In summertime, Minnesota comes alive like the 178-acre green space Alimagnet Park. The park has tons of amenities from playground to picnic areas, from volleyball courts to baseball fields, from lakefront views to an award-winning dog park for Fido. Then check out Cliff Fen Park for the popular wooden "castle" playground and for easy access to the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge. For fun in the sun, Crystal Beach – located on Crystal Lake – offers 24 acres including a public beach for building sandcastles, swimming and fishing.
Winters can be long in Minnesota so take advantage of Burnsville's winter wonderland like Buck Hill, a small family-owned yet world-renowned ski resort, boasting Olympic skiers like Lindsay Vonn. Enjoy bunny to black diamond-level ski trails, snowboarding pipes – even a snow tubing run – ideal for the whole family. The resort stays open after sundown, so skiers and snowboarders can play in the moonlight. For cross-country skiing, check out Terrace Oaks West Park or Lake Alimagnet ski trails.
Outdoor ice skating, which usually goes from mid-December until early February, is a Minnesota institution. Burnsville has over a dozen of these parks like Knob Hill, Highland Forest and Civic Center Park, a local favorite. Next to City Hall, this 60-acre park has in-line, hockey and pleasure skating rinks and a warming house for hot chocolate breaks. Don't miss the annual ice show "Impressions on Ice" at the Ice Center, an indoor skating rink that's open all year round.
Burnsville hosts a bevy of creative events and outlets for your child. Nicollet Commons Park includes a 250-seat amphitheater for summer events like the Thursday Rockin’ Lunch Hour Concert series for kids. For theater arts, In The Company of Kids (COK) creative arts center lets kids strut their stuff. COK offers a full spectrum of classes like dance, acting, improv and even a ShowBiz Kids summer camp. Perfect for children of of all ages, abilities – even special needs – and interests.
