, swim, eat ice cream, listen to the show. As Minneapolis-summer as it gets.